Would porting my heads and installing new valves/springs/seats etc... cost about the same as just buying a set of SR Torquers. Price here is an issue, I want the best performance for the buck.

 

Get the S/R torquer 305, that is your best bet.

------------------
George P. Lara
1984 Z28 High Output
Proud Member of SCFB
V6 T5 For Sale

 

if you get the torquers you will have one of the best heads for a 305. if you port your crappy factory heads you will have ported crappy heads. and if you are swapping heads make sure you swap that peanut cam while your at it. just my .02

 

Hey man, just curious.....what combo are you going with? Are you just going to build the 305? I cant remember if you run an auto or manual either.....Clue me in man, what do you plan to do, if you dont mind me asking
Take care
Jeff

 

Not worth it to put bigger valves in 305 heads unless you own the shop. Too expensive for the valves and installing new seats. If you were just gonna port them, then I'd say ok. With what you are considering, ditch the stock heads.

 

the 305 torquers are your best bet, wish i had been smart enough to go that route, check the sig.

------------------
1988 305tbi Camaro Sport Coupe
Heads ported,flowmaster muffler
extremely slow

 

I would normally agree with all the above posts, but as they say, seeing is believing. Tim Burgess ported his stock 305 TPI heads. Of course, he has all the other mods, but he has run a 12.61. That's a stock-bottomed '92 Z28 305 with ported stock heads.

Then, he installed a fresh 305 TPI in his wife's Berlinetta with only a Crane 2032 cam, a few bolt-on mods and..... you guessed it.... ported stock heads. We went to the track with her car two weeks ago. Tim ran a 13.80.

Seeing is believing. It seems that whatever car Tim touches, it runs!!! BTW, Tim ported both sets of heads himself. So I would conclude that stock heads can be made to run.

------------------
Willie

Supercharged 1987 305 IROC-Z, Daily-Driver, Emissions-Legal.
12.57 @ 111 mph.
12.04 @ 113 mph (50-hp nitrous).
http://www.ozemail.com.au/~jca69/mods/williesz/willie.html

1987 "20th Anniversary Commemorative Edition" Z28 Convertible -- Super Chevy Show Class Winner, 1998.

 

Willie, that is the main reason why I was asking the question. I heard Tim still has the stock ported heads. Those are some really really good times for any 305. My plans for my 305 is to cam it, S/R's or port my heads, a hi-flow base/runners, 52/58mm tb and a vortech supercharger. It's an auto which next year I may change to a t56.

 

With all the properly matched speed equipment(cam, s/r heads,TPI mod's,headers,etc.) on a stock 305 shortblock, what is the max. HP this engine could put out? 325hp?
What is the max. amount of nitrous the bottom end could take? a 125 hp shot? What usually fails first, pistons?

 

Yea Joe, the pistons are usually the first thing to go. Most times someone looses fuel pressure or runs out of juice mid track, then *poof*.....
As far as the heads, count my vote as the S/R Torquers. Had a set, moved up to the Sportsman's.....S/R's are some great looking heads, run awesome.

------------------
350 4 bolt main, Speed-O-Motive 383 stroker kit, re-sized rods ground for clearance,Hypereutectic pistons,9.8:1 compression,HPC Coated RPM intake, Edelbrock 750 cfm carb,World Products Sportsman II heads,2.02/1.60 valves, K-Motion springs, Comp Cam 1.6 roller rockers, Lunati adv.292/230@.050 with .512 lift,Crane pushrods,Proform HEI and MSD6A box,HPC coated 1 5/8 headers, 2.5" exhaust with 40 series mufflers,TH350 with B&M 3000 stall, Powertrax NoSlip Locker, 4.11 gears.

 

Does Tim do anything other than a port job? Does he install larger valves, or what? I hope someone doesnt mind clueing the others in...

Also, does anyone know right off the top of their head the max lift the 305 torquers can handle with stock springs?

 

How much do the S/R's cost?

 

Jegs has assembled heads for about $400 each. Northern Auto Parts has unassembled heads for about $630 a pair. I've been talking to Competition Products, they are about $550 a pair unassembled with stainless valves and .510 lift springs. All prices plus shipping.

I think Competition is about to get some business from me.

------------------
82 Berlinetta, orig V-6 car. Rescued w/86 LG4/TH700R with all harnesses, sensors, ECM, etc. 3.08 open, cat-back from '90 305HO, Accel HEI SuperCoil. AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Daily driver, work-in-progress.
57 Bel Air, my 1st car. Currently 396 .030 over, Weiand Action+, Edelbrock 1901 Q-Jet, Jacobs Omnipack, 1-3/4" headers, TH400 w/TCI Sat Night Special conv & shift kit, 3.08 10-bolt, AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Best 15.1 @ 5800' Bandimere. Daily driver while Camaro was being put together.

 

I believe scoogin dickey sells the 58cc s/r torqueres for $325ea assembled.

I have a somewhat low mileage un-beated 305 that will handle all these speed parts. The cast pistons can handle up to 400hp safley. I'm defintley not goint to add N0S, just a vortech s-trim running at 9#. With this setup I'm planning on at least 350rwhp and 400rwtq.

 

Hehehe

I have a somewhat low mileage engine too(88,500), except mine has been beat pretty hard. Oh well, I still have my ZZ4 cam under my bed, and Ive got over $1000 to blow on my IROC....$700 for heads, $300 for headers......

You get the idea
We'll see

 

well if the tuning is conservative your Cast or Hypertectic can take ALOT of boost.

problem is too many companies/shops tune the cars too aggressively just for that big dyno # then you are left with a blown motor

 

I know this is an old post but quick 305, I don't think the springs will hold up to the ZZ4 cam. Even with only 1.5 Rockers.

 

I think that porting a stock head may be worth it if you already have the heads, and the time, tools, & knowledge to port them yourself. ...as long as you dont go too crazy. You can easily drop $500 into parts and machine work when you start getting stuff milled, new valves, guides, screw-in studs, etcetera. I think that this is the point where I'd say you are better off with an aftermarket head.

If you stay with the stock valves, and dont go oversize, it is probably worth the time and effort.


------------------
Daniel Burk
http://www.isthq.com/~dan/fcar.html
'84 Trans Am WS6/L69
KB SFC, Moser axles, Torsen Diff. PST suspension, Braided stainless brake lines, Koni struts, 11-inch rear disks,Spohn Adj. torque arm,
Ported 305 heads w/1.94"intake valves, Comp Cams XE262H, Griffen alum. radiator,
Turbine Technologies 2500 stall converter, underdrive pulleys, Crane Hi-6 & more.
1.05g skidpad verified.
New best E/T! 14.039 at 100.82 MPH in 41 degree air at Stanton, Michigan.

 

It's just my opinion that unless you have the budget for a full-blown performance build up on that 305, forget about heads. Not that I want this to turn into a "350 is better than 305...not necessarily...yes necessarily...etc." thread, but 305's are dirt cheap. You could pick up a great 350 shortblock for less than those heads will cost you unless you choose the option of porting them yourself. Also, if you do the porting yourself, why not call up a few yards near you and get some cheap identical stock heads? Port those, then do the swap. Then save a few more hundred bucks, and pick up a 350 shortblock. Shop around for a decent head/cam combo on that bad boy and you'll never say 305 again.

I'm obviously partial to two things 1. learning to do work yourself, and 2. having money in my pocket...but that's just me.

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"We lost Dale. This isn't fun anymore"

R.I.P. #3

[This message has been edited by I ROCK (edited February 24, 2001).]