Engine Upgrade/Rebuild Question
05-28-2008, 03:00 PM
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Car: 1990 Pontiac Firebird
Engine: 305 5.0 TBI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 2.73 Open Diff.
Engine Upgrade/Rebuild Question
So i was wanting to put a few things on my TBI.Headers,Performer intake manifold,New cam,Maybe Heads and a Whole new exhaust System Since everything is Bone Stock the problem is that my engine has 180,000 miles on it and sometime sounds like it has a very slight knock which is pretty hard to hear.so my question is should i have the engine rebuilt or buy a rebuilt one before i do all this or should i just buy everything put it on the engine wait till the engine is fried then get it rebuilt?
BTW the engine runs great and always has since ive had it.
BTW the engine runs great and always has since ive had it. 
05-29-2008, 09:03 AM
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Car: 91 camaro RS, 87 T/A
Engine: 350 TBI, 305 TPI
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 4th Gen 3.42/BW 3.45
Re: Engine Upgrade/Rebuild Question
I just went through a swap from a 350 to 305. It takes patience and alot of money. I had someone install the 350 for me since i was at college and couldnt do it myself. I have heard that rebuilding an engine and putting in a new one can sometimes come out in favor either way, sometimes its cheaper to rebuild, sometimes its not. In my case i wanted to go to a 350, so when i spun a bearing i took the oppurtunity to do so. It cost me right around 4K to do the swap, That 4K got me
a remanufactured block installed
new motor mounts
headers
custom y-pipe made and installed
alternator
new radiator
water pump
Removal of smog stuff
Belts, fluids plugs and wires, gaskets etc.
Battery
Fuel pump, injectors and chip ESC and various sensors
If thats a road your looking down going i would advise you start saving(if you have a knock), if you can do the swap yourself you can probably cut about 1000 off of my total price, and if you get an engine like an lt-1 or a used 350 you can reduce costs greatly. Putting all those mods on your car will gain you HP and eventually wear out your motor as my take on it is new parts and old engines make the old engines worse over time. Id say buy a remanufactured 350 and do what i did. If you put them on now and you break the engine what will you drive? It sucks not having a car, especially if its your only one, so build the engine on the side and keep your car as it is for now than reap the benifits of a new engine once yours wears out.
a remanufactured block installed
new motor mounts
headers
custom y-pipe made and installed
alternator
new radiator
water pump
Removal of smog stuff
Belts, fluids plugs and wires, gaskets etc.
Battery
Fuel pump, injectors and chip ESC and various sensors
If thats a road your looking down going i would advise you start saving(if you have a knock), if you can do the swap yourself you can probably cut about 1000 off of my total price, and if you get an engine like an lt-1 or a used 350 you can reduce costs greatly. Putting all those mods on your car will gain you HP and eventually wear out your motor as my take on it is new parts and old engines make the old engines worse over time. Id say buy a remanufactured 350 and do what i did. If you put them on now and you break the engine what will you drive? It sucks not having a car, especially if its your only one, so build the engine on the side and keep your car as it is for now than reap the benifits of a new engine once yours wears out.
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