Chevrolet Engine code ?

Vintage TX

Analog forever
Been trying to figure out what engine this is and what year it was made : T0524CRA
Can someone help, please ?
 
Is that stamped on a 454?

I have a book packed in some boxes when I move if I can find it.
 
You will need the engine vin stamp too to know exactly, that code only says day and date, and factory. May 24, 19XX, Tonawanda, NY

Although CRA rpo code puts it at 1977-82.
LG3 or LG4, 145 HP
 
that motor is kind of a boat anchor BTW. I think some early 305s had special dampers and flywheels. but I shy away from most 305 stuff. if you are looking for an engine to rebuild a 350 would cost less and could be built to get good fuel economy.
 
that motor is kind of a boat anchor BTW. I think some early 305s had special dampers and flywheels. but I shy away from most 305 stuff. if you are looking for an engine to rebuild a 350 would cost less and could be built to get good fuel economy.

Understatement.:thmbsp:

During that time period, the "Corporate 305 & 307" engines suffered from a HUGE batch of improperly heat-treated cams, which made it impossible to adjust the valves in those engines later on in their life. It`s a well-known fact among insiders that GM Brass chose to sweep this issue under the rug, as any problems resulting from this would not be apparent until the cars in question were out of warranty, and it did not pose a safety hazard.
 
well it wasnt so much that...there is no adjustment on hydraulic cammed chevy v8s - just 3/4 turn past zero lash when initially depressing the plunger. as the came wore, you would lose lift that you were never getting back.

personally, the addition of the knock sensor in 85 to the LG4-ish motors made them once again viable with the better heads, the 76-84 motors, 2bbl or 4bbl could not breathe and by the time you were buying heads, you might as well be buying them for a 350. You could not bore them into something else and the lighter crank bob weights would not allow affordable stroker combos. If I *had* to have a 305 - Id look 87-on and a set of better swirl ports (like the -187 heads) with a roller setup. I had an 88 boat with a 305 and after minimum parts and labor I pushed out 304hp which was as high as it was going to go on a prop drive

The OP has not mentioned why he was interested in a 1977 305, in that year, everything that got the 305 also had at least a 350 option so a trade up is not difficult. (in 1977 everythign was so emasculated, unless it was a corvette, the best motors making power still on the road were the olds 350 and 403's)
 
How about making a 302 out of a 350 as cranks and pistons are available from the aftermarket if one wants a better MPG engine with nice rev-ability!
 
How about making a 302 out of a 350 as cranks and pistons are available from the aftermarket if one wants a better MPG engine with nice rev-ability!
you can do that with a large journal 327 crank but that motor is not well suited for low end torque. a 327 or 350 would be better.
if I had to build a 305 or a 307 I would choose a 307 with its shorter stroke and larger bore. a pair of 305 HO heads, aluminum dual plane intake, mild cam and small tube headers would make a good running weird motor.
still better to build a 327/350/383, no replacement for displacement.
 
How true! I'm thinking light wt. muscle car or coupe/sedan. In a half ton street truck or S-10 it might be fun also!

Maybe the ultimate is what World Products Bill Mitchel has been offering and later Dart also, is a beefed 1st gen. small block with the bolt holes etc. for LS heads. This would allow easy swapping etc. If available I would want the 400 mains! I'm sure coil on plug ignition could be added for more HP and efficiency.
 
All the components of a 305 are nearly identical to a 350 with the exception of the bore size/piston size. If you can find a 350 block you can put the crank and rods out of the 305 in it to make a 350. Look for a piston that weighs about 70 gms less than stock ( around 630gms with pin) and you will not need to re-balance.
Of course the heads are smaller combustion chamber so you will need a dished pistons. Aftermarket heads are pretty cheap so your best bet is to get some that fit the build.
 
Chev 327 & 307 had a 3.25 in stroke with the 327 available in both med. (2.45) & small (2.30) mains.

305 & 350 had the 3.48 crank with the 400 @ 3.75 getting the large journal (2.65) one.

The 283 and later 302 had the nice short 3.0 in stroke with the once common 283 using the small journal and the 302 in 1967 sharing it with the 68 and later one going to the med. journal like the rest of the small blocks (except of course the large journal 400).
 
There are kits(balanced with rods & pistons) to put aftermarket 400 cranks (3.75 stroke) with the med. main journal size into the 305 for 329 or more CI depending on an overbore. It might make nice torque with good MPG. For those that don't know that 3.75 stroke crank was first put in the the 302/327/350 block for the nice powerful 383. So popular even GM came out later with a 383 crate engine.

CI=(bore X bore) X 0.7854 X stroke X No. of cylinders

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_small-block_engine

http://www.chevrolet.com/performance/crate-engines.html
 
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There are kits(balanced with rods & pistons) to put aftermarket 400 cranks (3.75 stroke) with the med. main journal size into the 305 for 330 or more CI depending on an overbore. It might make nice torque with good MPG. For those that don't know that 3.75 stroke crank was first put in the the 302/327/350 block for the nice powerful 383. So popular even GM came out later with a 383 crate engine.

CI=(bore X bore) X 0.7854 X stroke X No. of cylinders
If I were gonna spend the money there is no way I would spring for the 330 stroker, it would be the 383 with out a doubt.
Scoggins/Dickey used to sell NEW 350 long blocks for way less than $2000, something else to consider.
I guess we need to know what the OP is planning on doing with a SBC motor!
 
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