Brttwbb89RS

I have just bought my 1989 Camaro RS. It's a V8 305 TBI and I'm wondering if someone can help me with upgrading my TBI. My car has a cowl hood so I thought I could get more out of it if I used an Open Element breather? Any suggestions on what I should buy to get the most out of a TBI system with my cowl hood?
Thanks!

camaronewbie

Welcome to TGO!

There's a gazillion posts here on what folks do to help improve their 305 TBI performance - reading posts and using will yield you a wallet-full of things you can try. But understand, there's just not much you can do for a 305 TBI to make it noticeably faster. They are great little extremely reliable gas efficient motors, but to get much out of them means modding the same things as you would on a 350, and thus it's easiest/cheapest to just get a 350.

My opinion is to not spend any cash on anything that wont later transfer to a 350 - that leaves you with exhaust and rear gears, rear gears will give you the most "seat of the pants" feel.

The biggest killer is the computer - custom chip tuning is required for any mods that actually help the 305 (like heads). The restrictions are in the exhaust, the intake, the cam, and mostly the heads. Open element won't hurt, but you won't feel any difference. Same with exhaust, hardly feel any difference at all.

If you are subject to inspection restrictions to mods, then look at a 350 TBI swap as a less expensive swap (you keep all your stuff ... just swap in a 350 block, 350 TBI chip, 350 TBI injectors, 350 TBI knock sensor). Or save up for a LSx swap. If inspections no problem, then you can carb anything from a used 350 to monster BBC.

But all the answers are here, a little time spent researching and you'll find out more than you ever really wanted to know.

Brttwbb89RS

Hey I appreciate your help buddy. yea, I'm not looking to make it into a rocket or anything. I've wanted a 3rd Generation Camaro as along as I can remember and now that I have one, I would just like to get it around 250hp and give it more torque. It has Flowmasters on it and I thought since it has a cowl hood, I could get more performance if I was to put an Open Element to the TBI. Am I in the right area of thinking? I don't plan on swapping engines very soon and if I even thought of it right now, My wife would kill me haha So, I want to make the most out of my 305 as of right now

camaronewbie

You'll never see 250hp from it. Well - let me say that you'll never see 250hp from it without spending almost as much as what a 350 swap would cost. Stock the 305 TBI has only 170hp - asking for another 100hp with cheap bolt-ons is not going to happen. Exhaust (already done), headers ($300), the free TBI mods (do a search), open element ($30), an LT1 cam swap ($100) - that might get you to 210hp.

The most expensive of course is the headers, but at least they will transfer to a 350 later. But yeah, open element won't hurt. Just make sure you keep the IAT sensor from the factory air cleaner so the computer doesn't freak out.

Your absolute best task at the moment is basic tune up - plugs wires cap rotor filters (air and fuel) - that will set you back $100 and an afternoon of work.

Like I said, rear gears will give you the best feel for the dollar. 4th gen rears swap right in, and can be had for about $300 with 3.42 posi rear gears and the nice rear LS1 disc brakes - but you have to have the 16in wheels for the LS1 rear discs. The 4th gen rear sticks out 1.5 inches farther each side, so wheels don't tuck completely in the fenders like original, but no scraping issues. There's a ton of info on rear gears, 4th gen rear swaps, etc. in the tranny/drivetrain section.

calamitascamaro

iTrader: (5)

Do a search on TBI to carb. You'll get modest gains with a good manifold and carb, and when you swap the distributor you wont have to comply with the computer.

Brttwbb89RS

Thanks everyone for your tips and insight! So here's my plan, Let me know what you think.
I just bought this car and the previous owner put 3" flowmaster exhaust. I don't know much about performance parts but the exhaust is a 3" pipe that branches off into a duals. He installed a 165 degree thermo (Not sure why)
I have a 1989 Camaro RS 5.0L 305 TBI and after reading what everyones thoughts this is what I plan on doing in order..
1. Tune up, filters etc...
2. Fix the exhaust manifold gasket leak
3. Put an open element breather, thought this would be good to do since I have a cowl hood.
4. Put on new headers
5. Performance Chip
6. Change to 3.23-3.73 gears

I understand at stock my car only has 170hp with 255ft lbs torque. What could I get it up to with these upgrades?
Please forgive my ignorance, I'm not educated much about performance names/parts (and what they do) and tech stuff. But thank you for your patients with me guys!

camaronewbie

1) This assumes it's legal for him to switch to carb
2) Switching to carb can be more expensive than a 350 TBI swap
3) Simply swapping to a carb with those swirl-port boat anchor heads will give him no more performance AND crappy gas mileage

Carbs are not always the easy, cheap, or legal way to go. I'm a carb guy, but I'm the first to admit this!

thomas1976

xch3no2

Search this site, there are mods for your TB & tuning solutions that will increase your 305's output with reasonable effort & expense.

A cowl hood that does not seal to the induction is of no intake value period.

I'm not a fan of engine mounted open elements with good reason, the air is just too hot, your unsealed cowl hood will help vent engine heat to some degree.
At speed this also causes considerable hot air turbulence over top of the engine, that is not conducive to intake flow or o2 density with an open element.

Keep your intake sealed to a cold air source. Feel free to design & build a sealed cold air intake that is less restrictive & takes advantage high (air) pressure areas of the car.

calamitascamaro

iTrader: (5)

So you're saying that if he makes it breathe better up top, with a less restrictive manifold, he won't see anything?

Edit: They're right, you'll need a cam and heads to see any kind of real gains from TBI to carb. If thats the route you choose, maybe some 416 or 602 casting heads, and a nice mild cam? Like a Lunati 60101LK?

UnderCover89TBI

iTrader: (25)

glad to see you agree!

thomas1976

LO3 intake manifold and TB aro no restriction up to around 270hp.

That would be a big downgrade to slap a flat tapped cam in a factory roller block.

paul_huryk

If you want to read up on the building the 305 TBI to 260hp, read the posts on my blog:

http://thirdgenfbody.wordpress.com/2...-october-1989/

http://thirdgenfbody.wordpress.com/2...november-1989/

Brttwbb89RS

Can someone recommend a dual snorkel air cleaner for my 1989 Camaro RS? I can't seem to find one that specific to my car?

robertfrank

iTrader: (27)

Read my Cardomain in my sig. That should get you started

UnderCover89TBI

iTrader: (25)

You want the dual snorkel? you plan on doing a cold air induction setup? You have a cowl hood you can buy an extreme kn filter and utilize it that way.

Brttwbb89RS

Yea, I wanted an open element breather. I thought that would be the best fit because of my cowl hood but I'm hearing that would be a bad idea because it would suck in the hot air from under the hood. Then, I thought maybe in I fabricate an ram air into the cowl hood as well. lol please forgive my ignorance! Thats why im on here trying to get help! I'm not experienced at all with whats best and what exactly I should do performance wise

UnderCover89TBI

iTrader: (25)

I see well the point of the cowl is to let the hot air out. But a cold air kit would work better anway

Brttwbb89RS

What kind of cold air intake should i get that would work well with my TBI, Not a big fan of the snorkle intake. What could I get that would perform a lot better?

UnderCover89TBI

iTrader: (25)

Do a search of this forum for what people have done..you'll see some good one's

Mailbox Hunter

Dual snorkels are the best. I know you dont like the look, but its going to be the best 'REAL' cold air intake you get.

UnderCover89TBI

iTrader: (25)

I think he means he doesnt like the look of the stock dual snorkel intake?

you can buy a bonnet for the tbi and plumb tubing to wherever you'd like. again do a search and you'll find it.

the solitaire

If you have a cowl hood already, stop messing around with CAI and other snorkel setups.

Just make the cowl hood work as it should.
Get an open element (any 14x2" or 10x3" and up should provide more then enough airflow) and box it up, allowing the open element to take fresh air through the cowl.

Ron U.S.M.C.

I have a cowl hood so I use it . Thats what it was made for. If you run it the way I did you will be sucking directly from the cowl as well as inside with a 14x3in. open air element and a X-Stream filter top At the very least it should be cool air. I'm not saying that a sealed cold air intake would not be the best because it would. Its just that the small amount of cooled air you would get compared with a working cowl is not something I worry about.

92firebird 305

i have a 92 firebird 305 tbi and i had it dynoed saturday and its puting now 202 hp and 268 tq to the rear tires now if you add back the 18 percent drive train loss thats puts me at 18% would put you at 245 crank hp and 327 crank tq and
15% would be 237 crank hp and 315 tq so you cant tell me a 305 cant get 250 hp

UnderCover89TBI

iTrader: (25)

It can no problem. Is yours stock?