There is alot of guys around here run decent times with 305's. Please tell me what you think about this combo;

86 LG4 305, 416 heads ported, stock CR, Edelbrock RPM intake, 650 Vac Sec Carb, 214/224 cam hydraulic cam, 1 1/2" headers, HEI with aftermarket coil

The car is a 1986 Cutlass, 3850lbs with driver, stock converter, 3.73 gears, 245/50R14 TA Radials.

Tonight at the track I was running consistent 15.6's with mph right at about 90mph. 60ft were always in the 2.3 range.

Using MPH and weight the math says the car is making about ~210HP. I am pretty dissapointed with this. I truly believe I should be closer to 280hp at the flywheel putting mph in 96 range. What do you guys think? Someone with a similar combo running similar times?

Thank You
Steve

 

Ooh, ooh, you... wait you meant thirgen f-body right right <i>right</i> ....

 

Do you have the factory HEI that came on the olds or a mechanical advance style from a pre computer car? What do you have after the headers for an exhaust. The factory system including cat? What transmission do you have? Are you sure you have 3.73 gears most olds came from the factory with 2.14-2.73 gears. I am running 15.3s @ 90ish in a full size van with a 305-700r4 & 3.42:1 gears. You have a cam that is the next step up, a better intake, and headers. I probably have better heads unless yours have some mods. You should be close to 300 HP.

 

Yes, yes f-body, ya definetley an f-body, ya.

The exhaust is 1 1/2" Hedman Headers, with a full 2.5" exhaust with Flowmaster 40 Series Mufflers and an H pipe. The transmission is 200-4R and stock converter, stalls around 2000rpm. Car has 3.73's from a 4cyl S10. The car has zero computer controls or smog equipment. The HEI is a normal GM smog HEI. I have lighter advance springs on it. The timming is set at 36deg all in by 3000rpm. I tried running 40deg at track but mph dropped off a little. The heads are ported, runners are gasket matched. The ports are smoothed out, but were not hogged out just slightly massaged, intake left unpolished, most time was spent on the bowls. Streamlined the valve guides, removed ridge below valve seat and opened up throat area to 85% of valve size.

I am suspecting a fuel problem since I still have the stock pump and lines. When I get some cash I will grab a mechanical carter pump. I am going to do the basic tune up stuff today. Including a compression test to make sure all the vavles are sealing.

Thank You for all the help
Steve

 

Checked compression today, it was 150psi on every cylinder.

Thanks
Steve

 

My buddy Pony Killer down here in Atco was playing with his LG4 for a bit. His combo was this. A set of L69/LB9 heads that were Ported, polished, bowl blend and a 3 angle valve job, Edelbrock Performer intake, and a "Summit Special" cam kit. Those cams are pretty tight. His was like a 204-214, and after tuning the "750 CFM Modded Rochester" The thing ran a 14.6. It was then that he discovered an oil starvation problem and that the ET was run with 2 wiped cam lobes. Unfortunately the 305 was never brought to full potential and was swapped for a 350.

 

I just had to change my fuel pump on my 305. Not fun in the van. The stock pump did fine around town and idling but put a load on it and it couldn't keep up. The pump was down to less that 1/2 its stroke. Replace the pump with the stock type pump. Autozone sells them for about $18.00. You can keep the return line that way but still have plenty of fuel. My combo is good for 250 RWHP. Yours should be good for 20 or so over that.

 

I am lucky and don't have a return line from my pump. So any aftermarket pump will work.

Keep the suggestions coming.
Steve

 

If 416s are shaped like the 601s which look just like a smaller version of the old 492s the engine will like more like 32* total @ 2,500. That is what I run on my 305 anymore and power decreases.

 

Look at your launch and suspension. You should be able to bring down that 60' and then I'd look at probably the converter for your biggest bump.
Make sure you fix the fuel problem. I almost hesitate to say this, but you may want to drop the RPM and go with the regular performer for a bit. A lot of people like to bump from the performer to the Vic jr. if they can accomodate it. You probably can get away with the RPM but your velocities <i>may</i> be hurt a tad. Also did I miss the lift on the cam? I'm guessing .440º and .460º? Also, what carb is it?

 

Red Devil - Your right on the lift, it is right in that range. I am using some Z28 springs and there doesn't apear to be any valve float.

I was considering an Edelbrock EPS intake, but I had the RPM laying in my garage. I also started out with a Torquer I single plane, but had zero bottom end, it out pulled the RPM above 4000.

I definetley want to get a converter, just don't have the cash for a proper one. I built this motor for 200$ cdn with parts laying around my garage.

I will try and get the pump this week and see what happens. I am almost positive it will help. Car definetly seems to be laying down.

Thanks
Steve

 

Any idea what your altitude is?? Just curious what the correction factor would put your et at.

Fix the fuel problem. How's the driveablity of this combo?

 

Altitude of my track is at 2200ft. But it was real cold. Only 40F with minor rain. I think the colder denser air took out the correction factor.

Driveability of the car is sweet. Much better then stock setup. Throttle response is sweet. All I have to do is touch the gas pedal and the car takes off. The only thing that sucks is gas mileage. I am only getting about 12mpg in the city. But I am driving the living crap out of this thing too. The car just seems to like gas. I am running 70 jets on the primary side right now, and I think it is still a little lean.

Thanks
Steve

 

If I drive the dog out of mine it gets about 10 mpg. If I drive easy it gets about 15+, I have seen nearly 20 on a long trip with the cruise set at 65. It is just too fun to rev the heck out of it and lay rubber on the road.

 

Haha, ya too bad price of gas doesn't not promote more rubber.

Fast305 where do you shift your motor at? I was just driving around, my 1-2 shift point is 4800rpm and the 2-3 is down at 4000rpm. I am figuring my motor is making peak at just over 5000, and should be shifting around 6000. This could definetley be causing the problem. The column is too sloppy for me to shift it manually. Looks like it's time for a shift kit and some govener mods.

Thanks
Steve

 

I have the exact same setup as you except my LG4 is stock cam and heads and manifolds and quadrajet. Only change is dual 2" exhaust with cherry bomb turbos (cheap) and 2 cats, and open element filter and advanced timing. I've run a best of 15.5 @ about 88mph.

 

On the track I ran it manually shifting @ 5,200 rpm.

 

Too funny...username of "Fast305" running 15.3 @ 90...that's fast for a 305 alright.

:yourock:

 

Uh, look what he's doing it in... A 3/4 ton van.

Slap that motor in a firebird and see what it would do. Anyone know the weight difference between a van and a firebird?

 

The only thing I'd slap a 305 in is the dumpster.

 

LMAO!!!

 

I don't know what a F-body weighs but the G20 is 4,700 lbs with me in it.

 

I'd dump the 200-4r. Their good for street driving, but they just aren't geared well for racing. I had an 86 Cutlass Salon with a stock 307 (305s are much better) , 200-4r, 750 Quad, Stock Torque Conv and non-posi 3.08 gears (Salons had 3.08, 442s had 3.73). Car was totally stock. Never raced it, but I'd guess it would have gotten me about 16.5.

Next question, what are you cooling it with?

 

Figure 3300 lbs for the car, add 200 for the driver. 1200 lb difference, by common practice 100lb weight loss gains .1 second. You'd gain around 1.2 seconds in a f'bird.

A 14.1 second 305 sounds decent to me...

 

I hear that!

 

lol.

 

just make sure it is in the recycleable bin. Be earth conscious now.

 

How much would the aerodynamics effect the 1/4. The G20 is severly aerodynamically challenged and the F-body not so much. If that motor was in a F-body and had headers I am sure it would be in the high-mid 13s.

 

Ya thats what I was thinking.
When you use the right parts you can get a 305 to run decent as long as its already in your car and not needing any bottom end work its definately worth it.

 

Let me think, what's the weight of a dumpster, he could be on to something here.
Also 14.1 in a 305?...good job! I wonder how many 350 experts could do that?
http://chevyhiperformance.com/projectbuild/
Try that for 305 info, although, I think that eventually they too succumbed to the dark side and eventually installed a 350, but they had the 305 in the 13's with a 700r4.
The article is "my generation camaro" series.

 

uhm i got a new fuel pump and just plugged off that return line... is this bad?