Keeping it stock...305 options

[DrRansom442]

TV cable should be able to fit right onto the detent cables, umm stud? If it is the wrong shape it can be ground off and replaced, but from a location stance ... should be dead-on. Atleast when I compared my pre-CCC/pre-200-4r Olds Qjet to a stock 307 Q-jet ... the stem was in the same place. As long as the cable adjusts stop to stop should be fine.

 

[Doober]

Yup, that's it. There are a few more videos on my page playing it as well. I based the engine off the 'Humble Pie' project from Car Craft. They didn't show an actual graph, so I had to make one myself:

If you can swing the extra $ to get the GM hot cam & beehive springs (if it's a true Vortec it will have the spider and roller lifters), you'll make even more power with a very streetable engine (test 2 is XE268H, test 3 is hot cam), the hot cam makes more power across the board.

Idle has a little rump to it, but not much (more of a bumpitty-bumpitty-bumpitty instead of bump-bump-bumpitty-bumpitty-bump-bump-bump-bumpitty type), and it's supposed to work with a stock converter, although a 2,000 rpm stall would be more beneficial overall. I bet you'll enjoy it, here's another guy that built a 355 with the same cam & a set of Vortecs:
http://www.maliburacing.com/forum/viewt ... 14&t=91388

It's also 50-state legal in all engines prior to '93... so TECHNICALLY the Vortec motor wouldn't be exempt, but unless you have some super-anal person checking the date on the block, I doubt they'd kick up a fuss.

All around I think it's a great cam, but if you don't have to worry about emissions I'd spring for the hot cam/beehives (screw-in studs would probably be beneficial here too) if you have the $.

 

[jmangham]

it is a true vortec complete motor. did you have to modify the heads to be able to use that cam? looks like my options are freakin limited with the stock set up. I just would like to upgrade the stock cam a little while the engine is out. i plan on running the cast iron vortec manifold that is coming with the motor along with the rebuilt q-jet.

 

[Doober]

Those are bone stock Vortecs with the Comp cam, but the beehive springs (or machine work on the head) are needed with the hot cam.

 

[ponchoman49]

Your not looking for a race car so why bother going to all the hassle, money and time to swap engines. There is plenty of power hidden in your stock 305 4BBL MC to make it a lot more enjoyable as a daily driver. The 1979 LG4 vin code "H" 305 put out 160 HP stock which isn't bad but more power is hiding right in your carb and distributer. Your car would not have the CCC emission system that was mandatory for the 1981 model year and that was starting to debut in some 1980 models. Your rear gears are very anemic 2.29:1 which litterally kills power to the rear wheels so your first project should be a change to a good 3.08:1- 3.23:1 gear. Get the engine in tip top tune and check your timing. Make sure it it set to close to spec for base timing. A cheap timing advance kit can add up to 17 HP gained at the rear wheels as these late 70's smog motors where tuned for mileage and emissions, not power. You should be seeing 32 degrees of advance when all is said and done and the engine will feel a ton more responsive. I have seen many engines from this time period with as little as 20 degrees of total advance so check yours as soon as possible. Going to the carb you should check your secondary metering rods. Yours are going to be a bit fatter middle of the road rods so a switch to richer(thinner) rods from an earlier 350 carb will help. Be sure to loosen the tension on the secondaries so they open up quicker and further. A Book is available on Rochester carbs and offers a lot of tuning tweaks for these carbs. Looking at your exhaust you could throw on a Mc SS dual exhaust system for not too much cash and run high flow cat if required. All of these things will add up to a far more responsive and enjoyable 305. Just don't expect 300 HP with these simple mods. More in the line of 180-200 I would think.

 

[jmangham]

Thanks for the heads up ponchoman. I actually found a complete used vortec 350 motor for $600. He is trowing in a cast iron vortec carb manifold for $50. (He bought it to run in a class where he could use vortec heads, but had to use a cast iron manifold). It is from a reputable shop in town that I sell parts to. The 305 has 260,0000 miles on it and has not run in 8 years. And it has been sitting with the valve covers off! I would not spend any money trying to get the 305 running until I took it out and had it completely rebuilt. I priced a complete rebuild, top to bottom. It was around $1000 parts and labor, and it would still be a 305 with stock smog heads. The 350 has about 100 thousand miles on it. They replaced the rod bearings just to be safe. I already bought the cam I am using, so no turning back now :wink: I went with the 14097395 GM Performance cam. I got it from this guy:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SMALL-BL ... 2182806654

 

[jmangham]

I also have a source for some NOS Qjets. I got the "How to Rebuild and Modify" Qjets book also. I am going to go through them and try to find the best one for my app. I am going to get with the guy who has the carbs and post them here for sale if he says its cool. He has 20 NOS Rochester carbs, about 10 are Qjets.

 

[SScamino]

I have the same set up as doober, its a vortec with 062 heads, and a comp xe268 cam, I have the beehives in mine, and I can vouch for the power!

 

[Doober]

Yes, lots of fun to drive, and you can drive it every day with power brakes 😀
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwI9H1p574Q

 

[megaladon6]

160 HP stock which isn't bad

:shock:
i never thought i'd hear those words about a v8, especially in a 3500+lb car. come on, my jetta diesel has 100hp (but weighs 30% less)