what would you guys recommend ?

 

PS: it's an LG4 right now with only mod being headers and cat-back

I would like something not too radical , it's still a daily driver , but it would be nice to raise a compression a bit and get the extra 60hp or whatever it comes out to...

 

With the LG4, you have a bit of a problem. The pistons are dished. So, any real-world heads you buy, will still leave you with a CR well below 9:1. To fix that you have to buy pistons; to install them is a complete engine rebuild; and if you're going to spend the $1500 on heads, cam & intake, plus the $1400 on a shortblock, why spend all that on a 305 when for $200 more max you can have a 350 instead?

Keep in mind that if you buy 305 heads they will be unsuitable for a 350. So whatever money you spend on this motor, you will have to re-spend when you get to the point that it isn't enough.

A workable option might be to come up with a used L69 or LB9 shortblock in good shape, because that will have flat-top pistons. You should be able to get one of those for a whole lot less than rebuilding your existing one to raise the CR to a reasonable level, and thereby rescue yourself from spending a gob of money on all the rest of that stuff and being heavily disappointed (which I think will happen).

That said, the only really good head choices are WP S/R Torquers for 305, or possibly the GM 305 Vortec heads. About the only intake for the Vortecs is a Performer RPM. If you go that route, you're going to have major emissions compliance problems. With the WP heads, you can run any intake you want.

But if you decide to do it, I'd recommend the WP 305 heads, Performer intake, Holley 600 carb, Davis DUI distributor (those last 2 if your local laws allow it), and a Comp XE262H cam with Comp 1416 1.6 roller-tip rockers, and a L69 cold-air dual-snorkel air cleaner.

------------------
"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

The L31 Vortecs will work, but you'll have to get 'em milled to keep your compression ratio up where it needs to be. The L30 Vortecs for the 305 are not as good of a head as the L31 and they're almost twice as expensive, but, with their 58cc chambers you won't have to get 'em milled. The aluminum L98 heads will work without milling, they don't flow as much as the Vortecs though. On the plus side however, they are aluminum and they've got the pre-87 carbeurated intake bolt pattern. Either the L31's or the L98's will be a suitable head for 350+ cid if you ever decide to upgrade.

-Mark W.
'88 SC Camaro w/ 305 TBI

 

I know that 350 would be cheaper in the long run , but I don't want one

I have a perfectly good 355 sitting outside with aTh 350 tranny that ran low 13's on street tires. (around 350hp)

by the way the engine is for sale if anyone wants it. ($900 for the whole thing ,tranny and the rest of the car).

I like my 305 and I'll try to go fast with what my car had from the factory.

Of course I realize that the thing will die in a matter of a year or two or who knows when... but even then I can get it bored to 310ci and have it rebuild.

what if I just get a performer intake , cam , lifters and 1.6 rr ? What kind of gain would I be looking at ? (of course that depends on the cam , but I would most likely get a complete package from edelbrock , so it would be edelbrock intake,cam and their lifters too).


can the stock LG4 heads be ported ??? I would like to do it myself so is it doable for average guy that has never rebuild an engine or even removed a transmission ?

(I've done a lot on my car , but the biggest mod that I've done was to replace a carb and add headers , so basically I know **** , but I'm willing to learn).

PS: I've made myself the dual snorkel and even made it into a custom ram air setup , so I can definitely get the air into the engine , now I just have to work on getting it out through the heads.

 

L31 Vortec heads
Performer Vortec intake
head gaskets
head bolts
intake gaskets
Scoggin Dickey sells this as a kit...
Comp Cams XE 256 grind
#249-CL12-234-2 (includes lifters)
Cloyes double roller

All this for under $1,000.

went from 15.6's to 14.5's and
87MPH to 99MPH
Figure it's close to 100HP increase for $1,000 and a weekend....

Did not mill the heads, probably around 8.00:1 CR, adding the L31 heads will drop your CR around half a point...

 

Dude, there's an article in the technical articles section about porting the GM 305 heads. I haven't tried it myself yet but it looks do-able with a little time and patience. Apparently it helps them flow real nice. Good luck.

 

what kind of carburetor do you have? do you have an auto or a manual trans? what gears do you have? is your suspension stock?

 

Computer Q-jet w/B hanger DR rods
Stock HEI computer dist.
5 speed
Eibach Pro-kit
Bilsteins
stock LCA's
stock panhard with poly bushings
I'm not sure what's in the rear, 3.23 maybe, 3.42?
Its an open rear which is killing my 60 foot times ~~2.4

 

wow! i was thinking you had a holley, a suspension setup for straight line, and a posi rear with at least 3.73's. i am definetly getting some vortec heads now.

 

I have seen the L30 Vortecs go used on Ebay for like 125 bux before. I don't know if you're down with buying something you can't actually see, but I thought I'd tell you. I have the WorldTorquer 305's on my car now, and hoolleee sheeeit did that make a difference, since it let the cam (compcam260h, i believe) breathe a little more. These would be hard to find used I imagine, although my brother somehow did. Good for flat-low 14's on the *** dyno with a T-5 and 3.73 rear. Oh yeah a performer manifold, tes headers & catback as well. It goes mid-upthere rpm's, but it still lacks that 350 low end neck-snap ooph. Which is why I am still not satisfied. Maybe I am still used to my good ol' Poncho 400. sniff.

Later,
Hype.

 

There's an article that somebody sent me where the magazine took a 305, the "wimpy" one, like yours and produced 325 horse power all with bolt ons. It cost them less than $2,000 if I remember correctly.
https://www.thirdgen.org/messgboard/...ML/004760.html


That's the link.

Good Luck. I am trying the vortec L30 heads, pretty much because I can get them cheap and I want to run this 305 into the ground and then upgrade to a BB chevy or something ridiculous like that.