I agree on learning new tech, and not necessarily pouring money into the 307, but everyone has to start somewhere... He asked about how to improve his 307, and a number of us have answered with that information. As in other threads here and elsewhere, people are too quick to answer with "...just swap in a *** Chevy."
A CCC, carb'd 307 is a great intro for learning how engine management systems work. A properly tuned 307 should get close to 20mpg in mixed driving with a 200R4, w/ 3:42 or numerically less gearing... provided you dont bury the pedal and open the secondaries at every stop light. Best he learn how to fix, modify, tune, & drive what he has before he steps up and tackles a project like that... especially being in high school. More Noobs jump into projects that are way beyond their skill level because TV shows, Car Mags, & "Common Knowledge" dictate that its cheaper and easier. The evidence is all over Craigslist and your local cars/projects/parts papers.. Ive been on the hunt for a good 5.3 for my 92 Chevy... most look like they've been sitting in a salt marsh, the remainder are either of questionable integrity or are priced out above the $1000 mark. With all due respect, Even if he manages to find all of the pieces to build an LS driveline for "cheap"... the knowledge, fabrication skills, & all of the required tools add up to a lot more time and money than most high schoolers have... especially in this economy. Pulling an engine and transmission is, in itself, an adventure in learning, nevermind trying to put together a LS drivetrain.
When I was in high school, (early 90's), I was making $8 an hour when Massachusetts min wage was $4.25... Sunoco 94 Octane gas was about a $1 a gallon and Sunoco 104 was about $3 a gallon... I had plenty of tools to borrow because RWD were still dominant and lots of people still worked on their own cars at home... Today, its wholly different... there's a lot of people who think they are mechanics because they own a Craftsman wrench & socket set... but I'd bet solid money that I'm one of the few people in a 10 block radius of my home that has the knowledge, storage space, and tools to tackle an engine swap at home... and God only knows how much money I've tied up in tools and parts over the years...
A CCC, carb'd 307 is a great intro for learning how engine management systems work. A properly tuned 307 should get close to 20mpg in mixed driving with a 200R4, w/ 3:42 or numerically less gearing... provided you dont bury the pedal and open the secondaries at every stop light. Best he learn how to fix, modify, tune, & drive what he has before he steps up and tackles a project like that... especially being in high school. More Noobs jump into projects that are way beyond their skill level because TV shows, Car Mags, & "Common Knowledge" dictate that its cheaper and easier. The evidence is all over Craigslist and your local cars/projects/parts papers.. Ive been on the hunt for a good 5.3 for my 92 Chevy... most look like they've been sitting in a salt marsh, the remainder are either of questionable integrity or are priced out above the $1000 mark. With all due respect, Even if he manages to find all of the pieces to build an LS driveline for "cheap"... the knowledge, fabrication skills, & all of the required tools add up to a lot more time and money than most high schoolers have... especially in this economy. Pulling an engine and transmission is, in itself, an adventure in learning, nevermind trying to put together a LS drivetrain.
When I was in high school, (early 90's), I was making $8 an hour when Massachusetts min wage was $4.25... Sunoco 94 Octane gas was about a $1 a gallon and Sunoco 104 was about $3 a gallon... I had plenty of tools to borrow because RWD were still dominant and lots of people still worked on their own cars at home... Today, its wholly different... there's a lot of people who think they are mechanics because they own a Craftsman wrench & socket set... but I'd bet solid money that I'm one of the few people in a 10 block radius of my home that has the knowledge, storage space, and tools to tackle an engine swap at home... and God only knows how much money I've tied up in tools and parts over the years...
