305 swap

[truckertom21]

Re: 305 swap

Dude---if you want to turn it into a 4x4, that's a HUGE pain-in-the-fill-in-the-blank.

If you want a fun street truck with some power, go with what you're doing.

If you want a 4x4, start with a 4x4; it'll save you a TON of time & money.

yah right after i said that i started thinking...this will just stay a hauling truck...i'll get a 4X4 and mod that out later down the road

Do some research on the maximum allowable lift. I believe the number is .480, not .450. That will allow plenty of nice street/torque cams off the shelf. Talk to your machinist.

In researching Vortec specs, I found claims from .450 to .470, but I choose to accept Scoggin-Dickey's claim of "about .450" in stock heads. Please see http://www.sdpc2000.com/categories/e...dHeadKits.aspx

That said, certainly talk to your machinist. He might offer a decent price on machining the valve guides down a bit. Before turning a wrench, it pays to run Desktop Dyno (or something similar). You might find that your needs are nicely met with a balance between streetable compression and .450 cam lift.

My $0.02

.

where could i get a desktop dyno? would it be something i could pick up at the tech store?

[malc]

Re: 305 swap

There?s this one @ $74.95

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=CCA%2D186010&N=700+115&autoview=sku

Or this one @ 39.95

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=CCA%2D186000&N=700+115&autoview=sku

[truckertom21]

Re: 305 swap

cool once my pay check comes (should be any time) i'll order it...i hate snail mail...

[yellomalibu]

Re: 305 swap

This goes against everything "hot rod", but with a 400 and vortec heads, he doesn't need a "big" cam to make tons of torque and be a fun/fast driver.

The Elgin cam I put in my Blazer's 350 would be great. Smooth idle, lots of vacuum, decent gas mileage, and still peppier than a stock cam. It's pn: E-923-P 204/214 @ .050 420/443 lift with lobe centers of 107/117.

I went on a road trip to buy a used canoe. Doing the speed limit of 55 - 60 most of the way there and back, I got 15.8mpg. Probably would have been over 16 without a canoe on the roof on the way back. That's with this shitty gas with 10% ethanol.

That cam in a 400 with vortec heads and a 650 cfm carb would be quite respectable and still pull some decent mpg's.

... sure, gas it cheap now... but just wait. It will go back up (at least) to where it was last summer.

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: 305 swap

gas spiked up due to intentional difficulties in the mid east - up ten cents in one day
if times stay bad though , we could see .99 cents again

[Bamfster]

Re: 305 swap

I agree, in a 400 that cam would work nice for DD duty. I run that same cam in my camaro's 350 and I'm getting 16-18 in town.

[yellomalibu]

Re: 305 swap

I agree, in a 400 that cam would work nice for DD duty. I run that same cam in my camaro's 350 and I'm getting 16-18 in town [yello) <-- wow, that's good mileage. [/yello)

The 600 vacuum secondary Holley I have on the 350 in the Blazer was faster and stronger feeling with the stock 66 jets in it, but with the 64's I put in it, it gets considerably better fuel mileage... and it still drives fine and pulls the trailer better than the old 305 did. I just have to wait a few minutes longer to "go" in the morning for the motor to warm up.

If fuel mileage wasn't important, I'm sure a 650 would be stronger/faster than the 600 on the 350... as would a 750 on a 400 rather than a 650. That's what makes this sort of stuff fun. You can build your junk the way YOU want it... to suit your needs (or wants ;) ).

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: 305 swap

look for RV grinds in the catalog
I used an GM L98 roller in my tow vehicle - thats a pretty good cam

[truckertom21]

Re: 305 swap

yah now that I'm getting a focus the truck isn't a dd any more so gas millage isn't a big thing with me also with that 700R4 i have and bigger tires it should get a little bit better than your blazer right?

[yellomalibu]

Re: 305 swap

yah now that I'm getting a focus the truck isn't a dd any more so gas millage isn't a big thing with me also with that 700R4 i have and bigger tires it should get a little bit better than your blazer right?

It's impossible to say. Way too many variables to consider.
I also have a 700r4... but I don't know my exact gear ratio in the rear, I think it's around a 3.08. I have 255/70/15 tires on aluminum 15x8 wheels.
Bigger tires will lower your RPM (compared to smaller tires), but they also weigh more...

Using vortec heads, however, will certainly help improve engine efficiency which not only makes more power/torque, but also better fuel mileage.

It's fun to "bench race" what kind of gas mileage a certain combo will get, but in the end you just have to wait and see.

[Bamfster]

Re: 305 swap

I agree, in a 400 that cam would work nice for DD duty. I run that same cam in my camaro's 350 and I'm getting 16-18 in town [yello) <-- wow, that's good mileage. [/yello)

The 600 vacuum secondary Holley I have on the 350 in the Blazer was faster and stronger feeling with the stock 66 jets in it, but with the 64's I put in it, it gets considerably better fuel mileage... and it still drives fine and pulls the trailer better than the old 305 did. I just have to wait a few minutes longer to "go" in the morning for the motor to warm up.

If fuel mileage wasn't important, I'm sure a 650 would be stronger/faster than the 600 on the 350... as would a 750 on a 400 rather than a 650. That's what makes this sort of stuff fun. You can build your junk the way YOU want it... to suit your needs (or wants ;) ).

What I found out was that the Edelbrock 600 had better idle quality, driveability and mileage than the Holley 600, but the Holley was consistently 2 tenths and 1 mph faster. I would have to venture a guess at saying that the 750 Edelbrock may be a good choice on the 400.

[truckertom21]

Re: 305 swap

yah that's what i was thinking. but hey once i get that desktop dyno then I'll see what combo will work for my truck...and as far as tires go i was going to put either 33 X 12.5 all terrains on it or if those rub then a set of 31 X 10.5 and they will be on the black steel rims size 15 X 10 for the 33's or 15 X 8 for the 31
the truck is a long box so their isn't much to do with it but maybe a 2 wd lift and a good set of tires to make it look cool...it will just be a work truck none the less.

[yellomalibu]

Re: 305 swap

http://www.holley.com/applications/C...bSelection.asp

Engines only need big carbs if they have big cams and will be turning high rpms.
I selected 400 cubic inches with a 5000 rpm max rpm, and they recommended carbs from 600 to 670cfm.

[truckertom21]

Re: 305 swap

cool i never knew all this stuff was out their to help people out with their projects i thought it all was trial and error.
BTW...I'm having one hell of a time trying to find a set of vortec heads. I've been calling up most of the junkyards around my area (haven't had time to call all yet) and they don't have anything that would have those heads...I'm thinking that most guys who see them bought them right away...is their a head that flows close to the vortec heads in the after market?

[min301]

Re: 305 swap

There are a bunch.
Depends on what kind of budget.

Scoggin-Dickey is a good source for Vortec heads.