I might be getting a camaro with a 5.0 in it for 1800$ but how good is the 5.0 and can what kinds of mods can you do?:confused:

torquely little motor, but falls on its nose pretty quickly. Not a bad engine to play with but not a really high rpm, high hp engine. Most people dont like them but if you like the feel of pulling pretty hard on the bottom end for a short distance, it can be kinda fun. Lots of upgrades that can be done just like any other small block...cam, heads, carb, etc. just a good starter for teens Id say. jmo, Kevin

Depends on what your looking for. A cruiser, mild performer?

Depends.. if its a T.B.I. ...............crap .. not much you can do ..... if its standard and TBI it makes it fun , but auto .. blah.

If its a 305 T.P.I. then you can have more fun and more mods for it .

just my experience with them .

I had a 1984 Z28 with a 305. The camshaft went flat at 93,000 miles...I hate all 305's made from the mid 1970's to the mid 1980's. Even guys I knew with 1989 IROC's with 305's & 5 speeds did not like them.

My 2 cents: The 305 is an unreliable piece of crap!! It was useless in 1979 Camaro's 1979 Caprice Classic's, 1984 Z28's etc. etc. It is better served as a boat anchor. I despise that engine!! I give a 305 the same net worth as a pile of dog crap!! That's how much I think of 305's...garbage!! Sorry!! Ok all you 305 fans, I am ready for the hate mail!!

I had a 1984 Z28 with a 305. The camshaft went flat at 93,000 miles...I hate all 305's made from the mid 1970's to the mid 1980's. Even guys I knew with 1989 IROC's with 305's & 5 speeds did not like them.

My 2 cents: The 305 is an unreliable piece of crap!! It was useless in 1979 Camaro's 1979 Caprice Classic's, 1984 Z28's etc. etc. It is better served as a boat anchor. I despise that engine!! I give a 305 the same net worth as a pile of dog crap!! That's how much I think of 305's...garbage!! Sorry!! Ok all you 305 fans, I am ready for the hate mail!!
so what are you saying...you don't like 305's?:) ..my son was looking at an 89 IROC so im glad you posted this..now we know not to buy a 305..

well, the L69 305 in my 86 Caprice was a good runner. even with the 2.56 gears, it scooted around pretty good for a stocker. must have been the deep first gear of the 700r4 trans..
averaged 26mpg, too.
then, with only 73,000 miles on the clock on a 100 degree day last July, a valve guide decided to seize a valve, which hit a piston and got bent and put a big crack in the head.
the shortblock is still solid- only a little smudge in the carbon on the top of the piston that hit the valve- so i might find a good head to throw on it and throw it in my Monte and see if i can't get 30mpg this summer. i have no illusions about it being fast, but it should be quicker than the tired 350 that's in it now.

Not too difficult to get into the 12s on a decently built 305 with carburetor. The bore size sure limits the use of heads. But the H.O. 305 heads (416s, 081s) respond well to porting. The 113 Aluminum heads will work on a 305, and they respond well to porting also. The 87 and up blocks come with stock roller camshafts. You can build these engines to rev high if that's what you're after...but the Law of Diminishing returns sure kick in earlier than a 350.
Basically, stock, the 305 will Not produce insane amounts of power. It will have to be modified. You may be satisfied with power levels of a stock 350 in a thirdgen Camaro, however...particularly if its of the TPI variety which makes good power at lower rpms.

I put 267,000 hard miles on a 305 powered Trans Am as a teenager while changing the oil about 3 times. Ran well till I parked the car due to the car falling apart under me...(frame breakage).

My $0.02

torquely little motor, but falls on its nose pretty quickly. Not a bad engine to play with but not a really high rpm, high hp engine. Most people dont like them but if you like the feel of pulling pretty hard on the bottom end for a short distance, it can be kinda fun. Lots of upgrades that can be done just like any other small block...cam, heads, carb, etc. just a good starter for teens Id say. jmo, Kevin

Right on the money IMO. Reliable and fun but you won't be winning any races with it. If it for your son, that might not be a bad thing. It basically runs out of steam when you get to 50 mph.

Thanks guys! me and my dad will be driving down to take a look see at it and its a 5 speed and all id want it for i crusing and yah shure id like high rpms!

I have an 88 IROC with the LB9 305 (TPI, 220hp) 5 speed and 9 bolt 3:45 posi rear. It doesn't have ANY problem going sideways from a dead stop and leaves plenty of tire on the street in 2nd and 3rd. Yes, it runs out of steam at 5,000, but it's time to shift then anyway. For someone your age, and experience, it will be plenty of engine to play with. Heads up against a stock 350 auto IROC, it's just as fast. :yes: Fun car...ignore the naysayers..;)
http://www.camaros.net/showroom/data/500/IROC_091.jpg
http://www.camaros.net/showroom/data/500/IROC_087.jpg

Ya we went and took a looksee at it and it was a preety nice little...big car. but it took the gut like 2 min to start it but when he got it started it sounded good my dad told me it would DEFINALY need a tune up. but he said he dident hear and knocking or any noises out of the ordinary it is the 305 TBI my dad took it for a test drive ans he said it seemed pretty good...how much would it be to do a full tune up including everything to tune up?

Tune up stuff is dirt cheap but I would be cautious here. You mentioned that he had a heck of a time starting it which may point to problems with the TBI set-up. If true, it may cost a few bucks to get it working correctly. Having said that, you can easily just go to a carburetor if the TBI unit is causing grief.

icould put a carbuater on it and could it possibly be the chocke?
Tune up stuff is dirt cheap but I would be cautious here. You mentioned that he had a heck of a time starting it which may point to problems with the TBI set-up. If true, it may cost a few bucks to get it working correctly. Having said that, you can easily just go to a carburetor if the TBI unit is causing grief.

We really can't print my opinion of the 305 5.0 liter engine. But I can tell you I sold a 305 HO complete running out of my old car for $50 bucks. This was a police interceptor engine, with a standard forged steel 3.48" crank, the good "E" heads and small cap HEI with high amp coil witout a speed limiter (the guy I sold it to bought itfor the cranckshaft). That's how highly I regard the small bore 305.

Larger Dave

305 = 5l ? 308= 5l
And GM make one and have for 30 odd yrs.
GM Holden in Aussie...
V8 racing rules in Australasia limited to 5l so Holden introduced the 308...and they can GO

so its a fast little engine

305 = 5l ? 308= 5l
And GM make one and have for 30 odd yrs.
GM Holden in Aussie...
V8 racing rules in Australasia limited to 5l so Holden introduced the 308...and they can GO

the Chevy 305 is a decent motor for a driver, but if you want to really make some easy power, build up a 350, 383 or 400 and put in in there.

If he had trouble starting it, it has TBI/computer/sensor issues. Could get expensive to repair, or as others have said you can convert it to a carburator and eliminate the computer controlled TBI. I don't know what you need to do to keep the same distributor....that is controlled by the computer too and you MAY need to change that also. Either way, it's going to cost some coin. I would try very hard to play on the starting issue to negotiate a lower price.....$1,000-1,200. With a cam change...nothing radical and a 600 cfm carb, it will be a decent performer for you. My LB9 TPI uses the same cam as the 350 and I believe you could go a little more, but too much cam in a 305 really hurts it quickly.

Ya like my dad said you go up to him with 1300 in cash im pretty shure he would take it! Alright how much would it be to convert in carburater? Any one know? My car now is tbi and it starts PERFECT every time ive even started it in -3 degree weather! so i dont want to go and sell my car witch run and drives great and get that one and find out that its going to be a hell of a lot of money to get it running good! but when he got it started it ran just fine!

I don't know 305s to be unreliable. :scratch: What year? A roller cam motor might be preferable.

Way better than a 4cyl. :)

I'd skip the whole thing altogether. Save your money for a decent platform and build it as you go. A 305 will not be a long-term investment, and it is basically money down the drain. My buddy has one sitting on a stand, complete roller motor, best of everything. He decided to go with a 350, and this motor now has only 300 mile son it. He can't sell it, and is only asking 400.00.

if you find a car with a 305, and it starts and runs good, then maybe. Otherwise, skip it. I work at autozone, and I have seen guys soend hundreds of dollars chasing problems in cars they "thought" they had gotten a good deal on. I would not let my son buy this car if it were me.

I think the 305 gets a bad rap.I think that doing what its designed to do it cant be beat.Most of you know I own a construction company and we are heavy in trucks with 305's driven everyday...hard...by 18-25 yr olds for the most part.I keep them serviced,and thats all folks...and they are very very good and reliable.I just traded one with 235000 on it and so help me I never did a thing to it but service and tune-ups and it ran like a clock.But,thats doing with it what G.M. designed it for,they just plugged it in to performance out of 1970-1980 necessity and I dont think it does well here.I agree with md88iroc that for what your gonna do with it it will probably be alot of fun! and isnt that what we all fool with these thing for?not just to make a dragster out of everthing.

Are they tbi's err???
I think the 305 gets a bad rap.I think that doing what its designed to do it cant be beat.Most of you know I own a construction company and we are heavy in trucks with 305's driven everyday...hard...by 18-25 yr olds for the most part.I keep them serviced,and thats all folks...and they are very very good and reliable.I just traded one with 235000 on it and so help me I never did a thing to it but service and tune-ups and it ran like a clock.But,thats doing with it what G.M. designed it for,they just plugged it in to performance out of 1970-1980 necessity and I dont think it does well here.I agree with md88iroc that for what your gonna do with it it will probably be alot of fun! and isnt that what we all fool with these thing for?not just to make a dragster out of everthing.

nice car man! whats that thing on the exsact opisote side of the alternater(the big circle thing)
I have an 88 IROC with the LB9 305 (TPI, 220hp) 5 speed and 9 bolt 3:45 posi rear. It doesn't have ANY problem going sideways from a dead stop and leaves plenty of tire on the street in 2nd and 3rd. Yes, it runs out of steam at 5,000, but it's time to shift then anyway. For someone your age, and experience, it will be plenty of engine to play with. Heads up against a stock 350 auto IROC, it's just as fast. :yes: Fun car...ignore the naysayers..;)
http://www.camaros.net/showroom/data/500/IROC_091.jpg
http://www.camaros.net/showroom/data/500/IROC_087.jpg

its an 88'
I don't know 305s to be unreliable. :scratch: What year? A roller cam motor might be preferable.

Way better than a 4cyl. :)

so its a fast little engine

Yeah...Aussies even the factory Holden HT Monaro (1969) will take a SB camaro...z28 whatever...
Basically the same engine with a slightly diff cam and dizzy curve
Run a google for Monaro bathurst.
The Aussie Chryslar valiant 6 pack was a screeamer to..up with the V8s
Way ahead of the states...while u guys where getting down into the 6 sec 1/4 miles in the early 70s, every time a new record was broken a guy called Garth Hogan would pip the States time and again...
Never underestimate the ANZACs

Are they tbi's err???

No ,not TBI's..all chevy trucks after 1996,that are 3/4 or 1/2 ton had sequential fuel injection...some Chevy guys call it the Vortec 5000

02camaro, I believe that is the tension spring for the serpentine belt pulley.

I spent a little time over on www.thirdgen.org to learn more about the later model stuff. Seems there are a number of things you can do to the 5.0 305 just like any other small block. The difference is your mods MUST work with the computer.

For example, the TPI 305's seem to respond well to installing the -601 HO cylinder heads and the stock LT1 corvette cam PROVIDED that you have the proper tuning chip made for the computer and proper fuel pressure.

The 305 isn't going to be a dragstrip terror even if you install performance upgrades but, it would make a more fun daily driver...

changing over to a carb imo will be an expensive venture...you need an intake, distributor, carb, gaskets, and so on and so on...hard start could be something as easy as a bad fuel filter...88 is a roller motor in tbi or tpi form as far as i know...(got one kickin round myself for the tpi) and with some little tweaks,like chip, cam, maf and so forth, i think its a good entry level starter car...

I ran the Camaro Mustang Challenge (CMC) road race series for several years. The TPI 305 made 230hp/300lb at the rear wheels totally stock with nothing but a free flowing exhaust system. They ran every bit as good as the Ford 5.0's. The CMC series also had a 305 carb motor option - basically a 305 with an Edelbrock Performer cam and manifold. These were also competitive motors but liked a bit more gear than the FI motor.

and thats all i want is a fun daily driver!
I spent a little time over on www.thirdgen.org to learn more about the later model stuff. Seems there are a number of things you can do to the 5.0 305 just like any other small block. The difference is your mods MUST work with the computer.

For example, the TPI 305's seem to respond well to installing the -601 HO cylinder heads and the stock LT1 corvette cam PROVIDED that you have the proper tuning chip made for the computer and proper fuel pressure.

The 305 isn't going to be a dragstrip terror even if you install performance upgrades but, it would make a more fun daily driver...