I am getting a 88 Firebird 305 5-spd from my buddy, but the engine is seized. I am new to Firebirds and would like to know, how hard is it to get the oil pan off? Is it easier to pull the engine? I want to just look and see what bearings are seized, and replace them and maybe run it again. Also, is it possible to put a chevy 350 smallblock in there with the heads from the 305? Please respond, I would like to know what im getting myself into with cars.

I swapped engines in my 91 chevy pickup and had no problems, so im not completely new to this

 

You'll need to remove the engine from the car to get any meaningful info. You can't swap bearings and fix it in the car.

Yes, you can put in a 350 and reuse your 305 heads, I did exactly that.
Firebirds = camaro's. After 1978 or so, chev and pontiac are all the same.

 

iv replaced may bearings in the car over the years today i had to pull the pan on my iroc because the oil pressure was too high its really not fun to do you have to pull the distributor take off the exaust hook the hoist to the front and take the bolts out of the trans crossmember but if the motor is seased i dont think a set of bearing is going to do it for you so pull it use your 305 heads with the 350

 

Its probably possible to change bearings without doing too much work, but I don't know if the pistons are tight, so I will probably just pull the engine. Distributors are easy, the only thing I hate doing in and engine swap is the exhaust. Its always a pain in the butt. Do you think it will run kinda rough with a 383 stroker block with the 305 heads? is that too much displacement? Thats the only 350 based assembled block I have laying around, but I could find a 350 or 305 i'm sure. I am kinda aiming for fuel mileage more than power, as this car will probably be my daily driver for a while and i drive a lot.

 

Another thing, i've been looking around on the forums, and i see that everyone seems to put the car onto the engine, rather than the engine into the car. My truck only took me 2 hours to have the engine out from when it was running, that I pulled out from above. Thats not possible on a manual car is it? With the clutch assembly and everything, do you have to lift the car over the engine?

 

it is possible to remove the engine with a hoist... however that is the easy part... my first time pulling my engine took me almost 8 hours to get it to engage the clutch splines properly.... also the nose of the car is to long to try and go head on need to go from the pass. side

 

Well I would probably take the front clip off and stuff just for easy access. I just hate doing suspension work, and god knows if some of those bolts even come loose.