I have been on the fence about getting a 305 or a 350 in a 2nd gen Camaro. Fuel economy is not a real concern, but with the fuel prices in California, I would like to have some sort of idea what it’s going to be like. What’s everyone’s average fuel economy with one of these engines? Is the fuel savings worth getting the 305 over the 350?
350 all the way. Engine and vehicle health along with tuning will be your best bet for MPG at that age. But don’t expect much for gas mileage. The 305 was not a great engine.
Maybe check fuel economy.gov and see if it goes back that far. Personally, I’d go for the TPI. I don’t know if the 305 came that way or was it the 350? Also, is fuel economy really a concern with this kind of car?
@Hartley
> Personally, I’d go for the TPI. I don’t know if the 305 came that way or was it the 350?
They both did, but that was for the 3rd-gen Camaro.
Totally depends on the year. Second-gen is 1970.5 to 1981, and there’s a lot of difference. 2 barrels, 4 barrels, how much emission controls were removed, and how many untrained people have worked on it. A full-function feedback 81 Camaro with a V6 could get 24+ MPG, with a computer-controlled carb. A 5.0 with the same control can get around 22 MPG. But finding one that’s not butchered is tough.
I couldn’t tell a difference when I replaced a 305 in my truck with a 350 as far as fuel economy goes, but power was definitely better.
I have a '79 Z28 with the original 350 and quadrajet, 3.73 rear end, and a slightly newer T5 5-speed manual. I get around 24 MPG on open roads if I drive sensibly. The 5-speed is a great upgrade for these cars. It helps with economy and keeps the noise down at highway speeds.