i am doing a vortec 305 build, and i am looking for a rebuild kit but i cant find one for any 305 ater 1993... could i just use one from 1993 and everything work? also i am hoping to get around 320-330 horsepower, i was thinking of getting cast pistons, or should i go with hypereuctectic? is there a performance advantage between the two, minus one is just stronger than the other?
Thanks

 

Were there any 305s after 1993?

Save some money and go with the hypereutectic pistons, you won't need forged.

 

yeah... they made the vortec 5000 which is the motor i have. i was just wondering if anything was really different... like gaskets, oil pump etc... make sure if it would work... or if i had to get everything seperate... and one thing i noticed... is the oil dipstick normally on the passenger side? outside of that... it looks like a regular 305... just wanna make sure before i buy anything for it...

 

Yes, the dipstick is on the passenger side from 86 or so up. If I had to guess, the 93-down rebuild kits probably don't have vortec intake manifold gaskets.

 

this is true... i an thinking about just getting everything seperate... i have seen gasket sets for 97 305s... are coated bearings worth it? like the sealed power coated ones?

 

Personally I like to take my blocks into machine shops and have them do a once over on the block. Also, have them get you a rebuild kit that actually matches the wear on your engine. Sometimes the over the counter one size fits all rebuild kits don't apply to your application. This takes all the guesswork out of picking the correct parts. Usually a little more expensive to do it this way but you end up with a tighter engine in the end. Or, have someone else to blame when you start it up and the connecting rods punch a hole in the side of your block

 

i would rather save myself the money and do it myself... i will have the machine shop grind the rod journals... because the motor spun out a rod bearing and the crank has noticeable wear there'.. but outside of that... it only had 70000 or so miles and looks clean inside... regardless of what motor i buy i would like to rebuild it myself... but thats just me... either way i an considering buying everything seperate and specific for this engine... would you know about the coated bearings?

 

"Looking clean" isn't really enough, you should have the block measured.

Which bearings are you looking at?

 

well yeah i know that... i an gonna have it all measured... i was just saying it looks spiffy inside... in gonna have it all measured and checked... i was looking at the sealed power coated bearings and sealed power coated pistons... the coating is supposed to reduce friction... does the coating last for as long as the engine... or does it quickly wear off?

 

The coating wears eventually.

 

so they are not really worth the extra money?

 

How much extra is it?

 

its like 95 bucks to 40-50 bucks... they are the sealed power duroshield bearings... and i an not to sure about the pistons... i think its like 20 bucks a piston to 12 bucks... something like that...

 

I think I'd stick with plain old bearings.