LET'S TALK TECH-THE 305 CHEVY-BEST SBC EVER?

WHO THINKS THE 305 CHEVY IS THE BEST SMALL BLOCK EVER MADE? HINT-THINGS DON'T HAVE TO BE THE BEST EVER MADE TO STILL BE GOOD! HEY, IT DOES MAKE GOOD POWER, THOUGH!

[@quintonstarman9832]

I've always kinda rooted for the 305 as almost like a underdog because ive heard so many people talk shit about em

[@ProdigyAutomotive]

I daily an 82 Camaro, factory cam flattened and wiped the bearings so I rebuilt it with some later model pistons and rods, also milled the block and heads and it runs at 9.8:1 compression. It has a roller cam, decent Mexico 305 heads, and a 4 barrel. It does pretty good gets 15-18mpg, probably makes 250ish hp, plenty to move that 3200lb car, and I still get decent fuel economy and make v8 engine sounds with v8 torque

[@MarkBurchJr]

Very well said Richard. Worded more clearly than I could have. This is an idea that I have been trying to spread for years now but never created one solid message like this. Great job. Keep it up brotha.

[@Ed70Nova427]

MAN - O - MAN! You hit the nail right on the head, build what you got and build what you like. Just get out in the garage and do it.

[@macman231]

That's like comparing a big block 396 to a 454, production of course, most cubes out of the same size platform is always what I would want, but the 396 was as stout as the 454 which is not the case with the 305. Not to say it couldn't be some fun, I helped a friend put a 305 in a vega b/c is was available and almost free, we ran the heck out of that 305 and it never missed a beat and was a fun toy at the time 32 years ago...lol.

[@harleyray2152]

I just put a H.O. 305 in my 72 c10 yesterday!

[@grubbermeister]

Have around 400k miles on my '97 C1500 with a 305. Original engine and transmission (4l60e). Never had an issue *knocks on wood*, and does what it needs to do without complaint. Love this plucky durable SB!

[@V8rings]

All they need is a set of decent heads, compression and camshaft. Don't be afraid to run a 4 inch bore head. Doesn't seem to negatively affect performance. You can run more lift than you think before valves hit the bore. I run a stock for 305 for the engine Masters dyno competition and it did not finish last. 👍

[@Caz885]

by 4inch bore head do you mean like 350 head?

[@buzzbomb67]

Funny how people hate on cars, because they were made at a time when regulations forced lower power. Boil down all the complaints, and ultimately, all those terrible, awful cars were bad, only because they lacked power. In fact, 70s and 80s cars were great cars, and it doesnt take a lot to build serious power! Granted, then a brake and suspension upgrade, as well as trans build, are all probably in order, but ya …. Youre gonna fix it up, anyway, right? So how much more work does it take to build it with more power and better parts? Not that much… I distinctly remember Hot Rod, Popular Hot Rodding, Car Craft (and others) doing builds on 305s, 307s, 351s, 318s, Ford 400s, and all those “boat anchor” engines, and easily pulling 400+hp with the right choices of OTC parts… pre-EFI!

[@jimreal3840]

You are the power maker...I'm a Fisherman,,I know boats and fish....you be the engine man,you know everything about engine power.....this is why you are our go to guy....only one I watch...your almost a motor cult leader at this point...

[@douglynn5906]

A 305 makes a great stock eliminater motor in nhra check out k/sa times In quarter mile these are stock engines with exception of duration of camshaft . Dish top piston motor low compression small lift cam stock cylinder heads running mid 11s in quarter with stock carburetors too

[@robertappleyard7053]

Very much appreciate the time spent on the lowly 5.0L. Any F body equipped with a 305 living in a single car garage is an f body that’s getting bolt on mods rather than an engine swap. We haven’t got the real estate to pull the nose off or side pull the engine. Would love to see numbers on an 420/442 cam with L30 heads.

[@robertappleyard7053]

And of course same for g body, trucks, caprices, boogie vans…

[@davidyoung30]

Slot mags are so cool. I think they look best on a classic van

[@JohnW1711stock]

Basically a 305 is a 265 with a 350 crank. I run an 84, 305, 150 HP in NHRA Stock. It's a good combination because it makes a lot of torque. It peaks at about 6700 RPM, so it stays in one piece. LOL! It's a short cam, with a small head. I use a 305 because I have to. There are a lot of 350, 327, 283 combos that run well, in NHRA Stock, but it's difficult to find casting that are 50, and 60 years old. If you have a 454 don't sell it for a 305! LOL!! In Stock you are limited to engines that were available in a given body. I can't use a 350 in my 84 Cutlass, because it wasn't available that year.

[@douglash3129]

Hi Richard, If you can do something, then why wouldn't you. If you Richard didn't do what you do, where would we be! Thanks a lot Richard for all the testing you do and the crazier the better. I used to do things that everyone said wouldn't work just to see if there was something could be done to make it work. Never say never right?🚂

[@ronnelson7828]

305- Best small block Chevy ever? 283- Hold my beer. 302- Hold my beer! 327- Hold my beer!! 350- Hold my beer!!! 400- Hold my beer!!!!

[@richardholdener1727]

lots of beer holding

[@budburger4101]

Seems to me I either had a 305 that had all kinds of balls or it was a boat anchor no in between of course probably had more to do with gearing

[@dominicdaniel9442]

Me right now! 94 c1500 5speed with a 305. I also have a complete donor Suburn with the 5.3 and just picked up a Yukon Denali with the 6.0.😂 ... and I kno of a good runi g 350 for $400. With me it's what will take shorter time (cost +labor)

[@Resistculturaldecline]

Like most engines, it's great for certain roles and not great for other roles. I drove factory stock one for several years in a '92 reg cab silverado. Daily commuted flawlessly, decent mpg, towed a 3000lbs boat well enough and stone reliable. The only time I noticed lack of power is when I was hogging on it. Just putting around at 1% - 30% throttle and going about the day, it was fine. With that said, I wouldn't mess with one in a performance or a swap role.

[@BobHoehn218]

My dad wouldn't let me put a cam, headers, and intake on his 305 '77 Caprice Classic, but it would've been fun trying.

[@JeLifeCoach]

I just put a dual plane IM, longtube headers, edelebrock carb and 3 in single exhaust with y pipe and crossover. It’s real fun and sounds amazing. I didnt do a cam only because Im not skilled enough.

[@Yohann67]

I can fix this controversy; how many songs have been written about the 305?

[@justpray365]

She’s real fine, my 305 She’s real fine my 3, 0, 5 Well, I saved my pennies and that’s no jive Giddy up giddy up 305 For I knew there would be a time Giddy up giddy up 305 When I would buy a brand new 305 There! Now there’s a song. 😂

[@scotttimpany2845]

that's funny

[@danieldimitri6133]

Id take it over a 409 or 413 or 389

[@Yohann67]

@@justpray365 You got the words wrong. She took a dive, my 305........ The cast crank broke, now I can't drive, My 3, 0, 5.

[@Yohann67]

@@danieldimitri6133 LOL, take the 409, sell it an buy 10 or twenty 305's.

[@anthonyrowland9072]

people act like 305s are flathead fords (also, shout out to flathead ford guys). you can have stockish rebuilt 310ci engine with vortec 350 heads, rpm intake, rockers, and a comp 262 xtreme energy and make 325hp on 87 octane with an almost stock idle.

[@theone861]

The 305 vs. 350 power question is obvious. The thing I'm curious about is efficiency. Could a 305 make enough power to be fun & be better on gas than a comparable 350?

[@Joesmusclecargarage]

I’d love to see an LU5/L83 build. Good heads, cam, and a Renegade.

[@rexgratteaux8655]

The L69 HIGH OUTPUT 305 WERE THE BEST AT THE TIME , ONLY MY OPINION , 9.5:1 COMP L82 CORVETTE CAM

[@Joesmusclecargarage]

The L69 did NOT run the L82 cam. The L69 cam specs are 202/206 @ .050”, .403/.415, 114.5 and the L82 cam is VERY different. The L82 cam is 224 @ .050", .450/.460, 114. The L69 did use flat top pistons, and 416 heads with revised PROM calibration. It was enough to put many of my thirdgens into the very low 14s with a few tweaks back in the day when that was considered “fast”. L69 MM5 cars would hover around high 14s, and the MD8 cars would run 15.20s-15.40s with GT4/G80.

[@rexgratteaux8655]

@@Joesmusclecargarage THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION, I STAND CORRECTED , IT WAS THE CROSSFIRE CAM IN THE L69 , RIGHT ?

[@rexgratteaux8655]

I owned a 84' Monte SS back in the day with the L69 305 G80 and 3.42 rear , I tweaked it and got 14 second ETs , fun car

[@Joesmusclecargarage]

@@rexgratteaux8655 No, the LU5/L83 used a different cam than the L69. The CFI cam was a hair smaller. I have the exact specs if you want them. My current 83 T/A with an LU5 CFI is running 14.30s at the moment, still with the stock cam, 1.6s, and stock 416 heads. Ported base, shortys and full exhaust, 14psi, 3.73s, and an 8746 ECM.

[@rexgratteaux8655]

@@Joesmusclecargarage 14s with a crossfire LU5 is impressive

[@mcdonaldm73]

Richard, please do a 267ci Small Block Chevy. I think that this is the most unloved small block ever made. I would love to see what kind of horsepower you could wring out of one of these little boat anchors. Nothing exotic, no high dollar parts, just cheap, cheap, cheap! Thanks, Love your videos!

[@mikebrunello243]

I built 3 267s I put the first one in a Isuzu pick up and I put one in a 83 AMC spirit with a 4 speed it ran 13.25 and I put one in a c10 had a 292 comp cam in it ran strong

[@mikehunntt5338]

Yeah I'm new to them I'm sure they not much power but I would love to hear the sound of a built one in person

[@mcdonaldm73]

@@mikebrunello243 I bet that 292 Comp made that little 267 sound like it was tearing the world up. Big cams sound HUGE in a small ci small block.

[@BearFulmer]

In a nre video, Tom said that stroked small blocks could possibly suffer extra wear from pulling the piston too far out of the bore and having the pistons rock.

[@richardholdener1727]

YES

[@daledavies2334]

Nothing wrong with the design as it is the same architecture as all the othe SBC engines. The stock camshaft is the worst leg iron they are saddled with. For the Hi Output engine Chevy put the 350 stock cam in. An "RV" cam with 204°/214° @ 0.050" and 0.425 lift really helps. Getting a pair of the Hi Output heads with smaller combustion chamber volume will help. Machine for 1.9"/1.55"LS valves and some porting work will let it breath. Back cut the intake valves at 28° and the exhaust valves for 40° seats. This greatly improves low lift flow. This could open things up to allow the use of a single pattern cam for more torque. For even more torque, stroke it to 3.75" which gives 334 CID.

[@lewisbrodnax2682]

My only problem with the 305 is... I'm in California and we can't swap anything else in that vehicle under CA emissions regulations. Now, having said that... Can 4" bore heads w/1.92 in. Fit without hitting the top of the block at the bore's side?

[@harleysgarage327]

You can put 1.84 or 1.94 valves in your stock heads with machine work. 350 heads with 1.94 valves work but you will probably lose compression depending on what you currently have.

[@mikehunntt5338]

305 Is a great motor for reliable in a little truck or maybe a boat there is no aftermarket for it

[@MrRLB3]

Chevy and Ford peeps like my Mopar but they hate each other LOL 🤣

[@fustyblatherskite2142]

I had a 1998 Chevy 2500 light duty pick up with a 305 vortech and a 2000 Chevy 2500 with a 350 vortech. Both trucks had a 373 rear axle. I never raced them but the 1998 with the 305 was a lot more fun to drive. If I had raced them I feel like the 305 wold have been the faster of the two. In my opinion, compared to earlier 350 and the 350 vortech, the 305 vortechs were great engines!

[@anthonyray5515]

Holy cow that's a lot of in video commercials.

[@nathankirkland86]

What about guys that run 350 heads on the 305? I would like to see what that does

[@joefelix5812]

Ive been wanting vortec heads on my 305

[@mikehunntt5338]

It doesn't make power it's the wrong head same as the opposite 305 heads would make more compression on a 350 but the port sizes are wrong that's why people say get a 350

[@user-kw3jx3oi5u]

305 heads preferably will give you more bottom end torque on sbc350 9:37

[@tonypepperoni229]

lmao is this for that stream some time back where the guy kept spamming with how to get power out of a 305? lol

[@MrRLB3]

Best grocery getter is a 350 Chevy 2 barrel

[@MrRLB3]

1967 Buick wildcat 430 4 barrel

[@bobgyetvai9444]

Oval port BBChevy valves will bring that 430 alive !!! The factory tulip valves strangle that engine BAD . Power goes nuts with the Chevy valves .

[@jasonrogers9169]

Everyone is on the 4 inch bore kick for the 350 over 305. I get it but the people installing the 4.8 or 5.3's because of power are installing engines with nearly the same bore as the 305 so to them why not a 350? You take out a 350 for an LS you just went down to a 305 with an improved fuel delivery system . So basically your running 305's and trashing it at the same time. So yeah pound for pound a 305 can be built to handle the LS and 350 to handle the 6.0. holly sniper injection but the pro flow extreme would put either one on the same playing field as the LS 🤔 only if there was a coil on plug set up. Whole new ball game.

[@richardholdener1727]

a stock 305 makes 60-70 hp less than a stock 4.8L (293), a stock 350 makes the same amount less than a 5.3L (324) and no stock small block made what ever a stock LQ4 6.0L makes. The SBC is not in the same league

[@musclebone7875]

307 sbc

[@waynevictory5208]

They got 305 with a cheap turbo kit they getting over 500 hp and 550 ft torque.

[@vividstreets7727]

A bit off topic but I’ve been meaning to ask if you Have you done any test with the torqstorm on a gen 5 454

[@richardholdener1727]

only a gen 6-but same results

[@SOLDOZER]

People on Craigslist and Marketplace wanting $750+ for 305s. LOLOLOL.

[@bobbyhaskell2048]

What about a Nissan qr25de? 07-12 Nissan Sentra SE-R spec v makes 200 HP stock. Basic mods and tune 210+ whp

[@fryloc359]

Gm screwed up by not keepin the GM 302

[@irocitZ]

It's not about money for me, if I want to I can take the L69 5.0 out of my Z28. I just don't feel like it, it runs perfect. I've had other engines LT1, LS1, 355, 327, 396 etc.

[@MrRLB3]

Air shocks are good until they blow out ,better have a snubber block on the pumpkin

[@Scott_Buchanan]

Big Bang 305!!!

[@mattstankes-jb9os]

Well I a 305 this 90 formula 373 gear hi flow cat woke it up.even more a high stall converter with a balanced computer chip. Turned this car from chump to champ .buick still terriozes.with a 3.8 turbo v6 today's cars

[@MrRLB3]

396 Chevelle super sport 4 speed

[@MrRLB3]

69 383 magnum Dodge Coronet Super Bee 4 speed

[@budburger4101]

5.3 is actually a 326 I do believe...?

[@MrRLB3]

Chevy is bang for the low budget 🤣

[@mikehardin2927]

My 1985 montie Carlo SS wouldn't even spin the tires lol 😂

[@mikehunntt5338]

My 88 formula 5.0 would on some good days but it would slowly get up to 115 120 mph and sounded like a monster it ran good for having 350k miles on it lol

[@mikehardin2927]

@@mikehunntt5338 one day mine did a great burnout locked up both tires and made a smoke show......needless to say I found out at the next stop sign why......my rear break line had busted

[@mikehunntt5338]

@@mikehardin2927 nice!

[@MrRLB3]

The best Pontiac engine is a 455 Oldsmobile lol

[@MrRLB3]

Throttle body injection is better than MPFI ?

[@richardholdener1727]

is that a question?

[@jimreal3840]

302 dz engines in 68 z28...375 hp....friend has one.,triple black....fast car...what's the deal w that 302.....thx

[@richardholdener1727]

DZ 302 IN 67,68, 69 WERE ALL RATED AT 290 HP

[@jimreal3840]

@@richardholdener1727 I read article saying was way way under rated....his is supposed stock..just had engine rebuilt to org glory and got 372 hp...somebody lying....the more the merrier....

[@MrRLB3]

Don't forget to laugh God bless you brother !

[@MrRLB3]

283 is better than a 305 ?

[@HowardJrFord]

Yes , because the 283 has a bigger bore , which means that it will breathe better .

[@nathancarpenter7626]

The 283 is a good motor. But there is nothing special about it. Most 283 heads have smaller valves and flow less air than late model 305 heads. Even having a larger bore. The 305 has a longer stroke to help it draw in more air. So it's kind of a wash. I don't view one significantly better or worse than the other. I have a 283 I'm going to build with 305 heads due to them breathing better and the fact you can run modern assesories and serpentine belt setup. The 305 is still a 450hp capable small block. And can make even more with power adders. 🤷‍♂️

[@mikehunntt5338]

283 was a good high compression motor from the 60s the 305 was 80s smog low compression motor

[@nathancarpenter7626]

@@mikehunntt5338 depending on the model and year. Most 283s with 2 barrel carbs had about 8.5.1 compression. Some performance versions of the 283 had upto a 10.5.1 compression. Most 305s with 2 barrel carbs had 8.5.1 compression. High Output 305s in the 80s had upto 9.5.1 compression. So not much of a difference between the two. In the most commonly available versions of the respective engines in the real world.

[@mikehunntt5338]

@@nathancarpenter7626 that's good info but compression is just a small part of the emissions and power difference there were also bigger cams bigger ports all made for non cat compliance stuff uncorked way more power potential in the little 283 I seen a handful of 283s pull tires off the ground never seen a 305 do that lol

[@randalljames1]

talk about a clickbait title..... I worked for GM when that thing came out.. the only saving grace? the 5.7 Diesel was in the same time frame that took the ugly stare off the 305.. In off the shelf clothes? the 305 more like "three oh ughhhhh" Was a terrible time to be a heavy line guy for any car maker... EPA killed cars for some time...

[@scotttimpany2845]

Call me nostalgic

[@MrRLB3]

1969 383 mopar

[@tomcelica]

What makes the tpi intake so bad?

[@richardholdener1727]

YOU SPELLED AWESOME WRONG

[@tomcelica]

@@richardholdener1727 is the intake long or short runner?

[@Joesmusclecargarage]

@@tomcelica Long. I take it you’ve never seen one? The TPI manifold runners are roughly 17 inches long.

[@MrRLB3]

383 Chevy is not factory stock

[@tomthomas4666]

305 Nope !!!!!!!

[@MrRLB3]

Honda is way better than Chevy

[@Ed70Nova427]

There are a lot of reasons for that and they have no excuse not to be.

[@MrRLB3]

Chevy cheapest heap ever visioned yet

[@Joesmusclecargarage]

Did you use your entire single digit IQ to compose that comment? Sounds like you’ve been walked by one too many Chevys.

[@corvettejohn4507]

Richard, what's with the click bait title? Everyone knows 305s are one of Chevy's absolutely worst engines. Total garbage.

[@richardholdener1727]

you spelled best wrong

[@mikebrunello243]

No the 267 was the worst so I built 3 LoL

[@mikehunntt5338]

305 are reliable and just when I thought the 305 was slow I heard rich mention the 307 and I remembered my 307 WAS THE SLOWEST ON EARTH LOL

[@corvettejohn4507]

@@mikehunntt5338 Stock 307's are slow. They only came stock as 2bbl base smog motors. Modified 307's are more powerful than modified 305's. It all has to do with bore size and bore/stroke ratio.

[@mikehunntt5338]

@@corvettejohn4507 my 79 buick park Ave was a factory 4bbl first time I held it to the floor to do 70- 75 mph all the freez plugs blew out the block lol I doubt there is a single running 307 in existence today