TBI Fuel Injector question

[Schurkey]

I have a 305 and I got remaned 081 heads with 1.92 intake valves for $200.

When Chevy engineers tried to get adequate power from the 305, they invented 1.85 intake valves because the 1.92s they already had, didn't clear the tiny bore of a 305 without causing problems.

The entire problem with the 305 is the tiny bore. When Ford (302) and Pontiac (301) built similar engines, they had enough sense to use a 4" bore, and cut the stroke down. But Chevy kept the stupid 3.48 stroke of the 350 to save on machining change-over. That's why the 305 is such a turd--the bore is too small to put decent size valves into.

I know of an aftermarket cylinder head design with 2.02/1.60 valves, which will clear a 305 bore, but only up to a certain lift. And I'm not saying the valves aren't shrouded, just that they'll physically fit. One of the "hot-roddy" magazines did an article on them, bolted to a 305 short-block. But I can't find that article on-line; and if I still have a copy, it's buried. Those heads were made by Trick Flow; and they've been out-of-production for decades.

 

[Erik the Awful]

You guys definitely live in a different area than I do. My local junk hard wants $350-500 for a 350 "Core" and "running" 350's are around $900-1200...

I'm not looking for crazy power. I'm in my 50's and my hot rodding days are behind me. I like the way my truck drives. I just want a little more power for when I pull my 3,500lb camper. Yes I know, 350/383/LS Swap Blah blah blah, wroom wroom.....

Wow, Raleigh is a fairly hot-rod centric area, so I would think that 350s would be laying around in the dirt. I can't walk through P-A-P without tripping on at least one block. Ask your friends and I'm sure at least one of them knows of a cheap motor. A couple years ago I got two 350s for $100 and turned around and gave one of them away for free just to clear out my garage.

I turn 50 next month, and I'm not giving up hot rodding, but I understand if you're just trying to build a gas-saver/tow motor. That's the one case where I'd go with a 305.

I'd do a DIY port job on those heads - my TBI motor had 193 heads on it, which are almost as crappy, but with 1.92 valves. I watched the video series below before starting, and I started on a trashed head in my scrap pile. I quickly learned I'm not good enough to grind the chamber out wider as he does, but I did everything else.

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[kartoffelpuffer]

Wow, Raleigh is a fairly hot-rod centric area, so I would think that 350s would be laying around in the dirt. I can't walk through P-A-P without tripping on at least one block. Ask your friends and I'm sure at least one of them knows of a cheap motor. A couple years ago I got two 350s for $100 and turned around and gave one of them away for free just to clear out my garage.

There might be some laying around in the dirt somewhere. I'm just not sure where. With the used car market being what it is everyone just thinks their stuff is made out of gold. I'm the only one of my friends working GM stuff. I spent the last 20ish years building off road stuff. So, most of my friends have old Jeeps, Toyotas or Land Rovers. Not much SBC stuff. Maybe I need to make new friends.

Eventually, I'm going to do a big boy build. But that's probably not happening for a few years. Too many other things going on.

 

[df2x4]

There might be some laying around in the dirt somewhere. I'm just not sure where.

Have you checked car-part.com and row52.com? If not that would be a great place to start. They both index salvage yard inventories, car-part is full service yards and row52 is you-pull places. You can sort by distance to see what's available near you.

 

[kartoffelpuffer]

Have you checked car-part.com and row52.com? If not that would be a great place to start. They both index salvage yard inventories, car-part is full service yards and row52 is you-pull places. You can sort by distance to see what's available near you.

I'm always searching on car-part.com. That's where I was quoting the prices from. Even a running 100k 305 block which are supposedly worthless has an asking price of $500-800 around here and a core is $200-300. The used car market in NC is kind of crazy which I think is what contributes to this. There are very few private party car sales. Most people who can't afford new cars will buy off these buy here pay here used car lots. Which are all over the place. So, my theory is that they are probably buying up all the good motors to fix up their POS that they will then sell to some poor slob with a 300-400% markup.

Since I'm not on my rant... When I lived in update NY I would buy junkers in the penny saver for $200 all day long. When I moved down here people wanted $1,000 for the same car and the used lot was asking $2,000 for it. It's stupid and the current car shortage has not made that any better. Even the typical "ran when parked" junkers are now being listed for $2-3k. Ok rant off..

 

[Erik the Awful]

Talk up your projects with your coworkers. Hit up garage sales. Ask your neighbors who have SBC-powered cars.

Those $100 engines I got? A friend/coworker was making the switch to building LS motors.

The one I gave away for free? I gave it to another coworker because he said he wanted to build it, and a week later he flipped it on craigslist for $100.

My free '88 one-ton? I mentioned scrapping my extra metal and a coworker mentioned getting rid of his truck.

When I still had my '99 Suburban, I had a broken door handle and window regulator. A coworker was taking a cab to scrap and gave me the parts.