Im thinking of buying a crate engine for my 87 iroc z28. Is buying a crate engine better then pulling the old 305 and rebuilding it? If i buy a crate engine it would have to be 2 grand or less. Hopefully less. Now the question is, can my 87 iroc z28 convertible 5speed manual, handle a 350? I would be looking to buy an engine that is the easyest to swap with my 305. Wheres the best place to buy one? A direct replacement would be sweet, I dont want to have to replace every little thing, and do as little wireing as possible. Anyone got any tips for me?

 

Either way you may spend more than your budget. In my opinion there is no reason to go through the work of pulling out a motor that isn't the best, just to rebuild and replace. If you do a rebuild requiring no machining (it better be a low mile block) then maybe just doing a top end would work well to keep you under. This would require new pistons, rings, head gaskets, intake gaskets, new valve seals (after the heads are cleaned up). There are other parts as well, but you get the drift. I would avoid this as I see no reason not to check the bottom end out as well.

A crate 350 is the way to go if you do not have a 350 block around that can be machined and you are able to buy all the compatable parts you need. If you do a crate then a short block is in order as you'll end up using your stock induction setup after you install higher lb injectors, a 350 knock sensor, and a prom re-flash. Even with using stock parts I don't think you'll be under 2k when you take into account the need for new fluids, belts, plugs/wires, and all the miscellaneous stuff. Plus I would think any fresh motor would require a trans rebuild. Some other guys on here can do it for the cheap, but I would prefer to do it once and be done with it.

 

Crate engine, parts and labor for 2k.....I don't think so.

 

if you buy a short block you are still looking at getting the heads done so that would be another expense. You don't put used heads onto a new or machined/rebuilt short block. it makes no sense.

I got my 305 rebuilt, parts included and that included a 3 angle valve job for $1300 plus tax

I yanked it and brought it to the machine shop. I was lucky to find this guy because the local shop was around $2200-$2500. The local guy has raised his prices due to not having competition so i drove an extra 30 minutes with the engine to save a grand.

the above was a stock rebuild which was all that I wanted. If I wanted to drop in a new engine I was looking at around $3,000 and I do all of the labor.

 

You're saying here that you want to spend no more than $2k for just the crate engine, what's your total budget for the entire swap?
Will the 5 speed hold up to the 350? Not if you go beating on it. That's why GM didn't stick a T5 behind the 350.

 

I think im gonna try to get the engine thats in it to run good and ill be happy. I was thinking about getting a crate engine because I was unsure if the 305 thats in it has major problems. The car sat for four years before i found it and bought it. It didnt run when i bought it, but i changed the battery, plugs + wires, cap and rotor. I didnt change the gas untill after i drove it home from my buddy's shop. ( it died twice on the ride home but i got it going by sprying starter fluid by the air filters, and made it home.) After i got it home i changed the gas and fuel filter. Now it starts up, but seems to idle funny, rpms go real low then go up and then go real low and then go back up, but at least it dosent die now. It sounds nice when u rev it up but when its just idleing i think i might hear a knock. Ill attach a short video but u can hear what im talking about in it, i havent asked my tech buddy what he thinks yet. Back to the crate engine, I just briefly looked for one online, and thought i could get one for 2gs and have my buddy do the swap for me. At this point im thinking i might take the car to an actual mechanic and see if he can get it running right.

 

P1000236.MOV - YouTube If you listen closely you will hear the noise im concerend about. Sounds like a knock, but it sounds fine when u rev it up. If anyone can identify what it is by listening to it let me know thanks.

 

I'd suggest starting a thread in the tech section because this is the project section

why is one of your belts so bloody loose?

 

good call im gonna look into that

 

Moved this out of the projects section.
That knocking noise could be your idler pulley assembly being worn out and bouncing up and down.
That would also help to explain your bloody loose and bouncy belt.
With the engine off, try by hand to pull up and down on the idler. If it moves with any kind of ease, it's shot.
Even with a breaker bar on the idler, it should take some oomph to rotate it.