Help wanted for ideas on 84 z28 engine build on a budget
 

Hey everyone I am new to this and I have had my camaro z28 for about a year now. The car is original and it has about 150k miles on it still runs great but I would like more power and I would like to be able to rely on this car to get to school and to work every day. I hope it could have about 350-400 hp, but Idk what would work or even really where to start. If you have any info please let me know it is much appreciated.

Re: Help wanted for ideas on 84 z28 engine build on a budget
 

Everybody is "on a budget". Some budgets are larger than others, but we all have one. Don't beat us over the head about that like you're special.

What EXACTLY is your car? Auto/stick? LG4/L69? What gears? What's your "budget"? (a number please... $2000, $6000, $????) Besides the engine, what are you prepared to do? ($2000, $5000, etc.) What besides "more power Scotty" are you concerned about? (gas mileage, longevity, ease of swappage, do it in your apartment complex parking lot, your dad builds race cars, whatever...) fill us in on the details, it'll be ALOT eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezier to filter out the noise and zero in on what will work FOR YOU the more info we have.

Re: Help wanted for ideas on 84 z28 engine build on a budget
 

It is a lg4, auto, I'm not sure on the gears and my bugget is 5500 max 9500. Well the 305 in it now is extremely hard to work on. I would like an engine that would be easier to maintain, gets better than 13mpg and will be reliable

Re: Help wanted for ideas on 84 z28 engine build on a budget
 

what did you have in mind? it doesnt get much easier to work on than an lg4.

Re: Help wanted for ideas on 84 z28 engine build on a budget
 

Well I've never seen an engine as weird and difficult to get arround to work on than this 305

Re: Help wanted for ideas on 84 z28 engine build on a budget
 

Maybe I said the wrong engine. I would have to go look At it again

Re: Help wanted for ideas on 84 z28 engine build on a budget
 

I would suggest a carb'd 350 crate engine in your case. you don't have to worry about matching parts and compatibility.

Don't take this the wrong way but based off of your posts on this thread, it doesn't seem like you have a large enough grasp on the technical side of engine building to build one yourself.

There's more to just dropping an engine in and going faster. these cars have weak bodies that need subframe connectors before you can even think about putting a stronger engine in. if you dont do that, the added torque would twist the cars frame and tweak it severely. also rear end gears, converter stall, and what trans you have(and how strong it is) all play a very huge factor in an engine swap.

Re: Help wanted for ideas on 84 z28 engine build on a budget
 

Well my problem with is every one else I talk to wants me to do an ls3 and new transmition. It'll be almost 17000 worth of work. I have a few friends who know more about building engines and transmitions than me, but they don't know very much about camaros because they are more about older ford mustangs. They are willing to help me, but I'm trying to figure something out that won't cost me crazy amounts of cash but will last and it would be great if it had more horse power.

Re: Help wanted for ideas on 84 z28 engine build on a budget
 

Not sure how a LG4 is "weird" or "hard to get around"; always seemed kinda basic and ordinary to me. Has more wires and vacuum hoses compared to some older engines but that's not a big deal.

Another thing I should have mentioned among factors you may need to account for, is your location. Laws, inspections, etc. can have a YUUUUUUUUJJJJE impact on an engine swap. Make sure BEFORE spending money, that you know what your locale requires.

Probably the simplest, most satisfactory thing you could do, would be to buy the GM "HO" 330 HP 350. NOT the 260 HP one, NOT the 290 HP one. The 330 HP one comes with Vortec heads while the others have lame old crappy smogger heads. That, plus a Vortec intake manifold and a 86-up flex plate, will drop right in and nearly DOUBLE your actual HP from what it is now. All of the stuff on the outside that you already have - carb, accessories, distributor, etc. - will bolt RIGHT UP and work. Might need freshening up of course but no need to just wholesale replace it with something else. Only 2 major things left that you'd want to do other than that would be, the exhaust, EVERY SINGLE PIECE from the heads to the street; and gears. The exhaust that the LG4 came with is one of the parts most responsible for it being so weeeeek. Replace it with a good quality set of headers that are chassis-specific BUT NOT FOR LG4, a high-flow cat, and your choice of cat-back. I'd suggest looking at Dyno Don's headers. Your gears are 2.73; ideally they should be 3.23 or 3.42, with a posi. Best NOT to upgrade your existing rear as it has drum brakes. Instead, look around for a whole rear to swap in with the PBR brakes (89-up), or one from a 4th gen car.

Your transmission is fine to leave there as long as it's in good shape and all that. If it's wore out now, it'll get shredded QUICK with more power. If the fluid is still nice and cherry red and smells the same as new in a bottle, no hint of brown or any burnt smell to it, it should be OK. Otherwise plan on including a trans rebuild in your project. But the model, the 700-R4, is fine for the purpose at hand.

Properly executed, that should give you a car that will run circles around what you have now, last another 15 - 20 years at least as far as the engine internals, and get 18 - 20 mpg average if driven appropriately. Cost should be in the $4 - 5000 range.

Next best choice would be a 5.3/4L60E pullout from a truck. That's a bit more involved; needs exhaust similar to the above, an oil pan, accessories, and an intake manifold, and of course gears. There would be ALOT more adapting and swapping out of little details here and there, and tuning ($600 - 750 or so). But the overall cost will be roughly similar.

Re: Help wanted for ideas on 84 z28 engine build on a budget
 

I live in California probably the worst for what I am trying to do. I appreciate the info and help. I'll look around and find out what I can about the laws and see where I can get the parts and my transmition needs to be rebuilt or just replaced it is on its last legs sadly.

Re: Help wanted for ideas on 84 z28 engine build on a budget
 

Your LG4 is one of the most basic of the 305's. Youbjust need to understand the CCqjet, vacuum lines and some wiring and how it all goes together. Sofa has some really good info, he's just s bit rough around the edges.��

Re: Help wanted for ideas on 84 z28 engine build on a budget
 

Hey guys sorry it took so long for me to reply. I was given an idea because I like the body of the 84 z28 why not get a newer and better frame and put the 84s body on it. Is this even possible and how much would it cost?

Re: Help wanted for ideas on 84 z28 engine build on a budget
 

lol no... the whole entire body of these cars is the frame, if you ever even looked underneath you would see that there is no full frame to remove the body from.