alrighty since my quest from just about everyone ended with, "build up your 305 instead of converting." I'll try and see my options there.

I already have an Edelbrock Cat Back, and an Accell High OutPut Distributor Coil, but in the next month i'll be buying Edelbrocks TES Header System, and that will start my performance boost. But while i'm doing that i'm gonna get SFC also, i need those, while the headers go in, i'll be replacing the spark plugs with good ones, the platinum 4(the ones with 4 arms at the tip) i think they are called.

But i dont really know what else i can do without killing fuel economy. A new cam, well thats a definate but exactly how do you put a roller cam(there seem to be more performance ones of these then for non-roller) in a non-roller block?

I need todo some porting to these stock heads or just plain old get some new ones. But!, i dont exactly what kinda combo i should get for heads, duh all GI SBC heads fit all GI SBC, but like what intake cc is good for what kinda power. I'm guess low amount of CC low end torque, higher high end power, right? Then you gotta have exhaust velocity, and thats complicated. I relaly dont get the Whole Compression ratio thing. I thought low, but not too low, ratios are good for low end torque, and vis-versa. But someone told me that was wrong.

Porting the manifold, i can do that easily but not really a performance boost unless your heads can flow an equal amount of air, correct?

Then you have pulley's, and things to releave rotational weight. I dotn wanna mess with engien internals too much, i.e pistons, rods, and what not. But i will do bolt ons.

My question for you, is what bolt ons would give me a good number of power but keep me and a non-carb fuel economy. Otherwise i might as well just convert.

Help guys, i'm here to listen. Since all other ways have been explored, and pretty much failed with your opinions, i'll see what you guys have to say.



Thanks,

Shane

 

Follow the mods in my sig. Also, follow the link at the end for a good how-to on porting and polishing your stock heads. This will put you in the 275-300 hp range and be very economical on fuel. I'm getting more than 19 mpg around town with mine. Last fill got me just over 22 mpg around town--I don't know how it did it! But my mileage really went up with all my mods

And my car runs great when its 25* below zero. Very driveable setup :hail:

 

Drive it.

Tune it up, change the oil, put new filters on it. Don't bother with the "+4" plugs, they don't really do much to help; lotta money, nothing happens. Not my idea of how to use money wisely. Get regular ACs, or if you want an upgrade, the AC Rapidfires.

The TES is a good idea. Get ceramic-coated ones or get some and have them coated, the coating really helps. Same for a good cat and a cat-back; you'd need all of those things no matter what else you mod, so start there. You've already got part of it. Take it a step at a time.

 

I would stay away from the platinums. Some people have had problems with them. Just use the regular delcos.
There are way more cam choices for a non roller motor than a roller one. You also have to think of the cost associated with changing over. A set of hydraulic roller lifters runs between 300 and 500.
Take sittingbulls advice and just port a set of heads. You can get most heads to flow enuf for your motor. Smaller cc heads usually work best at lower engine speeds while the larger ones work well for the higher rpms. Generally if you take an engine youll get a slight increase in both power and torque if you increase compression ratio. But the higher you ratio goes the higher octane of gas youll need to run without detonating.
As far as porting the manifold bigger is not always better. You need to think more in terms of velocity and less in terms of volume. If you remove to much material you have the potential for more flow but your will lose power if you dont increase the engines max rpm to take advantage of it.
You really wont get much of a power gain from bolt ons. An engine operates as a whole unit so for it to operate better you have to change all parts together.

 

Hey Sitting Bull,
Whats the 305-4v mean in your sig?
Im assuming that you didnt swap on a 4v head, or did you?

 

v = venturi
4v = 4 barrel carb

 

RB has got it. Just an old way of saying 4 barrel carb.

 

platinums are absolutely useless for any street engine IMO. regular delcos or if you've got headers and wish for more clearance (like me) accel and NGK make shorty style plugs with varying heat indexes (hot-cold) that you can select and they are about $2.70/plug from summit. I'm running the accels and I like them. As for the lifters prices... thats a bit outrageous. Most performance shops sell Comp Cams Solid Roller race lifters with the stabilizer bar for $319/set. just go to autozone and buy a set of melling hydraulic roller lifters from an 88-92 camaro, they are $7.49/lifter and will be just fine for his application. The flat tappets are $5.xx a lifter. His motor should also have those lifter collars and spider tray (or at least provisions for the tray). He doesn't need a set of Comp R hydraulic lifters since I doubt he'd be taking his 305 and revving it past 6000 rpm for any sustained periods of time if at all. A roller cam isn't as expensive as you'd think. you can reuse a set of reasonable mileage roller lifters anyways . the only other costs would be a cam button (like $5) and a set of shorter pushrods for a roller cam motor (again an 87-95 SBC oem length, cause the roller lifters are taller than the flat tappets). Comp cams makes a good set, they are chrome moly steel and cost about $55, only $6 more than the flat tappet pushrod set. Also a set of good roller rockers (not useless roller tip, but roller fulcrum) can be very helpful. I think you'd need self aligning unless your heads have guideplates. Aside from that make sure you get a retrofit roller cam for your older block and not an OEM style late model cam cause the bearings are different IIRC. LB9 heads are a good set of heads for a 305, but check around cause there are plenty of people selling their old ported torquer S/Rs off on websites and ebay for a good price too and they are among the best for 305s and other small bore chevy motors. Vortecs are also very good. I used to see the 305 as a kinda pointless motor to build but I've since changed my mind on that because although they are smaller, they can still be modified to make a good amount of torque and HP, smaller valves and so on aren't as big a restriction as I used to think cause the 305 doesn't need as much air as a 350 or larger engine. And you can stuff each cylinder with the same amount of nitrous as a stock 350. Case in point is a guy I know with a 150 shot on a cammed 305 with a fresh tranny and TCI converter plus other things yada yada, runs high 12s all night long on the spray and high 13s off the bottle. quick little car and has almost nothing into it. happy tuning!