Ok, so I have an 87 Camaro with a 305 currently in it. Now saving up my money, I assume I could make enough to buy a used 350. However, my 305 only has 50,000 miles on it, and it runs very well and smooth.

Note that at this moment, my Camaro is my only car, it's also my daily driver.

How much miles are usually on a 350 that you guys would buy? Should I shell out the money and cross my fingers hoping engine runs fine? I'd end up having not a whole lot of money left to spend on repairs or other parts if the engine died on me or something.

 

Don't fix it if it ain't broken.

If you want to mod a camaro, find a cheap one with a blown motor. Throw a junkyard 350 in it and have a blast. If you can't afford to do that, you can't afford to take the risk of a used 350 developing problems.

 

That sounds like good advice.

Now, another thing, if I stick with the 305 I might put in new cam, new headers, and new exhuast. If the parts are all new I should have no problem, right? Plus the fact that in this case, I will have money for repairs.

 

Any parts that you put in the 305 will work with a 350; just remember though that 87-95 305's and 350's had different intake patterns and camshafts than the pre 86 blocks. So if you want a 350/383 down the road make sure you get a 87-95 block so all your parts will work with the swapped block.

 

I would say this. If it's a TBI (l03) get a 350, but you are going to spend some money. The l03 has way too many problems, heads, camshaft, induction, you name it, it doesn't got it. Trust me I have one

Remember this though, the thing most people that will suggest a 350 will fail to tell you is you will have to replace almost EVERYTHING.

If you have TBI, you will need new injectors, sensors, Heads, camshaft, block, entire bottom end, and reprogramming.

If you have TPI, you will need new sensors, new injectors (at least 22's) entire bottom end, and reprogramming. What's good about the lb9 (305 TPI) is that you COULD reuse the heads (depending on the pistons) and camshaft as they are performance based, well at least compared to the l03. I believe 87+ LB9's had 220hp, the l98 (350) had 235, but made 50 more ft lbs of torque.

The swap is not as cheap as many would like you to believe. Oh yeah forgot block work, add that to the cost.

Here's another thing if you have a T5 it will not last long with any kind of performance 350. There's a reason why Chevy didn't put the T5 behind the l98

If you have a 305 TPI build it up with headers and full exhaust, maybe some TPI performance things, because like IROC22 said, they all will transfer over to the 305.

 

Ooo... this is turning out to be an expensive invesment. I think I will have to stick with the 305. At least for now, until I find a higher-paying job or a 350 just drops from the sky on to my front lawn (that's be the day ).

Thanks for your advice though.

 

Keep the 305 and learn from it. That way if you make a mistake then it is no big deal. Build a 350 while driving your car with the 305.

 

I say keep the 305 if its your daily driver. If you are going to throw money at the car though, you might as well just get a 350. I will never understand why someone would try to get a lot of performance out of a 305 (some people have done it very successfully) when they could just swap in a 350 and get more performance. If you plan on keeping the car as your daily driver, stick with the 305, especially because of the low miles. But if you plan on getting serious with the performance, go big.

 

Im thinkin of doin the swap real soon also i wanted a super ram and a 383. I didnt know the cheapest way of getting all the parts to do the job. Of course finding a donor car would be the easiest way but trust me that impossible around here. So i didnt know if it would be cheaper to go ahead and buy the super ram and part it together or buy a tpi intake with the tb and all the sensors on it then get the super ram later. I might just but the tpi and throw it on the 305 for now till i get the super ram 383 money. I do have the engine block alrdy tho its a 76 350 4 bolt

 

I was going to do a super ram 383. I have slowly been looking for deals, but now I am selling off all of the parts. Easier things to build I have most of the block, forged, and most of the super ram, but too much pain right now.

 

First, we NEED to know your induction system. Is it carb, TBI or TPI?

If it is TBI you are faced with a few extra difficulties. Primarily the heads simply cannot be made to perform, period

However, if you are willing to replace them then you can get some decent performance from it. Check out the "Ultimate TBI Mods" in the Tech Articles.

Overall, your choice of parts should be ones that can successfully be reused on a 350 or larger smallblock, when the 305 dies.

My heads and parts will all work nicely on a 350 when my 305 bites it. Follow this recipe and you will have a lively 305 to be sure!

 

For now i might just use the 305 does a lt1 cam and 305 tpi or 350 tpi heads sound good? Which 1's should i get for now.What sux is i was dumb when i got my exhaust cause i should of got the tpi exhaust even tho i have a tbi cause now i need 3" exhaust.

 

1 more thing u can use a maf intake for speed density cant u. I was told the speed density sensor can be mounted newhere??

 

Speed density doesn't use a maf.

 

yeh i know that but they do have a sensor mounted on the intake

 

The LT1 cam is one a lot of people like.

Read the link at the bottom of my sig. It tells you everything you need to know about heads for your car, even when it has a 350.

 

what yr intakes r ok to get isnt there a difference in the first few yrs it was out. Also is there any diff between the auto and manual intakes just checkin i know the computers r different

 

I have a 1987 TransAm that had the LG-4 (Carberator) 305 in it. I got a used 350 for $250 that had a lot of miles on it (over 125,000) but they were well taken care of miles. I new the guy that I got it from. We tore it apart only to find out that I could have run it like it was, it was in great shape. But I had other plans. As for the swap it was not hard at all and other than what I spent on headers and the engine rebuild ($3500), I didn't have to buy anything. It droped right in and runs great. If your car has the carb on it I would go with a 350.

If you want to keep the 305, and you have the carb and not FI., I would use a CompCam 268H cam (these engines don't have roller cam, always use new valve springs), a set of headers, and a Wieand or Edlebrock dual plane intake with egr. You will need to buy the 1986 and up intake as the center mounting bolts have a different angle on them than previous years. This will get you around 200 to 220hp.

If you have the TunedPort 305 I would just bolt on the headers and maybe a ZZ4 roller cam (change the valve springs to a Crane high lift type that fits the stock pockets). I don't know what your horse power would be but if I had to guess, maybe 240-250.

As for what I have seen, the LO3 didn't come out till 1988 and since your car is an 87 I am going to assume that you don't have the TBi engine.

 

so the 86 intake is made for center bolt heads then?

 

whats this hose for??said it had a corvette intake what the diff

 

throw some vortecs on the 305 and a complete cam kit,,and headers,,,,get a rochester off an early 400 pontiac,,if you want to go hard,,then save up for a set of 1.52 magnum comp cams roller tip rockers,,,,it will go hard,,,,,,,,get an exhaust on it too,learn from the 305,,,,,they can go good

 

no no dont want a carburator

 

That hose is the exhaust gas supply to the EGR valve. F-body TPI intakes don't have that, they use the exhaust crossover passages in the heads instead, but the Vette heads don't have that passage so they use the tube.

 

mate
not puting down american cars ,,coz i own 1 and love em,,,,but the amount of junk on the 80,s cars over there,,is bad news,,,and the fuel injection is dinosaur designe,,,GM got the carbs 100%,,,but the fuel injection ,,,is poor,,,
yes it works fine but its a hassle unlike bosch

 

I think you would be closer to 260. If you figure 20 for full exhaust and 20 for cam. Though the exhaust will do better with the cam and vice versa. Drop some ported and polished vette heads on there and, well have some fun.

 

i called the junk yard they said they have 87-92 tpi setups and they will sell me 1 for 150 they said they would also sell the whole engine for 550 i thought that was an awsome deal. Also i think fuel injection is much more efficiant than a carb. A carb doesnt have 8 injectors for each piston.

 

a carb is easy to fix by YOU not some guy with a lap top,,,iff its a good car stick with the injection,,,,if its a bit rough,,around the edges,,,,,,,,,,,,,, hot rod it,,,,,enjoy it,,,go for it,,,,,do the vortec carb thing,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,they go good,,,,a carb can give 500hp easy,,you just need cubic dollars,,,the aussie

 

i plan on showing this car and i like the looks of a tpi also