[87WhiteStang1]

theres this guy i know that has a 92 chevy camaro and he keeps insisting that he has a 350 block that had been put in the car by the previous owner. the car comes stock with a 305. Ive driven the car and it does not feel anything like the power you would get from a 350 and i really think that it is the stock 305. i dont know any way to tell the 305 from the 350. I really want to call this guy out on this because im pretty sure it aint no 350.. Let me know

[cenok is family]

it'd be really hard to tell cause they're essentially the same block. kinda like a 302 and a 351. just race him. if you beat him, he's got a 350. if you REALLY beat him, he's got a 305.

[87WhiteStang1]

that could work.. he always makes excuses when i ask him to run it which really makes me think it aint what he says it is

[1991notchbackLX]

there's no surefire way to tell just by glancing at it, honestly, they look very much the same... casting numbers on the block or by pulling a valve cover and checking the head casting numbers could tell... 350s and 305s TPI had different sized harmonic balancers stock, but chevy guys, like us, modify their motors, so the size of the balancer isn't a good way to tell either

you'll probably have to take his word for it, or just run him and shut him up

[87WhiteStang1]

i dont think checking the head casting number would work cuz it could be a 350 w/ 305 heads or the other way around.. i know that i could check the casting number but thats a pain in the ass.. i want to just race him but he makes excuses lol.. we'll see

[Darkwriter77]

As mentioned, the 305/350 and 302/351 are all small-block motors that are one another's counterparts.

With the F-Body cars, the 350 motor came available in the IROC-Z, Z/28, Trans Am, and Formula 350 cars as the "L98" motor, a 350ci TPI (Tuned Port Injection) motor. This motor was essentially the same as what was used in the Corvette, except the 'Vette got aluminum heads and better exhaust manifolds (IIRC) and that car weighed a bit less than the F-Body cars. Stock rating was somewhere around 230-235hp at the flywheel (the higher rating being for later models that had dual catalytic converters).

This is NOT, however, the same 350 motor that was to be found in your average full-size Chevy pickup truck. Different heads/cam/intake in those, and the truck motors were either carb'ed (in the early 80's) or TBI motors (Throttle Body Injection, same as Ford's CFI setup, in the late-80's trucks), both of which were made mainly for torque and not for horsepower - they were rated somewhere in the ballpark of 180 horses. The later "Vortec" head 350's make for some REALLY nice power, though.

Oh, and extra trivia tidbit: the Chevy 4.3L V6 is basically just a 350 with two cylinders chopped off. It's not a horsepower motor, either, but it's definitely a torque monster, as far as V6's go, and they last damn near forever.

The 350 and 305 look pretty much identical on the outside, which makes it a handy swap if you live in a smog state because unless they know what to look for and if your setup is in good running order, they'll be none the wiser. Thing is, there's been so damned many different versions of 350 motors over the years that just because he has a 350 in there now doesn't necessarily mean it runs better than it did with the stock 305. In fact, the TPI 305 was rated at like 205-215hp factory, which is better than the old 350 that came in the 1981Camaro Z/28 (which was only rated at 180hp).

Unless this kid with the 350-swapped Camaro has an actual BUILT 350, or at least has some bolt-ons to go with it, then chances are he's barely got an advantage over his stock 305. The stock motor for a V8 Camaro RS was the TBI 305, which only had about 170hp. If he kept the TBI setup and just dropped in a 350 TBI motor, he's probably only somewhere around 180 to 190hp; if he went carb'ed and has it even halfway tuned right, I'd guess he's in the ballpark of 200-225hp. In either case, you'd still have him beat on the power-to-weight factor because an F-body has 200 to 400 lbs. more weight than your average Fox.

HOWEVER ... if he's running a decent H/C/I combo 350, then you might be in for a hurting. The average 350 motor has a HUGE aftermarket available, so there's a lot you can do with them, and they've been around for decades. It doesn't take a big budget to build one up to make some pretty nice numbers.

(NOTE: All horsepower figures mentioned above are FLYWHEEL, not REAR-WHEEL figures.)

[justabigkid]

Take it from a guy who owns a 92 z28 with a 350 and a mustang 5.0, as long as you go from a dead stop you will win. The camaro is just so heavy and big it is a slug out of the hole but on a rolling start it will really fly.
The 350 TPI really responds well to head and exhaust work cause they are really restricted from the factory so check for that, just remember that this is no LS1 they were slow cars.

I take a lot of crap from my neighbors cause they dont understand how someone can own a mustang and a camaro, they always tell me that they can hear them fighting in the garage. I love both my cars. The Camaro rides so low and smooth and gets so many looks and I have owned it since I was 20, so almost 15 years and it still only has 39k miles. Nothing beats the Mustang though. For just the thrill of driving it and ease to work on and the availability of hop up parts, Just look in the Summit catalog at the TPI parts section and all you get is a throttle body spacer and an air filter.

Just wanted to add that the 350 tpi came from the factory with 245 HP.

[7-UP BILL]

You can find out what engine (block) is in it quite easily. There is a pad in front of the engine on the pass side where the head sits on the block. Just clean it off and you'll see numbers and letters. An example would be 0217PHL. This would decipher as being built on Feb 17 and would be a 350 4 bolt main motor from a 84-93. My friend has this block in his '73 Nova so I know what this particular block is. There are a ton of websites that you can search to decipher what block is really in his car. Happy searching

[Top Speed]

Originally Posted by 87WhiteStang1

theres this guy i know that has a 92 chevy camaro and he keeps insisting that he has a 350 block that had been put in the car by the previous owner. the car comes stock with a 305. Ive driven the car and it does not feel anything like the power you would get from a 350 and i really think that it is the stock 305. i dont know any way to tell the 305 from the 350. I really want to call this guy out on this because im pretty sure it aint no 350.. Let me know

You can't tell the 305ci blocks from the 350ci blocks just by looking at them. If his Camaro is a RS with a V8, then it's a 305ci. If it's a Z28 with a 5spd, it's a 305ci. If it's a Z28 with t-tops, it's a 305ci.

FWIW, my dad has a '89 GTA with an L98 350ci, and that car is dog-slow. I had a '02 VW GTI 1.8T with nothing more than a chip and I'd rape that car.

Don't even waste your time or gas racing 3rd Gen F-Bodies unless they have a decent amount of work done to them. The 305s and 350s are just "chokers." Now, get a few bolt-ons like headers, CAI, intake runners, and a throttlebody, and they may cause you a few headaches if you run don't run faster than a low/mid-14 second 1/4 mile.

[Wart]

Originally Posted by cenok is family

it'd be really hard to tell cause they're essentially the same block. kinda like a 302 and a 351. just race him. if you beat him, he's got a 350. if you REALLY beat him, he's got a 305.

The 302 and 351 can be told apart at a glance.

With a "calibrated eye' the engine is substantially wider, most notably the intake is wider.

Even without the eye the timing cover water ports on the 302/5.0 is right at the head gasket/deck while there is what, 1 1/8? 1 3/8 inches of block between the water passages and deck.


Far as telling one Chevy from another, I can't figure why I would care.

With the F-Body cars, the 350 motor came available in the IROC-Z, Z/28, Trans Am, and Formula 350 cars as the "L98" motor, a 350ci TPI (Tuned Port Injection) motor. This motor was essentially the same as what was used in the Corvette, except the 'Vette got aluminum heads and better exhaust manifolds (IIRC) and that car weighed a bit less than the F-Body cars. Stock rating was somewhere around 230-235hp at the flywheel (the higher rating being for later models that had dual catalytic converters).

This is NOT, however, the same 350 motor that was to be found in your average full-size Chevy pickup truck. Different heads/cam/intake in those, and the truck motors were either carb'ed (in the early 80's) or TBI motors (Throttle Body Injection, same as Ford's CFI setup, in the late-80's trucks), both of which were made mainly for torque and not for horsepower - they were rated somewhere in the ballpark of 180 horses. The later "Vortec" head 350's make for some REALLY nice power, though.

Oh, and extra trivia tidbit: the Chevy 4.3L V6 is basically just a 350 with two cylinders chopped off. It's not a horsepower motor, either, but it's definitely a torque monster, as far as V6's go, and they last damn near forever.

The 350 and 305 look pretty much identical on the outside, which makes it a handy swap if you live in a smog state because unless they know what to look for and if your setup is in good running order, they'll be none the wiser. Thing is, there's been so damned many different versions of 350 motors over the years that just because he has a 350 in there now doesn't necessarily mean it runs better than it did with the stock 305. In fact, the TPI 305 was rated at like 205-215hp factory, which is better than the old 350 that came in the 1981Camaro Z/28 (which was only rated at 180hp).

Unless this kid with the 350-swapped Camaro has an actual BUILT 350, or at least has some bolt-ons to go with it, then chances are he's barely got an advantage over his stock 305. The stock motor for a V8 Camaro RS was the TBI 305, which only had about 170hp. If he kept the TBI setup and just dropped in a 350 TBI motor, he's probably only somewhere around 180 to 190hp; if he went carb'ed and has it even halfway tuned right, I'd guess he's in the ballpark of 200-225hp. In either case, you'd still have him beat on the power-to-weight factor because an F-body has 200 to 400 lbs. more weight than your average Fox.

HOWEVER ... if he's running a decent H/C/I combo 350, then you might be in for a hurting. The average 350 motor has a HUGE aftermarket available, so there's a lot you can do with them, and they've been around for decades. It doesn't take a big budget to build one up to make some pretty nice numbers.

(NOTE: All horsepower figures mentioned above are FLYWHEEL, not REAR-WHEEL figures.)[/QUOTE]

[richkcmo]

LOL nice

[Top Speed]

Originally Posted by Wart

The 302 and 351 can be told apart at a glance.

With a "calibrated eye' the engine is substantially wider, most notably the intake is wider.

Even without the eye the timing cover water ports on the 302/5.0 is right at the head gasket/deck while there is what, 1 1/8? 1 3/8 inches of block between the water passages and deck.


Far as telling one Chevy from another, I can't figure why I would care.

With the F-Body cars, the 350 motor came available in the IROC-Z, Z/28, Trans Am, and Formula 350 cars as the "L98" motor, a 350ci TPI (Tuned Port Injection) motor. This motor was essentially the same as what was used in the Corvette, except the 'Vette got aluminum heads and better exhaust manifolds (IIRC) and that car weighed a bit less than the F-Body cars. Stock rating was somewhere around 230-235hp at the flywheel (the higher rating being for later models that had dual catalytic converters).

This is NOT, however, the same 350 motor that was to be found in your average full-size Chevy pickup truck. Different heads/cam/intake in those, and the truck motors were either carb'ed (in the early 80's) or TBI motors (Throttle Body Injection, same as Ford's CFI setup, in the late-80's trucks), both of which were made mainly for torque and not for horsepower - they were rated somewhere in the ballpark of 180 horses. The later "Vortec" head 350's make for some REALLY nice power, though.

Oh, and extra trivia tidbit: the Chevy 4.3L V6 is basically just a 350 with two cylinders chopped off. It's not a horsepower motor, either, but it's definitely a torque monster, as far as V6's go, and they last damn near forever.

The 350 and 305 look pretty much identical on the outside, which makes it a handy swap if you live in a smog state because unless they know what to look for and if your setup is in good running order, they'll be none the wiser. Thing is, there's been so damned many different versions of 350 motors over the years that just because he has a 350 in there now doesn't necessarily mean it runs better than it did with the stock 305. In fact, the TPI 305 was rated at like 205-215hp factory, which is better than the old 350 that came in the 1981Camaro Z/28 (which was only rated at 180hp).

Unless this kid with the 350-swapped Camaro has an actual BUILT 350, or at least has some bolt-ons to go with it, then chances are he's barely got an advantage over his stock 305. The stock motor for a V8 Camaro RS was the TBI 305, which only had about 170hp. If he kept the TBI setup and just dropped in a 350 TBI motor, he's probably only somewhere around 180 to 190hp; if he went carb'ed and has it even halfway tuned right, I'd guess he's in the ballpark of 200-225hp. In either case, you'd still have him beat on the power-to-weight factor because an F-body has 200 to 400 lbs. more weight than your average Fox.

HOWEVER ... if he's running a decent H/C/I combo 350, then you might be in for a hurting. The average 350 motor has a HUGE aftermarket available, so there's a lot you can do with them, and they've been around for decades. It doesn't take a big budget to build one up to make some pretty nice numbers.

(NOTE: All horsepower figures mentioned above are FLYWHEEL, not REAR-WHEEL figures.)

[/QUOTE]

The F-Body's 350 also had aluminum heads. You mentioned that it had iron heads. The difference between the power in the both of them came from the routing of the exhaust.