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GSXRFANN

FLUNKIE
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I just bought a 1988 IROC Z. It has the 305 in it and I was wondering if any of you guys might know of a way to get a little more power out of it. The car is stock and all original. I am trying to keep the car as original as possible for the next year or so (mainly because I dont have the money to do too much to it).

Any ideas?
 
Quadrajet or F.I? They made both that year, or maybe only the 350 was F.I in 85. Man, that was a long time ago.
My dad had an 85 305 when I was a kid:laugh:

Bump the timing a couple degrees and gut the converter(that style was bad for stopping up until the car couldn't run), junkyard electric fan
Good for a couple hp and little to no money.

Edit, just saw the '88, thought it said '85.
I need to go to sleep:laugh:
 
i had an 83 trans am with a 305 ho with crossfire injection... i went to a cam intake and carb to get more power not sure in your application
 
card16969 said:
i had an 83 trans am with a 305 ho with crossfire injection... i went to a cam intake and carb to get more power not sure in your application
Click to expand...

And, heads, headers, exhaust, and on, and on, it never ends.:laugh:
Cars suck, they cost too much to make fast. Been there, done that too:laugh:
 
This is a T'B'I car. I am not sure what I can do to it. I do like the idea of gutting the convertor, but wont that throw a engine light?
 
GSXRFANN said:
This is a T'B'I car. I am not sure what I can do to it. I do like the idea of gutting the convertor, but wont that throw a engine light?
Click to expand...

I've seen 2 of them done on the old TPI (90 and 91 models)and the engine light didn't come on.
I think the technology is too old. But it could've just been broken Chevy junk:poke::laugh:
 
Gutting the cat in a earily car like that will not throw a check engine light. The ones that do have a set of O2 sensors er pipe, one is a effiecency montor, that tells the computer how well the cat is working.

Now on your car you have a few things not in your favor.
#1 its heavy
#2 the 305 is a destroked 350 for the most part
#3 its a chevy

Now the good, it is a old dog that can be trught a few new tricks. So cover the basics, more air in, more fuel in, use max engery from fuel and get it out faster. So I would say a free flow air intake system, some headers and a larger exhaust, or go all REO Speed wagon and get some straight pipes with mac daddy glass packs!!!


Now if you want to make some real power for low bucks transplant a LS motor in it with a hair dryer. 900hp and drive it on the street. I am a Ford man to the bone, but you just cant argue with what the LS guys are doing on the cheap!!!
 
ditchdr said:
Gutting the cat in a earily car like that will not throw a check engine light. The ones that do have a set of O2 sensors er pipe, one is a effiecency montor, that tells the computer how well the cat is working.

Now on your car you have a few things not in your favor.
#1 its heavy
#2 the 305 is a destroked 350 for the most part
#3 its a chevy

Now the good, it is a old dog that can be trught a few new tricks. So cover the basics, more air in, more fuel in, use max engery from fuel and get it out faster. So I would say a free flow air intake system, some headers and a larger exhaust, or go all REO Speed wagon and get some straight pipes with mac daddy glass packs!!!


Now if you want to make some real power for low bucks transplant a LS motor in it with a hair dryer. 900hp and drive it on the street. I am a Ford man to the bone, but you just cant argue with what the LS guys are doing on the cheap!!!
Click to expand...


What would the LS setup cost to do?
 
Not that year, the cats aren't monitored by the ECM so it won't trigger the light. However if you live in an emissions area don't get caught. Depending on area the limit is 25 years old usually.

All depends on how serious you are about power. The TBI is actually not bad, better atomization than a carb but not as good as port injection. You can get performance proms for them matched to cam swaps and head work. Edelbrock makes a performer intake for TBI engines that will help.

But before I got too serious I'd swap in a 350. Bolt in, no changes except for the prom and it will work far better not just because of the displacement but how the larger bore unshrouds the valves helping the heads work better. Can be done for probably the same rough cost as you'll sink into the 305 and get better results.
 
Since racing season is here, most of my extra $$$ goes into that, so this is starting to look like a winter project. I guess I will just let my wife drive it some in the street class the way it is now!!!
 
It depends on the way you get your parts. You can get a LQ9( I think thats the one) block, pretty much a iron truck LS block, some alum heads ready to bolt on for 2K cam 3 to 400, intake for a few bills, wiring harness can be junkyard sourced for cheap, or get a painless harness for 600, computer anywhere from 100 to 500, for 5 K you can have a nasty ride.

One of the hotrod mags did one up not long ago. Small stroker kit, ported heads, cam, and headers made 650on pump gas. Added a 3500 dollar 4.0( brand name) blower and added a little bost and laid down 1100hp and 1090tq. Not ot shabby for a street car.
 
well the problem is, its a 305...but without doing any real head work you can put a LT1 cam into it, but gains are minimal. if you can find a 90's 350 truck motor, the vortec heads are pretty good, and with cam/mild head work and intake and exhaust you could be looking at 330-350 HP. ummm the TBI sucks, you would have better gains out of a carb, PLUS wouldn't need a computer anymore. if your car doesn't need to pass emissions take the smog/air pump out. you can reroute the stock belt to still work. but if your on a budget build vortec 350 is the way to go, easy to get power and TQ and pretty low cost.. stay away from LT1's at all costs. dont care how good of a deal you get, they SUCK!!! If you have the money LS is the way to go.

the set up i use to have was 1988 Firebird Formula, 350 w/ carb. lt4 hot cam kit, msd ignition, headman headers, aluminum driveshaft, T-56 6spd manual trans. and full adjustable suspension/tq arm.

Also, most parts from 82-02 can bolt up with minor mods. thats the plus bout these cars. let me know if you got any questions, i have owned 88 firebird, 92 camaro..and some friends had 89 iroc z, 87 trans am, 91 trans am..so i have been around them for awhile.
 
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