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Chevy 305 V8

AndyM

Charter Member
Does anyone think 100,000 miles is too many for a 1991 GM vehicle with a 305 V8? I would think it would have a good 50,000 miles left on it.
Are there any problem areas to watch for with these?

P.S. It's not an ex-police car. :tongue:
 
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Doc

Bottoms Up
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Lack of maintenance could shorten the life of any motor, but I also think that 150k is a very reasonable expectation for any V8.
 

AndyM

Charter Member
It's a full sized GM station wagon in near perfect condition (the ones from the 90's that looked like stretched out Taurus wagons), even the engine looks brand new. It looks good and sounds good, and the price is right. Many of the similar ones I see advertised claim 24-25 MPG highway.
 

Av8r3400

Gone Flyin'
Some of the 305's has oiling issues that caused premature cam lobe wear. If it's lasted 100k without that trouble, you could get another 100k with good care.

Buy it.
 

OSUfan

New member
My opinion.I would say another 50k shouldn't be a problem. I have found that prevenitive maint. is the key to a good running and long lasting vehicle.
 

fogtender

Now a Published Author
Site Supporter
If you want to know what shape the engine is in and have the time....

Pull out all the spark plugs (marking the wires as to where they came from) then with a compression gauge, do a "Dry" compression check by cranking on the engine about three or four turnovers (try to do the same for each cylinder). Write the number down on a piece of paper. Drawing a square and putting four lines on each side to show where the compression was taken at will work.

Then squirt about three shots of motor oil into each cylinder as you take the Compression "Wet". Do all the cylinders (oil just before each test) and write the numbers on the paper just below the "Dry" numbers.

If all the compressions taken "Dry" are within twenty pounds say 130 to 150 PSI, the engine is going to run pretty smooth.

If you have a low compression of say "80" PSI on one cylinder "Dry" and it goes to 120 PSI after the oil, you have bad rings, the oil sealed them for a few moments and allowed the pressure to climb, a total rebuild will be in order. If the compressions don't climb more than a few pounds, then the rings are good and the valves are more than likely shot/burnt and rebuilding the heads may be required. You can even go further and put air to the cylinder that has low pressure and at top dead center (TDC) on the compression stoke, the bad valve will either be hissing out the carb (or intake) or exhaust pipe, but at that point it is kinda mute, but at least you will know what is going on.

On the older V-8's, the timing gear tended to "Jump" gears around 80,000 miles or more, the newer ones starting in about the early 90's didn't seem to have that problem. Most of the late 90's up to now can go 200,000 miles with little effort as long at the oil is changed regularly and air filter is kept clean.

If all the cylinders are pretty close in the compression range, but the engine runs rough, you may need new spark plugs, spark plugs wires, rotor and distributor cap. There may be other issues, but I figure that this will put you to sleep pretty quickly....
 

buckle97

New member
SUPER Site Supporter
Andy, is this the model you are looking at?
 

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BigAl

Gone But Not Forgotten
SUPER Site Supporter
Is that the vortec 305 ? Great little motor . I have one in the 1993 Chevy ranch4x4 pickup in Idaho . I think we have around 150K on the motor now , The odometer broke at 135K . That was 5 years ago . It does not burn a drop of oil and has lots of power . The truck looks like hell but it has been the best investment I ever picked up .
 

BigAl

Gone But Not Forgotten
SUPER Site Supporter
The first Vortec V8's were introduced for the 1996 model year.

You absolutely sure about that ??? I bought my truck used at a State auction and it is the 305 vortec motor . Says so right on the top of the motor ?????????

Hmmmm .... I wonder ???
 

buckle97

New member
SUPER Site Supporter
Yes, I'm sure. The Vortec V6 came out in the 80's but the V8 didn't come out until 96. It's definitely a better motor and it may have just been swapped out in your truck.
 

BigAl

Gone But Not Forgotten
SUPER Site Supporter
Yes, I'm sure. The Vortec V6 came out in the 80's but the V8 didn't come out until 96. It's definitely a better motor and it may have just been swapped out in your truck.

Wow ! I gotta replacement motor . Well i'll be........ I got all the maintence manuals from the state when I bought the truck . They replaced damn near everything on it but there was no mention of a engine replacement . No wonder it runs like a raped ape .... Thanks for the infor !!:thumb:
Hey this day is lookin up !!!
 

OhioTC18

Gone But Not Forgotten
GOLD Site Supporter
Andy,
My MIL has the same in a Chevy body, maybe 91-92 year. Has more than 150,000 on it so far.
 

fogtender

Now a Published Author
Site Supporter
Wow ! I gotta replacement motor . Well i'll be........ I got all the maintence manuals from the state when I bought the truck . They replaced damn near everything on it but there was no mention of a engine replacement . No wonder it runs like a raped ape .... Thanks for the infor !!:thumb:
Hey this day is lookin up !!!

To do a positive ID check, the VIN number on the engine block and the frame (under the driver's side of the windshield on the bottom or on the title). On the engine, the number should be on the front of the block, on a lip under one of the heads if I recall correctly.

If the numbers are not the same, then you have a much newer engine. More than likely if the State owned it, it will be a new long block (maybe a rebuild at worse, so it may have pretty low mileage on it).

You can also call a GM or Chevy dealership and give them the Serial Number off the block and they can tell you if it was sold as a brand new replacement engine or from a rebuild from another vehicle and what year it is. Very rarely does a Government Agency put a used engine in another vehicle.

Sounds like a good deal!
 

BigAl

Gone But Not Forgotten
SUPER Site Supporter
To do a positive ID check, the VIN number on the engine block and the frame (under the driver's side of the windshield on the bottom or on the title). On the engine, the number should be on the front of the block, on a lip under one of the heads if I recall correctly.

If the numbers are not the same, then you have a much newer engine. More than likely if the State owned it, it will be a new long block (maybe a rebuild at worse, so it may have pretty low mileage on it).

You can also call a GM or Chevy dealership and give them the Serial Number off the block and they can tell you if it was sold as a brand new replacement engine or from a rebuild from another vehicle and what year it is. Very rarely does a Government Agency put a used engine in another vehicle.


Sounds like a good deal!

Thanks Foggy , I might check that out .

That old truck will be used until we run the wheels off of it ! Its a little 1993 4x4 1/2 ton short bed automatic and it does better in the snow than anything else we have , short of the tractor .

I can turn that truck so tight in a circle I can read my own rear license plate .

Shoot.... once I actully got behind myself and actually started honking the horn so I would pull over and let me go by :yum::yum:!!
 

Trakternut

Active member
Thanks Foggy , I might check that out .



I can turn that truck so tight in a circle I can read my own rear license plate .

Shoot.... once I actully got behind myself and actually started honking the horn so I would pull over and let me go by :yum::yum:!!

You're pullin' my leg...................:blink:..........................ain't ya?
 
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