Loves2hate01

Ok, I have a 87 camaro with a 305 and quadrajet carb. I want to upgrade some to make it a little quicker while I save up for a larger one. I don't want to put tons of work or money into it I think I would just like to change ONLY the cam, lifters, carb, and intake manifold. I don't know much about engines so... i need some help here. First Ill ask the questions then the parts I'm looking at. Is the cam good for some better performance? Which intake manifold? Is the carb too big? (I'd just like better pick up. you know for burning civcs and what not :D the only track close is only a 1/8th of a mile so I'm lookin for decent 0-60)

Cam: edelbrock Duration at 050 inch Lift: 204 int./214 exh. Valve Lift 0.420 int./0.442 exh. lift and lifters that come with kit.
Cam and Lifter kit @ summit

Intake Manifold: Air Gap rpm or performer Air gap? 7501 is the rpm
and 2601 or 2604 is the # for the performer air gap idk which one is right.
intake manifolds

Carb: Edelbrock Thunder Series AVS Carbs 650cfm(1806) or Holley double pumper 600cfm

Carbs

also if there is something else that would be cheaper and give more performance let me know

Thanks,
Matt!

sellmanb

Before you do ANY other mods, you NEED new exhaust! Everything from your manifolds to tailpipes are restrictive and will defeat the purpose of any mods you do the car... it holds the car back in it's STOCK form if that tells you anything!

Get a 3 inch mandrel bent cat-back for your car. A free-flowing cat ( you can get Catco 3 inch catalytic converters on eBay for 50 shipped... I just bought one for myself actually). Then look into some headers... if you plan to build a better engine for this, then you should probably just get the good headers now, that way you can save money in the long run by not having to buy headers twice (good headers, and cheap headers).

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...=KeywordSearch

that would be a better bet for a bang for the buck cam selection. That kit comes with the cam/lifters/valvesprings/timing chain/cam sprocket (I think).

The one that you have selected is a "RV" cam... if that's what yah like, then have fun with it

blacksheep-1

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=283241

there's your blueprint.

Loves2hate01

Haha oops somewhere it said that it was a good cam for a 305. lol but thats why I asked so thanks... the exhaust...may or may not be stock....the previous owner said it was replaced and the muffler looks new so does the piping but im not sure how far he went....dont think there are new headers...any recommendations for headers?

blacksheep-1

That cam you're talking about is similar to the one I used except that mine is a split pattern and I'm using 1.6 rockers which give it a lot more lift.
The AFB carb is pretty much a tune and forget carb. It's about as dependable as an anvil, but if performance is what you want then BG is the only game in town.
I love my Q-jet though.

The video link (on that post) was before the headers/heads

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Or this one https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=261488

In my opinion, spending money on a new carb in hopes of increasing a 305's power is ignorant at best, stupid at worst, and a waste of money in any case. The same almost applies to the intake manifold. With the cam listed, there's no need to get a better intake manifold. The good ol' q-jet will support any 305 you can build. Spend your upgrade money on a better coil and ignition module, and dual-snorkel air cleaner.

The "right" cam is critical. Any generic store brand you can figure will be the wrong cam. Edelbrock cams are nothing short of a sham.

And, as has been indicated, spending any money before you upgrade the exhaust will be an exercise if futility.

SSC

8th mile track and civic burning huh?


Gears are a must for off the line performance 3.42+ will wake that 305 up. Like mentioned a full exhaust system with headers will help out alot, leaving the factory manifolds on will kill any real power increase.

That edelcrap cam is the same as a Melling MTC-1, melling makes that cam so dont spend $40 just for an edelbrock sticker. It's a nice tq cam and does work very well in a 305. You could go bigger on the cam but you need to consider upgrading the factory springs.


I'm loosing it today.

Loves2hate01

I think my exhaust is prolly a 3" flowmaster catback the kid i bought it from said it was new...looks and sounds like a flowmaster...flowmaster is usually stamped on top of the muffler right? havent actually checked tho...I'm thinking the headers and cat convert is prolly stock...Ill look better when I take it out in a week or two as for gears my brother was supposed to bring me a extra posi unit up from florida but he forgot 3.42 would I need a new carrier?

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Although a cat-back would help, that doesn't eliminate the restrictions that really hurt - those before the cat.

Chevy High Performance magazine had a series of articles a few years back called "My Generation Camaro", featuring performance upgrades to an '87 LG4 Camaro. They did the normal "hot rod" stuff within the bounds of remaining emissions-legal, but also did a lot of stupid and expensive things. But, in the end built a 350 that dyno'd at 385 HP using emissions-friendly components, including Edelbrock TES headers and y-pipe into a single 3" muffler. However, the headers they used on the dyno weren't the ones they had previously installed, but were just, as they put it, "like" the ones in the car - and they didn't dyno it with a cat. When they installed the engine into the car with the headers called out for the '87 LG4 application, they used the little EFE valve that the factory has on the passenger side exhaust - to put it mildly, the resulting performance was "disappointing". They weren't running much better with a 350 than I am with my little 305.

Here's the hot ticket, as we have stated so many times on this Board: Headers, y-pipe, cat, and cat-back for '86-'90 TPI single-cat appliation. Hooker 2055's are arguably the best choice for the headers.

Works every time it's tried.

Mcdamit

hey if you want gears which will definitely help your 0-60, look in the junk yards call around and see if there are any irocs, ask them to see if it has rear disc brakes if so you just got much better braking, acceleration, and a limited slip posi with 3.45's. , seriously u wanna burn up some ****, take the cars tpi setup and remeber its computer if you do. Then cam it. and some type of exhaust, if you keep the 305 port the he** out of it, and if you have the swirl port heads get rid of them

Mcdamit

oh yeah most 3.42 are single wheel drive

DonLuiso

I'm installing Edelbrock TES (for TPI) on my carbed (LG4) 305. Do I have to install the EFE valve or can I leave it out? Thanks.