Hey guys- can ya give me an estimate on my horsepower with these mods:
1983 Berlinetta
305 stock
stock intake
4 barrel carb (stock)
Hedman 1 3/4 headers to Y-Pipe
2.5 inch Catco converter
Hooker Cat-Back

Also, if you have any suggestions about how to raise some power- feel free. I was thinking new intake and carb- but I dont know if that'd really make any significant power gains. I know it made around 170 stock, I was just wondering if I did much good with the new exhaust. Thanks!

 

Around 240 would be my guess

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1985 Camaro Z28
305
5-speed Transmission
Flowmaster Exhaust
4 barrel carb
8mm racing spark plug wires
<IMG>"http://www.geocities.com/indeliblerage/mycar.jpg"</IMG>

 

The headers did help, but I doubt 70 hp. More like 25-40. Those primaries are pretty big for a low-RPM 305, though.

What's holding you back are cam and compression. Also heads after the other things are addressed. I assume you did something about your air cleaner, or else that's another big power robber.

The carb and intake are you last and 2nd to the last problems, respectively. I would not recommend an aftermarket carb for a street driven car, since the CC carb is capable of handling even a 383. If you replace the carb, you'll have to replace the distributor as well, and gas mileage will suffer.

I'm extremely pleased with the mods in my sig. However, the '86 LG4's got flat top pistons and knock sensor, so I'll have those advantages over you.

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82 Berlinetta, orig V-6 car, now w/86 LG4/TH700R4, 2300 stall TC. Ported World 305 heads, Crane PowerMax 2050 cam. ZZ4 intake, oil pump, pan & baffle. Accel HEI SuperCoil & module. Hooker 2055 headers, 3" Catco cat & 3" catback w/dual-opposite Flowmaster 80. 2.93 limited slip. Spohn SFCs waiting to be installed. AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Daily year-round driver. Best ET, speed TBD...
57 Bel Air, my 1st car. '66 396, 9.7:1 forged TRWs, Weiand Action+, Holley 750VS w/4150 conversion, GK 270 cam, Magnum rockers, Jacobs Omnipack, 1-3/4" Hedders & 3" Warlocks, TH400 w/TCI Sat Night Special conv & Trans-Scat shift kit, MegaShifter, 3.08 8.2" 10-bolt w/Powertrax, AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Idles smooth @ 700 RPM in D. Best 15.02/95.06 @ 5800' Bandimere (corrected 13.93/102.4 @ sea level).

 

It made 145 stock.

Headers & full exhaust was an excellent first mod. I'm fairly sure it didn't make a major difference by itself, but it's the foundation for everything else, without which nothing else does what it's supposed to. However, the optimum setup would have been 1-5/8" headers, and a 3" cat & cat-back. But what you've got is such a huge improvement over stock, it's not worth worrying about right now.

The next thing you need is a cam. The one you have has 190-some degrees of .050" duration and less than .400" lift. It's a complete joke. A good upgrade would be a Comp XE256H or XE262H. Don't go any farther than that, especially if you have an automatic trans.

I would recommend leaving the intake and carb alone. They're not the bottleneck in that motor, and won't be until several other things have been substantially upgraded. If you replace the carb you also have to replace the distributor since they're computer-controlled.

After the cam, the next bottleneck is the heads. A good port job makes an easy 20 HP difference.

As long as you stick with the stock 416 castings, your carb and intake are adequate.

Resist the temptation to just unbolt and rebolt stuff that's easy to get too and in plain sight. Chrome and other shiny things don't make the car go any faster.

Another thing to look at is weight reduction... a good aluminum water pump is a 10 lb reduction, a later model aluminum & plastic radiator is another 12 lbs or so, etc. etc. As you replace stuff in the normal course of things dying and needing maintenance, always look for lighter pieces. A mini-starter instead of the stock POS, aluminum intake if yours is iron (that's the only circumstance where I'd suggest changing it at this point), things like that. It may not seem like much, but for a 16-second 3400-lb car, 100 lbs of weight is more than a tenth in the 1320.

After the cam, and before the heads, you should look at gears. They're not an engine mod as such, but you're stuck with 3.23s at best, and maybe 2.73s; 3.42 or 3.73 makes a HUGE SOTP boost. One of my little brothers had a 84 LG4 Z28 and put 3.73s in it; it didn't make it come near keeping up with my 83 HO Z28 (3.73s were stock in those) but it was a big change.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

Yes they do 20 hp over stock just by adding chrome valve covers LOL

Naw, I would say your probably making a good 180hp.
I would reccomend swaping to an open element filter and as Reb said comp 262 cam, then you sould be in the 200hp range easy.
SSC


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85 Camaro, 355/400 "drag car" current DD 13.1@ 101mph on its last season run.
Plans: Possibly add N20 for next season.
82 Firebird, 355/350, as soon as the powertrax gets installed. "dyno time"

 

So I was thinking- open element air cleaner and a cowl induction hood? I have a K&N in there now but I'd like to get her to breathe in a little more. Also- I know next to nothing about cams- so would I just replace the cam- or should I get new lifters and valves etc... One last thing- I heard about being able to bore out a 305 to about a 330 or something like that, is this true? And how do you improve compression and what gains in horsepower or torque does it create. Sorry for the newbie questions- I just got my baby 3 months ago! Thanks for the help

[This message has been edited by Camaro8316 (edited November 21, 2001).]

 

RB is right about your stock power. The gain was probably in the same range, though, meaning perhaps you now have 170-185.

A dual snorkel air cleaner is simplier and gets all the air in the engine needs.

When you do a cam change, you need to replace the lifters as well. The rest will be fine if in good shape if you stick with RB's recommendation.

You have what are called "dished" pistons, meaning the top is recessed in the center. The only way to change that is to change pistons.

You cannot bore a 305 more than .060" safely, which will yield about 315 cubes. The number you quoted sounds like a .030"-over stroker, using a 400 crank (3.75" stroke vs. the stock 3.48" on a 305 or 350).

If you really want to increase compression, cubic inches, and power, your best bet would be to go with a 350. Putting the rebuild or stroker machining into a 305 is not your best bang for buck.

 

also have to factor in age and miles, i would say you have about 150-165 HP

 

I didn't really want to replace this engine at the moment because of gas mileage, but i'd really love to. Do you guys think it'd be safe to get a 350 out of a junkyard so drop into the camaro? That's about all I could afford at the moment, so I hope it's safe! If I actually did bore out the 305 to about 315, would I get some gains in horsepower or more in torque- because at the moment I have ALOT of torque. Also, in the Summit catalogue, they have a whole valvetrain replacement kit- along with the cam, should I look into that, because at the moment I dont have enough money for new heads. One last thing- instead of new heads, could I port or polish (I dont know the correct word) the one I have on it now? And if I did get a 350, what would I need to change to make it fit into the car, tranny work or anything along those lines?> Thanks again