Ok, my buddy is soon to be a new member of the 3rd gen club. He is looking at a an 89' RS, the sticker says 350 and it has a 5-speed. I know this combo was never availble from the factory, but how can he tell if the engine is a 350, where should he look for casting #s to tell what it is ? I looked at the car with him and the engine bay looked way too unmolested to have had the engine pulled and replaced IMO ( the LO3 exhaust manifolds are still there ). I think its still the original 305 and the owner is just stupid or trying to ripoff unsuspecting buyers.

 

I agree. I think u can tell by what it says on the side of the block being either 5.7 or 5.0.

 

if it's a 350 TPI 8th digit of the VIN number (bottom of driver's side windshield) will be an '8'.

I'm willing to bet it's the 305 TBI 5 spd... but check it out to make sure.... give it a thorough run down you never know.

garett

 

Think about this a moment...
Even if it is a 350, would you want it?
Can the guy present receipts that show a quality 350 was installed?
Would you want a 350 choked by the stock L03 manifolds?
Do you want a car that someone else changed the engine on?


I'd say its the stock 305 and the owner doesn't know what he's talking about, but even if it were a 350 I'd pass and find something else.

 

I don't want the car, I'm happy with my RS, this is for my friend.
If the car is a 350, then it was at least installed well, because all emissions equipment is still intact, nothing has been butchered, the car still has TBI. Even if it a not 350 with LO3 manifolds, headers would probably be the first thing he'd add. He hasn't driven the car yet, so the condition of the engine is of yet unkown to him. What I really need to know is are there any casting #s that distinguish the engine as being a 305 or 350.

 

Heres where the number is on the side of the block. Its truncated, only the last 3 digits of the ID number will be there.


This is the one by the distributor, sort of to the passenger side


This is possibly an unreliable determination, I have heard some 305's say 5.7 though I have never seen one like that