Hello everyone. I went to look at a camaro today...a 1987 IROC-Z 350 with TPI. Well We get there, everything looks great but then he starts it up and its pretty quiet. He didn't remember the exact set of flowmaster's it had on, but he said it had the word thunder in it. He also has ceramic headers installed. Other than that, stock. Heres a video if anyone wants to hear:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAWhnW2g7qY

Ok so it says 5.7 on the back...I know that doesn't mean its a 5.7. But, I read here that "All TPI 350 (1987-1992) Camaros had a tach with yellow at 5000 and red at 5500."



So that means it is a 350 correct? It doesn't have a square shift **** like this website says it should have if its a 350. The sound really throws me off too because most 350's on youtube sound alot meaner.

I'm going to check the VIN next week when we go to take another look and test drive it. But anyone wanna reassure me? Thanks everyone. Heres a picture of the car incase anyones interested

 

Why not quit guessing and look where it's marked on the block? It's on the driver-side flange where the transmission bellhousing bolts to, and about 6" or so down from the distributor. It'll either say 5.0 or 5.7

 

well I would check but I do not have possesion of the car and won't see it for another week or 2. So I'm trying to figure it out with what I got.

 

Request the first nine numbers of the VIN, anything else is going to be just guessing.

 

It still would be guessing even with the VIN... that car looks like it has seen some changes over the years, so who knows whats in it?

Best thing to do is get the casting number off the block, second best would be the casting numbers off the heads.

 

agreed, wait till you see it again then pull the valve cover (i know its a pain but YOU are buying the car so you have a right to know what youre getting) and if not that, then get an inspection mirror and light and check the block casting. and if it is a 350, its a sleeper. but i would figure with american thunder series mufflers and ceramic coated shorties, itd be at least as loud as my old 'maro. hell even my 305 is pretty throaty with just the cat back on it.

 

I'v have both in my iroc, your right it does "sound" like a 5.0L but that meens nothing. it could easly be a 350. Like 305sbc said the best way to know is to find the magic numbers on the block! Good luck, and another good way would be te see if its got some guts or not lol...

 

um, stupid question, but, why don't you just ask the guy what it is?

 

One reason is 99 44/100 % of sellers are claiming that 305TPI is a 350TPI because of no visible differences. That is why checking the VIN first then ask the sell his reasons for claiming it is a 350. Most will play dumb and say that is what they were told. And this is the time to walk away.

 

Ok well I got the VIN number from him, and the 8th number is 8...which is supposed to mean the car originally came with a 350 correct?

I'll try to get the casting block number. Is it hard to find? I've done extensive searching on where its located, but i'm not familiar with the small block engine at all. I'll probably look like a fool trying to find it haha.

 

You cannot tell a 305 from a 350 by its exhaust note! They are practically identical.

 

this shows the arean on the rear of the block where the casting number is shown. in this picture, the numbers should be at the bottom far right side of the engine, the drivers side rear shelf that bolts to the transmission.



in this picture, the cylinder head casting # should be under the valve cover and inbetween the middle sets of valve springs.

 

Wow great thanks! I'm fairly certain that its a 350. After some research, the Flowmaster 40 series (American thunder) are quiet exhausts. I did alot of video searching/reviews for the 40 series on camaros and they all were pretty quiet when idol/ people commented on the low rumble it gave off. He never revved the engine when I looked at it and didn't test drive it because it was pouring rain (the hardest rainfall of 09 for the area..go figure).

So the badges, tach and VIN say its a 350. Last thing to do is check the block number when we take a look this Sunday. So now I know roughly where it is, is it hard to get at? What do you think the easiest way to get the code out is? I was thinking using silly puddy...but maybe there's an easier way?

Thanks alot guys for your help...I really appreciate it. If it is indeed a 350, this will be the car I've been saving for. Saved for 8 years! Third gen's are my dream car

 

Well if the VIN # does infact state it's a 5.7L (350) then I am sure it is just that. Who in their right mind would replace a 5.7 with a 5.0. Not to come off as being rude, but I think your being a bit to paranoid about this.

Side note. Fast355 is right... the sound of the exhaust doesn't mean squat! Well unless your dealing with a small block to a big block

 

that's weird...I've had people tell me my 305 sounds like a 350.

 

I don't think the slightly bigger pistons make it sound a whole lot different. lol

 

Hah! That's what I said when I bought my '89... 5.7 stickers, '8' in the vin, etc. Then when I take the heads to the machinist to get a valve job and say "I got some 350 heads here, just need a valve job..." He says, "You know these are 305 heads right...?" I say oh crap, go home, have a look at the casting # on the back of the block (easy to see now that the heads are off), and what do you know, "5.0"...

Now the cut wire's in the engine bay and replaced hood make sense... Maybe there was an engine fire or something, and the 350 was replaced w/ a 305... Now for the record, I do realize that I was an idiot for not verifying the 5.7 as soon as I saw cut wires and stuff, but I was 16 and it was my first car buying experience. If nothing else I can say that I learned my lesson and it will never happen again...

Anyway, morale of the story is anything can happen even if it is highly unlikely...

 

in my opinion the easiest way to get at the block # would be to get an inspection mirror and a flashlight. that is since he probably wont go letting you take the engine apart. inspection mirrors are like 2-3 bux at an auto parts store. invest in one and be suprised how much you use it in your lifetime after you get one

unfortunately yes the number is hard to get at with the heads on or even the engine still in the bay. not too mention all the hoses and crap that are in the way. i can get to my 305s without a huge mountain of trouble so...

 

you do realize that youre talking about pistons that are .564 inches bigger, and add up to 45 more total CID, right?

the 350 has a 4.00 inch bore and the 305 has a 3.436 inch bore. thats a pretty big jump if you asked me. most of the time its not the displacement, its how you evacuate the exhaust gases. ive heard 383's that are whisper quiet all the time, and a 283 that i could have mistaken for a BB, it was so loud.

 

i dont believe hes being paranoid, he wants to make sure he get what hes paying for which is a sounds purchasing credo. when youre spending your hard earned money on something, you have a right to know if what your getting is what you want.

just because someone "wouldnt" swap in a 305 for the 350, doesnt mean that its never happened. there are alot of dishonest ppl out there unfortunately, and more often than not, they are the ppl trying to pass off something for what its not.

in my opinion hes being perfectly reasonable, especially after saving for 8 years!

 

350 has a 4.00 bore, 305 has a 3.73" bore... not 3.43"

 

Yep 8 years of hard saving! From my very first job, I've been putting half of my pay in a camaro fund. Although 8 years ago I was a potato peeler making little to none. Now I'm working at Mcdonalds haha.

But I borrowed one of those inspection mirrors from my shop teacher. I'll let you all know what engine it has when I find out for sure!

The exhaust is the Flowmaster 40 series American Thunder. Alot of reviews, but basically none for a camaro. Does anyone have any experience with them? Likes/dislikes? Sound? Thanks!

 

I don't think he is being paranoid either. The car I bought was listed as a 5.0L, but there are so many pieces/parts from other Camaros that I have four different VINs on my car. Hell, I am not even 100% sure it was originally an 87 IROC-Z. The VIN on the dash says it came with a 4bbl, but it has a TPI. Apparently from research, I found that some 87 IROC-Z did come with a 4bbl. My center console came from a black 88 Camaro convertible. There is no telling what people have done to the car in it's 20 or so years of life. The only way to know for sure is to check!

 

my bad, cant read very good...dang lisdexia...DOH!