Im trying to increase the torque and horsepower on my '90 Rs with a 305 im installing headers and a new Y pipe but what are some other inexpensive ways to add torque or HP?

 

This will not increase your hp or tq but will give you a kick in the butt-o-meter....posi and rear gears. The gear ratio of choice seems to be the 3.42....and will be good if you swap in a bigger motor.

Dave

 

yes, gears will not increase HP, but they sure do give a kick in the *** feeling.

My vote, honestly, just put a small nitrous kit on it. go to nitrousoutlet.com...pick out one of his brand x kits, get a few required "goodies" {fuel pressure safety switch/window switch/purge/bottle heater} and have fun with it.

even if you have an automatic, USE A WINDOW SWITCH...

 

Headers and a y pipe are a great addition. That's a good start.

I like the idea of 3:42's and a posi unit, as well, because this will give the car more go, without actually adding expensive horsepower. I'm planning on doing exactly that on my 86 Z28. Already, I noticed a nice change in the performance of my 305 car, after I put on Hedman shorty headers, y pipe, and powerstick chambered tube exhaust (all 3 inch flowpath).

Another pretty cheap yet effective way to get performance gains is to check with Comp Cams and get the hottest cam you can get, without having to tweak your valvetrain and ECM. Call them up, and ask them to tell you which cam you can get. Do a decent tune up, also (cap, rotor, wires, iridium NGK plugs). I have always had the best results using NGK iridium plugs. They are just darn good plugs and consistently perform better than any others I've tried.

The new camshaft will be the best bang for your buck, out of any "cheap" mods.

The headers, y pipe, a decent exhaust, camshaft, gears, posi, and tune up will make your car feel noticeably quicker. You'll gain right around 40 horsepower from the headers, y pipe, and camshaft, and that gain will feel quite nice with some 3:42's and a posi. It'll be about like a 50 hp nitrous shot, without the nitrous.

Here's a breakdown of about what it should cost you, if you keep an eye out for good deals on this site and in stores and if you go with Comp for your camshaft. You may find even better prices than what I'm posting.

Shorty headers $50 (you may need to blast them and paint them with VHT paint)
VHT paint $8.00
Header gaskets $25-$45
Header bolts $10-$20
Y pipe $75
Camshaft $89.00
Posi Unit $100-$125.00 (You may have to upgrade your axles to 28 spline axles--$125 to $200)
Gears $75-$100.00
Gear Install Kit ($50 or so)
Tune up $125.00+ (depends on what wires you buy, NGK iridiums, cap, rotor)
Installation depends upon who does it....

 

Thanks guys there all great ideas and ill look into them. Where is the best place to find a cam? Summit?

Also i dont fully understand the gear differentials and what the posi unit does? sorry im 17 and still learning with this

 

I would suggest a nitrous kit as well, but with having said that I wouldn't put a lot of time in to the 305. It is a lot easier to make more power and go faster upgrading to a 350. My suggestion would be don't buy anything for the 305 that can't be used on a 350 if/when you decided to go that route. I have installed nitrous and gears in my car both which cost about the same and both have been a real kick in the @@@!!!

 

You can build the 305 just fine for the street. I've seen some mean ones that have put larger engines to shame. It's all in how you set up your car/drivetrain/heads/intake/ECM/injectors etc. To do a decent 305 build with all necessary supporting modifications, it will cost you at least $3500 (unless you find great deals on heads, intake, etc. That's another story.

Right now you are looking for "cheap."

I wouldn't use nitrous because it is pretty expensive, and it must be installed correctly and with attention to details, so you don't burn your stock pistons up (you can do it, but to do it right is a bit costly). You will want to run higher octane fuel and the right amount of nitrous, so as not to burn up your pistons. A lot of guys don't care about this, and then their engines burn up. Stay away from nitrous, until you have the money to have a professional installation done, after you've built up your engine to handle it, too. Folks who sell nitrous kits do not tell you all that is entailed in running nitrous properly and safely.

A good stick (camshaft) is going to be the best bang for your buck, hands down. You should call Comp Cams directly at 1 800 999 0853. You probably still have the LO3 V8 in your car (unless someone swapped something else into it), and you have either the 3.08 gears (manual tranny) or 2.73 gears (automatic tranny). Tell the guy at Comp that you want the hottest cam possible, without having to tweak your valvetrain and ECM. It should cost around $89. If you know a guy with mechanical ability, you and he can install the camshaft. It will probably take at least 3.5 to 4 hours, for an experienced mechanic, to install the darn thing correctly.

The gear ratio in the rear housing is one thing that determines your acceleration. You can change the ratio up to 3.42 by buying a new ring and pinion gear set (get the install kit, too). This will help increase your acceleration when you stomp the gas. Here is a link where you can see what the set looks like. You will need to get a kit that is specific to your car's rear end...probably a 7.625 inch set if the rear end is factory/original.

The link below will show you what the ring and pinion set looks like, and the price on this link includes the "master install kit."

http://www.ronsmachiningservice.net/...42-RING/Detail

Now, you don't have posi (unless someone swapped a unit into it-check it by jacking up the rear of your car and then spinning one wheel--if the other side wheel turns in the opposite direction, you DO NOT have positraction, so you will want a posi unit. You will want a "3 series" posi unit, since you want "3.42" or "3" series gears.

All a posi unit does is lock the axles, so that both tires spin when power is applied to them (unlike what you have now, which is an open diff, where power is applied to only one wheel). You get better traction and better performance with positraction. You'll have to do a little homework and will want to upgrade to 28 spline axles, to make the posi fit correctly in the rear housing.

Posi unit link: http://store.wpsracing.com/dipounfigm814.html

If you have other questions, please ask.

 

Sounds good ill get to work lol thanks man.

 

putting a cam into a TBI 305 is terrible advice.

HUGE waste of money...EVERYONE always ends up wtih a 350 or larger...305s are just boat anchors...do NOT waste your money investing into one trying to make it "fast"


with smart shopping, you can have a complete nitrous kit with all the required items needed for around 500...and make 3 or 4 TIMES the power you can by doing a cam.

please do not let inexperienced people sway you from using nitrous, its perfectly safe to use{when done properly} and it doesnt burn up pistons 24/7 like people claim...seriously people need to stop watching the fast and the furious.

ps, the guy who posted the prices earlier in the post, are you on drugs? a custom grind cam from comp is 300 dollars or better, add in another 180ish for new roller lifters,not needed i know, but recomended on higher mileage motors....

then add in another 50 for gaskets, then springs...having them installed...etc etc..a camswap is NOT a cheap and easy power upgrade for somebody who is a newb to cars.

 

its carburated

 

id have to agree with the camshaft idea. it is cheaper than NOS and gives a good idle (grumble) and relatively good horsepower. the NOS, like the other gentleman said, probably would burn stock pistons up, and i doubt you would want to waste MORE money replacing pistons than just getting a camshaft.

 

please dont give advice against nitrous, if you have no experience with nitrous.

this whole burning up pistons nonsense, is just that, NONSENSE.

properly setup, and properly used, nitrous will not hurt a thing.

if the 305 in your car is factory{aside from the carb}, camming it is pointless, the tbi swirl port heads dont flow for crap, and the low compression of those motors wont help either.

do whatever you wish, but in my eyes camming a motor is alot of work, and alot of money for very minimal gains in your application. im all for a cam swap in something that can benefit from it, but this isnt the case in your situation.

Simply put, you will have substantially higher gains with nitrous, for less money, less work, and the car will still drive like stock.

people seem to think that forged pistons are the cure all end all to nitrous mishaps, fact is, cast/hyperutectic/forged will all be destroyed in the event of a significant nitrous mishap, i have sprayed 325hp at an lt1 that was a 100k mile bone stock bottom end, proper tune, and proper use of the system will almost completely eliminate any issues.

If you are interested in persuing nitrous, let me know, and i will 100% walk you through the purchase/installation of a kit...

it does NOT need to be installed by a professional, if you can do a tuneup, you can install a n20 kit.

a cam swap, in my opinion though, is a terrible idea, you are going to be upset when you get it back together, and you notice nothing but a lumpy idle.

 

He wouldn't need a custom ground camshaft. A higher duration and slightly higher lift camshaft will add some nice horsepower, and like I said he can choose a camshaft that is not so big as to require valvetrain or ECM modifications. Comp has a camshaft already ground that will fit his needs, for around $89 bucks. Putting nitrous on an old engine is not the best idea. It can be done and done properly, but the most proper way is to put nitrous on an engine that is built for nitrous applications, if it is expected to perform optimally.

 

The 305 is not a boat anchor. You can build it just fine for the street, like any other engine. And yes, nitrous is fine when done properly, but it's best to use it on a fresh engine that is built for nitrous applications or at least rebuilt properly. Nitrous is not cheap. You have to refill the bottle, and refills occur often because it gets addictive, and the car feels slow when you don't spray it. I don't recommend nitrous for the street.

 

And I am NOT inexperienced.

 

I will agree with don't waist your money on a 305. Like mentioned earlier 3500.00 to build a 305 is ridiculous, thats close to what I have in my LT1/T56 and nitrous set up. Show me a 305 thats making 465 rwhp and 552 rwtq for that money with an up graded transmission. I raced a guy at the track that said he had over 4K in his 305 and I put well over a car length on him in the 1/8 on motor not spraying oh and that was only the second time I had ever made it to the track and the first time I ran the car.

Cam shaft is going to show you tops 40-60 rwhp. N20 set-up 100-150 rwhp.

 

RIGHT, but the guy doesn't HAVE an LT1 engine or a T56 tranny. He wants cheap horsepower on his 305 right now.

An LT1/t56 swap would cost a lot of money.

I say swap a cam into the 305, for cheap, easily usable power.

 

I understand he doesn't HAVE a LT1 or T56 I was simply stating that putting 3500.00 into a 305 would be a waste.

Thats why I stated that a cam swap would gain him 40-60 hp at best! When a nitrous set-up would gain him 100-150 hp depending on jet size.

If this guy isn't going to do the cam swap him self he is going to have upwards of a 1000.00 in a cam swap!

Thats money that could be used in other areas to build more and better hp in the future.

 

Nitrous gets expensive, filling that bottle all the time. He wants cheap power. The car feels slow when not on the spray, and it is addictive. I think it's better just to build up the 305, for the street, or do a few things to add power, as cheap as possible. You can get 400 horsepower out of a 305, which is plenty for having fun in a third gen. He can always add nitrous to a built 305, after he knows the engine is in sound condition (optimal compression, good rings, etc.). It's worthwhile to do something right the first time...that's all I'm saying.

The cool thing is that we can do whatever we want to our own cars.

 

You must live in a dream world..

400 hp out of a 305, is a JOKE.

it takes a well thought out plan, and GOOD parts to get that number from 350 cubic inches...doing it from a 305 is laughable at best...


HE isnt going to see near 40-60rwhp from a cam swap..FACT.

to the OP, save your money for a REAL motor...spray the current one you have...and dont waste money in the process...all the nitrous will continue to work when you upgrade to a larger motor.

 

Is this car going to be used on the track or the streets?? If on the streets, I would not go near the nitrous, since its illegal on the streets and very dangerous. If its used for the track, why not. Anyways if your going to be driving this thing on the streets, the best thing you could do, is headers, and a full 3 inch catback along with a nice y pipe. A set of 3.42 gears, a good tune up, and possible a higher stall converter. And by the way 400 hp out of a 305 is not much of a joke, it has been done by several people on this board.

 

I was padding it with the 40-60 hp that is LS based #'s lol.

Nitrous is not illegal to have in or on the car. I researched this heavily before installing it on my car and you don't run into any issues until you start hauling over 200LBS which I don't think anyone on here is doing.

Nitrous gets dangerous when put in the wrong persons hands that want to heat a bottle with a torch, use out of date bottles, etc. used since-ably it is fine.

I know exactly where 89fbird is coming from putting money into a 305 is pointless when the same money in a 350 will go a lot further.

 

funny...i ALWAYS LOVE that argument...

it doesnt add up...it only takes 50/75HP for the average car to cruise damn near 70 on the freeway, which is more then enough to get into legal troubles on public roads....

so what your telling me is, adding power via cam/heads/intake...is just as dangerous as nitrous, on city/public streets?

power is power no matter how its made. i doubt this guys going to cam his motor, and then go out around town and banzai through the streets at 6k rpm to take advantage of that cam he just installed...just like i doubt he would go nuts and spray it from stoplight to stoplight...


and for the record, i never said it wasnt possible to get 400 from a 305, i said it was a JOKE and a waste of money, ive been around TGO since it started, every newb comes on here and talks of wanting to build a 305 to be different, and the underdog...its pointless.

the amount of money needed to make a 305 anywhere near 400 hp, will get WALKED by a 350 with the same mods and less cash, and thats a FACT, theres no room for dispute.

you guys ranting on here telling this kid to cam his motor, is foolish. if it indeed is a L03 thats converted to carb...a cam is so pointless its not even funny, first of all, its a roller cam motor{these arent cheap} and switching to hydraulic flat tappet is a step backwards...

second, he needs springs..
third, he needs full exhaust..
fourth, he needs a converter..
fifth, he needs a gear..
sixth, he needs a posi unit..
seventh, he needs rockers..
eighth, he needs all gaskets needed..
ninth, he needs the carb/timing tuned..

your right, so much easier/cheaper/better gain then just tossing a kit on it...

meh, im tired of typing,to the OP, do as you wish like i said before...but...nitrous is your best bet, and will put a **** eating grin on your face the first time you hit it. i gaurantee a camshaft swap will disapoint you.

 

Correct, a well built 305 is all a guy needs to have a fun street car. Thank you for understanding that and agreeing with me because it's true. I mean, the guy isn't building a full drag car or something. He just wants more oomph out of it.

Nitrous isn't necessarily illegal, but I'd rather get a smaller amount of "always there" power than more power from nitrous, which is ADDICTIVE and EXPENSIVE and can hurt an engine that is old and worn.

I keep saying the guy wants cheap power because that's what he wants. A camshaft will yield enough of a change that will be noticeable, along with the mods you suggested.

I like the 305, and I don't care what anyone says. That's what's great about being an American. I can think for myself, and so can you!

 

I agree with everyone having there own opinion on what they want to do with there car. I mean if we all felt the same all the cars would be basically the same which would be boring.

One point that I have made already that still stands if this guy doesn't do all the work himself a cam swap is NOT a cheap mod!

After we have gone more in depth I would be interested to hear the direction Camaroguy19 is going to go.

 

Yes, it is on the street but you can have it on the track, and in most state you can have a system installed on a street car but the bottle can't be connected. If you don't think so then install a system and roll up to a police station and ask them to check out your car. Also make sure the bottle is in an well lit place, they love showmen ship.

 

RS Reaper....that's funny.

I probably won't be using nitrous ever again. I don't like it. I would rather have forced induction or just a big block making over 600 horses.

And bcl3rdgen you're correct about the cam swap costs....I always assume that a guy will tear into it himself or with a mechanic friend because that's what I usually do.

A good camshaft is always an important part of an engine's performance, no doubt. If a guy does some research and picks the right parts, he can build a 305 for his third gen that will make the car plenty fast, and he can then swap the parts onto a 350 later, when he has the money to build a 350. That's what I plan to do, but I'm going to put a turbocharged 502 into my Camaro, when I have lots of money, rather than build a 350.

 

may i ask how old you are?

 

Certainly, 89birdformula. I'm 36 on May 9th.

 

i really just think goin with a bigger engine is better, personally, but cams as EVERYONE knows are a good start to a more modified engine, im looking at a 400 with 4X heads but im not sure ill be able to get it :'(

 

I apologize....I forgot that you have a roller block....so the camshaft will probably cost you more like $129.00 or near there.

 

aluminum drive shaft

 

WEIGHT REDUCTION. And don't forget, adding power on a street car is useless unless you have the brakes to stop it.

You may want to look closer at your car if someone already swapped to a carb. It may have an aftermarket cam already or something else done.

~Matt

 

I'm glad I found this thread, since I am in practically the same boat as Camaroguy19. I have a 91 Trans Am vert with a 305 TPI that I'd like to make just a little faster (and still emissions-compliant). I don't care at all about the actual numbers that engine is putting out, I just want something that's fun down the street and something that can beat a few (more serious) ricers and foxbodies at the red lights. It's hard to imagine that it's hard to make any street power with 5 liters and 8 cylinders.

I was always considering a cam, but cams in 305s always lead to massive debates/flame wars on here. Literally 50% of people that I see recommend a cam, and the rest don't.

I'm definitely getting a 3.42 or possibly a 3.23 rear end sometime to replace the stock 2.73 garbage I have now. What kind of improvements would that alone make on the 0-60? Stock is about 8 seconds. I would really like to hit low 6s (0-60) without spending a lot on my 305.

Headers, definitely wanna get those too, plus a full exhaust. Probably Hooker 2055s since everybody seems to sing praises with those. I'm assuming that headers, gears, and a cam should make a significant difference in my car but what do I know?

What about siamesed TPI runners? Or some sort of aftermarket TPI intake on my 305?

Someday I'd like to swap in a 350 but for now with tight cash and a simple lack of resources for an engine swap, I'm stuck with my 305. At least the things I want to get now will probably swap straight onto the 350 when the time comes, except for maybe the cam. Sorry if I'm thread jacking but I really wanna see what I can do with my little 5.0 as well.

I also took a video of my launch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww-MhE6Lu5I

 

He can add some underdrive pullys as well give him about 10 hp for around 100 bucks. I'm going to be swapping a 305 to a 350 i just went to a junk yard and pick up a 350 block had it bored .30 over to remove any scarring, almost everything from the 305 will change over to the 350.....

 

Me? im 17 ha still learning i know my far share but not this much

 

yeaa all i want is more power for burning the rubber and gettin of the line of course id love to have a 350 or lt1 but im 17 and havin fun. As for nitrous i dont wanna mess with that all motor baby that what i want np matter what i drive

 

have fun with your slow cammed 305


goodluck whatever you do...ps, you DID post this in the power adder forum......

 

There is no need to be a dick, just because you didn't get your way by trying to push your N2O on him.

 

wasnt being a dick, i was being truthful and honest...

the minimalistic cam idea is terrible at best...

it has been said previously to stick to a smaller cam to avoid engine tuning/engine modification{other then the camshaft}

that said, as small as that cam would be to avoid anything else...IS NOT going to net any gains, aside from perhaps a throatier sounding exhaust..and quite possibly WORSE performance.

he posted in a power adder forum how to add power cheap and easily, if he chooses to spray it, or cam it, makes NO difference to me...its not MY money being spent. but i also do not want to see someone dive head first into this with great expectations only to be let down because of the end result.

i GAURANTEE he would be happy with nitrous, i cant say that for the cam swap ideas being put into his head.

with his goals/bank account, nitrous is really his only hope.

Ps, i wanna know where this ROLLER cam is going to cost only 129 dollars...you guys are giving this poor kid minimalistic figures on everything, and this isnt the case in the real world..

there are certain things that should NOT be bought second hand/used, and there are even more parts that shouldnt be skimped on.

my advice if N20 is not an option, is get a vigilante/yank stall converter, put a 3.73 or 4.10 in the back...and enjoy that, i GAURANTEE you're car will go faster with those two items, then it ever would with just a cam swap, that alone will completely change the cars "stoplight to stoplight" attitude.

 

My bad on the cam price. I had a lot on my mind (my friend blew his head off with a .44 mag the other night), and I was thinking about the Lunati Barebones flat tappet cam kits, which run around $111.00.

A roller cam will cost between $259 and $320.

An engine is nothing more than a big air pump that keeps running, by means of internal combustion. A larger camshaft allows more air to pump through the engine, and when done right will yield more power....plain and simple. If the maximum amount is wanted, then valvetrain and ECM mods are needed on our engines....if just a bit more is wanted, then it can be done, without modding the head guts or ECM, but either way, more power is gained.

There are some good cam choices for the 305 that will, in conjuction with other good mods, make the car quicker. He doesn't have to get a cam that will require valvetrain or ECM mods. Any mod has to be done properly, in order for it to yield power gains.

I've seen properly modded 305's in third gens put big blocks to shame.....because the big block cars were poorly modded or modded incorrectly. I have also seen it the other way around. It depends on whether the mods were done correctly (planning, optimal choices, correct installation,etc.)

Case in point: My friend's Grand National was running 13.2's, then he put nitrous on it. He ran high 13's and low 14's all day, and his dad's all engine 350 Chevelle ran 10's and 10.2's all day. The GN nitrous install was not done properly. He should have worked with what he already had (turbo, heads, cam, etc., rather than just slapping a nitrous kit on it). Nitrous works well, but it's a good idea to make sure the engine is totally sound and to install the nitrous kit properly, for it to work optimally.

Nitrous gets spendy, too. Filling the bottle isn't free. It's at least 30 bucks a whack (unless you know someone and they'll cut you a good deal).

From experience, I wouldn't mess with nitrous until I've built an engine for it or until I've made sure my current engine is sound. I've been wrenching on my own cars for 20 years, and I still have much to learn, no doubt. I've only been in the Chevy game for three years now, but horsepower is horsepower. Nitrous is nitrous...it does what it does...I personally would rather have forced induction or N/A power, so I don't have to constantly fill nitrous bottles because my car feels like a dog without the spray.

ONE of my experiences....On my Dodge SRT-4--I carefully built it to beat V-8's (NO, I couldn't beat ALL V-8's). I worked with what I had....my turbo....manifold....exhaust....intake....computer....intercooler....injectors...suspension etc. Another kid I knew had an SRT-4. He totally rebuilt his engine and put nitrous on it (he used a 200 hp spray). He was always bragging about it. I never bragged about my car. I simply beat him every time. He hated me. He always had some excuse....his bottle was too cold, the weather, blah blah blah. Too bad he spent nearly as much as I did (on engine internals, shop costs, daily nitrous bottle fillings, etc). He had burnt his stock engine/pistons up using nitrous and pump fuel all the time. He kept telling me, "Wait till I build my engine again and run a 200 shot of nitrous." I would say, "We shall see." He never could catch me.

I chose to spend my money on things the car already had...only BETTER things, plus I built the thing myself and saved a crapton of money that way, and I NEVER had to build my engine's internals (to my amazement-I was impressed with Dodge on that 2.4 engine). If I wanted 475 hp to the fronts, all I had to do was put in 1/3 a tank of race fuel, push a button on my fuel computer, and turn the boost up to 26+. Shoot, on just 92 octane and 21-22 psi of boost, I ran over 400 hp to my fronts. My power was always there. I was pumping more air through my engine than the other guy. The .50 trim dbb turbo helped.

Don't get me wrong....the other guy's car was fast, and he loved it, but he hated it when he raced me because he always lost. My point is that you need to do your own research and do what you want to your car, and you'll be happy with it, and there is always somebody faster out there, whether you have nitrous or not.

My favorite kill was when I beat a Ws6 with a 150 shot of nitrous (so he said). It was my favorite kill because the guy was a trash talking buttnugget and did not know how to be modest at all. I silenced that guy pretty quick. I still think he was only running a 50 shot. I don't know how a Ws6 with a 150 spray could be THAT slow. I told him, "I think you need more nitrous, sir." He was actually cool to me, after that. He never raced me again, though.

My least favorite races with my SRT-4

1) Lingenfelter Vette (he left me like I was a disease)
2) Turbocharged Cobra Stang (he mis-shifted--I almost caught him he he)
3) Turbocharged big block Chevelle
4) Nasty Supra
5) Some rich guy's Beemer that had some NASTY stuff done to it. He claimed 9's in the 1/4. He wasn't lying, either.

 

i GAURANTEE he would be happy with nitrous, i cant say that for the cam swap ideas being put into his head.

with his goals/bank account, nitrous is really his only hope.

Ps, i wanna know where this ROLLER cam is going to cost only 129 dollars...you guys are giving this poor kid minimalistic figures on everything, and this isnt the case in the real world..

------
I wouldn't make that kind of a guarantee, myself. Nitrous is not his only hope. Some guys can be resourceful and get help with installs and build a plenty fast street third gen, without nitrous.

Nitrous will EAT his money (he wants CHEAP power), every other day, if not every day, when he wants the boost it will give him, and his engine may not be in good enough condition to use it. I advise against it, at this point in time. I would buy other things and spend the money once.

As far as my roller cam price....That's my bad....I was thinking about my friend's skull laying around his room (he shot himself with a .44 mag revolver the other night), and I then thought of the Lunati Barebones flat tappet cam kit, which costs around $129 shipped.

That's my second friend I've lost to suicide.

I've had a lot on my mind, lately. I am definitely thankful to be alive, and I am thankful that I am a strong enough person to deal with life's crapola, on a daily basis.

 

Cheap and easy huh? I don't have any specific "answer" for you since I don't know what kind of budget you have or how much more power you're looking for. You made a good start in the #1 post when you said you were adding a Catback exhaust.

These cars notoriously came with restrictive manifolds and small diameter pipe, so any improvement you make there will help. If I did it all over again myself, I would buy parts here and there that I could use later when I upgrade the engine.....Dyno Don sells a nice set of shorty 3/4" primary headers and a true 3" Y-pipe, but they aren't cheap...but you could use them later if you decide to swap up to a 350 (or 383). Or maybe an air gap intake to go with your carb, (won't make a big diff on the 305, but will on a 350) - or upgrade your rear gears, some LCARB's, adjustable torque arm - things like that.

I'm one of the guys in the past that rebuilt his 305 looking for more power. I probably spent close to 2K on the rebuild. It ran great with the 5 speed and 3.73:1 rear gears and it had under 5K miles on it when I pulled it out. Most people that rode in the car swore I was BSing them, and I actually had a 350 in it.

I still won't admit it was wrong to rebuild the 305, because it was quick FOR WHAT IT WAS.

But - If you ever plan to try and keep up or beat any LS engine, Hemi, etc.. you'll need a better platform to do it with, and a Chevy 305 just isn't it. Decent flowing heads are and will always be your limitation on a 305. With it's smallish bore, you can't increase the size of the valves much and when you do they are so close to the cylinder walls that they end up partially shrouded. I guess the best thing to do would be to throw a blower in it so intake flow wouldn't be an issue - if you're dead-set on keeping a 305.

That's one of the reasons why even a F*rd 302 is a better starting platform. It's just a flat out better design. It has bigger bores and a smaller stroke which allows for installing a much better set of flowing heads with bigger valves. And guess what? You can make a stroker out of it for even more cubes (and power)......

Ahh, OK then. I didn't see that post untill I was already done typing all the above. Well, throw a catback on it and have fun then!!

 

dyno don sells 1 3/4 primary shorties and the y pipe is 2.5 inch.
Just to clarify

 

Installing a cam will eat gas (MONEY) all the time. The nitrous will only cost when you use it. Overall, it is a better value.

 

OP, remove all the excess weight you can and look for a rear end with limited slip and 3.4x gears or better. Nitrous is also an option if you need more power quick, but it can be costly and harmful to your motor and drivetrain in the long run. In the mean time, either pull an old small block chevy to rebuild or watch craigslist for a cheap, properly built one. If you build one yourself, watch for deals on the necessary performance parts and sell or reuse the other parts off the 305 to save money. If you get one off craigslist, have the compression tested and quality of the build of the new engine checked to be sure it was done right. If you're smart and watch for deals, you can do the swap for next to nothing. Swapping a small block chevy isn't expensive nor is it rocket science, and you can get huge gains for next to nothing. Forced induction will make big power, but it isn't cheap and might be a handful for an inexperienced driver. A swap will give the most bang for your buck over a tired 305 and give nice smooth, reliable power.

New2Chevy, sorry to hear about your friend. It's always hard to see a buddy go, especially like that.

 

cheapest way that i can figure to to get some underdrive pullys and since it is carb i would use this air cleaner it will give your carb a ram air effect w/o spending a lot of change. small a mount of work for a decent amount of gain.

 

Another ideal for better performance is a msd ignition set the coil distributor wires and all.

 

im 17 and my first car dont need a **** load of power

 

i will put a new engine and tranny when i graduate from college i want a 350 or ls1 or lt1 obviously there the better engines