Hi, I am building a 84 305. I want to gain some bottom end torque. I have the 14014416 58cc heads. It has dished pistons. I was thinking of a edelbrock performer cam. I am going to use a performer intake. Should I stick with the dished pistons or use flattops? Maybe a better cam choice? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

Most people here choose to build a 350 instead of the 305 as it is the same or cheaper to build. I would go with flat tops and 64cc heads. If you go with flat tops and the 58cc heads your compression may be too high for pump gas. How much money do you want to spend ? Cubic dollars, is what can make it go ! You may want to just look into a crate engine ! If you do that you may be looking at smog issues !?

B 4 U start spending money, see in exactly what condition the engine is right now... Do a compression AND Leakdown test also a simple vaccum test then get back to us with your numbers... Yah just can't start without knowing if the mill is a wheezer or in decent condition.. Get back and there are many guys on the board willin' to steer yah straight without all the hype and bull....

Edelbrock performer cam and intake with a Q-jet and flat tops would be a good choice.You would be close to the H.O.305 used in the Z28.A 305 with flat top pistons is only a little over 9 to 1 comp.Should make a nice running engine.

Also check the intake valve size on your heads the 416s and 601s can have 1.72 or 1.84 intake valves.If you have 1.72s find a set with 1.84s they will pick up a few horses.

As well as 305HO, -601 heads!!

But you GOTTA cc them so's you will know what your CR. is!!!!!!!!!!

Oooop's , I done went and said it!!!!!

Anyway, Summit's CHEAP 204/214 Performer cam w/ lifters is fine unless you want to step up to a CC 260HE??

Nothing wrong w/ a 305 except I'd pack off a good 283 or a 307 before I'd pack off a 305!!!

pdq67

I have a little freeby 305 that I only wanted for the roller setup and vortec heads. This guy had a buddy of mine stick a new crate 305 in his truck when his had 69k miles and my buddy gave it to me when I asked him about the heads and rollers. I have been cleaning the lifters for months now in my spare time when I want to beat on the damthings, they are stuck bad. No wear, just black crap that is set up hard as nails. As soon as I get them apart and cleaned and lubed they are perfect, 11 down only 5 more to go and I'll have me a freeby set of roller lifters woopee. The cylinders look great. The other day I asked my buddy what kind of oil that dude was using cuz I don't ever want to run that flavor!! He asked why I asked and I told him the lifters were all stuck like a big dog. He said, yup that's why the dude wanted to swing the engine all was wrong was the lifters raised hell.

I been thinking if I can get some rings and bearings for like 20 bucks or so I would just hone that dude and ring it and stick some shaved power packs and my little junk 1105 Summit cam in it and see how high she goes before she blows.

Naw, to me the little thing isn't worth the $500 bux it would take to do a bare minimum to it. I will however take it apart in the next year or 2 and if everything is in decent shape I will hone it and clean the pistons and old rings and put it back together with my 1105 cam and some power pak heads. Just cuz.

You could get a token gratification out of a 305 with not too much expense if you wanted to spend it. I would do it with a gonna blow it up attitude, and put the cheapest hyper pistons I could find, and run big gaps on my rings and good heads like the TFS 3030003 1.94 aluminum heads( that number is probly wrong I just remember there's a couple 3's and a ****pot full of zeroes). Get the compression over 10:1 and run a solid FT cam with low duration about like Paul recommended you on the cam except see if you can find a solid from like Clevite or Doug Herbert... and a 150 shot of juice and some 1 1/2" cheapo junk headers... Then play

If you must build the 305, EQ Cylinder heads has some really good heads for this engine and you can surprise some 350's with it if you really want to. Also, 305's like short lobe spreads-shorter than the 350's.
Don't make too much compression or use too much cam. It will not like the Eddy cam.

Can you recommend a cam? Thanks

Flat or roller???
Best driver flat I ever used was an Isky made just for the 305. Advertised was 256* and it will wake up a 305 to the 5k range and have more bottom end than the stocker.
They still make that cam, but it is not in the catalogue-just call and they have it. It really is a pleasant surprise.

Get her up to right at 10 to 1 and a good old Isky Z-20 solid lifter cam will be a dandy, imho.

This little-bitty solid from Clevite will be a dandy for grunt, imho..

http://engineparts.com/pubspdfs/4-200-05.pdf
Clevite Cams

PN 229-1998 spec'd at;

258/219/270/229, 114/110, .456"/.479" gross lift and need's .022" lash on both sides.

pdq67

That isky 256 cam made for the 305 sounds good. What kind of compression does the dished pistons and 58 cc heads give?

We need ta know the piston dish cc, (probably -12 cc??), and then what thickness headgasket you want to use so we can tell you.

Or try here!!

http://www.campbellenterprises.com/R...alculators.htm

I use a piston DITH of a stock about .025".

pdq67

The factory rating is 8 to 1 most likely high 7s.You need the flat tops to wake it up.I still say the Performer cam or one of the cheap copies will run good.

The LE9 305 was the truck/van version of the High Output 305. It also had flattop pistons for a 9.5:1 compression ratio, the "929" truck 350 camshaft for more torque, 14022601 casting heads featuring 1.84/1.50" valves and 58 cc chambers, a specially calibrated 4bbl Q-Jet, and lower restriction exhaust. The engine made 210 hp (157 kW) @ 4,600 and 250 lb·ft (339 N·m) @ 2,000 rpm.