I'm thinking of swapping out the 305 and going for the 350. I have TPI so I will stay with that. So far as I know, I need to change the knock sensor, get an 87+ non LT1 or LS1 block, and the 24lb injectors (maybe). Will my 305 heads work on a 350 TPI? Is there any power and performance in doing that? I would of course have bigger valves put in, definitely 1.94" intake. Can the 305 heads be machined for 2.02" intake valves? My last question is what is the difference between a short block and a long block? Thanks in advance for any information you can lend!
Brandon

 

I'm thinking of swapping out the 305 and going for the 350. I have TPI so I will stay with that. So far as I know, I need to change the knock sensor, get an 87+ non LT1 or LS1 block, and the 24lb injectors (maybe). Will my 305 heads work on a 350 TPI? Is there any power and performance in doing that? I would of course have bigger valves put in, definitely 1.94" intake. Can the 305 heads be machined for 2.02" intake valves? My last question is what is the difference between a short block and a long block? Thanks in advance for any information you can lend!

Ok lets see here. Your 305 heads would work, but they will restrict your flow greatly. I'm not sure, but I don't think you can put bigger valves into them either.
As far as a short block and a long block this is what I understand. A shortblock is basically your block with a crank, pistons, rods, a cam, and maybe an oil pump and pan. A long block is basically everything you need for an engine minus the carb or injectors, and the accessories. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong here guys.



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Riccioli Performance Motorworks

--RPM Racing--

-Currently building first ever engine. 383 with Super Ram plenum and runners, Edelbrock lower intake, Bosch 24# injectors, either AFR or Trick Flow heads, MSD ignition.
-Will be installing Baer Brakes
-Will be installing full Spohn suspension in rear
-Art Carr 700R4 trans??


***** Flyby: (n) When you let off the throttle after beating a ***** Racer by a few car lengths and he then blows by you in an attempt to convince you he really won the race.

 

Good, I'm going to try and find a short block then. I'ts been established also thanks to you and others' advice that I should not use my 305 heads. I'll look for some Vette heads. Can you also tell me what a tappet is? And also what is the difference between roller and flat tappets?
Thanks
Brandon

 

flat and roller tappet refers to the cam and lifters. Flat tappet cams use flat lifters. They scrape along the cam, using oil as a lubricant. Roller cam and lifters have wheels on the bottom of the lifters that roll along the cam. It allows for more power and less friction. Any 87+ block should be a roller engine.

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West Coast GM Shootout 2001!
1991 Camaro Z28
5.7L 5-Speed (originally 305)
13.25 @ 107.18 MPH
Southern California
Member: SoCal 3rd Gen F-Bodies
Webmaster: SoCal F-Bodies
-=ICON Motorsports=-

 

Thanks Kev. I don't believe that my engine is a roller then. When I had the head off of my car to get the broken valve cover bolt out, I don't remeber there being "wheels" on the lifters. I remember them being just the flat bottom type. Should my engine be that way for being a 90 and a 305?
(Sorry: my mistake, I was thinking about the time we tore apart my 78 Z, that was a solid lifter type. I never took the lifters out on the Iroc when I got to thinking about it!)

[This message has been edited by 90Iroc (edited January 14, 2001).]

 

Check my sig, but the 24# are no in yet. Im turning a 13.9 1/4 mile. I do not need the 24# yet because of the 305 heads. YOu can run the 205 but you compression will be very high. This does not replace the need for flow, because I know that with a 3.73 gear, aset of good ported L98 heads, and a custom PROM I could probably get into the low 13's high 12's if I was on slicks. Well atleast I hope to. Though I am happy with the results I got and I had minimal trouble doing the swap, It was a straight bolt on for everything

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86 Trans Am 355 TPI Rebuilt 700R4 with Corvette servo, modified valve body, and a B&M Torque Converter (2000 rpm stall w/ lock up), 87 350 block bored .30 with new crank, bearings, rings, and magnafluxed rods. Reworked 305 heads with 3-angle valve job. Added in the rebuild was an SLP TPI cam, BBK 58mm Throttle Body,SVO 24# injectors,MSD 6A, Hypertech Power Coil, 1.5 Crane roller tipped rocker arms, SLP Intake Runners and Port matching in upper intake including fully ported plenum, TPIS adjustable fuel pressure regulator @ 46psi, Hooker shorty style headers w/ Thermotech heat wrapping, Custom 3” exhaust with Flowmaster muffler and chrome quad tips, Hypertech Thermomaster Computer chip, K&N open element cone filter on modified MAF per TPIS specs, MSD Wires, removal of A/C hardware and a 1LE firewall cover installed. Also there has been a PST front suspension kit with Hotchkis strut tower brace
http://geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Garage/9548/kyle.html

Kills:
95 Talon TSI, 96 Probe GT, 91 T/A L98, 89 RS, 86 Mustang GT, 88 Mustang LX 5.0, 92 Thunderbird V8. couple or ricers that I think were Civics or Preludes not sure what year, 95 Celica GT-S, 94 Chevy 1/4 ton 350, one of those NASCAR F150's ..... **** on Monkie
SOON TO BE A SUPER CHARGED TURBO WITH NOS ON A 500000 CU. IN engine

 

If you have a 90 305, it should definitely be a roller cam engine. All F bodies from 87 up got the roller cams. Make sure to get a 87-92 350 block if you want to stick with the factory roller cam setup. The roller cams are far superior to the older flat tappet design. If you use the vette aluminum heads, you'll have to run your egr like the vette engines. The vette heads don't have the exhaust crossover passage in the heads like the cast iron L98 heads do. There's pretty recent posts on the General Engine/Tech board on how to make your egr work properly with the vette heads if you decide to use them. Like the other guys said, don't even think of using 305 heads on your 350. They'll be far more useful as doorstops.

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89RS w/350 TPI; 69RS/SS w/450 HP 350/Muncie 4-Speed "Too weird to live, too rare to die."

 

While we're on the subject of lifters.....are the roller lifters in our cars solid or hydraulic rollers? I'm guessing solid, but I just want to make sure.

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Riccioli Performance Motorworks

--RPM Racing--

-Currently building first ever engine. 383 with Super Ram plenum and runners, Edelbrock lower intake, Bosch 24# injectors, either AFR or Trick Flow heads, MSD ignition.
-Will be installing Baer Brakes
-Will be installing full Spohn suspension in rear
-Art Carr 700R4 trans??


***** Flyby: (n) When you let off the throttle after beating a ***** Racer by a few car lengths and he then blows by you in an attempt to convince you he really won the race.

 

They're hydraulic.

 

Ok then....the lifters that I got with my used block seem like they are solid rollers. How hard should it be to compress them by squeezing them between my fingers?

------------------
Riccioli Performance Motorworks

--RPM Racing--

-Currently building first ever engine. 383 with Super Ram plenum and runners, Edelbrock lower intake, Bosch 24# injectors, either AFR or Trick Flow heads, MSD ignition.
-Will be installing Baer Brakes
-Will be installing full Spohn suspension in rear
-Art Carr 700R4 trans??


***** Flyby: (n) When you let off the throttle after beating a ***** Racer by a few car lengths and he then blows by you in an attempt to convince you he really won the race.

 

of course the lifters are goin to be hard to compress if they are filled with oil. trust kevin, they are hydralic.

as for the 305 heads, i use them and they work good. i machined them out to except the 1.94 valves, pocket ported, and unshrouded the intake valve. the unshrouding did 2 things here
1)got my compression down to something reasonable (still 9.8:1)
2) let more air/fuel charge come around the intake valve.

true, 305 heads are alittle restrictive in the runner area, but there are many people who run them and do quite well with them. besides the increased compression (poor mans way) it also keeps the low speed (low rpm) velocity up for low end power. with port work to both heads AND intake (ATLEAST the plenum, you will notice it!), your topend power won't be too bad at all.
as for the injectors, i still use the 19# with increased FP. this promotes better fuel atomization. i do plan on using the 22# injectors that i have, though.
the 305 and 350 knock sensors are different too, i would suggest changing this now while you are swapping eventhough you can run the 305 sensor.

if you plan on using the roller set up you already have, make sure you find an engine with the 3 threaded bosses sticking out of the lifter valley, took me 3 engines until i found one with these in it.

hope this helps

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87 iroc-z 355 TPI 5 spd. 51006 SLP cam adv. 4* (106.5* centerline)
hypertech stage II chip/ 160* stat./ Airfoil, accel AFPR
19# injectors, ported plenum and runners. 9.8:1 compression
stock heads, pocket ported, 1.94 int., unshrouded.
stock exhaust manifolds and y pipe! hopefully soon to change
3.45 rear (stock)
Flowmaster, K&N w/ hacked airbox/removed MAF screens
14.38@100mph 2.2 60'

 

I took another look at those lifters that came out of my core engine today and they are in fact solids! I have absolutely no idea why, but I'm going to obviously order the hydraulics for my 383.


------------------
Riccioli Performance Motorworks

--RPM Racing--

-Currently building first ever engine. 383 with Super Ram plenum and runners, Edelbrock lower intake, Bosch 24# injectors, either AFR or Trick Flow heads, MSD ignition.
-Will be installing Baer Brakes
-Will be installing full Spohn suspension in rear
-Art Carr 700R4 trans??


***** Flyby: (n) When you let off the throttle after beating a ***** Racer by a few car lengths and he then blows by you in an attempt to convince you he really won the race.

 

I don't understand what you are talking about (the three threaded bosses). I guess I'll see that when I get into this thing. What are they there for? Is it an L98/LB9 thing only?

 

well paul, dont' know what to tell ya then, maybe someone has been in your engine before? from the factory, they were hydralic roller lifters as far as i know.

as for the bosses, they are the 3 posts sticking out of the middle of the lifter valley. you need these to bolt down the "web" which is basically sheet metal that holds the lifter "dogbone" to keep them from rotating. sorry that i don't have the technical termology for these. this is if you plan on reusing the factory lifters over as this will not be a problem with aftermarket kits! it seems easier and more cost effective to find a block to except the factory lifters IMO.

most of the later style blocks (pre LT1/LS1) have these in them. some may need drilled and tapped, not a problem.

well, not sure if i explained this in the way it should have but i gave it my best shot. hope this helps

 

355 IROCZ is right. There are peanut shaped plates that you place over the top of each lifter set and then the "spider" bolts down over the top of them. There are 3 bolts.

------------------
Riccioli Performance Motorworks

--RPM Racing--

-Currently building first ever engine. 383 with Super Ram plenum and runners, Edelbrock lower intake, Bosch 24# injectors, either AFR or Trick Flow heads, MSD ignition.
-Will be installing Baer Brakes
-Will be installing full Spohn suspension in rear
-Art Carr 700R4 trans??


***** Flyby: (n) When you let off the throttle after beating a ***** Racer by a few car lengths and he then blows by you in an attempt to convince you he really won the race.