grover85

iTrader: (1)

Ok, starting out have not modified a tbi camaro yet. I have a bone stock 1989 vert with a 305 tbi. Car runs great but does a typical blue smoke show on start up and vary under powered by today's standards. But I am going to fix that.

I work at a boat dealership. We service inboard boat engines. Last week we had to replace two engines in two boats. One ran great but had a cracked block. The second had a oil pressure sending unit that rotted off starving it for oil and caused a rod knock. I stripped down the rod knocker at ditched the internals. Then I stripped the cracked block internals and cleaned up so I could resemble in the good block. The engines are vortec 350's with roller cams.

First question. Is there a decent cam upgrade that will not be to wild for the ecu? I know about the lt4 cam but I am sure there is something better.

Second question. What intake manifold and tbi adapter will fit under a stock hood? I am looking for something other then the gm tbi to vortec intake.

Third question. I am not a tunner. Is there anyone that can burn me a chip to handle this swap.

Fourth question. Fuel system. I was going to upgrade to a walbro 190. Is there a fuel regulator upgrade I need to do? I was going to get injectors for a 350 tbi.

Any other input would be great. At the end of this I am just looking for this swap to add about 80-100 fwhp to the car to make it a little more fun.

grover85

iTrader: (1)

Also with this project I am all about doing a little bit of a junk yard crawl. My drag car makes everything so expensive. I want to have fun with this project and get the most bang for the buck.

Schurkey

Was your chosen block used with a closed cooling system? Many boat engines, cooled with lake- or salt-water have VERY corroded water jackets.

grover85

iTrader: (1)

This is an important thing to consider when doing something like this. I live in MN that has no salt water anywhere near it. Boat has been in MN its whole life. The cooling system the engine came out of was a open cooling system. The way the cooling systems are designed is they will not drain out unless you physically pull block drains and hoses. This keeps air out of the cooling system. And that means rust does not happen at the same rate as when oxygen is present. Then when we winterize boats we run them up on RV (Pink) antifreeze. This protects the cooling system over the winter. We have had engines coming from salt water and even with a closed cooling system the salt really takes its toll on all components.

mrestrictrplate

iTrader: (2)

Is the puff of smoke from rings or the valve seals. I had a Formula tbi in 88 that had the valve seal puff in 1993. The ones gm used were junk.

grover85

iTrader: (1)

I am sure it just need valve seals. But I am not interested in repairing or upgrading the 305 due to basically having a free roller cam vortec head 350.

DynoDave43

iTrader: (11)

I have no first hand advice...just what I've learned 9I think) hanging around here.

I'll let others offer advice on a specific cam. But regardless, your going to need tune (as you know). You may get close with a chip, but doing your own tune with the EBL Flash conversion is probably the better way to go.

If you read through this thread, you may find some incites into what you are facing.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tbi/...rtec-swap.html

grover85

iTrader: (1)

Dave, I have not ruled out tuning myself. Just really not my thing.
On a side note. Might ditch the cam swap idea. The company that marinized the engine is a company called Indmar. The advertised hp for the boat it came out of was 325 hp. I found out the cam is not the same cam that comes in a stock vortec truck. I am going to service school at the factory in Tennessee on Monday. Going to try and get cam specs from the engineers.
Second reason on not doing a cam swap is driving the swap price up. I figure if I do a cam then I need valve springs to do it properly. That would be going away from what I want this project to be.
Pic of the car. I put my iroc wheels from my other car on it. I felt funny bolting drag radials to a bone stock 305....

DynoDave43

iTrader: (11)

Looks like a nice ride Grover!

I'm hoping member Fast355 will chime in here. He has a lot of relevant experience with several of the questions you are asking. If he doesn't, find an old thread in this section that he posted in, click on his username, and send him a private message.

grover85

iTrader: (1)

Hopefully he will. I am sure I will figure it out. Not my first rodeo. On s side not I was assembling the short block and I am scrapping the cam idea. That way I can get it complete as a long block.
I would really like to know if a carb intake and tbi adapter will fit under a stock hood.
I also have my fuel system figured out
-walbro 255 (have one on my parts shelf)
-external fuel pressure regulator set up.
This should take care of any fuel concerns.

grover85

iTrader: (1)

Oh and I figure I will do some light transmission upgrades.
-shift improvement kit
-servo upgrade
-maybe a torque converter upgrade. Astro van converters run about a 2400 stall.
-external transmission cooler