So, as I posted on here a few months ago, my RH head gasket is toast...I have to replace it, and I figure while I'm in there, I might as well replace the LH one as well. So, after doing a search on here, I think I want to go with Scoggin Dickey's stock Vortec head and TBI Intake kit.

Has anyone done this with an otherwise fairly stock 305? Will it run ok with a stock tune? I am still trying to figure out chip burning through these boards, and do intend to burn a chip for it...but it will take me awhile. Meanwhile, I want to be able to drive the car.

This idea is bad in a way because it renders my Edelbrock intake useless, but if I have to go through this much hassle and expense anyway, I figure I might as well make it worth it. The L31 heads will work with the engine? Will I see improved power sufficient to make it a worthy upgrade? With 114k miles on it, the motor runs perfect, so I figure its worth it to spend some $$ on this one. I will be adding either Edelbrock or Hooker headers when I do this. Thanks to anyone who can help...

BTW, is all the EGR equipment provided with this kit?

 

search for engine quest heads. they are an improved vortec design that can be easily setup for running on a 305(chamber size) without milling the head. the tbi intake and external egr tube aren't hard to do. i've done 2. 1 in my caprice while it was still a street car and another in a jeep that we used an edelbrock mpfi upgrade kit when we cammed and headed a 305. that 305 breaks driveshafts often enough that we sent a shaft out to be cryogenically treated and we haven't broken that one yet. the throttle response is amazing. engine quest 170 cc port heads with 1.84/1.50 valves Heads would be dead on for"bolt on upgrade". any case be prepared for chip tuning. doing heads (upgrading)on a 305 really only makes sense with a cam swap as well. the gmpp intake for tbi is real good i my opinion and worth it. get the egr install kit with it. it will help with cruising fuel economy. im gonna check on those heads ill brb.

http://www.aaeq.net/Enginequest/Catalogs

part number ch305a i believe

 

Thanks for the response. One thing I'd like people to understand at this point is I'm only looking for a set of heads IF they'll work with a relatively stock setup and that I am not doing a cam at this point. I understand the benefits of chip tuning, and a cam...however, I am only looking at upgraded heads because I figure if I have to have the motor taken apart anyway, I might as well bolt better stuff back on.

With that said, I know I've seen a thread on here where someone swapped Vortec heads onto an otherwise-fairly-stock 305, and had good luck...I can't seem to find the post right now. Down the road, I would love to do an LT1 cam swap and a full tune...however, at this point the heads are the only thing I have the time/money for.

 

then why not go for the world s/r torquer 305 heads. the flow well support up to 300 hp with a future cam swap and you get to keep the edelbrock.

 

I never thought about those...is Summit a good place to get those from? Will they work ok with a stock tune for now? Will I even get much of a performance difference until I tune?

I need to know the above before I go with this because I'm still researching the PROM board, and now that its getting warmer I want to get the car out and drive it, but I really don't want to drive it anymore with the leak being as bad as it is. It smells pretty lousy after a long highway cruise, and it makes a mess of the garage floor. No matter where I put drip pans, it always seems to drip from somewhere else! With the car having a brand new, show-quality paint job and nice 17" TT2s, it deserves better...

 

I just checked Summit's site, and they claim they run through 1986 models...what is the difference with the 1987+ engines? The way the serpentine assembly bolts up? Valve covers?

To be honest, I'd almost rather go Vortec...I know it costs a little more, but at least they're GM parts...I get nervous sometimes with aftermarket stuff. But again, I don't really know much about either option...this is my first serious engine project.

 

The Vortec heads would seem to be very good for your application, impressive flow numbers for a stock part. If there is ever a cam in your future - maybe even with these heads on a 350 way down the road, spend the extra hundred bucks for the heads clearanced to take .525" lift. A little bit more cam while you've already got the motor taken apart would really feel good for the cost factor - something mild would work great with those heads and still keep the computer happy, the stock cam is really anemic.

I have this swap, possibly with a cam, planned for my 305, I'm hoping to see good gains, I've got pretty good flow in and out of the motor, the heads are the bottleneck at this point. Even if I keep the mild cam I have now, I'd expect a pretty noticeable difference.

 

So, the question is...will this top end be compatible with the computer for the moment? It sounds like it would be? The engine is staying in the car...I don't have the $$$ to have it pulled at this point. The dealer I'm the sales manager for will be pulling the heads off and replacing the top end and some other things to clean up under the hood (new alternator, water pump, etc.) and put on headers while they're in there. I know how awful the cam is, and have every intention on replacing it with an LT1 cam down the road...just not right now. I'm getting married in May, and looking at getting a bigger house...I have to keep the expenses on this car down for now. I've already sunk almost $9k in the car, including the purchase price of $1,000. But, it looks brand new outside and drives awesome...just needs this leak taken care of, a headliner, carpet, dash pad and new leather for the front seats, and I have a brand new looking and driving 17 year old car

I know I shoulda bought a super low mileage one off eBay versus what I did, but the car is exactly what I've wanted since I was a kid...a V8/stick/t-top red RS Camaro

 

You'll have compression issues with the larger chamber vortec heads. That can be remedied by milling them but then you wind up with heads that may not swap over to a later 350. You're almost guaranteed tuning issues, it may run 'good' but you'll suffer somewhere, cold weather starts, part throttle cruise, somewhere. Some have even had tuning issues with exhaust mods on the TBI.

After 86 they changed the center intake mounting holes and the angle the bolts went into the heads. That can be fixed in many cases by hogging out the holes on the intake.

Modified vortec heads plus vortec intake will run ~$1000 with all the gaskets/fluids. Even if it runs OK you'll never get the full benefits without tuning.

 

See the below thread - we discussed the compression issue a bit with Vortec's on a 305.

possible-conversion-vortec-305

 

Thanks guys...I appreciate it. My long term plans for the car (I've spent too much $$ on it, and love it too much to get rid of it) involve either a completely built/tuned 305 or a swap to something like an H.O. 350 crate...I'm leaning towards keeping the 305 at this point. But for now, I have to keep it fairly simple...I don't know tuning. Meanwhile, I have to get this leak fixed...so I figured while I'm in there...if I can do something simple to boost HP, why not?

I will read the thread atc found for me...thanks for that. This car is not a track car...if I wanna run 13s, I already have a car for that This was originally purchased to be a cruiser and keep miles off the Z, while filling my missing third gen fetish I still plan to hopefully get an IROC in a few more years, while using this one as a summer fun driver. So, I will have a quick third gen...I just figured if I was going through the hassle and expense of regasketing the top end, why not have a little fun with it?