I’m no mechanic not not savvy with this stuff. I have an 89 trans am with a 305 and I’d love to find some ways to add power. I can probably spend up to $1500-2000. Love to get some ideas on what I should do and how I even find a good place to help me with it. Thanks!

 

with your budget at those numbers, (in my opinion) a good 100-150 horsepower shot of nitrous is what would be best for you.

I ran a 100 shot (and occasionally a 150 shot) on my TPI 305 for about 5 years. I put somewhere between 25-30 bottles through it in that time. the NOS kit was great, nd I added a purge kit, and used my MSD digital 6 box to retard the ignition timing when flowing nitrous. colder spark plugs too.

 

Thanks, hadn’t thought about that one. I was thinking something that may not give as much of a boost, but was more consistent if that makes sense.

 

Hmmmm ok...


throttle body air-foil it is then

 

unfortunately the 5L needs more than 2G's can give it. within the context of bang fer the buck, N2O is the only answer, you wont get that much HP for the dollar anywhere for that motor.

 

Exhaust and gears. If you have the LO3 exhaust you can gain a bunch by replacing the WHOLE system including manifolds. Get a good posi gear like a 3:42. INMHO this will give you the best performance for your budget.

Like 427 states it would cost a hell of a lot more to get a 305 substantial HP gains.

 

I had a guy call in the other day... He explained his daughter wanted her 4.3L Blazer to sound like his 454 cammed big block pickup. He knew he was asking the impossible and we both chuckled at the idea. Making power with a 305 is no less laughable. It's hard enough to make a thirdgen with a 350 fast, starting with a 305 is like saying you want to go a few rounds with Mike Tyson, but with one arm tied behind your back.

Save your money and revisit the question when it's doubled. Then someone can tell you to do an LS swap.

 

If you could fab parts, you could do a china turbo for 2 g. But its only possible for ppl who can fab and tune their own deals.

 

Thanks everyone... as I said, I’m not expert. I especially liked the line about getting into the ring with Tyson with one arm tied behind my back. Lol... I’ll just keep saving up some $$ and enjoy what I have.

 

Best bang for the buck? How big a bang?
Yeah, it's a 305. So what? It'll still respond to usual hot rodding moves like headers, heads, etc. It'll just be on a lesser scale.

Start with headers. You should be able to find shorty headers and a y-pipe for around 500 bucks.
What's the induction system you have?
If you're adventurous you could get a set of 059 Vortec heads and the intake to match. The remanufactured heads on E-Bay are about $700 a pair assembled. The intake, depending on the style, should be around 300.
At this point you're getting close to the $2000 cap once you factor in the incidentals. (All prices are approximate and came about after a quick search)

You're not building a Top Fuel engine but it's basic hot rodding and a nuts and bolts deal. It'll give a definite seat of the pants improvement.
Plus, it'll get you into the hobby turning wrenches and the like.
Plenty of 305 dissenters around but as I said, it's a small block Chevy and it'll play along like any other. Sure there are other routes you could go and the other suggestions all have there relative merits but this is really entry level stuff and the mods suggested here are a way to get into it.

Check out this thread. While it started off as a cam question, it moved into the 305 platform in general with some genuine enthusiasm.
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tech...o-big-cam.html

 

i think i would focus on the rest of the car first. gears, exhaust, trans, that kinda stuff. the 305 can be improved sure, but when you consider it would cost the same to build a 305 as it would a 400..... its just not as good a road to go down. and then you have the ls swap, which bang for the buck is nearly unbeatable.

 

Headers and gears as stated above. 3.42 and a set of long tubes will un cork the engine a bit and it will be consistently there across the RPM range in all operating conditions. For fun factor, it will sound better and be much easier to do burnouts.

 

spray it

 

yup, thats what I said up top. he did post this in the "power adders" section of the forum, so I thought he was deciding between nitrous, turbo, blower.... not looking for the simple bolt on stuff.