GM's Forgotten Engines: The Chevrolet 305

Let's talk about that 80's workhorse, the Chevrolet 305. It could be found in almost every passenger car and truck out there, from the late 1970's to the early 2000's.

[@pony053]

Had an 89 IROC Z. Not so fast, but boy did it sound good, and reliable.....Started drinking anti-freeze at about 50K....Chevy replaced the short block....cost me 100 dollars. Sent a letter to Steve Sampson, thanking them. He sent one back hand signed thanking me, cause "nobody ever thanks us!" That was one excellent car.

[@phantom0456]

You wanted to talk ta SAMPSON! Fly you to the moon, like dat bish Alice Kramden!

[@capricetony]

GM had some pours blocks in the 80’s,

[@dukecraig2402]

​@@capricetony Absolutely, and I really can't believe someone is making a video praising what is undoubtedly the absolutely worst small block Chevy ever made, and I'm not running my mouth on them for the same reason everyone else does, because they're dogs when it comes to power and are without a doubt the worst bore × stroke combination to try getting power out of, no, it's the horrible materials and workmanship put into them, I've never seen so many GM blocks crack as 305 Chevy's during the 80's, they actually sent out a service bulletin to dealerships in the mid 80's about where to find the most likely place they'll crack and how to try sealing it with a MIG welder of all things, and while it's still in the car, wow. I've never understood how engine's that made so little power per cubic inch could crack themselves open so much, I mean I understand that they had low nickel content in the iron but for all the more power those things made they should have been cast from pot metal and no cracked open. I'm a big fan of the Chevy engine line especially the small block but that 305 was just horrible.

[@capricetony]

For you it was, not everyone, I had a total of 5, none gave me any problems just ran and ran…. It’s going to be ok I promise 😊👍

[@BradleyLoomis-wq9yf]

I had a 90 RS 305 bored 60 over i was told...had flowmasters now i know bored over doesnt do all to much for them but with that an exhaust it was more peppy than the average 305 i raced 😂 mustakes i mean mustangs an did fairly good i won a few lost a few id always do pretty good out of the whole but would be neck an neck towards the end either winning bye a nose or looseing bye a Nose fun days them were!!

[@madmike2624]

Millions sold and a damn fine "everyday" powertrain. Millions are probably still running!

[@chrisreynolds6520]

I had an 83 G20 20 years ago that had the LE9 and it was running stronger at 300K than it did stock. Recurved HEI, recalibrated the Q-Jet a bit richer, and replaced the stock tubular exhaust manifolds that cracked at their welds with thorley tri-ys. Added a Dr Gas X-pipe into the OE catless dual exhaust. Dr Gas was about the only X-pipe available 20 years ago and they were custom built to work with the combination.

[@joseph-mariopelerin7028]

Idk... I spend my youth salvaging old cars and selling them... and the most unreliable engine that was in every scrapped car I found was the 305... they all pump oil and burn antifreeze...

[@CorbenBarnett]

the girl and i have one and it runs like a top! in a 93 step side chevy

[@OttoTetrazzini]

For those not around in the dark performance days of the 80/ 90s, just about anything that was available with the 305 was the preferred choice. Had an 86 Monte Carlo LS with an LG4/2004r. Bolted on an Edelbrock intake and used the dual exhaust system from a junk SS and it ran 16.0 in the quarter - with a one-wheel-peel 2.41 rear. With a decent rear end, could have shaved .5 off the ET. Terrible sounding today but impressive in ‘94, as by then, teenagers were already priced out of the 60s/70s muscle cars and the LT1 z28 was just getting started.

[@JoshuaFare]

I stuck a 2 bbl, 305 in a 66 pickup with headers & ran 16.0 @ 84mph

[@ST-xx9rt]

305-5 litre, and the 4.3 v6 engines of the late 80's to 2000ish had a lot of life built into them. My 91 pickup with a 4.3 I got at auction for $1100 with170k mi. Made it to 510k before rust took it. The engine still ran great.

[@gasm1100]

They were good little engines for the times. Just a basic SBC🎉

[@chadhaire1711]

crap engine. Same weight and gas mileage as 350 so what was the point

[@keepitscalestupid]

​@@chadhaire1711Ran my 1st wife over in a z28 with a 305, Damn fine engine!

[@machinehead6892]

Still running my 93 K1500 chevy with over 350,000kms, doesn't leak or burn a drop of oil and runs perfectly after 31 years, fuel milage is ok comparable to most new trucks, I will keep this truck going as long as I can.

[@irocitZ]

Nice, if that's not a testament to American vehicles then I don't know what is..

[@ding9633]

It doesn't leak oil because someone fixed the leaks.

[@turbobuicksix]

@@ding9633 "doesn't leak" does not mean it never leaked.

[@charlesoliver2535]

Still driving an RS camaro 305 250,000 miles. I just put valve cover gaskets on it.

[@irishuwould5185]

@@ding9633my 94 silverado 350 TBI has almost 220k mikes and doesn’t leak or burn oil and no oil leaks were ever fixed. Sorry about your Ford.

[@itominack887]

Original-owner 84 Caprice wagon with the LG4 (VIN code "H") and exceeded all maintenance requirements over its 26-yr service life. I recorded every tank of gas it used, as well as every maintenance expense and interval. The last page of the records in 2010 showed 450,000 miles and in need of replacement of its original timing chain. The wagon was hauled away with dignity on a flatbed and donated to charity. Definitely a Neil Young song "Long May You Run" car.

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

Donating it to charity seems nice. But it was most likely scrapped. I really hate to think about it

[@itominack887]

@@The_R-n-I_Guy Thank you for your note. I'm fairly certain it was (scrapped), but I left notes on exactly what it needed to run and anyone "whose wife would let their husband fix it", would have a car good for another 50k miles for less than a couple hundred bucks investment. I miss that car a LOT.

[@irocitZ]

I'm pretty familiar with the 305, when tested the L69 version Z28 in stock form ran a respectable 15.2 in the 1/4 mile. That's the same and even faster than many muscle cars from the heyday, if you let these engines breathe with a good free flowing exhaust and box up all the emissions crap they'll pretty much smoke the rear tires right off the rims if you want. If that's what you're into.

[@mooch514]

I had the 305 h.o 5 speed in my camaro. With 373 gears ..it was faster than most bigger V8s off the line

[@Clutch275]

had a '78 4 dr Nova from my Gmaw, who passed... had the 305. drove all thru highschool until i joined the military. it was a beast of a car. could fit 7-8 ppl. more if we stuffed ppl into the trunk to sneak into the drive-in.... think its still alive today.

[@rporestorations]

My buddy had a '76 Nova. We would pack that thing to go to concerts in the summer.

[@autoshotty]

Just hearing the words "Computer Command Carburetors" sends chill down my spine. It was amazing how much effort it took to keep them on the road.

[@timokuusela5794]

No problems ever. Amazing fuel economy if tuned right. It actually just cycled the power valve circuit. Some had fuel bowl volume adjust, but mine did not. Caprice STW -83 with it was one of the best cars ever for family use. Here in Finland those were possible to register as "vans", so there was no passenger car tax. My later -93 Caprice sedan was actually not as good as a car, but fuel economy was even better with the fuel injection. Both had over 400000 miles when I sold them. And I know that they were used for many years even after that.

[@mitchbertone3809]

My 86 Caprice 305 /4bbl got 26mpg on the highway, could carry 6 people and a dead horse in the trunk. No reliability issues for 250k miles...

[@chrisharvey2196]

The first time I saw the electronic carburettor, I saw how simple fuel ejection was.

[@rporestorations]

A lot of people say that!

[@abelsabrowsky4470]

My 88 Caprice 9C1 had one of those units. With the small distributor and that it wouldn't run without the computer (but runs great now with those replaced in a different car)

[@cpscps2679]

My brother had a 76 Nova with a 305 and a slightly bent frame. It would go 105 mph before it started shaking enough to scare the shit out of me.

[@shadowopsairman1583]

It's a Good engine for durability, people take even the tbi models and get 400+ hp out of them, all things considered most people can't even handle 150hp.

[@irocitZ]

All true statements...

[@dukecraig2402]

And those 305's couldn't handle the 150 HP either the way the blocks were cracking like crazy throughout the 80's.

[@jamesberdine8574]

I think the guys over at Power National did one and it put up some impressive numbers.

[@dukecraig2402]

@@jamesberdine8574 What did they do about the cracks in the block?

[@LeeGuy-jd1ho]

I had 1 in a 89 Camaro bored 30 over ported and shaved heads nice roller cam. Would shift at 7000 rpm

[@TheREALJosephTurner]

It was the "poor kid" engine during the late 80s. We couldn't afford to build tricked out, high horsepower 350s and big blocks on our after school job income, so we slapped headers and glass packs on 305s and at least looked and sounded the part. That was probably a good thing- the 305 was plenty enough for drivers so fresh that the ink on their licenses hadn't dried yet. And even to this day, lots of fun can still be had with a mildly built 305 in an S-10 daily driver.

[@elirenigar9357]

305 is a good engine. It’s got enough torque to do it’s job smoothly. And they’re damn reliable.

[@chadhaire1711]

NO--305 did no better in fuel economy than the 350

[@prevost8686]

The 305 never enjoyed the same popularity that the Ford 302 did. The 305 was Chevy’s red headed stepchild while Ford’s 302 went on to be called the 5.0 and enjoyed huge success.

[@johneldorado]

Ford continously improved the power output of their 5.0, Chevy just sort of ignored their 5.0.

[@ericzakareskie1054]

The 96-up Vortec L30 Truck 305 was the most powerful version.

[@johneckert1365]

In my opinion. The Vortec 305 was the ONLY good 305.

[@justinadams1360]

Love seeing some 305 love. A great little small block.

[@chadhaire1711]

crap engine

[@robs_garage0278]

​@@chadhaire1711How is it crap they are good engines they were fuel economy not power

[@chadhaire1711]

@@robs_garage0278 BULLCRAP...fuel economy was no better than the larger 350

[@karrpilot7092]

Look up 305 camshaft failure.

[@justinadams1360]

@karrpilot7092 have you ever had a 305? Or just going off whats on the internet?

[@deltafreshrelics1660]

I got a 305 in my daily driver beauty c1500 Silverado. It was meticulously maintained before I purchased it in 2019. It’s never been opened up and is a solid little engine with great mpg. 305s also are one of the best sounding little v8s with true duals and a quality muffler. Or no muffler. They have a throaty and snappy sound. My cousin had one in a 92 k1500 with headers, flowmaster cats and Flo master mufflers. Boy that truck sounded mean. And they go nowhere fast. A true paw paw engine. I love em. You don’t own a 305 for power. If mine were to ever bite the dust I would seriously consider the stroker kit they had years ago. I think a 400 crank or something? I can’t remember Makes it into a 347 or something. The main issue they had was the heads being restrictive and that tiny bore.

[@Jeffrobodine23]

What year Silverado ?

[@deltafreshrelics1660]

@@Jeffrobodine23 93.

[@crw3673]

The 80's were a very dark time for V8s😢

[@shadowopsairman1583]

Yes the smog engines

[@irocitZ]

Hmm, I was unaware. Back in the 80s I wasn't really good with the ladies, probably because I wasn't that good looking. A friend suggested that perhaps I should buy an IROC Camaro, I said "what's that gonna do for me?" He said, dude do you wanna go all through the 80s without getting laid? I said NO, "but how can drive a car that only runs in the high 14s?" I'm sure you know what happened next, and no it wasn't a sexual transmitted disease either.

[@stevemino142]

It's because they were measured in net ratings which were at least 20 percent less than what they made

[@michaelmurphy6869]

Actually it really started in mid-70's.. Right after the first gas crunch in '73, then got worse after the second crunch in '78. Smogged down (vacuum hose nightmares), restricted exhaust, basically round cams, feedback carburetors, very unreliable computer control. Those were definitely dark times for all the domestic automakers..

[@irocitZ]

It's easy today for people to keep bringing up the same old thing, the truth is anyone who was buying sporty cars in the 80s will tell you a different story. Even though car makers still had their hands tied, this era in all actuality was a return to performance in many ways. Moving forward, things kept getting better as time went on. Contrary to what people think and write, performance enthusiasts back then weren't moping around like it was the black plague like a bunch of cry babies complaining that their 1985 Corvette with 230 HP only did 14.5 in the 1/4 mile. Also I can't recall anyone with tears in their eyes moaning about its top speed of 150 mph. That pretty much blows the doors off your average 60s muscle car, doesn't it?

[@BenCarling-z9l]

Dad had one in his 85 Silverado - cam lobes went flat at 50k - it was the first time i turned a wrench with my pops in 87 i was 17 - we installed new crane cam and lifters- fired it up - no issues- he then drove it another 120 k no issues ever- he was amazed- i learned to drive in that truck - he sold it to a local older guy and saw it 10 yrs later - still on the road- old man just changed oil and air filter and kept going- dad was amazed

[@pizzandoughnutspage7817]

The most secret cylinderhead was the L30 Vortec, 165cc int 58cc comb & 70cc ex. People look at them and don’t realize what they are, we’ve ported and flowed these. With a .500 lift cam 230 duration 108 LSA shim head gasket Edelbrock performer RPM 600cfm carb 1 5/8 headers you can make an honest 420hp! Power is in heads and cams together!

[@stevemino142]

Had 6 305 Chevrolet small block the first one was a 1976 a first year 305 with a 2 barrel excellent motors with good durability and gas mileage

[@mrbig7718]

They weren't fast but lasts forever. Still have one in use right now. 84 305 H.O. never been rebuilt, just deleted everything not needed. Still going strong. Its lasted longer than 2 transmissions on the 3rd now. Put in a different car 8 years ago No idea how many miles on it since the odometer quit working 3 years ago and didn't ask how many times the odometer flipped in the original car. So 84 to 2024 original block and heads, never torn into, i think its dependable as dependable can get. Only actual modification was aftermarket intake and holley carb and non computerized HEI distributor. Runs great.

[@fasst5511]

I had a 84 Z28 Camaro with the 305 H.O. 700R4 OD Transmission and 3.73 gears. It was a great stop light to stop light car and would just boil the tires off if it if you nailed it from a stop in first gear, It would run out of breath at about 4000-4500 rpm but it was a fun car for the times.

[@jamesberdine8574]

I had a 305 in my ‘77 Caprice. Was still running well at 197,000 miles. Leaked a bit. This was the days of 55mph. so lots of power was not needed. With a good tail wind the car would do 75mph. I installed a 350 at 197k and was able to run the speedometer way off the scale. Overall this engine did exactly what it was intended.

[@michaelchan8915]

I remembered replacing a camshaft and a set of lifters in that very model year of Caprice. Apparently those engines were notorious for eating camshafts around those model years.

[@rporestorations]

It seems like a lot of the late 70s cams were soft.

[@chham57]

Cheaper and easier to come by compared to a 350 if you want to try your hands at a budget build. So many interchangeable parts with a 350 aftermarket parts support is excellent and affordable.

[@resistorstudios]

Me and a buddy rebuilt a 305 that spun a bearing. We had a 350 crank and 350 L31 vortec 906 heads lying around and slapped a decent cam in there with some head work. Runs well

[@Jet_Electro]

I owned a LO3 throttle body injection 305 equipped 1991 Camaro RS for 19 years. It did what it was designed to do and it did it well.

[@NewDaySon37]

My dad had a square body with the 305/Automatic. An 86 4x4 ,short bed 2dr ,with large bf Goodrich tires. Repainted red. He loved the look of that truck. But he hated the 305. 😂 He complained about it having no power alot. And he got an exhaust put on to try to beef up power. It did ok. Was fairly reliable. But not too fast.

[@Darren51283]

I factory ordered an '85 Trans Am 39 years ago but had to settle for a carburated engine to get a 5-speed manual. If memory serves, there were three variants - 165 hp (standard), 190 hp (HO, with a more aggressive cam) and 215 hp (fuel injected). Twelve years later I upgraded to a '95 Z28 with an LT1 and boy what a difference that was! But as they say - everything is relative - because that car was a slug compared to the '03 Z06 that I acquired 10 years later.

[@ramtrucks721]

305s are boat anchors.. .had one in my Camaro. Complete junk

[@edwardpate6128]

The darn things just wouldn't breath anything like a 350 would with that small bore. I will never understand why they didn't revive the 302 or even the 307 engine vs the 305. I had a 1985 TPI Trans Am with one and while a nice running car I could never beat those down 302 Mustangs with it.

[@KRich408]

All you had to do was replace the head or open up the ports in the head so It could breathe again.

[@jamesmedina2062]

they gave it almost double the torque than power and thats why they didn't flow to race but to get out the hole. They had a mission. Like the other guy says with cam and heads the power would go up.

[@will7its]

The mustang was a small european design with a V8 (light weight) and the 305 could meet the epa goals easier than the 302 chevy.......

[@johnmcmullen456]

​​​@@KRich408The problem is that the small bore of the 305 doesn't allow for the big valves that can be installed on a 350.

[@johneckert1365]

I think Chevy's 302 had problems with upcoming emission requirements, many larger bore engines seemed to have that problem. I don't understand why they stopped producing thier 307 though. That was an engine, with a better bore × stroke ratio.

[@dalemihocik4732]

Way to rip a scab off an old wound by mentioning the 305. My 78 Impala had this engine and it was terrible. It suffered from pre-detonation, engine run on, and the camshaft lobes wore down before 15,000 miles. I actually ended up putting a used 350 engine in the car after I was in a class action lawsuit against Chevrolet because of the cams in many of these engines were defective. We won the lawsuit and it covered my costs.

[@gman3109]

It's like the iron duke of v8s

[@ivoryjohnson4662]

Had the HO with 5speed it could pass everything but a filling station kept the tank full of premium. Had to go overseas left it with my dad it was never the same after that

[@irocitZ]

It was that 3.73 gear that car had, luckily it was a 5-Speed. I think the auto got less mpg, was it a 83 or 84?

[@ivoryjohnson4662]

@@irocitZ 84 the autos did real good on the highway at 70 mph

[@jamesberdine8574]

Had a ping problem with my 305. The easy fix was to take out the 192deg thermostat and put in a 180deg. No more detonation and regular gas.

[@ivoryjohnson4662]

@@jamesberdine8574 Totally agree, the radiator was too small and it was always close to being too hot. I guess that was for the emissions

[@randallmunson9909]

The heads make great small boat anchors

[@milojanis4901]

So do the complete engines

[@weskirkland5850]

not if you're enjoying the stock form.

[@pauls8685]

I had a 1985 Camaro IROC with the 4BL 305 5speed manual. I guess the L69. That car was alot of fun for a 20yr old

[@bobsauve]

Definitely worth remembering.

[@HDFatBob08]

Still running strong, is our 305 w/ 5 speed manual transmission in our 1988 GTA. When I "was a kid", I had a 1984 Z28 w/ 305 and 5 speed manual. One of my favorites I have ever owned(probably due to nostalgic feelings 😉)

[@rporestorations]

Naah. They were fun. And considering the time they were made in, pretty good.

[@chrisdejong4071]

Installed a tune port 305 in my 92 Sonoma with a little over 30,000 kms on the engine at the time. Didn’t burn oil, reliable, pretty good on fuel. All came to an end in 2013 when l wrote the Sonoma off…it had 845,000 kms on the odometer!

[@weegeemike]

Funny that you put out this video, just last week I was looking for a good video on the 305, and my wish was granted! Glad you made the vid.

[@rporestorations]

Thanks!

[@chadhaire1711]

Garbage engine....got same gas mileage as the 350 and the transmissions they were hooked to blew out every 10K miles.

[@markrancourt5430]

Had a '79 el Camino 305/TH metric. Scrapped both. Replaced with a home built 350 and TH350. 1406, tube headers, aluminum intake, small cam, 1.94 heads, duals, etc.. Ran sweet.

[@jimbo9357]

I had one on my 84 Z28. That thing never missed a beat. Ran smooth when the secondaries kicked in that thing would haul A.

[@karrpilot7092]

I had a 305 in my 1978 Caprice. A year after i bought it, the camshaft went flat. Trademark of the 305. I bought a short block 327 from a co worker, and sent it out to a machine shop. Punched it out .030, and put in a trailer towing RV camshaft. Got a set of cylinder heads from a different co worker, and again, had the machine shop work their magic. I assembled the engine in my spare time, and when it was completed, i began the swap process. Just for curiosity, i disassembled the lower end of the 305. Bad camshaft scored up everything. Including the crankshaft. I was happy to junk that 305.

[@chrisreynolds6520]

GM trucks and VANS (not mentioned) had the 2bbl 305 starting around 1977. Vans also had the LE9. Owned a LE9, it had over 300K miles on it and never had a detonation issue running on 87 octane, but did have more power after recurving the distributor and recalibrating the Q-Jet. As for the strongest performance 305, that was not the TPI by a mile. The L30 was a more powerful engine in every way considering GMs power ratings took into account the horrible single cat exhaust and clutch fan on the L30s. With a the tiny 191/196 @ 0.050 truck cam, restrictive exhaust and clutch fan the L30 was rated as much HP as the hottest TPI 305. The marine version had a slightly hotter 196/206 @ 0.050 cam, a better flowing intake manifold based off the L30/L31 truck manifold but used a fuel rail and external injectors in place of the injector spider, and better flowing albeit still restrictive marine wet manifolds. The Marine L30 made more net rated HP than the L31 used in a truck. Marine L30 was the hottest 305 made by GM with 260 hp and 308 tq net. The stock Marine L30 put on an engine dyno sans accessories like every SAE gross engine dyno in existance makes about 300-310 hp and 330-340 tq at the crank. Put a dual plane intake, Q-Jet and 1-5/8" long tube headers on a stock L30 and it makes 310 hp and 350 tq even with its tiny 196/206 cam. I tested a L30 with a dual plane, Q-Jet, headers and the ZZ4 208/221 @ 0.050 cam and it made over 340 hp and 360 tq. Those 059/520 heads that flow 221 cfm @ 0.500 and offer a fast burn are jewels on a 305.

[@chrisbullard5901]

Had the experience of owning both an ‘86 Capri with the Mustang 5.0 and an ‘86 IROC with the TPI 305. Of the two, I much preferred the IROC, and have always preferred GM tooling. As wonderful as the 305 was as a mid-range V8 option, I wish GM had leaned on the 3.8L Turbo and 4.3L Vortec on the F Body and G Body in lieu of the anemic 2.5-2.8L options. The third gen F Body would’ve been the perfect platform for a little nostalgia by boring out the 305 into an “SS 327” package. In fact, that would’ve been the greatest “road not taken” with Chevy in the 90s: a line-up of “SS 327, 350, 396, 409, 427, and 454” option packages, where you could “Super Size” your Chevy to the SS performance version of the standard V8 offering. Throw in another Bob Seger inspired commercial tugging on America’s heartstrings, and you’d have a winning combination.

[@stevemino142]

Had 6 305 Chevrolet small block the first one was a 1976 a first year 305 with a 2 barrel excellent motors with good durability and gas mileage

[@obada_305_SS]

My lg3 with 376450 heads cutted down to 55cc ported 185cc runners and ported exhaust to 75cc till flows 200 @.500 lift with the 16cc dished piston but mls .023 gaskets it makes 9.38:1 with a 212 218 .468 .470 lift cam on a 110 lsa with stock iron manifold but ported venture 2gc up to 500cfm and a 65 main jets with upgraded power valve and 11cc accelerator pump it makes 309hp at 5000rpm with 314 ft lb at 3800 rpm on total timing of 34 running 90 octane and still making 10mpg sometimes doing 12 in city it’s my daily drive 4 door nova and still running late 13s in the track also with the th350 and 3.07 gears it goes from 0-60 in the late 5s full weight car with no reducing. 305s are the most successful engines gm ever made they just need a little of love and understand what they need! I ended with 300 some ponies with stock intake exhaust and stock junk heads also stock bottom end this thing could see 400+ if built with aluminum heads with flat tops and a bigger 4bbl carb with intake and headers

[@markfierke8565]

The blue 305’s (77 thru 84) were garbage. Underpowered, over vacuumed controlled emissions, carburetor throttle shafts that would warp and self-destructing cam shafts as early as 40 or 50,000 miles. That’s why these engines got the nickname, “boat anchor”. That’s why when you own one of these turd engines in a car and they went bad, You would just put an older orange motor in. (76 and older)

[@pauldicou2153]

I have a 95 GMC that is running a 305. It’s a swapped in junkyard engine unknown mileage. I’ve put 80,000 hard miles on it with oil changes and cooling system care and tune ups on time. It’s never had great oil pressure and I changed the rocker arms because they were worn out. It passes emissions test every year. I’d say the 305 is dependable but no performance goody. I’m amazed the 305 keeps running after abuse and unknown miles I’ve put to the one in my old driver pickup.

[@weskirkland5850]

305 wasn't forgotten it just wasn't the sexier 350. Called boat anchors... They don't deserve that rap. No shit you wouldn't pick it for a hot rod when a 350 was easily available in the same external size, but as a stocker... Hard to beat. they run forever just like a 350 and get more MPG which is why they exist.

[@realazduffman]

This engine had soft camshafts due to typical GB "lets save a nickel and build junk" mentality

[@superman20029]

I have a 305 in a c20 with the tune port heads, dual plane aluminum intake, headers, and 4 barrel holly. It gets up and goes just fine and I just tell ppl it's a 350

[@ray9734]

The L30 Vortec 5.0 is rated at 235 HP. I have one in my 98 K1500 Silverado. It's pretty sweet .

[@terrypikaart4394]

Gm owner, how could you forget the 305.. It was always the let down when asked, 350 or 305?

[@palmlimit9297]

Smog motor disappointment is what I think when I see a 305 damn wish it was a 350 or better yet a 454!

[@carpartsink4577]

305 was not a very good motor. Had one in an 85 GMC and it was a real dog.

[@johneckert1365]

100%

[@garymckee8857]

I have had several Chevrolet products with the 305 , one was a 92 Camaro RS that l put 276 thousand miles on it. When I sold the valve, covers had never been removed, and no oil leaks.

[@CarputingYT]

I have a 1975 triumph TR7 with a 305 from a 79 impala

[@markbarber7839]

I had a 69 307 it had 200hp on a 2 speed powerglide transmission

[@gerardrusso9642]

had a 305 v8 with a 4 barrel carb on my 1987 camaro it was not bad pretty good power

[@MBailey1977]

Have one in my 87 El Camino. No guts but once it gets going it's nice and smooth

[@CAROLDDISCOVER-1983]

I had it in earlier pickups I had one in my Camaro. I had a little bit of an improved one in my 4-door impala. We took it out beefed up at 3:15 putting that Impala not only does she have more horsepower or get up and go to gas mileage went up by 5 mi to the gallon! Now I will say compared to the wet noodle 305 that it started out as, the one in my 1997 Chevy 4 x 4 half ton had a lot more power.

[@mariorowland8342]

Almost 270k on my 97 c1500 , I love My 305

[@foreignautomobiles]

The l69 was no slouch for a factory motor from the early to mid eighties. Only thing that held it back was the small bore, but up against a stock 5.0 fox body they were pretty neck and neck.

[@haleyy68]

Bought a brand new 84 Z- 28 HO with the L92. All my buddies had Mustang 5.0s. I had a fun time running around with them. Most were very close in a drag race. Blew the motor at exactly 100,000 miles one nite when i missed a shift. Broke a piston but made it home over 20 miles. What a fun time to be young. I still think about that car and all the good times i had.

[@Joe-ie8vk]

These numbers are just crazy when you think about this in a modern context. God I had a Dodge Journey sxt or whatever it is that had a v6 that was like 285 hoarse power. And was pretty quick in a straight line. Ok it’s a sport package ok but on a very every day family car it was basically a station wagon.

[@jeff-ds2pr]

The Cross Fire Injection DID offer some performance improvement over the standard 4 barrel 305 they put in the 82-83 Z28s and Trans Ams. It was a 25 hp increase. Not worth the headache though.

[@treeandaturd]

there was also a marine application of this engine

[@josephrouleau1205]

In 1981, when employed as a Special Agent with the Treasury Department, I drove a 305 equipped Malibu with a Police package. I was impressed enough to think it would have made a great family car. Good handling, good performance (keeping in mind this was 1981 and most vehicles sucked from 1980 - 1990) a good ride and a decent size overall and when driven reasonably, decent fuel mileage. ( I had previously owned a 1974 Buick Apolo 2 barrel 350 which was the worse car I have driven. It was so bad, I traded it in 1979 with 50,000 miles for a VW Rabbit ) I mentioned the Buick because I hated it and didn't buy another American car for 25 years, but still considered the Malibu as a good vehicle.

[@gdmofo]

Wasn't powerful but it was reliable

[@TechTimeWithEric]

The only issues I ever saw, and I saw quite a few back in the day was that the harmonic balancer could come loose and it would snap the crankshaft. I could hear wrong, but if memory serves me right, the 305 didn’t have a keyed balancer and the bolt would loosen just enough for the balancer to spin and the crank would break right after the cylinder 2. I didn’t see this in the trucks as often, mostly Camaros

[@northtone288]

Have a 305 Chev in my 2005 Chaparral boat. Dressed up as Volvo Penta, its the old 305 Chev. Never had an issue, always runs great, 270 HP. Its a keeper.

[@orionoutdoorsandworkshop5617]

horsepower varied depending what car they were in? what kind of crap is that? i had a 78 firebird with the 305 in it and it was a fast car, peel the rubber right off the tires without moving an inch, far as i know it was stock. the speed was well past the 90mhp or whatever it was on the speedometer, and i dont remember any pin to limit it. i remember almost getting beat at the stop light by a volkswagon scirocco. a z28 tried as well, stayed with me until about 90mph then slowly started dropping back. the firebird kept gaining. i know i did nothing to it. at this time of low compression and fuel saving scrambling done by the u.s. auto makers, (and learning how to water down gas to make it go farther, LOL, remember the spark knock anybody?)) i believe the makers under-rated many engines horsepower.

[@ZacLowing]

Might as well been a 4 banger or weak v-6 power wise and disappointed everyone. It was embarrassing to race them stock on the street and the drivers all knew this

[@ChickenC0re]

It was the slowest of the Big Three. Chrysler’s 318 and Ford’s 302 was faster.

[@johneckert1365]

​@ChickenC0re I'm a Chrysler fan, so of course praise thier 318, but I gotta say that Ford's 302 would've kicked all thier asses with some better heads & manifolds.

[@robflammia4716]

305 is just a small bore 350. Same stroke smaller bore. Small valve heads with a small chamber to keep compression up. It made decent torque at low rpm. It ran smooth as any good V8 would.

[@bryanmchugh1307]

My first car was a red 1976 Camaro with a modified 305. It had these THICK spacer plates between the carb and the intake. When I bought it it had 300,000 miles on it. I sold it off in 1997. It is STILL running just. The car was actually quick. I also had a 1991 Formula Firebird with a 305. That was actually a nice car. I got it with 40,000 miles on it. Reliable as all get out but I got smoked by every 5.0 Mustang in town.

[@defaultuserid1559]

Had an 84 Bonneville with the 305 and I must have gotten a good one. It ran great with no problems for 210K miles.

[@RusticShine]

I have a 83 coupe deville, it had that even worse 4.1l engine from cadillac in it. I wanted to ls swap it but was afraid the transmission would grenade. 350 would have been a bit much as well. Found a rotted out 91 c1500 for $400 with a 305. It was the perfect power balance! Smooth running gre😊at fuel milage and no one wants a 305 so if it blows up 2 bills can find ya one on marketplace

[@kurtwise7356]

The 60s 283 was by far a better motor! I was back roading my 67 Impala when I picked up a rock thru the radiator! Nearest town was 10 miles away so I drove it to town overheating! When I got to a service station the motor was so hot the ignition wires were almost burned off! We changed the cap and wires and did a oil change and that car ran fine afterwards! Definitely bullet proof!

[@deborahchesser7375]

My cousin had an IROC 5 speed, we put a small cam in it and decent exhaust, that car was the most fun car to drive.

[@pmprei3767]

I had a 1988 like that. I truly miss it!!

[@capricetony]

LG3 305 2bbl 305 was a workhorse, reliable, ran forever! No it was not ment to be a performance engine. The LG4 and L69 305’s were respectable for the time and what they were, both ran, ran and ran! Had a ton of them and never let me down 👍

[@KRich408]

I had a 78 Camaro with the 305 it was a Dog because of how GM choked it to meet emissions laws. Fortunately I knew how to remove the Gag from its cardiovascular system 😊 headers alone did little for it because the choking was in the heads intake and exhaust ports. I made that little 305 so happy after I was done it was like a person born deaf being able to hear for the first time 😊

[@joniportwood1974]

We had an 86 Monte Carlo with a 305 and it was very dependable.

[@atribecalledcookies4]

I knew I would see Joni here

[@barryrpowers4838]

I own a 1985 Chevrolet Van with a 305 4 barrel carb factory with factory air-conditioning had it removed and rebuilt from the block up only has 42,000 miles on the engine transmission was removed a few weeks ago and replaced I kept OEM transmission because I'm going to rebuild that over the winter and return it back to the truck the transmission that I put in wasn't OEM but I have put so much money into truck to keep it running great replaced read drums to disc brakes and also put pirelli truck tires on the original steely wheels with hub caps replaced alternator and starter replaced transmission lines with stainless steel lines the older ones were copper and leaked original paint just now needs some very little body work along the rocker panels not quarter panels just under doors and middle rocker panels i will have the paint blended because the rest of the paint is fine i do have a question about a part i haven't been able to find.i searched all over it's something to do with a emission pump and maybe a check valve assembly when I bought the truck before I did all this work the first owner I'm the second I purchased from the original owner it had 92,000 miles on the odometer I have owned it for about 10 years I had a back fire that caused a small fire one day out in front of my mum's house I put the fire out but I burned a few things on the left side of the motor had another transmission put at this time because I had some problems going in reverse then finally failed towed it to a small shop I purchased another transmission from Texas with low mileage saved my OEM transmission its in my garage i will get to that at a later date the fire caused my wires harness i repaired most of it was able to get some wiring parts oem on line i burnt the automatic transmission wiring the coil but this particular part i can't find the part I was talking about being the emission check valve the original owner i. Guess the check valve stopped working so they capped it and probably removed the pump do I need this because the truck ran fine before the fire and the transmission is now replaced I just have to know the auto parts place and even on line can't get it and it was never working can I just take the hoses were ever they go put them together because it never worked in the beginning I never knew it unless you know if I can get this check valve assembly and I guess this pump the best thing is the truck is a 1985 I don't really have any emissions it has dual exhaust so it never had a Cadiletic converter I have dual thrush glass packs with dual pipes coming out behind the rear tires not so loud I never had a problem with getting a inspection you can call me if you have any information about this check valve assembly and pump like I said it never worked so the truck hasn't had it in quite a while 631-395-1382 Barry R Powers CEO Keep Kool mechanical thanks again for your time

[@richardluce775]

One of the most reliable marine engine power options IMO. Lots of 200 hp, 2bbl still alive from late 70s and early 80s

[@jasonvanrell3678]

305s get an unfortunate bad rap, however the mere fact that it became *THE* GM corporate V8 from 1977-1998 should at least pique some curiosity in anyone willing to think beyond the amplified nonsense on the internet. The main reason for the perception of being low performance (unlike say a Ford 302), is that it never had the chance to be built as the 300+HP engine it could have been out of the factory, as did the 302. By 305's last year of production (2002), the LS with its new block, variable valve timing, etc. had replaced the classic small block. The talk about a 305 not being able to breath because of its small(er) bore is myth. A 305 built to breath with the same equipment as a Ford 302 (similar cam, induction, exhaust, heads), will make almost an identical amount of HP and torque and also have an almost identical torque curve as well. Count me in as a big fan of this engine.

[@WillNeese]

Good little engine in my opinion

[@mattmcdaniel6219]

185,000 on my 5.0 in my 79 Monte . Heart beat of Merica' ! 😅

[@rporestorations]

Yes!

[@wildbill0088]

I have the Vortec 5.0 in my 97 truck and it still gets along well for its age and abuse. Do gotta wonder why the 305 gm doesnt get the same love as the old ford 302s seem to.

[@andyjones357]

I love the 305 GM I had 2 one in a 85 C10 other was a 96 Silverado I didnt need gobbs of power and they where perfect on farm even as 2wd I pulled my dad's Ford and my brother's Nissan both 4x4 both got stuck in same mud hole that old 85 305 was a major sleeper

[@jamesdavis6036]

Was in my 76 Monte Carlo. Car made it to 100,000 then rusted away. Engine was always smooth as silk.

[@TheLionAndTheLamb777]

They are fine for a easy to service reliable workhorse engine. You can even get some decent power out of a 305 if you invest in top end and exhaust. I would rather drop a 350 or 383 in it's place though.

[@vinny6685]

Soft camshafts and the true infancy of emissions controls really chocked this engine . Blown intake and head gaskets were another issue .

[@johnsheetz6639]

If you want to mess with your first rebuild not to say they might need it this motor is golden. if you want to get saucy thow in a napa cam and some cheap headers. The me myself I would make sure my rebuild game was right and then buy a 350 after I got a little more confident.

[@benkrom2737]

305 was just a workhorse engine. Just an upgraded 307 which was just a 283 with a 327 crankshaft. Just good running engines that wouldn't stress the block at all. Sbc wasn't designed for 500hp. The design of main bearing caps limits the hp engine can produce reliably. An awesome design for the times. LS engines no-matter size and hp ratings, comes with a skirted block and 6 bolt main caps and even the mildest of engines can flow good enough to produce decent hp and stay reliable.

[@Andrew-ju4be]

I had an old 90s Camaro RS with the 305 that was one of the biggest piece of s*** I ever owned. 3 transmissions constantly repairing the motor it wasn't worth what it was made out of. I should have just yank that 305 through 350 in. That 305 was a money pit from hell.

[@RobertSuttonOfAnacortes]

I have an 83 Camaro 305 (been in the family since new). Despite the 305's internet reputation as a "boat anchor", the engine can be significantly livened up with carefully selected modern bolt-on upgrades (esp modern EFI and computer controlled ignition timing, think Holley Sniper). All without replacing heads or cams. My example is still running strong at 180k miles and with the EFI upgrades, has more power than it did when new. So good that I abandoned the 350/383 upgrade idea (this is NOT a racecar btw). The bottleneck on these engines were the finicky "computer controlled" Q-jet carbs whose potential were never fully realized (and emissions controls of course). GM shoulda went straight to TBI instead of that half-*ssed computer carb (is it a carb? or is it FI system?, or... lol)

[@JwcubTHS]

No mention of soft camshafts that plagued these engines in the late 80s. Had one in a ‘78 Malibu; it always ran great and idled smoothly, but by 80K miles, the valve train was noisy due to the cam lobes going flat.