btsnook

I have an 86 ws6 trans am with the 305 (LB9) engine. i was planning on keeping this one as a daily driver and throwing in a nitrous kit for burning ricers at stop lights tho. everything ive heard about nitrous is that when used to extremes it will melt pistons and cranks that are cast. someone told me that truck engines come with forged pistons and cranks...i was wondering if anyone knew what if any GM trucks in the mid 80's had 305's in them that i could pretty much take the shortblock out of and bolt the rest of my LB9 right back onto it and have a cheapass engine with forged pistons and crank ready for some serious *** nitrous abuse. any help that can be given will be much appreciated, thanks.

Guest

A 305 with forged pistons and crank from the factory? Thats a new one. I wouldnt waste your time looking or spending the effort to do such a thing, if you are going to go that far, buy real forged pistons and rebuild what you have.

Lots of people spray on stock shortblocks. Just dont be stupid with it (and think you can run a 150 shot because it didnt blow up on a 125 shot) and you should be ok for as long as any engine is on nitrous.

btsnook

the thing is that 8 good forged pistons + crank from an aftermarket manufacture gets into the thousands of dollars while i can probably buy an entire truck engine with everything already put together (i would rebuild it still tho....) and designed to work with the rest of the component parts for a few hundred bucks if that. my problem is finding one of these truck engines that comes with forged crank and pistons from the factory. I figure that I'm gonna need an engine from a truck that has a small block chevy in it i was just wondering if anyone knew one that i could use the lb9 heads on or get some lt1 heads maybe with an lt1 or aftermarket cam. any help anyone can offer would be appreciated but that doesnt look like much so far ive already posted this once and 45 people looked at it but 2 responded...

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Forged pistons from the factory were very, very rare. It's safe to say it never happened with truck 305's.

The key to keeping pistons happy with spray is to never, ever let the system get the least bit lean. Use a seperate fuel supply system, and jet it towards the fuel rich side. The cast pistons will be fine as long as you don't try huge shots.

You can put your LB9 heads on any pre-LS1 block. Truck engines typically had dished pistons, which will help the engine live with a spray because of lower compression.

b4z

Don't think the truck blocks are any better. They might even be worse.

A case ijn point, is back in the very early '90s a company called Whipple superchargers was making kits for Chevy trucks with 305s and 350s. These kits were very popular for awhile, until the top piston rings started coming off the pistons.

Lots of screwed up engines.

I think you would be better off with something else.

Also I wouldn't put a 305 head on a 350 motor. The 305's bore size is smaller than the 350's.

pskel350

kind of off topic but.....what cars/trucks came with factory forged internals? how do you tell without tearing the motor down to look at it?