I disassembled the 305 and all looks good. So while I have it apart I figured that I might as well get the best performance stuff I can. It sat a little long so I called to check on the price for an Acid Bath and it was $75 including new cam bearings and freeze plugs. If at all possible, I would like to be running 14s when this engine goes back in. Its a 78 block and Im pretty sure that it was bored just .10 over. The heads are the stockers off the late 70's Nova's. I heard they werent that bad of heads. So Im wondering anything that will give me an edge hear and there. Gotta beat my buddies 5.0!! 15's will not do. But as long as my car runs I guess I could deal with it.

 

How much are you planning to spend on the rebuild? Anything you especially don't want to replace?

 

Well Its all here and there as the money comes in but Im looking to keep the piston I have which arent flat top. My heads I would like to keep also but If I find a good deal I will make that exception. I plan on getting a better cam. Im looking to spend for now about a $1k total. Im already having to replace the clutch in the process of this swap. So Im thinking a new cam and a 600cfm carb alone should help drastically compared to a 210,000 mile TBI engine.

 

Get a Comp 262XE cam, I hear those are highly recommended for 305s.

The heads from what I hear on TBI's are terrible, not sure how much porting them would do.

If you go for carb, you'll need a new distributor too, and take care of the TC LU if you have an auto.

 

14s are not so easy to get with a 305. You need to get to 1 hp/ci. But follow the parts in my sig and you'll be solidly in the mid-14s. You'll need to port and polish a good set of 305 heads to get there, too.

Check out these threads for help:

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=128575

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=117410

Bon appetite!

 

Ok, I dont have the knowledge to do the port and polishing of the heads myselft and I dont know anyone either. So would I be better off buying new heads or taking my current ones the the shop and getting them done? Also the carb you use.......Is that pricy and should I use the kind of carb? And finally which cam is better the one Mark mention or yours? If they are about equal then I will just go with the cheapest. I was told I wouldnt need a new Distibutor so will I or wont I??? thanx

 

By getting rid of the TBI unit, you're not going to be using the computer any more, thus you will not have any advance in the dist. so you need a vacuum adv one.

 

I see what your saying. Im going to do a Smog Delete also. Also, Does a PROM serve any purpose on a Carbed engine?

 

That depends on the carb that you use. There were a few carb cars that had a computer. If you are getting rid of the computer altogether then you will need the vac advance. If you are getting your parts from a donor camaro or FB then you might get their computer also if they have one.

 

Yep. If you're goin with the stock CC QJet then you shouldn't need a new dist.

 

I referred you to the last thread because it makes it easy for anyone to port a set of heads. I even did it myself, so you can surely do it! Read it through, then have at it.

I use an every day garden variety QJet that has had a couple easy adjustments made to it. There is a tech article linked to the front page showing how to do them.

The Crane PowerMax 260 is better for a 305.

If you dispense with all computer gear on the engine, i.e., a non CC Qjet, then you will need a vacuum advance distributor.

 

Wow you just answered almost all my questions Im sure I will have more here and there. Those CC Qjet are pricey though arent they? The thing with my current heads is that I think the Valves are shot. So I was thinking that I should go ahead and get the L31 Vortecs. They will work on my old 78 block wont they? Will I have to get any kind of special intake? Then when I can Im going to add a 75 shot of NOS in the future. I just want to make sure that the Vortec heads arent going to cause me to have to change a lot of stuff.

 

Vortecs require a specific style of intake manifold, valve covers and rocker arms. That will cost at least another $300 on top of the heads.

Port and polish your own heads, especially since you need a valve job. You'll save a lot of money in the long run.

Grab a QJet from the wrecker and get someone you trust to rebuild it OR do it yourself

 

I guess its worth a try anyways We only have 1 decent salvage yard around here and they are very pricey.... But I will check it out.

 

Sitting Bull.......Do you know what you run in the 1/4 mile on avg? If I do a similar setup to yours what would you recommend doing from first to last??

 

Let me say one thing first: Spending machine shop money and parts on a 305 shortblock is not a good HP/$'s route. Dished-pistons are not the right way to go for 305 performance, so that's why it is applicable. You'd be much better off finding a builder 350 shortblock and spending those $'s on it. Look in my sig before you accuse me of anti-305 bias.

2nd, "heads are the stockers off the late 70's Nova's" tells us next to nothing about them. They could be the good ones, or they could be garbage. Or, they might not even be the ones that came on the engine. Get the casting #'s off of them and check against mortec.com.

Carb vs. TBI: Going CC carb in an '89 car isn't too smart of an idea. The TBI ECM won't control it, the harnesses and sensors are different, etc., etc., etc. TBI can be made to run (check that forum for details), but it is true that a carb setup can be made to make more power/$'s than TBI (or TPI).

Vortec heads should have a good deal of "upgrades" done to them, most of which involve machine work. Put them on a 305, they need even more (should be shaved to reduce the chambers down to 58cc). But, like Bull said, porting your stock heads is something that you can do (assuming they are the kind that respond to porting - see paragraph #2 above).

My recommendation for what order to do things: Do it all at the same time. All of the runs I've done with the Camaro (about 8, spread over April to August) were 15's, within .25 sec slowest to fastest. Don't forget the altitude here.

 

According the Performance Trends Drag Racing Analyser Pro v.2.0, I'd do close to 14.5 in the quarter mile. And that program is notoriously accurate, ask five7kid!

five7kid's advice on the 305 is excellent, too. If the 305 shortblock doesn't need any work then go ahead and build it. But if it needs rings, or bearings, forget it. Find even a decent junkyard 350 and go that way. You'll be many $$$ ahead.

But the home ported 305 heads are still the way to go with a 350.

 

I would go the 350 route but Im already ahead with the 305. To turn around and buy a 350 block and build it would cost way more. I have no car right now because this is my daily driver. So Im to the point where I just want a damn engine in the thing. Im gonna have to sit and do some thinking. Im thinking I might just go the 350 route. So now Ive got to figure out whats the best 350 to get. Im just looking to get my car running.... I hate cars................

 

Wow I just read what I wrote................Talk about sounding confused....

 

I haven't seen you on the boards for a while where have you been?

 

Chevy Hi Performance got a 305 to go low 15's N/A and 13.15 with a 150 shot. Maybe you'd want to head over to their site and check out the articles. They are working on the suspension now so I think they may be looking at high 12's soon, out of a 305. I think there are a couple 305's hitting high 13's low 14's N/A. There was someone here who's L69 went 13.89 with very few mods, but I can't remember the user or if they are even still here.

I think I'm going to try Sitting Bull's method of porting and polishing, even though I'll probably **** up and have to buy a new set of heads.

 

Oh and I'm just curious, how does the Crane PowerMax 2050 compare to the PowerMax 260 and the Xtreme Energy 262?

 

another cam choice would be the x4250h from comp cams. would work pretty well with the heads you have. i'd suggest an action plus or performer intake to match it. porting would help, but if you don't know how, you may not want to learn on this set of heads. going 14's isn't going to be as hard as you'd think. just work with the rest of the car with gear, converter, and tire and you shouldn't have a problem.

 

Oh and one more question. Do I need an intake manifold with EGR? If I get one without the EGR provisions will that even work on my car?

 

get it without egr since your not going to have any emissions equipment anyway.

 

OK, I didn't know if I needed the EGR to bolt up to the heads.

Sitting Bull, I can get those heads completely redone for under $400? If it's true, I'll definitely go your route.

 

Your 305 can make some decent power with the right selection of parts but you are always better off starting with a 350. If you decide to stick with the 305 you might want to check out my website, I have a page showing my 305 mods. Before swapping in my 383 I got my stock bottom end LG4 with about 100K miles on it down to a 13.4 1/4 mile.

 

Absolutely! I laid out my expenses on the 2nd page of the thread showing how to port them (follow the link at the end of my sig).

You just need 25 hours or so to do it right

 

jbenge,

I LOVE your Camaro! Of course I have a soft spot for Sport Coupes but yours is lean, clean and mean lookin' :hail:

 

Lol, you know Sitting Bull, I bet if you offered to port and polish 305 heads for people for a fee, there'd be a lot more stock heads out there than with you trying to convince everyone to do it themselves

I'm thinking of going your route down the line and porting mine myself, but I'm not sure if I'd be up to it. I know I, for one, would be down with paying a couple of hundred bucks for someone that has experience like yours to do it.

That'd make some of the threads about heads a heck of a lot shorter, lol.

 

Lago,

You CAN do it yourself. I'm not kidding.

I'm living on a disability pension and I have days where I don't get out of bed. Unless you're in worse shape than that you have the ability to do this.

My best words of advise are to be patient (it will take a good 25 hours to do nicely) and break it up into 3 hour sessions. Your hands tend to go a funny-bone kinda numb from the die grinder. But you get used to it. And wear gloves