What's goin on guys, this is Dave "Fig Newton" and I got a question about my 87' IROC-Z. Its the car I got in High School and I'm fixin it up now. Motor in it now is bad and I'm puttin another 305 in my shop in it. I ordered a few parts like headers and ignition for a little extra ummph. I'm going to be driving the car to work and was wonderin how bad my mpg would hurt with a little cam and which is a good one to get. How much hp would a little one make and how much torque would it take way?
Thanks and merry christmas

-Fig Newton

 

TPI motors are really good for torque, and 'run out of gas' right around 5K RPM.... so, pick a cam that builds it's power lower in the RPM range. Compare what you are considering to the stock cam.... the 305's actually came with a half-way decent one from the factory. Sorta...

 

305s got a different cam depending on what transmission the car came with. The automatic cars got a garbage cam. The 5 speed cars got the L98 cam, which isn't a terrible cam for a 305.

Specs:

87 350,305man = 4093643 202/207 .404/.415 114.5
87 305 auto = 10088155 179/194 .350/.384 109deg

 

I put a cam in my little 305. It woke it up a little. Plus makes power to 5500 ish.
Plus it sounds a lot better at idle. Make sure you change your springs and while your in there change your valve seals. Best of luck!

 

Do you have to worry about emissions? Are you going to leave it stock other than the cam?

 

305s got a different cam depending on what transmission the car came with.

 

I'm going to go down the same road as yaj15 is eluding to. The cam is only one piece of a complete system. To gain the most benefit from it, you are going to need to address the other systems, like exhaust and intake.

 

if its an auto the lt1 cam would be a nice little upgrade