weren't the LG4's horrendously slow?
My cars squealing second with a f*cked up transmission and to me feels quite a bit faster than my grandama's 200hp firebird
And is still a bit faster than a new 200hp sebring
Even with the transmission
How do I know for sure
Were there more than 1 type of 305's put out in 85
My carb is that gas-guzzling 4 barrel quadrajet
And from what I've read about those, there pretty good and I was even thinking of keeping it or rebuilding it when I put in a new 350...
Hey, how do I know if I even still have a 305?

 

You may have an L69, your air cleaner? does it have dual snorkels? granted this isn't a sure sign it's an L69.

For the best way to tell, get the #s off the back side of the driver side of the block.

A messed up trans ( shifting too firm, if htis is the problem, you're TV cable might be misadjusted) and causing loss of traction.

 

Lol, I usually don't consider "loss of traction" a problem.
The shifts aren't too firm, rather much to weak
How do I adjust this cable you speak of?

 

My original engine definately was the dreaded LG4, but this one I'm not sure about
Doesn't have dual snorkels.
Say it was the same type of motor, but not the original motor
How would I be able to tell?
Is there a manufactorers date or something? Plant codes that wouldn't match up?

 

Unfortunately the only way to tell if you have an L69 instead of your original LG4 is I believe the Cam or manifolds, but all in all most likely you have a very healthy LG4, most I have come across are lacking compression burning oil or general mistreated.

As the only real difference between and LG4 and L69 are:

L69 has:
Bigger manifolds
Bigger cam
83-84 flat top pistons 85-86 flat top pistons (same as LG4 of same years) CR 9.5:1
different rods and hangers (not sure on the lettering)

other then above everything else is the same even the heads.

Also for comparison the heads most likely 416's are the same for the 85-86 TPI cars.

I'm sure others can give you exact numbers but this has also come up before. Just do a search on L69's and you will find everything you need.

 

Like I said earlier, get the #s off the back of the black behind the driver side head.

 

I gotcha on those #'s, i'm "visiting" the car this weekend
Do the VIN numbers on the motor and the car itself actually match if its original?
Something tells me it's never that simple...
How bout' that tranny? How can I tell if it's original (something tells me I probably can't)

 

axle ratio wil make a difference in how car performs, 2.56 vs. 3.42 is a huge difference and cna make a v-6 act like a v-8

the L69 had L82 cam and 9.5 compression ratio and were 190hp net, L84 didnt and were 145 or so

 

I once owned a "junkyard" 1982 TransAm. It had a really f**ked up engine. The computer was shot, so someone replaced the computer controlled carb with a NON computer controlled one from a Chevelle (~700 cfm).. yet, they left the computer controlled distributor, so the car had absolutely NO timing advance (computer was disconnected / shot). The paint was faded, and I got the car for like $100 bucks.

I fiddled with it off and on for a month when I knew VERY VERY little about cars.. like 5 years ago or so. It WAS the LG4, and that particular year had only 145hp and 245lbs of torque.

It had decent tires in the rear, and practically bald tires in the front.

Anyway, after fiddling with it.... I managed to get it to run decent.. I'm ASSUMING that what I did was advance the timing, and I remember screwing with the secondaries so they would stay open all the time, and whatnot.

It drove like crap, but when you nailed it from a dead stop, the car would leave 40-50 feet of tire smoke and rubber... of course, it wasn't actually going anywhere.. it was just burning rubber and slowly moving forward...

pretty neat though.

I REALLY wish I still had the car, it would have been an awesome donor for my 360hp 350 small block chevy.