what's wrong with 305's

[white71chevy]

It seems a lot of people don't like 305 I don't understand why. What's wrong with them I have one in my truck and it runs great. It does everything I need it to do and its got way more power then the v6 I'm driving right now.

[Palf70Step]

Nothing really in my opinion. If you have one they work just fine, just not as powerful as 350. Most though will take the 350, because for minimal cash difference you get a big difference in power/torque, as well as the build up possibilities.

[Shyguy]

I am not sure why people don't like the 305 myself. A lot of them were sold and seemed to work ok.

I think people like the 350 better because there are more performance parts for them and the price is not too bad.

[LONGHAIR]

Nothing wrong with a 305, in stock form. I just wouldn't put any money into one, like rebuilding, etc. Minor things like intake, headers, are ok, because they will work on the 350 if you go that way later....
The point being that when you do spend some money, do it on a better foundation.

[CSGAS]

As an engine by itself, it's fine--but nearly nothing can be upgraded really using parts available for performance applications. the intake and exhaust ports in 305 heads are too small to take advantage of most 327- or 350-intended parts. Changing heads exposes how small the bore size is. the list goes on.

If you have one and are just looking to drive or pull shop truck duty, you're fine--I have one right now and I complain about the mish-mash of those same other-engine parts that the PO threw on, not the engine itself. Still, I wouldn't use one for making real power. And you definitely are right about being better off with it than with a V6.

[raycow]

I agree completely with the previous posts. It's a perfectly good engine if you just keep your hands off of it and leave it stock. I have had one in my parts chaser for about 10 years now with absolutely zero problems.

Ray

[cheepin]

I ran a rebuilt one for years in a few wheelers.Swapped on a 4bbl a little bigger cam and ran it.Had enough power to turn 33"ers on slickrock in Moab in a locked up Suburban.Moved the drivetrain to a '73 blazer and upped to 36"ers.Still no problem and would cruise I-70 at 80mph all day.

[white71chevy]

Thanks for your thoughts guys and ya I'm not going to mess with it. It runs fine without anything and I agree with yall about them being good but I always hear people saying there crap.

[Hubscrub]

nothing wrong with them, the best motor i have ever had was a 305 ho still running good today, it always got me home lol

[silverstreak]

I have one in my 71 C20 and it does fine. I've pulled more than the trucks rated GVWR. Before it was given to me, my grilfriend's cousin tried to burn the tires off of it. The trans went out and the rear end blew, (that's why they gave it to me) but the engine still survived.

There's a recent article in the July 2010 issue of Super Chevy magazine where they got 362hp and 353lb-ft out of one. (I've seen some magazines be a little generous when it comes to power figures) I don't think a 305 would be a good truck engine at that level though.

Looks like Trick Flow is making a head just for the small bore Chevys.
http://www.trickflow.com/egnsearch.a...=KeywordSearch

[Fitz]

In one word: Everything.

[btullis99]

Originally Posted by Fitz

In one word: Everything.

x2

take the heads off a 305 and look at those tiny pistons. anyone who ever 'builds" a 305 needs to reevaluate. spend the same money on a 350 and end up with a better engine.

[68GMCCustom]

its comparable to the days of the 307...another "get by" motor that takes up the same mass as one with double (or even triple) the hp.

Smaller c.i. motors can make good power...but bigger IS better. :LOL:

[stevencvn72]

Originally Posted by Fitz

In one word: Everything.

But if it runs, goes up hill, downhill, forward and reverse....then nothing. Really, did you buy an old farmers run-about to drive it like a Camaro?

[Hubscrub]

Originally Posted by stevencvn72

But if it runs, goes up hill, downhill, forward and reverse....then nothing. Really, did you buy an old farmers run-about to drive it like a Camaro?

i have 350s, 305s both are good motors the 305 did what it was made to do, and i will always love them will build one someday even if it is not the economical, or smartest thing to do. but my first love is the inline 6 and i put a 350 in my 71 a couple years ago i like power too but i'm having thoughts sometimes about putting that inline 6 back in for the cool factor and because i miss it. OK I'M DONE and its good to be different

[292farmer]

nothing i think their great i had one in my 77 2 dr impala i put a 3.75 stroke crank in it, bought some summit rods, did some head work, cam, headers and intake. had 9.25:1 comp 93 octane i was able to hold my own with 90% of the other people out their. and surprised all 100% of them as the 305 reputation lead to some surprises when i revealed the motor. i would not trade that motor for anything.
however yes a 350 will always make more power per dollar. CI=power.

[60ratrod]

not a damn thing i think. yeah they don't have the power of a good ole 350, but you can get them in running condition really cheap off CL

[oldgold70c10]

The 305 is really a great engine. I ran one for 5 years in my truck, and it never gave up or gave out. Maybe its the smaller bore size (3.75" vs 4.0") than a 350, but they seem to wear a lot longer. I'd rebuild one.

[67ChevyRedneck]

I had one in my 86 Z28. Other than it being a complete joke that it was even in a "Z28" it was a good running motor. I got about 15mpg running around town and 21 highway (the car had a 700R4). Not bad for a V8 car. I would never put one in my truck (for all the reasons above) but if I ever bought a truck with a good running 305 already in it, I'd probably leave it alone.

[BluTrukker]

nothing wrong with a 305 or a 307 for that matter. They just got a lot of crap from people who think bigger is always better. If you don't want to burn tires or drag race, all a bigger engine will get you is bigger gas bills. A 305 and a 350 will both pull your truck down the highway at 65 mph. If your just cruizin' it really doesn't matter. Dollar for dollar a 350 is cheaper and easier to upgrade or rebuild though.

[marks1972]

Originally Posted by 68GMCCustom

its comparable to the days of the 307...another "get by" motor that takes up the same mass as one with double (or even triple) the hp.

Smaller c.i. motors can make good power...but bigger IS better. :LOL:

dont know that much about the 305 havent ever messed with one however i have do disagree with the comment on the 307. that was a great moter and you could really get those things through out some power.

[beebster]

Originally Posted by Hubscrub

i have 350s, 305s both are good motors the 305 did what it was made to do, and i will always love them will build one someday even if it is not the economical, or smartest thing to do. but my first love is the inline 6 and i put a 350 in my 71 a couple years ago i like power too but i'm having thoughts sometimes about putting that inline 6 back in for the cool factor and because i miss it. OK I'M DONE and its good to be different

I agree with your comment. A nice little 305 can be a really dependable motor. as long as racing or a buildup isn't a big concern.
One of the most dependable motors i ever had was a 305 in a 78 caprice! It started everytime,never gave me problems,was decent on gas and never ran hot!
For any young guy out there that wants to learn how to rebuild or even re-ring a motor,pick up one on craigslist for a hundred or two hundred and have fun with it. It still amazes me that people get all excited about 283's and talk about em like they are so great while the poor ole 305 gets no respect.
We ALL know that a 350 is buildable and better than a 305,but the 305 is a good little motor and will get you where you want to go.

[marks1972]

Originally Posted by beebster;

I agree with your comment. A nice little 305 can be a really dependable motor. as long as racing or a buildup isn't a big concern.
One of the most dependable motors i ever had was a 305 in a 78 caprice! It started everytime,never gave me problems,was decent on gas and never ran hot!
For any young guy out there that wants to learn how to rebuild or even re-ring a motor,pick up one on craigslist for a hundred or two hundred and have fun with it. It still amazes me that people get all excited about 283's and talk about em like they are so great while the poor ole 305 gets no respect.
We ALL know that a 350 is buildable and better than a 305,but the 305 is a good little motor and will get you where you want to go.

I agree. Like I said before I don't know anything about the 305 but I do about the 307. It got the same bad rep just becose it is small yet everyone gets all excited and sweety palms talking about the 283's and the 327's and then they talk down the 307. They don't realize that a 307 is basicly a 283 block with a 327 crank and rods and 9 out of 10 times they had the 202 double hump heads on them.

[68GMCCustom]

a 307 from the factory...was no "hot rod" motor. Most (if not all) came with a 2bbl. carb. HP ratings ranged from like 115hp -200hp....in days of 300+hp small blocks. They were built to fill a void as they had more torque then a 6cyl.


just because somebody had one and/or people said it was "really fast" (which is an opinion based on a persons known comparables) doesn't mean squat...
I had a brand new '78 305ci Camaro LT and at 17yrs old and sure...I thought it was "fast". Compare it to todays cars....or even yesterdays hotrods and it was sssslllloooowwwwwww.....


look it up....
Chevrolet_small-block_engine

or how about all (1st thru 4th gen) the Camaro motors....
http://www.enginefactory.com/Camaro_FirstGen.htm


It was a product of the times. If you needed a motor with more torque then a 6cyl but you want to keep it small...you got a 307...or later a 305. But then again, at one time and in a day of 4.3L V8's....a 305 was about as big a small block as you could get.

[powerdriver 1958]

I wish you gentlemen would just drop all this 305 talk,I have bought two of them and ready to do a 3rd for my plow truck.150 bucks is the most I have spent because "It's just a 305 and not worth much" Thats the best kept secret around these parts!