86 Camaro 305 TPI Performance Issue

[GOTAFISH]

I just purchased an really nice 1986 IROC Z 28 Camaro with 305 TPI. I am wanting to get some advice as to what I can do to increase the perforrmance of this engine and not do anything internal to it. I am thinking in lines of disconnecting the smog pump, and adding an after market performance chip, I am not up on all this as this is my first experiment with an older model car since I was in the service 30 yrs ago. Ya ya, I am a senior citizen with a 19 yo kid bottled up inside. Any help or input would be greatly appreciated from people who have tricked this engine out.

[tupacglock]

I know this isn't what you are looking for, but as far as performance modifications the 350 has a SIGNIFICANTLY greater aftermarket support. What condition is the engine in? Has it been rebuilt lately? Here are a few mods I have alway liked:
Have two cats (or if you have dual exaust, 4 cats) take 1 (again 2 for dual exaust) and use it for racing only, completly remove all the contents of it so that its just a down pipe. This will help a bit and if you get the extra cats form a junkyard, it will cost you very little.
Another mod would be getting new headers, cat(as aforementioned) and 3" exaust, and replacing the CAI/Air filter.
Next would probably be upgrading your pulleys.
You mentioned upgrading the computer chips, here is a site to look at some available parts:
http://www.fbodymotorsports.com/8292chips

[GOTAFISH]

Tupacglock, Thanks for the input. The engine has never been rebuilt. If is completely stock. The original owner had it for 73,000 miles, then the lady I got it from bought it and it now has 135,000 with my trip home from Va to Florida. As far as the Cats, I will pull them off completely when I put headers and 3" pipes and Flowmasters on as I live in Florida where there is no polution inspections done.

At present I do not want to spend alot on the car, even though it is really nice. I would say a 8.5 out of 10 and for a 18 yo car, that does not seem bad to me. If I decide to keep it, I will eventually drop a 350 in and possibly change the road gears to performance gears.

I just thought there might be a trick or two with these 305 TPI's.

[tupacglock]

NOt really, its just sorta your standard upgrades:
Intake
Exaust
Pulleys, Springs, Cams
etc.

[nacho_nissan]

hey people,i own a nissan(dont hate),but my friend owns a 1988 camaro,dont have any sign of what is it,like ss,rs,or the iroc-z,but its a V8.we want to know what engine he has,0-60 and all the info u can give us,thanx

[tupacglock]

We cant tell you that with out knowing wether its an I-Roc Z28, Z28, RS, etc. It is either a 305 or a 350.

[nacho_nissan]

is there anything visible that its different,like seats,rims,hood,or something?its cause it doesnt have any sign of z28,rs,or somethin...

[tupacglock]

IRoc Z28 - Has hood vents
RS says RS on the back
Z28 has Z28 sticker on back

[89IROC&RS]

ok, heres a few thigs, first, the 305 delemma. your first problem is its a 305, they have a horrible bore/stroke ratio and are boat anchors, but they are V8's, so they have a saving grace. my guess as far as not doing anything internal is that you dont want to do a head swap or intake swap, but if you decide you want to, i would suggest a Soggin DIckey Vortec TPI intake, and a set of Vortech heads. They have small valves (1.94 Intake and 1.5 exhaust) which fit in the small bore of the 305 and flow almost as well as some BowTie heads. But to maintain the stock compression you have to use thinner head gaskets. The 305's heads have 58cc chambers, while the vortechs have 61cc chambers, (listed as 64cc) That would be the easyeset way to make a big difference, aside from that, the usual K&N air filter, headers, (such as edelbrock T.E.S.) and flowmaster exhaust and flow through cats are pretty much the route to take. Also, there were no such things as dual exhausts on 82 and up camaros. its the two manifolds into a Y-Pipe into the cat, and a single pipe back to the muffler, and then two exhaust tips out the back. there was a dual cat option, where the Y pipe came after a dual set of cats, but still became a single pipe to the muffler. Personally, i dont think the dual cats are worth the trouble, they only offer 10 more hp, and are much more expencive to replace.
and for nacho, you can tell the engine from the Vin code, also, a easy way is to look in the glove box, in the middle between the front seats. look at the build codes. if its a Z, there will be a Z28 option code on the build list. no Z28 build code, and its an RS. the engine options are as follows for V8's

L03 - TBI 305
LB9 - TPI 305
L98 - TPI 350

hope it helps.