83 305 problem

[John Irwin]

Hi all, new to forum. Glad I found y'all. Having owned 4 pre 87 trucks over the past 38 years I'm stumped. I just bought an 83 K10 with an original 305 and I'm hating the thoughts of a tear down without being sure what's happening. The truck has a new exaust with new stock type mufflers but I've had a pop through the exaust only on deceleration, worse when cold than warm. Most recently the engine just died at an intersection in town. I had to crank it awhile but it restarted and ran bad. After doing this 3 times I finally got it home but noticed that coolant was seeping from under the top radiator hose. Hose okay, radiator okay. I let the engine cool about 30 minutes and it ran normal, antifreeze leak dried up. Took a short ride, it ran normal then stalled again. Same symptoms, hard starting, coolant seeping from top hose. Could I have bad intake manifold gaskets? Please help, I don't want to go through an intake pull if it's something else. Thanks

 

[Charlie]

 

[shiftpro]

Welcome John and perhaps this is not what you wanted to hear... but drop the 305 for a 350 or better. That is, before you begin throwing $$ at the 305, consider something bigger. You generally don't save $ with the 305 because they are so guttless you hve keep the damn thing floored working to it's full (mini) potential.

 

[Rusty Nail]

The top hose has two ends, I assume you speak of the engine side? Tighten the clamp?
Coolant passes from one side of the engine to the next in the front there...worse when cold than hot...SO .... before the thermostat opens mostly? Water pressure building up and forcing the visible seep? I think your deduction of bad intake gasket is sound. The popping is likely resulting from coolant in the combustion chamber or something, better get her fixed before you break it...Intake gaskets are cheap!

 

[John Irwin]

Thanks for your replies. I have plans to drop a gm crate 350 or 383 in eventually but can't make the investment right now. I never had a 305 but I noticed immediately on the way home from the dealership how underpowered they are. I don't want to spend much money on the 305 but if it's just intake gaskets I'd like to get a few months out of this motor just until I can get the crate motor. I plan to keep er for years, decades, or as long as my motor still beats. I have plans to do a lot of cosmetic and mechanical work to this truck but hoped to run it for awhile before getting into too much. I had a hard time finding a nice squarebody that wasn't either totally restored and worth $$$$$ or totally in basket case condition. My 83 falls in between, solid frame 2 owner truck, daily driver condition. I just wish I was sure about intake leaks before getting into a repair . I appreciate your replies thanks

 

[Rusty Nail]

Did you try simply tightening the bolts (in sequence) ? There's no sure way to make certain that's the problem until you find out, haha. BUT! One could look at it this way...only good can come from it.

 

[fussfeld]

If this were my truck, i would replace the engine right off the bat, since it's 30 yrs old, and have something new and fresh to start off with.

But since you want to try to get a little more out of this engine, i wonder if the timing and/or the carb might be causing it to run rough and stall? Not necessarily the intake gaskets?

Also, could you take a pic of the engine?

 

[Snoots]

Welcome John and perhaps this is not what you wanted to hear... but drop the 305 for a 350 or better. That is, before you begin throwing $$ at the 305, consider something bigger. You generally don't save $ with the 305 because they are so guttless you hve keep the damn thing floored working to it's full (mini) potential.

X2

Pull the spark plugs and give them a look. They may help tell you what's going on.

 

[John Irwin]

Yea it has the old original quadrajet. It ran fine until last Thursday when it started acting up like this . Yes I will post a picture and I will pull the plugs and check to see what they look like . Thanks

 

[WHEELMAN]

They say the 305 is a gas saver.and a puller.you may have a bad stat.check for.water in the oil oil in the water

But what ever you do.do not put any money in a 305 v8.move on up to the 350 V8.