The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 305 v8...does it really suck?

I have always heard that the 305 v8 is a motor to be avoided. Is that true? Is it a good motor or not? It seems that with a little smaller motor I might get better fuel mileage. Are the power adders for the 350 going to work on a 305? Anyways I thought someone here would have an opinion...

Kyle

305's are not bad engines, especially the roller cam H.O.'s, they're just limitted on power output. The heads and small displacement just don't breathe well. It's a good engine for just daily driving, not a real workhorse for towing or hauling.
That's my 2 cents. I'm sure opinions will vary,
Scott

I'll agree with Scott. Nothing wrong with the 305. As far as the heads go, they can be made to flow, you'll see alot of dirt racers use them. One thing to keep on mind about the 305 (or any SBC displacement other than 350) is rebuild cost. A 350 is cheaper to rebuild than a 305, and will make more power. Now, I'm not talking huge $$ here, maybe only about $40-50 difference, but a 350 will make more power for less $$.

what gives the 305 the bad name is power. when a piston fires the driving force is psi and more square inches of piston face will result in more power. the earlier 307 has a large bore and a short stroke the same is said for the best sbc the 327 a 350 has a large bore and a long stroke (a good truck motor) the 305 has a small bore and a long stroke (a bad truck motor)

Thanks for the input guys. Is there anyone on the forum that has a 305 in their 'bolt? I can get a good deal on one that runs good. But I don't want to set myself up for future dissapointments. Would this be a good first v8? I have had v8's before but it would be the first one in my 61. If I put in the 305 and later wnted to switch to a 350 would it bolt in the same as the 305?? Thanks again.

Kyle

Yes, the mounts and bellhousing pattern are the same.

my 58 had a 305 in when I got it .... yes they suck, as soon as I could get a 283 built, the 305 was dumped ... "good deals", aren't always

Bill

307 tech tips
305 tech tip

I don't care what anyone says about either motor they both can be built to run. Several have done it in the past & others will continue to build them as long as they are around. If you're looking for a motor that will pull your butt down the road there is nothing wrong w/either. Now if you want to build a 400plus horsepower motor well then maybe you should look elsewhere...Joe

exhaust manifold on an 87 with a 305 that was in an SS monte carlo are different then a earlier 350 by one bolt in the rear of manifold being a little farther apart. I had to use the 350 exhaust manifold.

Dave

Another note was that 305 in the SS was prone to head gasket problems. After the third time I had enough. A friend told me that they had problems with cracks in the valve galley under the intake. A quick test using carb cleaner on the side walls of the engine showed several cracks inside. I always thought these engines were basically the same block as the 350 and I never encountered that sort of problem with any of the other small blocks. Maybe it was just that car...it was horrible!

Dave

I love the SMB Chev's. Best engine I ever had was a 327- 350hp in a 67 vette. She ran like a swiss. The hyd lifters and 11 to 1 compression made for a great combination. It was good on gas also with a 355 rear...but only if you kept you foot off out of it which was kinda hard to do at times. The good old days, Remember?

Dave

I bought my 1992 half ton 305 ci Scottsdale in 1996 with 135k on the clock I still have it, it has 340k and has never had any engine work done to it at all.

I have a 305 for my panel. It came out of my friends truck because he put a 383 Stroker in the 49 pickup. This engine still has the "reman" tag on it and only about 15,000 miles. He did put a mild street cam in it and it ran good as I knew the truck very well. This 305 is headed to the panel with the same 350 automatic tranny that was hooked to it and I've put a 3.90 gear in the old panel rear housing. How is all this going to work.....your guess is as good as mine but as for the 305 I'm not worried about it. If it don't suit my lacking then I'll put something bigger in it. We just have to use what we got!!!

** I have heard that the 305 is good because of the torque it has and figured I might need some for the panel?? What about the torque on a 305....anybody?

I had a 90' Silverado with the 305 in it, and when I sold it last year it had 280,000 miles and had never had the heads off of it. Still had great oil pressure and didn't leak oil. It got me from point A to point B very reliably, and if what you want is a driver instead of something to roast the tires, that would be a good deal.
Tramp

I tried to find HP and torque specs on my 80-84 305 and can't find anything. Maybe they are too embarrassed to reveal the numbers! I have a 305 sitting on a stand and I just don't know what to do with it. I could drop on the Edelbrock Performer with a 600cfm, throw on some paint and hope for the best (it ran well before removal). Or yesterday, a guy offered me a 1960 327 out of a Biscayne with 40,000 miles for $800 bucks (sans carb and manifold). It runs good, but I have not done a compression check. Does that sound like a good deal? I could use that $800 to have the floorboards and other welding work done on my cab. Decisions, decisions.

Somewhere around 160 hp and 220 lb-ft of torque, roughly speaking.

305's like any engine, can be built up though. Around 330 hp is about what it's potential is, if built right.

1960 327??? better check the casting/serial #s on that one. The 327 didn't come out until '62. If it's really a '60 block, then it's a 283.

I put 110K on a 305 in 1991 caprice 4dr, had no probs and got between 18 and 23 mpg hand figured consistently. Ran great right up til I sold it.
dg

Hi,

I am putting a 305 in my 1942 p/u. You can read this link. Very very interesting.
https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/348826#Post348826

I ran the rings out of a 305... no problems driving across the country or "light" towing (other cars on car trailers).

I had a 305 in one of those so called "muscle cars" of the mid 80's. Like someone said earlier, " it'll get you from point A to point B". If your DD isn't going to haul or tow often, it will do exactly that, A to B. Don't push it too hard, stock they just don't have the guts for it. I have one in my garage and had the same thought as you... use it in my truck. Glad I looked in because I was reminded of what a dog that 305 is. Sticking with my 350.

The ones we had "daves41chevy" must have been flukes or more appropriate, "LEMONS". The "SS" monte carlo I had was a dog also.It never earned the reputation of the "eairlier muscle cars".

As I mentioned earlier, the best "factory stock" SBC I ever had was in a 1967 Corvette. It was a 327 cu. in. with 350 hp (KNOWN AS L-79). I had a few LT-1 350's that performed well, but that 327 was the best ever!

Dave

But you have to remember, when all the smog junk was added to our cars even the Corvettes only had like 170-190hp. Lots of retarded timing, smog pumps & etc, etc...Joe

One of those Corvettes with a whopping 170hp just sold at Barrett Jackson for $13,000. Kind of feel sorry for the guy who bought it.