Hey guys, I have a 350 swapped into my car (was swapped before I bought it.) I have done some routine maintenance on it since I bought it. Yesterday I was bored so I looked up some 0-60 videos for 350 Camaros to see how mine stacked up. It seems all of the other cars are quite a bit faster than mine! My 350 was about the same speed of a 305. If I floor it getting on to the highway I can get to about 70. I was wondering if you guys had any insight on why this may be.
Specs:
350 tbi
open element
3" exhaust
edelbroc headers
T-5 grinds into 3rd and 4th (maybe it is the issue?)
A/C delete
hot cam (dont know info on it)
the engine supposedly has 60k miles on it
Any way any info would be really cool I don't know what is holding me back and it's rather frustrating!
thanks

 

Red flag right there. First, I'd make sure it is a 350. I'd guess somewhere around 90% of 3rd gens sold with a "350 swapped in" have a 305 in them.

Swirl port heads, 305ish power.

2nd red flag. Is it a "hot cam", or a "Hot Cam"? Stock TBI heads can't handle a Hot Cam.

Most videos you see have the "right stuff" done to the combo - engine, cam, induction, gears are matched and tuned to work together. Do you know if any computer tuning has been done to your car?

 

check the drivers side of the back of the block for "5.7"

 

what kind of heads are on it or what year 350. iput 94 in s10 and a 305 69 chevelle could smoke me. the heads were or had swirl vanes in them

 

my 350 was a94 tbi out of a truck i replaced rings bearings andgaskets

 

Ahhh definately figure out what you have, I'm betting it is around a stockish 350. I had a similar situation. Quite a few years back the stock 305 in my Firebird siezed the crank to the rods so what a perfect time for an upgrade! I found a 350 from a guy I knew, got it for 300! Tore it apart to freshen it up and found it was bored .030 over! OMG SWEET! So now I had a 355! Replaced the rings, cleaned it up a little and put it back together. Also got headers! Man it felt like that thing moved! Wasn't til I put it on the track that I got the disappointment. 16.02 was a best time, not sure on MPH and I had regular street tires but still, 16.02!?! Anyway, that engine spun a bearing and I had metal shavings in the oil so now I have a '68 307 in there that ranks right up there with the 350. The difference? Not sure what the cam was in the 350 but I have a comp cam in the 307 now and it is .470/.470 lift and 112 lobe sep. I have stock 350 heads, an edlebrock performer intake and 600 cfm carb. Intake, carb and heads were same I had on the 350. Yeah not very impressive but, start with the cam, and the heads and the intake. Everything compliments each other. I haven't put it on the track with this motor yet but I would expect the same results as I had with the 350. It's all in how the engine was built man, sorry for the story but figured it was right up your alley.

 

Some factory 350's made as little as 145hp, while others were 300hp - depends on alot of factors like cam, heads, intake, etc.

 

Hey guys, sorry for the late response I just got home from work. I know for sure it is a 350 when I bought it I checked and it said 5.7 on the block. As for the computer or tuning I have no clue is there any way I can check? I know the computer looks new (the case) and it says hyper tech but its a sticker lol. As for the heads I have no clue on either, is there any way I can check what they are? Also finally with the cam I have no clue lol but it runs like it has a mild cam. All I know right now is I wish I didn't buy a pre-modded car lol.

 

True. My 77 cutlass has a 350 with a 4bbl carb in it and it's rated at a whopping 170hp. However for the tank that it is, its slightly quicker than my stock 305 TBI camaro rated at 170hp.

 

Hmm... thats interesting maybe I should look into that lol. I'm assuming the low hp numbers came from the 70's/80's because of emissions?

 

If you pull a valve cover you can read the casting number for the heads. My geuss is that they are 193 heads (350 TBI heads). A hot cam isn't necessarily too big for TBI but its just as Fast said, "Hot Cam" can mean 39739573 things. Tuning and fueling are likely your issues. 99.999999% of people who mod TBI set-ups neglect the most important factor, chip tuning. I would look into the DIY PROM board and at least learn how to data log and interpret the results. I bet you have many issues. Bad fuel tables, too much cam, spark tables are thinking you have a 170hp 305, and the injectors are screaming for mercy.

 

Pull the valve cover off you should see a part number in raised letters somewhere in there (on the head among the valvesprings). Post up the last 3 digits thats a start.

 

I would also check for codes too. What knock sensor is on that 350 by the way?. What prom are you using now for your 350 motor? Find out first what prom is in that computer that the guy sold you with that motor. Personally, i would try to do a tbi to tpi swap and get a 350 tpi prom and 7730 ecm.

 

Yeah, definately pull both valve covers and look for some casting numbers on those heads.

 

I was thinking and I would put your stock ecm back in with a custom tbi chip for a 350 motor.

 

Tomorrow I can pull off the valve covers but how do I find out what prom is in the computer? The previous owner will be no help because he was an idot lol. He just bought it after the swap.

 

look for the acess panel screws on the computer. you should contact www.tbichips.com too incase you may need a custom chip.

 

what did the 350 motor come out of? You should be using your stock ecm by the way. You should only have to change the chip (prom) to one that is for a 350. Also you need to have injectors that support a 350. Those two things are your main issues i bet! I know for a fact if you are going from a 305 block to a 350 block with a tpi car,then you should change to 350 prom,350 injectors, and use the 350's knock sensor.Should be the same for tbi too.

 

Also meant to ask you. What fuel injection stuff are u using? Are you using the fuel injection or throttle body that came with the 350 motor? or are you using the stock tbi Camaro stuff? Verify what throttle body/injectors you have,verify ecm and prom, verify which knock sensor you have. Forget about the cam for now, although that too maybe an issue. Also. find out what your timing is set at on that car.

 

Ah yes, I forgot about timing whenever I get some free time I will check it out. As for FI I am currently using what came with the car when I bought it (tbi) so I have no clue what it may be. Is it possible my 305 fuel pump may be an issue?

 

If you know of someone close to you that is good with reprogramming, I would look into it. The truck engine in the car, if that is what it is, has a very mild cam, but it does idle like it is alot larger. Simply a tomato stick filling up space in the engine. But findout what you have for sure, then we can address why it runs like it does.

 

no, i doubt it. I would verify parts first. See what you are working with and what you have exactly and then diagnose.