so i start school next month to become a mechanic, and im hoping to specialize in high performance engines in the future. so being that im planning on taking the 305 out of my 86 iroc-z automatic. i was wondering what to do to it. i was thinking the basics such as new valves, pushrods, 1.6 roller rockers, new timing set, perhaps the pete jackson gear drive but i was wondering also about a Lunati cam, these are the stats
50162 242/252 .525/.540 .560/.576 108deg
but also i was wondering what would go good with it, ive good a posi rear end with stock gears which are 3.23 right? and acouple other mods, hurst shifter, edelbrock headers, planning on porting and siamesing the stock runners and plenum just for the hell of it but im wondering if this is a good cam to go with and also perhaps what would be some good heads too. i wanna stay with the 305 as opposed to getting a 350 and trying to make it the meanest street machine seeing as how it sees limited track use.

also im doing all the work myself so cost of labor isnt a factor.

thanks

 

If you have work done to your heads, go right ahead. Otherwise, I know the stock heads on my 305 will only take .450" lift before hitting the spring retainers on the guides. Also, if you do run that big of a cam it's not going to be fun at all on the street. Bad gas mileage, no low-end power, it'll probably be quite hard to tune, and say goodby to any useful vacuum for your brakes. It would sound really mean though, and want to make peak power probably around 6400rpm. Bringing another point, most people don't like to spin a 305 much more than 5500rpm.

 

what heads would u recommend if i wanna be sure that i dont hit the spring retainer, also for the cam what would be a more modest size thatll keep me with more mid range power as opposed to 6400rpm

 

If you want any more than .450" lift, you might as well either get some aftermarket heads like something from summit, or a used aftermarket set. The cam in my old 305 made peak power up to 5500rpm with specs of 204/214 .420/.442 lift, just a cheapy summit cam kit. Really if your planning on getting another set of heads, you might as well get a 350 block anyway. Just to tell the story, I have a budy at the drags that put a set of modified 350 vortec heads on his 305. I don't know how big the cam is, but is over .450 lift is why the modded heads. Anyway, he got the car to best a 13.3 or so. This year he took the heads and cam from that 305 and put them on another stock short block, but this one a 350 and he now runs 12.3's.

 

hmm i see, so stock heads would be fine? i was thinking of grabbing the cam out of an 85 camaro seeing as how 86 got a smaller one. and 87 is roller so i cant put that in without other mods.

 

you could choose to upgrade your tpi base to an accel or edelbrock high flow base. then upgrade your intake runners to some SLP or edelbrock ones.

or if youd like to go all out, check out the TPIS miniram setup. it gains you up to 120hp (depending on engine upgrades)

 

I wouldn't bother with a stock cam from some other camaro. The summit kit with cam, lifters, and lube is only $90 for all new parts.

 

im thinking of just porting the upper tpi by myself just to get some experience. but i was wondering what was the name of the edelbrock flow base so i can look it up

ive been reading alot of high performance books and it says its better to get all the springs and pushrods upgraded if im putting in a new cam, so would any ole summit valve springs and pushrods work with the new cam or could i stay with stock

 

Use the springs recommended by the manufacturer to match your particular cam.

 

seeing as how the original cam i picked out was alittle too big for my application so im thinking i can get a more modest cam and boost the lift up with 1.6 rollar rockers no?

 

You could, or you could just buy the right cam to begin with.

 

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...?part=edl-3860