Ok i acquired a 89 rs l03 car in a trade.

Went to put a trans filter in it and found out it had a turbo 350 trans in it. so i pulled the valvecovers and found the truck 350 junk swirl port heads. checked the block and found it was a 350 swapped into it

its the 200hp 310tq truck 350 motor ( junk heads with junk cam )


they re used the 305 tbi system

What do i need to do to get the potential out of this engine? id like to go carbureted but would i need to change distributors and ditch the computer also???

or do i just need a cam and leave it like it is

 

you could go carbed but then you still are stuck with junk heads and junk cam. You could upgrade the heads and/or cam and stick with TBI but you would have to learn how to do custom PROM tuning.

If you don't have to worry about passing emissions you could swap the heads and/or cam and then also install a carb and distributor. This may be easiest, just depends if you are the type that is better with a carb or better with computers.

What other mods are done? Does the car have headers? Still have stock exhaust? If not you may want to think about these things first as if they are stock they can be pretty restrictive.

I found myself in your exact situation except I knew what it had when I bought it. Truck 350 with 193 swirl port heads and L03 induction. I swapped injectors, installed headers, full 3" exhaust, 3.42 rear gear, and I learned how to tune my own PROM chips. With these mods and without touching the heads or cam I feel I'd have a good shot at your average stock 350 TPI Camaro.

 

I figured that going carbed would be easiest for me if i knew which parts to put on

its funny cause the car has all the smog and factory manifolds, and i live in alabama and here NO cars have smog still on it since we dont have to pass emissions...

i laughed when someone told me it might have a 350 in it, but it does


what kind of distributor do i need? Just any that will run with my stock coil? or do i change coils also? or just one with vaccumm advance?

 

'factor

Forget about carb - it is 21st century after all. Carb will never pass emissions testing. You may not have were you live now, but sooner or later your local state government would love to look into your exhaust pipe and empty your wallet. They do that very well here in Eco-**** state of Kalifornia!

What you have is a good foundation on your hands to build on. Yes, swirl heads are crap, but they do work for now. I would save my pennies and get high performance heads and improved cam. For example RHS ProAction 180, or Brodix RR-180 plus many others. In addition to better heads I would also upgrade to a better bumpstick. There are too many choice, but believe it or not TBI system with proper ECM tuning can handle all of these upgrades.

So, before tossing towel - consider your choices wisely....

//RF

 

I would agree with RFmaster. They may not do it now but it's only a matter of time before the rest of the country catches up to us.

Invest in PROM tuning equipment and learn to tune your TBI system. Make sure your supporting mods are done (headers, exhaust) and your engine breaths nice and easy. Once the restrictions are gone and your current engine is running good you are ready to upgrade heads and cam, and when you do this you will already have some experience tuning so adapting the fuel injection system to the new heads and cam will be relatively easy.

 

I bet by the time GA and AL are doing widespread tests on emissions, we'll be able to buy LS1's for cheaper than a HSR costs.

 

I don't know about that, we can build small blocks so cheap because chevy cast a zillion of them and put them in almost every car or truck they built for a solid 40 or 50 years. LS1 came out in what, 97 in the vette? I think by about 03 it had already been replaced. Of course there are other engines in the LS series, but there will never be nearly as many as there are small blocks currently available. Maybe the answer lies in the new age truck blocks though! Who knows what the market will bring.

 

i have a 94 chevy truck tbi350 that has vortec heads,stock cam,prom chip,cold air intake,and 3"exhaust that ran strong as hell in a ext cab pickup thats going in my 85 berlinetta with shorty hooker headers.and it doesent have a smog pump and still passed emissions test in st.louis mo,but it still had a cat though.so with it!!