87 IROC

[dunerdr]

Are they tbi motors? if so would i look for cams n parts etc. just as a reg small block 350? or what im asking for my cousin whos looking for a little more pep out of his car. thanks in advance!

[ChefDiablo]

Better hope they arent...the TBI really sucks in Gen 3 F-Bodies

[dunerdr]

haha i know just tryin to help out family he wants to run with my ws6 lmao! lookin for a cam headers good exhaust n a lower gear for it

[ChefDiablo]

He'd be better off with a crate ZZ3 engine...he still wont be a match for the WS6, but atleast he wont be a laughing stock. After the price of buying, heads, cam, intake, and exhaust....he would have easily been able to buy one. I think they run around like 3300.00 complete.

[dunerdr]

im gonna be honest with you guys i know theres a shitload of better options my nieghbor is about to unload an 80,000mile lt1 thatd be better but the short story is this kids dumb no mechanical ability not extremely gifted in common sense and isnt a badass driver or anything........ basically hes a dumbass who doesnt need much more than what hes got now

[five7kid]

In '87 IROC's had either the 155 HP LG4 carb'd 305, the 210 HP LB9 TPI 305, or the 230 HP L98 TPI 350 (first year for a 350 in the 3rd generation f-bodies).

"A little more pep" in a 3rd gen almost always means starting with exhaust upgrades. To do it right typically means an outlay of $750-$1000, plus labor (it can all be done with standard hand tools if you pick the right parts).

Then you can start talking about engine upgrades. The lame LG4 is actually the better starting platform, as the carb & computer can easily handle more engine for less money than the TPI can, even though the TPI came from the factory with more power. See my signature for a case in point.

So, find out what the car really is first. About 75% of the 3rd gens for sale with a 350 actually have a 305 in them, so be aware of that up front.

[kevstoy]

I might add to five7kid's comments on identifying a 350 from a 305... the 305's have a much smaller radiator overflow jug on the passenger side and a different intake. All the 350's I've seen have a huge overflow jug compared to the 305's... not sure what side it's on...

[Greed4Speed]

Honestly, if the kid doesn't really need anymore power, just put a flowmaster on it. It'll sound faster and give him the placebo effect.

[dunerdr]

starting out wtih flows and headers so he thinks hes a badass. i was just wondering what motor so i could let him search and find prices on stuff like a cam and some other bs that hell never bye thanks guys! i love this website alot of good knowlegable people. its great!

[five7kid]

the 305's have a much smaller radiator overflow jug on the passenger side and a different intake. All the 350's I've seen have a huge overflow jug compared to the 305's... not sure what side it's on...
I'm afraid neither of those is true. The overflow is always on the passenger side, and are all the same (except the L69 overflow had a molded in tab to support the right side air inlet scoop). The TPI intakes were identical hardware between 305 & 350, including the air inlet ducting. There were different air inlets year-to-year, but not 305 vs. 350.

The only way to tell the differences between the engines without disassembly (or displacement measurement) is the casting numbers.

[five7kid]

i was just wondering what motor so i could let him search and find prices on stuff like a cam and some other bs that hell never bye thanks guys! i love this website alot of good knowlegable people. its great!
305 or 350 doesn't make any difference with regard to cam. Assuming it's the original engine (which isn't a "safe" assumption by any means), it will have roller hydraulic lifters. You can just upgrade the cam itself, typically, without having to replace the lifters. Of course, changing the timing set when you change the cam is always a good idea. And, replacing the valve springs when you upgrade the cam is almost always a "must do".

You can tell what engine was delivered from the factory by the 8th character of the VIN - "H" was the carb'd LG4 305, "F" was the TPI 305, and "8" was the TPI 350.

Replacing just the muffler is probably going to be money flushed down the toilet. Regardless of which V8 engine is in it, the "best" off-the-shelf aftermarket exhaust parts out there will be for the '86-'90 TPI single cat application, starting with the headers (Hooker 2055HKR would be my recommendation), then the cat and cat-back. It will all be 3" from the y-pipe outlet to the muffler inlet if you follow that advise. It can all be installed with common hand tools with the car on jack stands.

Especially if this is the LG4 (about 75% probability that it is), doing anything else before doing the full exhaust (including a Flowmaster muffler only) will be a waste of time.

[ChefDiablo]

My money is saying its a LG4. Cams generally run for 250 for off the shelfers, heads minimal 1800, intake...well that depends on the induction. Who will be doing this work? Does this monkey think hes going to be doing the work himself? He sounds to me to be a little kid thats always trying to hang out with the big kids. Do you think that exhaust and some 3.73's will pacify him? From the sounds of him, he's probably told everyone in High School that hes got a 10 second car.

[dunerdr]

thanks five seven kid! i think exhaust and a lower gear would keep him happy for a while hell sound like a badass and be able to spin the tires and he goes to school with more goons like him and somehow it seems his car is about the fastest(compared to ricered outeclipses and shit like that) the more i talk to him the more i think he just wants to do these things to say theyve been done to the car because his little ricer buddies are all getting body kitted and wheeled up so he wants to be able to say hes done something performance wise compared to thier waste of money on cosmetics

[ChefDiablo]

May i suggest STICKERS! High School kids and ricers alike LOVE STICKERS! Get him a Comp Cams, MSD, K&N, and Moroso stickers...that should bump him up another 150+RWHP ego gain!

[dunerdr]

hahahah lmao! im extremely sorry for wasting your time hes now decided to upgrade to a v6 monte carlo(comes with stickers)

[ChefDiablo]

It's ok...hearing other peoples frusterations makes it easier to deal with our own frusterations!

[dunerdr]

haha thanks guys now hes keepin the car and gettin the new one but im done with it lol not my problem he can do his own research from here thanks again guys