Can someone tell me if i have a 305 or a 350. I bought the car and they said they put a 350 in it. Is there any other ways to tell besides the number on the back of the block. valve covers have stickers that say 350. can you help me. Will get pics if need be.

 

None that work in every possible situation, except for taking the heads off and measuring the bore.

 

on some blocks drivers side on the back of the block may say 5.0 or 5.7 in large numbers

 

or trying pulling a valve cover off and look up the head # if its a 350 head more than likely its a 350

 

If your Dipstick is on the Passenger side, there's a good chance it's a 305. If it's on the Driver's side, it's PROBABLY a 350.

 

thanks, umm is the size of the block it self visually smaller?

 

When you ask this kind of question, I think you know the answer... You were a sucker taking the sellers word. The correct answer it is a 305 TBI.

 

No, Its the same size block. Now you said you purchased the car, do you have the title? Does the mileage section on the title say exempt? This would confirm an engine swap though it wont tell you what size it is.

 

Exemption from mileage would just be a result of age, not engine swap. I know that my car has the original engine and it says exempt on my title. You would expect that on a 28 year old car. I would be willing to be that if you had a car with extremely low mileage that was documented as such and it was as old as my car, it would STILL say Exempt on the title.

 

titles at dad house, couldnt tell you

 

the only way to know for absolute certain is to look at the serial numbers. It looks like it's PROBABLY a 350. I think i saw the dipstick on the driver's side. Can you remove one of the Valve covers and get a shot of the Cylinder Head's Serial Number?

 

A dipstick on the drivers side only tells you that it was swapped. There are lots of 305s with dipsticks on the driver side, and lots more 350s with the dipstick on the passenger side.

 

the only sure fire way ( without taking it apart) is the numbers on the block . A 305 and a 350 are the same on the outside . you can decode the vin if it's a 350 car than I would assume it's a 350 but if it's a 305 car than you might wanna look further into it.

 

Start by reading the block numbers.






Then see what numbers are stamped on the front block pad

 

do you have your RPOs?

 

Correct. Dipstick on driver side, '79-older. Dipstick on passenger side, '80-newer. 305 & 350 changed at the same time.

Get the casting # off of the block. You can't make a 350 out of a 305 casting.

 

Can you put 305 heads on a 350 or 350 heads on a 305.

 

Put the pedal to the floor. Should be able to tell. lol

 

Yes. Head casting numbers won't help at all, they might be like me and slap 305 heads on a 350. Neither will checking the "exempt mileage" on the title, in most states it is illegal to go from a smaller motor to a larger displacement motor; so why would you rat yourself out to the DMV?

The easiest way to tell is the engine casting. Another way which is harder is to measure the bore, stroke, or both if you want to know the true displacement since neither the bore nor stroke alone can tell you exact displacement, unless it is a unmachined block.

 

I've had a 305 that would give a stock TPI 350 a run for its money.

 

no... the TPI 350 has 45 to 60 ft-lb more torque than a TPI 305, and 90 more ft-lb than the TBI 305 that was originally in OP's car.

[edit] My bad, misread that as "I've heard that a 305..."

 

u can put 305 heads on a 350 but to put a 350 head on a 305 ud have to put smaller valves in if it had 2.02 intake valves cus theyd hit or something along those lines

 

Not really

 

The last 3 digits of the casting number may be cast into the side of the block as well. Often easier to jack up the car, crawl under, and look for those numbers, than it is trying to read the numbers off the back of the block.

You're going to be changing the oil soon anyway, right?

 

On a 2 piece RMS block?

Or are you just trying to make sure he changes his oil?