1991 305

hey i have a 91 caprice with the 305 in it i have been told that the trans is strong but what about this motor, do they live long or is it one of these motors that when it hit high miles is going to take a shit on me i change the oil and all that stuff and try to keep it in good shape. i would like to hear some good news about his motor and also know what to look for with common problems with the 305

The 305 is a good engine. Like most gm v8's they will last +300K if they are well taken care of. My 307 is at 276K and still runs great.

305 really are excellent motors, although low on power, they make up for it in reliablilty, and durability. As with all engines, the harder you push them, the less you will get out of them, but since the tranny doesnt really let it rev up too high, and its one of the smaller V8's it will outlast many other engines. I bought a station wagon a few months ago for parts, and it had a 305 in it with 270,000 miles on it, and the engine started up and ran like new... no lie, literally like new. Mine only has 72,000 on it, and at one time I actually thought I needed a rebuild, but it turns out emissions were my problem.
The only thing that I'd watch out for is I've heard a good amount of stories about the oil pump suddenly sh*t the bed while driving.

I agree with what everyone else said about the 305. It's a workhorse. My dad had an '81 El Camino with a 305 in it. In '84, he spun a bearing on it because of a stuck thermostat led to overheatng and oil breakdown. The engine had 200k on it at the time (he drove between Phoenix and San Diego 3-4 times a week at the time) and I rebuilt it and stuck it in a '75 Caprice I had in '89. That engine still runs today, 16 years later.