Chevrolet 305??
Question: i recently bought a 1985 chevrolet trans am with a 5.0 305 4bbl. i was just wondering if this motor was worth building / who makes good parts for them / anything online (?), or if going for a swap would be more worth it in the long run (something like an ls1 / ws6). i'm not really THAT power mad, something around a mid-13-second car is good for me, but i get a lot of mixed reviews on the 305. any help?
Answers: you can build that motor for cheap but it would not last long if you did, i personally like to get a 4 bolt main 350 block and put in a small duration cam and top it with recently machined 305 heads(higher compression), a very inexpensive longerlasting practical small block build, also alot cheaper than an ls swap. you should be able to reuse all sensors and switches that come off the old 305
The 305 can be made to run well. If the bottom end is in good shape, you could go with a set of vortec heads, a good cam and intake, and probably be able to get in the 300 horsepower range. If the engine has to come out, put a 350 back in it. For much more info, email me, or go to www.thirdgen.org.
The 305 or 5.0 had a history of bad camshafts if your going to spend the money to rebuild, build a 350 instead everything will bolt up,they are the same block.
A good tight 305 with a set of AFR 305 heads and flat tops will get around 10:1 compression. Couple that with a steel crank, Eagle rods, a Comp 280 cam, and a good Dual plane intake with a 570 holley and you will have an easy 300-325 horses. Add a set of full length headers with crossover pipe and high flow converters to really wake it up. The 305 shares the 350's 3.480 inch stroke and will make near brutal bottom end, and turn 5500 on top with ease. A set of 3.42:1 or 3.73:1 gears will get you off the line real quick too. It's no end of fun beating someone with a little 305, priceless in fact. Check local emissions laws before starting and have a blast, I know I did!
You could do the whole bolt on parts thing for the 305, like better exhaust, headers, better intake, etc... Your not gonna get alot of power out of it though.
Myself what I would do is go the bolt on route with the 305 for now.. The common parts will work on a 350 later.. Then start reading up on engines, cars, how to make power, etc.. Then build a 350 from block up later on, then swap on the bolted on parts from your 305 onto the 350.
The main prob with the 305 is it's tiny bore size.. The small bore can't breath good a higher RPMs, it shrouds the valves and in fact the biggest valves you can run a 305 is 1.94 /1.50 (so watch out for buying heads for it now and remember 1.94 intake valves is largest that will fit a 305's bore w/o hitting the sides)
Over all though its a good engine that will last. Only major prob spot is the valve seals, but thats on all late 70's to mid 80's GM v8 engines..
With any engine though your power gains will be the biggest from
1) size of engine
2) compression (9.75 to 10.25:1)
3) heads.. Better flowing heads makes a lot more power
4) the right cam for your build.
I have a 305 in a 79 camaro and I love it. Jegs has a good selection of parts. www.jegs.com
305 is not nor will it ever be a performance motor...small valves and ports...long stroke,,,it is a smog motor... the money you would spend to get 300hp would build a nice 450 hp 350...
Answers: you can build that motor for cheap but it would not last long if you did, i personally like to get a 4 bolt main 350 block and put in a small duration cam and top it with recently machined 305 heads(higher compression), a very inexpensive longerlasting practical small block build, also alot cheaper than an ls swap. you should be able to reuse all sensors and switches that come off the old 305
The 305 can be made to run well. If the bottom end is in good shape, you could go with a set of vortec heads, a good cam and intake, and probably be able to get in the 300 horsepower range. If the engine has to come out, put a 350 back in it. For much more info, email me, or go to www.thirdgen.org.
The 305 or 5.0 had a history of bad camshafts if your going to spend the money to rebuild, build a 350 instead everything will bolt up,they are the same block.
A good tight 305 with a set of AFR 305 heads and flat tops will get around 10:1 compression. Couple that with a steel crank, Eagle rods, a Comp 280 cam, and a good Dual plane intake with a 570 holley and you will have an easy 300-325 horses. Add a set of full length headers with crossover pipe and high flow converters to really wake it up. The 305 shares the 350's 3.480 inch stroke and will make near brutal bottom end, and turn 5500 on top with ease. A set of 3.42:1 or 3.73:1 gears will get you off the line real quick too. It's no end of fun beating someone with a little 305, priceless in fact. Check local emissions laws before starting and have a blast, I know I did!
You could do the whole bolt on parts thing for the 305, like better exhaust, headers, better intake, etc... Your not gonna get alot of power out of it though.
Myself what I would do is go the bolt on route with the 305 for now.. The common parts will work on a 350 later.. Then start reading up on engines, cars, how to make power, etc.. Then build a 350 from block up later on, then swap on the bolted on parts from your 305 onto the 350.
The main prob with the 305 is it's tiny bore size.. The small bore can't breath good a higher RPMs, it shrouds the valves and in fact the biggest valves you can run a 305 is 1.94 /1.50 (so watch out for buying heads for it now and remember 1.94 intake valves is largest that will fit a 305's bore w/o hitting the sides)
Over all though its a good engine that will last. Only major prob spot is the valve seals, but thats on all late 70's to mid 80's GM v8 engines..
With any engine though your power gains will be the biggest from
1) size of engine
2) compression (9.75 to 10.25:1)
3) heads.. Better flowing heads makes a lot more power
4) the right cam for your build.
I have a 305 in a 79 camaro and I love it. Jegs has a good selection of parts. www.jegs.com
305 is not nor will it ever be a performance motor...small valves and ports...long stroke,,,it is a smog motor... the money you would spend to get 300hp would build a nice 450 hp 350...
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