What did you buy for your G body today? [2021]

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g0thiac

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Sep 6, 2020
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Mechanical fuel pump would be located on the engine block of your 305 so that's something you should be able to verify.
The question will be does your proposed replacement TBI motor have provisions for a mechanical fuel pump or will you need to retrofit a low-psi electric pump w/a regulator & return line?
When I can take a look at the 305 again, i'll see if it really is.

And yes, that is the question I've been wondering.
 

g0thiac

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Sep 6, 2020
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It 'may' have machined provisions for roller cam hardware in there. On the 87-96ish tbi motors the later it was the more likely it would get a block that was machined.

However, the cam in there regardless of the machine work is 99.99999999% going to be flat tappet, ie wipes lobes in "normal" oil unless you're boosting zddp.


I'd consider adding a cam. Especially if the things are machined for the roller cam...

Block should likely not be machined for a fuel pump. Sometimes, as in rarely, a block with provisions for mechanical pump got a block plate and went out the door on something that didn't need it because... well, gm being gm.
What kind of roller do you think I should go with then? And that probably will be the case, I was hoping I didn't have to spend extra on the damn pump, and save that money for something else like a cam upgrade but gotta do what ya gotta do lol.
 

ck80

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What kind of roller do you think I should go with then? And that probably will be the case, I was hoping I didn't have to spend extra on the damn pump, and save that money for something else like a cam upgrade but gotta do what ya gotta do lol.
One option is basically the cam that came on
In the ht383, still can find some around guys pulled for a cam with more thump before installing engines and left to sit on shelves. Or buy new here:


Another choice is find a 96-2000 era vortec suburban, yank the stock roller cam, cam retainer plate and screws, roller lifters, dog bones, spider with bolts. You also need a distributor gear for the shaft dia. of your distributor. Use your tbi heads...you also need the pushrods. You will also need a timing set for the same.

Going used, if in good shape from a junkyard I bet it's about $150-200 investment and you get the whole conversion in one shot. That second option is not going to do a whole lot to change your power and torque curves, but, does give the best bang for buck if the goal is just to get a roller cam setup into the engine and have something with fresh timing set for increased durability....

Either of these setups have the ability/lobe to drive a mechanical fuel pump. Why? Well, again, goes back to some blocks having the boss for a mechanical fuel pump and just aren't drilled for the rod. Other blocks are drilled and have a block off plate. You'll know which you have when you get the engine.

But before installation you could inquire with some local machine shops, see what they would charge to make the pump rod hole functional. Probably costs less than buying the parts for an electric pump...

Of course, you could also go down the project creep rabbit hole, start looking at cam upgrades, head upgrades, all the rest and just baby the flat tappet with zddp while you save up for a more invasive upgrade.
 
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g0thiac

G-Body Guru
Sep 6, 2020
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One option is basically the cam that came on
In the ht383, still can find some around guys pulled for a cam with more thump before installing engines and left to sit on shelves. Or buy new here:


Another choice is find a 96-2000 era vortec suburban, yank the stock roller cam, cam retainer plate and screws, roller lifters, dog bones, spider with bolts. You also need a distributor gear for the shaft dia. of your distributor. Use your tbi heads...you also need the pushrods. You will also need a timing set for the same.

Going used, if in good shape from a junkyard I bet it's about $150-200 investment and you get the whole conversion in one shot. That second option is not going to do a whole lot to change your power and torque curves, but, does give the best bang for buck if the goal is just to get a roller cam setup into the engine and have something with fresh timing set for increased durability....

Either of these setups have the ability/lobe to drive a mechanical fuel pump. Why? Well, again, goes back to some blocks having the boss for a mechanical fuel pump and just aren't drilled for the rod. Other blocks are drilled and have a block off plate. You'll know which you have when you get the engine.

But before installation you could inquire with some local machine shops, see what they would charge to make the pump rod hole functional. Probably costs less than buying the parts for an electric pump...

Of course, you could also go down the project creep rabbit hole, start looking at cam upgrades, head upgrades, all the rest and just baby the flat tappet with zddp while you save up for a more invasive upgrade.
Thanks for the link, and honestly I'd like to avoid Vortec motors for now, would like to keep things simple and stick with something '94 and before.

I'll see about a machine shop in the area. Another thing I could do, is just find a carbureted SBC instead.

We will see, I'm not really jumping to any decisions yet, especially now that I can't legally drive for the next year I guess.
 

ck80

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Thanks for the link, and honestly I'd like to avoid Vortec motors for now, would like to keep things simple and stick with something '94 and before.

I'll see about a machine shop in the area. Another thing I could do, is just find a carbureted SBC instead.

We will see, I'm not really jumping to any decisions yet, especially now that I can't legally drive for the next year I guess.
I didn't mean get the vortec motor. I mean take the roller cam parts out of the stock pre-2000 vortec engine and stuff it into your LO5 TBI motor assuming it was machined for the parts (which it may not be).

The stock cam grind is pretty docile and would work OK with the rest of the tbi motor parts is the idea. It's really the vortec heads and the like that really make the difference, not the cam. Guys actually remove the stock vortec cam to get more power unlocked in the vortec engines if that is an indication for you.

Personally, I probably would bother with the stock carb motors unless it was basically free/paid for by parting out the rest of a vehicle. Because of the modern oils and ethanol gas they're ticking time bombs unless you know detailed history on them.

And if you're investing actual cash money why not get the best you can for the money?

As for year range, you don't need to stop at 94... 1995 was also the lo5 tbi pre vortec, it just used a casting number on a block later considered vortec, and didn't have the vortec heads yet.

As far as looking for roller cam provisioned (as stated, it can be machined for a roller cam and get a flat tappet because.... GM being GM) then this info may help.

The casting numbers here are for production blocks manufactured from 1986 to the end of GenI/GenII production. For 350 flat tappet blocks look for casting number 10045727, 14079287, 14088548, and 14101148. These were used mostly in trucks but do appear in passenger cars from time to time. They DO NOT include casting or machining provisions for a factory roller cam and cannot be retro-fitted with the factory roller cam hardware.

Roller blocks are more complicated because even though the casting number indicates the block is provisioned for a roller cam, it doesn't for sure mean the block has a roller cam. But a factory roller cam can be installed to one of these even if it currently has a flat tappet. For 350 roller tappet blocks look for casting numbers 10243880, 14011148, 14088526, and 14093638.

Details for that wrinkle hinted at above... yes, the 10243880 is later used as the L31 Vortec block. BUT, it appears in late 1995 production without Vortec heads and with TBI. In its 1995 incarnation it's provisioned/machined for a roller cam, BUT, just like all the other roller blocks in trucks or g-series vans, prior to the 1996 model year it still might be fitted with a flat tappet cam.

Again... GM being GM.

Common theme when transitioning between technologies is you get some b*stardized headaches that break the normal rules needing lots of asterisks.
 
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78 salon 442

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Dec 5, 2019
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I picked up a 461 big block olds with Ka heads forged pistons engle cam.
 
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