I was an I was an "Oldsmobile Guy" in the early 70's. I owned several Old 442's with the W30 package. I raced a lot and the car ran great on the track. I put headers and modified the heads with opened ports and roller rockers. I enjoyed beating my Ford and Mopar guys. Those were the days.
Thanks for the great history lesson. I had a 1978 Olds 88 Rocket 350 in Inuvik NWT as a taxi back in 1983/4. Before I got into Oil Rigs. Loved that car, solid.
Very informative, I'm 63 years old been a mechanic for 43 years and was inpressed with your video, I also love olds 455 engines, my first car was a 70 delta 88 with a 2bbl rocket 350, I took my Dads 1976 98 regency with a 455 to my senior prom, I worked on many olds diesels, once did head gsk's on a v-6 olds diesel.
Oldsmobile did make a 4-4-2 in 1964 which had the 330 engine in it. The 4-4-2 stood for the 4 barrel carb, 4 speed and dual exhaust. this package was available in the F85 and the Cutlass. the 442 package had the 330 Police Apprehender Pursuit Package which had This equipment included a dual-snorkel air cleaner and a premium quality rod as well as main bearings. These tweaks brought the engine from its normal 290 horsepower up to 310. there was another Oldsmobile that had the ultra high compression which was in 1965 that was offered in the Starfire and Jetstar I. Those were the 375 horse 425. In 1966 the Jetstar I was dropped and the Starfire price dropped to what the Jetstar was priced at. the 1966 Starfire had the 375 horse 425. 10 hp less than the 425 in the 1966 Toronado. The 425 used in the Toronado and Starfire had the .921 in lifter bore size due the camshafts used in those versions of the 425 and both had the same compression ratio of 10.5:1. Very good history on the Oldsmobile engines! I got a soft spot for Oldsmobile. They were innovators back in the day.
The 307 is probably the smoothest carb’d V8 GM made also their last carb’d V8 (and maybe any engine). I’ve had a bunch of Olds, including a 78 Cutlass with a 305 Chevy 🥴
I was an automotive machinist from 1978 to 1987 and I loved going to work everyday ! I worked at Martin & Otterback in Hyattsville Maryland. I love your channel man it takes me back to the good days !
One of the things I've always prided myself on as a professional tech is to be the guy that did and became proficient in areas that other techs were too scared to do. It's how I became an automatic transmission mechanic and repair shop owner. I had the same attitude in regard to the 5.7 diesel back in those days. I'm not saying I regret being "that guy", but dang, the 5.7 was one of those deals where you just weren't really going to make it better than what it was. The head gasket issue, that was nowhere near as much of a problem as the fuel system. Injector contamination and failure being top of the list and governor failure in the pump being next.
the best use of the Olds diesel 350 was to get chummy with a machine shop, and cut down a forged 425 crank to make a gas fed, stroker small block out of the D350. some people even took the block racing at its displacement or bored out to 365 cid with 425 pistons. and you're right about being "that guy" who is the "XYZ whisperer" in a workspace.
@@albertgaspar627 Well if I ever knew anybody was doing that, I've forgotten! All my engine work experience was at dealerships doing warranty work, no performance work. Transmission work became my specialty. But that sounds like a cool idea. That block and heads have got to be pretty rare by now I imagine.
@@howlinhogfor some reason, youtube doesn't like me posting links to websites outside it, but if you look for Mondello stroker small blocks 440 cid popular hot rod magazine, you'll probably find the article on it. I was wrong about the pistons, remembering the old 365 cid bore out formula on the gas-powered 350s prior to 1977. doing 440-454 inches out of a small block Olds wasn't cheap, but this was back when the Dart chevy block wasn't really around to get that many CID. but i think i remember some NASCAR crew using the diesel block until the D block came out for them, or it was dirt track racing...too many years, too many beers, if you know what i mean :) growing up, i was always advised to find a speciality if i wanted to keep any job. i also learned that being punctual and reliable also helped keep most jobs :)
@thepolkster46 Yeah! I would tell the customer, your rubber band broke. The part of the governor that always failed was a flexible ring, not really rubber, but it may as well have been.
Gale Banks had his own opinions on the D350 and sure as shit, everything he said would go wrong did. There's a great video of him explaining how GM tapped him to criticise it, then they didn't listen to his advice. I'd say the 6.2/6.5 TD, though gutless, began to bridge the diesel gap back to consumers, and the Duramax ran it out the back door.
Excellent overview. '55 324-haver here, talk about a really great engine- it and the 88 2-door post around it have been driven hard and fast all over the country, well over 100,000 miles worth since 1984, and it is smooth as a greasy doorknob, quiet as a librarian and strong as an ox. Did a rebuild, its first at 160,000 miles, in 2014 to address valve and head issues; the main and rod bearings/journals showed absolutely minimal wear as did the bores. Had heard tell of the Rocket's high nickel content in the block, can confirm the engine's resistance to wear. Was planning to simply hone and re-ring the original pistons as they looked very good w/ minimal skirt wear until I spotted hairline cracks in half of them- the only weak spot in 324s. When's the last time you ran stock-size new pistons in holes that had negligible taper and needed nothing but a hone, in an engine with so many miles and years? Outstanding engine, and coupled with the slant-pan Hydramatic just a legendary package. Next year will mark forty years of stewardship and it's still a true friend. Will always have respect and a soft spot for Oldsmobile. Thanks for your typically knowledgeable and detailed redux.
Really good video. Back in my day Olds also made a really great small block Chevy racing block you could order from any GM dealership with 400 bore but 350 size mains. You could make a sweet high reving 373/377 world beater. Just a couple of corrections. The 330 was the first small block olds v8. Also the Olds 350 had the largest bore of all gasoline GM 350s. It had the best bore to stroke ratio of the 350s. Again, great job telling a lot of gear heads history they otherwise would have never heard. PS, Old stinkers like me always recommended the customer replace the diesel 350 with a 403. More fun to test drive!
when Smokey Yunick came out with his long connecting rod theory, circle trackers used to get the 6 inch Olds small block connecting rod for their Chevy 355's and claim it was factory. but the pre 1977 olds 350 could get bored out to a 425 piston for 365 and do great in a "claimer" racing class. you just had to avoid the temptation to slap on big block heads--Olds figured out for the Ram Rod that just the big block valves would do.
You can take Oldsmobile diesel 350 put a 425 crank 425 or 455 heads and cam bore the block over .125 over basically converting to a gas engine it will be 440 small block stroker V8. Order make a 425 Oldsmobile crank work in that block the crank counter weights cut down and rebalance. Used a 454 big block connecting rods.
Olds did so much for the automobile for sure. I never dreamed that eventually, GM would put the division to pasture. I never thought Pontiac would be retired either. I'll take an early 70s Olds 98 with a 455 under the hood.
Would rather have a 400 or 425 with a forged crankshaft. Or a smaller car (F 85?) with a 4 barrel dual exhaust 330 which was probably better than the later 350 which in turn was a heavier and more robust engine than the even later 403 and the 307 (although in their detuned low compression state they were probably 200,000. mile reliable.)
That's what I gave my son! It was a 1966 f-85/Cutlass with a 330 2 speed power glide transmission. But that was back when they were kids and then I put the 455 355 possy differential in it. Because I burned up the original driving the heck out of the 273 gears differential in it. But it's way past that now. Because it's completely restored with all of the goodies on it now.
I had a 1968 Olds Cutlass Supreme in the 1980s, I never knew how good and strong the 350 was until long after I had sold it, kick myself now for selling it. I think the '68 Cutlass was the best looking body style, I guess it was a one year only body. I didnt know I had a muscle car in my hands
This video was well done. Thanks for your efforts. I expected to be bored at some point but it never happened. My folks owned a '69 Olds Cutlass w/a 2bb 350 'Rocket' V8. Best driving/riding automobile they ever owned.
I do miss my 71 Oldsmobile Cutlass, a 350/TH 350 white with black bucket interior roadway cruiser. Many a good mile on the roads, and he always saw me home. One thing I did want to change though, all four corners were drum brakes. Sure made me learn to tinker with them drums to keep optimal brake pedal feel and stopping power. Those were nice days when I was younger and wanted to work on a vehicle, and began my tool collecting days.
The 330 the first Oldsmobile engine made on the new platform was never called a "small block" until the tall deck engines came out on the same engine platform. Then they were clumped in with the other short deck Oldsmobile engines on this platform. They were similar to the way Mopar made there big blocks, the "B" and the "RB" for raised block. Same engine platform different deck heights just like the Oldsmobile engine platform. They might have marketed the 260, 307, 350, 403 as "small blocks" to make people think they had 2 engine platforms when they only had 1 as a marketing ploy. But the fact is that they only had 1 engine platform starting with the 330 which was a short deck engine that was only called an Oldsmobile engine when it came out. Perhaps this is why you thought it was a tall deck? Cool series, thanks for all the work you put in to make thes videos.😎👍
ford did this with the 4.6 5.4 "modular" engines and prior, with many other copy right infringements which gm and old's won in court? why make 2 blocks you only need 1 if its doing the job but i miss the sound of them those cars of their era sound good..
Enjoyed your show, especially about the Ralley 350. I have owened mine for 50 years now, with the mileage at 70k. It’s been in storage and not driven since 1980. Handling was impressive in the day and power was competitive with large block cars from GM.
Thx for the history! My dad was an Olds guy and had several cars during from the 60s. They seemed to run very well with good power and reliability. I remember one with the 425 in it that he loved. Looking forward to the Pontiacs!!
Not many Oldsmobile specific videos out there sadly. I love the unique tractor-like sound of older Oldsmobile engines. I don't care about the performance I'm keeping my exhaust crossover for that lovely sound. i love my Toronados because its the grandpa of FWD cars (yes i know of the Cord 812.) Lots of power, torque steer isnt an issue, and who doesnt love a land yacht.
Growing up we had a sawmill that was powered by a 425 olds out of my uncle's wrecked car and yes they have a very distinct sound that I have grown to love
took a trip in a full size mid 70's Oldsmobile it was so roomy and comfortable like taking a drive while sitting on your living room couch and very powerful reliable engine
I'm sure I've posted this but the 330 ci was a low deck small block , the first one , there was a smaller 260 V8 and 307 V8 , the 307 or 5.0 litre lasted till 1991 , and was the only GM V8 that could pass emissions in the 1990 s with a carbie ! All others needed EFI to pass, the Olds 307 along with all small blocks has magic 86 mm stroke , that every modern engine had Subaru WRX, Ford Coyote, Lambo motors , Toyota motors ! The twin squish combustion chamber is still the best pushrod design , the new Ford Godzilla 445 ci V8 has it ! And Olds 6 deg valve angles , magic , Honda uses 6 deg valve angles on CRF 450 Motorcross bikes , and the standard Olds port arrangement , well NASCAR teams did so much research , and in the end what port arrangement was found the best ? Olds standard port set up , Chev had the move the ports on SB2 heads the match Olds ports , Ford did the same and when Toyota built their first NASCAR V8 they chose Olds port set up ! That says a lot for Mr Charles F Kettering who designed the whole Olds engine family , 86 mm stroke the perfect one !
Olds went to the 455 in 68, not 70. The reason for the 2 versions of the 400 was 65-67 400s shared crank rods and pistons with the 425 and the 68 and later 400s shared the crank, rods and pistons with the 455.
You mentioned the 330 Olds. I have one hanging around (shed). UHC was in the lid. 320hp, in its original Vista, it scared me. I believe she made more than the factory claims. Mikel
I replaced a low compression 350 in a 1971 Cutlass with a 330 high compression from 67 Olds, It had a bit less torque from a dead stop but once you hit 25 mph it had amazing exceleration!
In 1971, while a Jr. in High School, l bought my uncles red w/white bucket interior 1964 Olds 442. The car had the ultra high compression 330 engine/4spd and it ran 14.90 at 93 mph in the 1/4 mile.
I’ve watched many of your videos and your very thorough! Thank you. I still own for many years a 1973 442 last year for the 455 4 speed combo. I rebuild the motor over 20 years now with L2323 pistons an Isky bracket cam Offy tunnel ram with edelbrock carbs, Milodon 7qt with windage tray factory rods and balanced too! I’ve spun this motor anywhere between 4000 to 6800 rpm and she’s still going! Not to mention numbers matching block. Oldsmobile made a real good solid quality engine back in the day.
Had a 76 cutlass with a 260 v8. Although it couldn’t get out of its own way the motor was indestructible . I currently own a 66 442 with the original 400 motor which is also a very well built
My dad had a '78 Cutlass Station Wagon with one of those 260's. 0-60 was overnight. A very smooth engine, but didn't have enough power to pull a string out of a greased cat's butt. He went to trade it in around '83, but the newer wagons were 6 cylinders and even worse. He said to hell with it, and took it to a friend's house to put a 350 in it. When he got there, he noticed a big block sitting there. He asked the guy "can you put THAT in there?" Guy said "It'll take some doing, but why not?" It was a 454 Corvette motor bored out to 476 ci (I'm pretty sure) that was putting out about 450 hp. A SERIOUS sleeper - certainly for the early 80's! I blew away a number of cars with that thing. The only problem was keeping the tires locked up!
Thank you for this program. I’m an old hotrodder/ engine builder and yes you hit the nail on the head with the early Diesel engines. First one I saw was in a Chevrolet pickup and thought it was an engine swap to an Olds. Anyway, also thanks for calling the engine torque ft lb not lb ft like some of these other so-called engine builders say.
Really enjoy your content. Born w gas running in my veins used to read chilton shop manuals to learn how to make repairs before I even began wrenching.
I am new to your channel and I just wanted to add this comment, in 1980 purchased a pew Pontiac Bonneville with a 5.7 diesel. I drove that car 160.000 miles and had no problems other than joining fuel a couple of times. Then in 1987 head bolts broke. GM replaced the engine free with what they called the Target program . Loved that car and that engine. Traded it in 1990. It had over 295.000 then. It consistently got 30 mpg. Loved your presentation.
I had a 62 Olds starfire, that car was the ultimate sleeper and a true muscle car. I enjoyed drag racing that on both street and strip and was very rewarding! Great video, but wished you mentioned the fuel injected engines that were also offered.😊
Had a beautiful 77 Cutlass back in the early 90’s. Loved that car. Never did anything to make it faster, like all my buddies were doing with their cars. It was super reliable, drove and rode great. 350R motor with the 4bl Quad. Probably had 175k trouble free miles on it when I traded it for a 72 Monte Carlo
We ordered a new Olds 88 4-door sedan with a 350. Before it was delivered we learned that all Olds 350s were going into the Cutlass line, and our 88 was being built with a Chevy 350. I said “No, thank you “ and reordered the car with a 403. Drove it for 17 years, 130,000 miles. Replaced it only because we were tired of it, wanted something newer. Always loved Oldsmobile, had several others over the years.
Great information thank you! I love the Olds engines as well. I had a 1975 Cutlass Salon with the tired and true 350 in high school. It was stock but it had a performance exhaust (Sonic Turbo mufflers from "Super Shops") and was a ton of fun ! So true about the 350 diesel blocks, they had so much meat / metal in between the cylinders you can bore and stroke them out to 440 cubic inches, and paint the block the same color as the 260 c.i. and you would have one helluva sleeper. As far as I can remember, the W-30 package on the Cutlass was a 455, W-31 was the 350. I don't know if I missed it or if you mentioned it, but I also liked the early high-revving "Ram Rod" 350's. Thanks again for the video!
Olds had a v8 engine in 1915. I had actually seen this car in the greater New Orleans aera at a use car lot own by Jay Armstrong. They were trying to figure out the firing order to get it running. I had work for Mossy Olds for over 20yrs in N.O. La. I remember very well working on these engines with there issues. Overall they were good engines. Great video
Hi, Our 72 Curlass Supreme 350 was Wondertful... was easy to tweak for fun also. Ours ran almost 200k. Changing springs and added KONI shocks with serious sway bars made it fun for aurocrossing and rallying. Thank you
I was assigned to GE in Schenectady for 6 months. I saw a 1967 Olds Cutlass Supreme in a field for $150 and bought it. That was the Summer of 1978 and that body was RUSTY! Open the trunk and there were 2 holes rusted through about 7'' wide and 2 feet long where you could reach through and touch the tires. I was on the Crosstown speeding with no traffic when I heard a clan da lang a lang. The jack fell through the hole in the trunk and tumbled down the freeway. The windshield frame was rusted out and the car was moldy from Summer rains. 3 tubes of silicone caulking gun RTV and bought 4 packs of Captain Black pipe tobacco and spread them all over the interior. It masked the smell a bit and stopped 80% of the leak. A few years later I drove it from New York to California by myself in 5 days. It burned 27 quarts of transmission fluid to get there. The rear main transmission seal went out and I replaced it in Texas by the side of the road. The tailshaft bearing was shot and it leaked oil after wiping out the new seal. Nothing stopped that juggernaut (nor its driver). I bought a big box of 50 M-80 firecrackers from a 4th of July stand in Missouri. I was so tired coming down that forever mountain by Winslow, Arizona that I started lighting firecrackers and tossing them out the window, watch the flash on the freeway in the mirror, hear the bang. The car was packed high with my worldly belongings leaving me only the pilot's seat for room to sit. I lit and tossed an M-80 out, maybe 3AM, no other cars, watching it in the mirror. BANG!!!! The wind blew it into my clothes piled high in the back seat and caught a tee shirt on fire. That woke me up. I smelled burning cotton for the next 2 hours and luckily the sparks went out. My ears rang for a day. I slept for 2 days straight after getting to LA. My dad sold it for $250 to the neighbor a few years later to get his gas voucher during the next round of gas shortages. What a car!
my father owned a 1961 olds f85 with the 215ci v8. the car was light, it had a 3 speed standard transmission. except for initial problems with prestone antifreeze. we went to dupont zerex antifreeze and that worked good. eventually a balljoint failed and it got towed away.my dad was a machine design engineer so his cars never got grease and oil like they needed.
I had the 394 Starfire ultra high compression engine in my 64 Super 88 that was handed down to me for my first car when I got my license. It was a powerful motor that moved the big 4300 # car down the road with ease.
Great information!! I've been a hot rodder all my life(77 yr old) and love to get the channel that details the cars we used to own and race. Keep it coming! I, too, want NO POLITICS in my channel.....we get way to much of that!
Very informative video these engines are a favourite of mine back in the 80's we bolted a 455 in my dads 1980 Chevy truck using all factory parts as the frame mounts were drilled for the diesel even if not equipped it was quite the sleeper compared to the 305 it replaced and that same engine is now in a 78 Chevy Z-28 with an overdrive behind it. I have one piece of additional information...in Canada the 307 was used in caprice sedans as well as Pontiac full size sedans thru 1990...keep up the good work bring this info to the younger enthusiast thanks Karl from eastern Canada
Myvintageiron7512 , The 1964 to '67 330's are all actually short deck engines and exactly the same as the 260/307/350/403 block height (same block and crankshaft stroke essentially, except for the bore). The first tall deck engines came in 1965 with the 400 and 425 , later on becoming the second version (small bore) 400, and the 455.
The Rallye 350 engine was just the standard Supreme 310 hp engine. The RamRod/W31 engine differed in the ; cyl head valve size, camshaft, distributor, carburetor, and another .25 point of compression.
I bought agod 79 Trans Am swapped out the 403 for a 74 455 out of a 98 and drove that vehicle for a decade with HEI ignition and Bosch platinum and never had any issues that car would powerdrift like a Porsche 911 and turn heads any time it was out in public .Gas was 40 cents per liter back then approx in 1992 I paid 1500 dollars for that car best vehicle I ever had !
In 1968 no 442 ever had a 350 and the Hurst Old's never had a 350. All 515 Old's Hurst Old's manufactured had a 455 CID engine. The 442 had a 400 CID engine. In 1970 GM did away with the restriction of no engine larger than 400 CID in a mid-size car. 442's then had a 455 CID engine. The W30 is for big blocks and the W31 is for small blocks. Just a correction in an otherwise excellent video. Thanks.
Thanks for clarifying that about the Oldsmobile engine s I didn't know that it had that many changes in the engines? I am an Oldsmobile muscle car fan. Because I gave my son the 1966 f-85 Cutlass/ car the kids grew up with. And I ended up giving it to my youngest son and he has it totally restored. Of course its been done up, well with a 355 possy differential. And the engine in it is a 455 stroker engine and I don't remember what it is now? But I know that it's bigger than the 455 that was in it and it has a rebuilt transmission/ turbo 400 automatic. New factory color paint. It's a light blue 🔵 Lucerne mist with a little metal flake mixed in
Yes, very sad. GM purposely killed Olds, Pontiac, and Saturn. Instead of letting private hands buy the marques, like Penske wanted Pontiac, then Saturn, but GM turned it down and let them die. GM couldn't let a former brand to be run by engineers and possibly forge into new directions and become highly successful with wanted models. Go figure.
Good job! Thanks so much! Enjoy all the engine history. Got my license in 1973 and a 1961 Oldsmobile Super 88 with a 394 4bbl. Tire roasting monster. You do you, Bring it on, Dominate! Now a 5.2, 5.9, and a L19 7.4 factory 454 G30 EXT, all in vans, lol. V8 Van museum. Plus a little Chevy 4.3 in a SeaRay, and a little Pentastar 3.6 V6 in a Ram 1500 Shorty. 305 HP, 269 torque is plenty. No more Ram Regular cab Shorty pickups, since mid 2023. Only Reg cab longbed pickups. now. You do get the 33 gallon fuel tank. But still. The 3.6 is the only V block without MDS. Get the Hemi, get MDS, and E-Torque. But the 2024's with V8's are on and coming to the lots, some good deals are out there. Also, is 2024 the last year for the Dodge/Ram V8's?
Also, in 64, besides being the last year for the 394, the new 330 had rocker arm shaft heads, but in 65 Olds went to pedestal mount rockers same as the 400 and 425.
Rocker shaft was very good on the early Olds V8s. The later rocker arrangement I didn't care for in the beginning. They proved to be durable with a bolt holding the rocker to a pivot ball. Chevy and Pontiac rocker studs were pressed on to the heads and pulled out at sustained high RPM.
You mentioned the 1970 Rally 350 but forgot about the 1970 W31 package which featured the same engine and chrome trim. In 1971, the year of the great Compression ration drop my brother ordered a new Cutlass S with the following features. Take note of the features listed because this feature set triggered some under the table enhancements and was a GM policy for Olds, and Chevy. What they were doing was hotting up cars that appeared to be ordered with the intent of being raced. The feature set is rather simple, Basic Radio, NO AIR CONDITIONING, Performance suspension, performance exhaust system, performance rear axle ration, manual transmission, and a 4 barrel carburetor. When delivered my brothers 1971 Cutlass had a 1970 W31 engine under the hood that under a compression test produced 205 PSI or a touch better on all 8 cylinders. I also have to say the engine felt a lot like it made 370 HP.
I bought a 1969 delta88 convertible for $200 I was in high school (class of 81) One of the pistons had a broken ring land so it was parked I rebuilt the engine in high school auto shop Of course I put in a mild cam and raised the compression slightly That car has been in my family since I got it One of the best trouble free smoothest running fun to drive “hard to park” cars I’ve ever owned It has been used in many local parades and high school events Best $780 including rebuild I’ve ever spent My kids tell me they are never ever getting rid of the BOAT🥲
The Rallye 350 actually started in '68, and was called Jr. Super Stocker, or Code Name W31. The '68 had the most power, advertised as 350HP, and was the first hydraulic cam engine with a factory 6000rpm rev limit. I had one of those engines in an '80 Cutlass Salon, with a Doug Nash Street 5-speed, 3.08 posi and FE3 suspension pkg. Granny shifting (taking foot off throttle when clutching) at 5000rpm, it could break traction in all five gears, with third at over 90mph. It was quite a car.
My father had a 66 starfire with a 4 spd. A very rare car one of only 12 made all built the same day. My brother talked to a guy that worked on the Starfire line back in 66. My 1st car was a 1970 w31 back when i was 18. Wish i still had that car.
I drove a 260 Delta 88 (unleaded fuel only) in my early years ( father’s car), it had ok low end torque and was able to cruise at 60 mph with little effort. But beside that, it had no pull. They did not have a 305 in 77, the 350 was the next option followed by the 403. I have seen a 403 Delta 88 run against a Corvette of the same years and the 403 Delta took the best of the Corvette. During those past years, you would have told me that 700hp street cars would be available in car dealers one day, I would have not believed it for a second. (Tks for keeping the channel neutral and politic free).
Wow, I have a 50s GMC here in my backyard with an Oldsmobile in it. For most of my life I just assumed some backyard mechanic pieced it together... I might need to research this. Thanks
I have A 403 IN A 70 cUTLASS. People rag on the 403 because of the main webs. Have you ever heard of a failure of the main webs? I haven't. IMHO the cap takes the beating. What say you?
@@tomcrosby6332 Seen many pics of cranks blown out the bottom of 403's with the main caps still on it. Good for 400 to maybe 450 HP and if you want more then you'd better find a stronger foundation for your build !
Thanks Mr. King. I put 70 350 heads on it and a "Voodoo" cam, headers. If I got 400 horse, I'd be pretty happy. My tranny shifts at about 5200.@@tking7513
I can from experience, George Hurst truly dropped the ball by not installing rebuilt switch pitch torque converters in their H/O machines. GM would have made up for their displacement limitations if they had kept on with those.
@@albertgaspar627 Some 1966-1968 Oldsmobile Toronados had switch pitch converters in them. It was an option on the 68 W-34 or on custom orders. I'm more knowledgeable on the facelifted but I'm pretty sure the 66s had an option for the switch pitch too. If I'm wrong please correct me
@@crazycoffee mine was an aftermarket conversion on a manual valve body THM400. I believe your information is correct, however. It was used from the late 1950's until mid 1960's on two and three speed Buick transmissions, but was operated by the throttle. you stomped on the gas, and with the weak first gear ratio of the two speed, flashing to a near 3,000 rpm stall speed really helped move 4,000 lbs of GM luxury car. mine can be manually activated by a switch built into the T handle of a Hurst ratchet shifter. I've seen mentions in Oldsmobiles until 1968. i think you're correct about the Toronado, not sure if it made its way to motorhomes. it's a nifty street and strip device that would have been a selling point for the supercar wars of 1960's.
My very first car was a used 1980 Delta 88 Royale 2-door with a 307. Nothing to right home about powerwise but man was it strong, smooth and reliable! Besides my daily drivers, I also have a 1962 Olds Dynamic 88 2-door with a 394. Again, strong, smooth and reliable!
My friends dad was a dedicated Olds man and bought one of those rallye's and changed up to chrome bumpers , keystone chrome wheels , did make the car look better. His dad was always changing things to his liking if it wasnt on the option list.
Worked at a Cadillac dealer, made a lot of money installing auxiliary fuel tanks and water separators on diesels powered cads. If you rebuild the pumps and matched the pop off pressures on the injectors they ran pretty good. Also saw 2 broken cranks and a few wristpins broke.
My dad had a 79 Olds diesel. I don't recall him having any trouble with. Living in Iowa, there was at least one trip to CA with the car. My bother got the car for a few years, I'm sure it had 130 thousand plus when sold outside of family. Got pretty good mpg.
Thanks for discussing the Olds engine, been waiting for this one.. One of my favorite engines, own a 84 rear drive Cadillac coupe Deville I re-powered with a new Olds 350 after the original 4100 (252 cubic inches) aluminum V8 desentegrated around 50,000 miles. It was a perfect drop in with minor wiring and tubing modification. Night and day performance from a tiny underpowered engine in a 4400 lb car to a proper V8 with more power. Hope you go over the Pontiac, and Cadillac engines.
Cadillac was in bad shape in the early 1980's. They were going to phase out their full sized body-on-frame cars and they let their big V8 go after the V864 debacle. All they had was the 4100 V8 that was created for the front drive platforms. But, when the OPEC crisis was resolved, suddenly Cadillac was faced with massive demand for their big C-body cars again but, all they had was the 4100. So they put in a rear end gear ratio of 3.54:1 (as I recall) just to help that poor engine move the car. The whole thing was just inadequate and there's no way Cadillac could revive its old cast iron V8s. Eventually, they had to borrow Chevy's 5.7 L for the trailer towing package and got by until the early 1990's when they got their version of Buick's Roadmaster with the slightly detuned Corvette LT1 engine.
@@Myvintageiron7512 - Pontiac and Olds are mid block engines... by bore spacing... should forget the terms small block and big block when discussing them and use short deck, regular deck, and tall deck...
Enjoyed your discussion on the olds engines. I think however even the 1950 303 engines used hydraulic valve lifters . I remember many of the early olds engined with tappet noise when people put off chinging oil often enough.
Did some early Olds engines have their hydraulic lifters replaced with a redesign? (Tended to get noisy with the varnishing oils of the era) Were there a very few with loose piston pins and/or piston skirts that tended to crack? Or possibly was that in the 1956 model year?
I like ths series, it's always interesting to hear the history of anything really, cars, tractors and my perrsonal favorite which is steam locomotives, gonna head to Chacgo and see Union Pacific 4014, aka the Big Boy as it travels the UP system next year.
I had a 1971 Oldsmobile Vista cruiser 350.i put a new top end on her .wen I went to do my pullshion control the man said this thing runs better than most new cars.we called it the blue flame.
I was an
I was an "Oldsmobile Guy" in the early 70's. I owned several Old 442's with the W30 package. I raced a lot and the car ran great on the track. I put headers and modified the heads with opened ports and roller rockers. I enjoyed beating my Ford and Mopar guys. Those were the days.
Very cool!
Thanks for the great history lesson. I had a 1978 Olds 88 Rocket 350 in Inuvik NWT as a taxi back in 1983/4. Before I got into Oil Rigs. Loved that car, solid.
Very informative, I'm 63 years old been a mechanic for 43 years and was inpressed with your video, I also love olds 455 engines, my first car was a 70 delta 88 with a 2bbl rocket 350, I took my Dads 1976 98 regency with a 455 to my senior prom, I worked on many olds diesels, once did head gsk's on a v-6 olds diesel.
Oldsmobile did make a 4-4-2 in 1964 which had the 330 engine in it. The 4-4-2 stood for the 4 barrel carb, 4 speed and dual exhaust. this package was available in the F85 and the Cutlass. the 442 package had the 330 Police Apprehender Pursuit Package which had This equipment included a dual-snorkel air cleaner and a premium quality rod as well as main bearings. These tweaks brought the engine from its normal 290 horsepower up to 310.
there was another Oldsmobile that had the ultra high compression which was in 1965 that was offered in the Starfire and Jetstar I. Those were the 375 horse 425. In 1966 the Jetstar I was dropped and the Starfire price dropped to what the Jetstar was priced at. the 1966 Starfire had the 375 horse 425.
10 hp less than the 425 in the 1966 Toronado. The 425 used in the Toronado and Starfire had the .921 in lifter bore size due the camshafts used in those versions of the 425 and both had the same compression ratio of 10.5:1. Very good history on the Oldsmobile engines! I got a soft spot for Oldsmobile. They were innovators back in the day.
No 350 in 64 442, 330 only. 350 introduced in 68
The 307 is probably the smoothest carb’d V8 GM made also their last carb’d V8 (and maybe any engine). I’ve had a bunch of Olds, including a 78 Cutlass with a 305 Chevy 🥴
I was an automotive machinist from 1978 to 1987 and I loved going to work everyday ! I worked at Martin & Otterback in Hyattsville Maryland. I love your channel man it takes me back to the good days !
W31 was a beast
One of the things I've always prided myself on as a professional tech is to be the guy that did and became proficient in areas that other techs were too scared to do. It's how I became an automatic transmission mechanic and repair shop owner. I had the same attitude in regard to the 5.7 diesel back in those days. I'm not saying I regret being "that guy", but dang, the 5.7 was one of those deals where you just weren't really going to make it better than what it was. The head gasket issue, that was nowhere near as much of a problem as the fuel system. Injector contamination and failure being top of the list and governor failure in the pump being next.
the best use of the Olds diesel 350 was to get chummy with a machine shop, and cut down a forged 425 crank to make a gas fed, stroker small block out of the D350. some people even took the block racing at its displacement or bored out to 365 cid with 425 pistons.
and you're right about being "that guy" who is the "XYZ whisperer" in a workspace.
@@albertgaspar627 Well if I ever knew anybody was doing that, I've forgotten! All my engine work experience was at dealerships doing warranty work, no performance work. Transmission work became my specialty. But that sounds like a cool idea. That block and heads have got to be pretty rare by now I imagine.
@@howlinhogfor some reason, youtube doesn't like me posting links to websites outside it, but if you look for Mondello stroker small blocks 440 cid popular hot rod magazine, you'll probably find the article on it. I was wrong about the pistons, remembering the old 365 cid bore out formula on the gas-powered 350s prior to 1977. doing 440-454 inches out of a small block Olds wasn't cheap, but this was back when the Dart chevy block wasn't really around to get that many CID.
but i think i remember some NASCAR crew using the diesel block until the D block came out for them, or it was dirt track racing...too many years, too many beers, if you know what i mean :)
growing up, i was always advised to find a speciality if i wanted to keep any job. i also learned that being punctual and reliable also helped keep most jobs :)
@thepolkster46 Yeah! I would tell the customer, your rubber band broke. The part of the governor that always failed was a flexible ring, not really rubber, but it may as well have been.
Gale Banks had his own opinions on the D350 and sure as shit, everything he said would go wrong did. There's a great video of him explaining how GM tapped him to criticise it, then they didn't listen to his advice. I'd say the 6.2/6.5 TD, though gutless, began to bridge the diesel gap back to consumers, and the Duramax ran it out the back door.
Excellent overview. '55 324-haver here, talk about a really great engine- it and the 88 2-door post around it have been driven hard and fast all over the country, well over 100,000 miles worth since 1984, and it is smooth as a greasy doorknob, quiet as a librarian and strong as an ox. Did a rebuild, its first at 160,000 miles, in 2014 to address valve and head issues; the main and rod bearings/journals showed absolutely minimal wear as did the bores. Had heard tell of the Rocket's high nickel content in the block, can confirm the engine's resistance to wear. Was planning to simply hone and re-ring the original pistons as they looked very good w/ minimal skirt wear until I spotted hairline cracks in half of them- the only weak spot in 324s. When's the last time you ran stock-size new pistons in holes that had negligible taper and needed nothing but a hone, in an engine with so many miles and years? Outstanding engine, and coupled with the slant-pan Hydramatic just a legendary package. Next year will mark forty years of stewardship and it's still a true friend. Will always have respect and a soft spot for Oldsmobile. Thanks for your typically knowledgeable and detailed redux.
Really good video. Back in my day Olds also made a really great small block Chevy racing block you could order from any GM dealership with 400 bore but 350 size mains. You could make a sweet high reving 373/377 world beater. Just a couple of corrections. The 330 was the first small block olds v8. Also the Olds 350 had the largest bore of all gasoline GM 350s. It had the best bore to stroke ratio of the 350s. Again, great job telling a lot of gear heads history they otherwise would have never heard. PS, Old stinkers like me always recommended the customer replace the diesel 350 with a 403. More fun to test drive!
when Smokey Yunick came out with his long connecting rod theory, circle trackers used to get the 6 inch Olds small block connecting rod for their Chevy 355's and claim it was factory. but the pre 1977 olds 350 could get bored out to a 425 piston for 365 and do great in a "claimer" racing class. you just had to avoid the temptation to slap on big block heads--Olds figured out for the Ram Rod that just the big block valves would do.
You can take Oldsmobile diesel 350 put a 425 crank 425 or 455 heads and cam bore the block over .125 over basically converting to a gas engine it will be 440 small block stroker V8. Order make a 425 Oldsmobile crank work in that block the crank counter weights cut down and rebalance. Used a 454 big block connecting rods.
Drill out bolt holds on the heads for the larger diesel head bolt work on the Oldsmobile gas heads.
It would off nice the Hemi olds made it to play ground.
@@thehemiolds455 W43 455 big blocks was originally planned for 1973 model year
Olds did so much for the automobile for sure. I never dreamed that eventually, GM would put the division to pasture. I never thought Pontiac would be retired either. I'll take an early 70s Olds 98 with a 455 under the hood.
Would rather have a 400 or 425 with a forged crankshaft.
Or a smaller car (F 85?) with a 4 barrel dual exhaust 330 which was probably better than the later 350 which in turn was a heavier and more robust engine than the even later 403 and the 307 (although in their detuned low compression state they were probably 200,000. mile reliable.)
That's what I gave my son! It was a 1966 f-85/Cutlass with a 330 2 speed power glide transmission. But that was back when they were kids and then I put the 455 355 possy differential in it. Because I burned up the original driving the heck out of the 273 gears differential in it. But it's way past that now. Because it's completely restored with all of the goodies on it now.
I had a 1968 Olds Cutlass Supreme in the 1980s, I never knew how good and strong the 350 was until long after I had sold it, kick myself now for selling it. I think the '68 Cutlass was the best looking body style, I guess it was a one year only body. I didnt know I had a muscle car in my hands
Thank God there are still motorheads like you and you are forever appreciated.😊
I appreciate that
Thank you from a Olds guy back to my father who's first car was and Olds 88.
This video was well done. Thanks for your efforts. I expected to be bored at some point but it never happened. My folks owned a '69 Olds Cutlass w/a 2bb 350 'Rocket' V8. Best driving/riding automobile they ever owned.
Same car here....69
Car screamed, really quick for a bone stock car....
I do miss my 71 Oldsmobile Cutlass, a 350/TH 350 white with black bucket interior roadway cruiser. Many a good mile on the roads, and he always saw me home. One thing I did want to change though, all four corners were drum brakes. Sure made me learn to tinker with them drums to keep optimal brake pedal feel and stopping power. Those were nice days when I was younger and wanted to work on a vehicle, and began my tool collecting days.
The 330 the first Oldsmobile engine made on the new platform was never called a "small block" until the tall deck engines came out on the same engine platform. Then they were clumped in with the other short deck Oldsmobile engines on this platform. They were similar to the way Mopar made there big blocks, the "B" and the "RB" for raised block. Same engine platform different deck heights just like the Oldsmobile engine platform.
They might have marketed the 260, 307, 350, 403 as "small blocks" to make people think they had 2 engine platforms when they only had 1 as a marketing ploy. But the fact is that they only had 1 engine platform starting with the 330 which was a short deck engine that was only called an Oldsmobile engine when it came out. Perhaps this is why you thought it was a tall deck?
Cool series, thanks for all the work you put in to make thes videos.😎👍
ford did this with the 4.6 5.4 "modular" engines and prior, with many other copy right infringements which gm and old's won in court? why make 2 blocks you only need 1 if its doing the job but i miss the sound of them those cars of their era sound good..
Enjoyed your show, especially about the Ralley 350. I have owened mine for 50 years now, with the mileage at 70k. It’s been in storage and not driven since 1980. Handling was impressive in the day and power was competitive with large block cars from GM.
Absolutely loving this docuseries of V8 engines! Huge amount of info and love the historical and foundational info!
Thx for the history!
My dad was an Olds guy and had several cars during from the 60s.
They seemed to run very well with good power and reliability. I remember one with the 425 in it that he loved.
Looking forward to the Pontiacs!!
Not many Oldsmobile specific videos out there sadly. I love the unique tractor-like sound of older Oldsmobile engines. I don't care about the performance I'm keeping my exhaust crossover for that lovely sound. i love my Toronados because its the grandpa of FWD cars (yes i know of the Cord 812.) Lots of power, torque steer isnt an issue, and who doesnt love a land yacht.
Growing up we had a sawmill that was powered by a 425 olds out of my uncle's wrecked car and yes they have a very distinct sound that I have grown to love
took a trip in a full size mid 70's Oldsmobile it was so roomy and comfortable like taking a drive while sitting on your living room couch and very powerful reliable engine
Great video. Brings back memories of my parents 77 Olds. That thing was a tank and very easy to maintain. Thanks for sharing all of this great info.
Gotta love Olds. I have my 1961 Olds 98 with the 394 V8, 10:1 compression 4bbl 4-jet carb. Sounds good even with a stock single exhaust.
Very nice job on all these videos. Much appreciated! I had the Olds 215 in a Vega. It wasn't real fast, but made all the correct sounds! Ron
I'm sure I've posted this but the 330 ci was a low deck small block , the first one , there was a smaller 260 V8 and 307 V8 , the 307 or 5.0 litre lasted till 1991 , and was the only GM V8 that could pass emissions in the 1990 s with a carbie ! All others needed EFI to pass, the Olds 307 along with all small blocks has magic 86 mm stroke , that every modern engine had Subaru WRX, Ford Coyote, Lambo motors , Toyota motors ! The twin squish combustion chamber is still the best pushrod design , the new Ford Godzilla 445 ci V8 has it ! And Olds 6 deg valve angles , magic , Honda uses 6 deg valve angles on CRF 450 Motorcross bikes , and the standard Olds port arrangement , well NASCAR teams did so much research , and in the end what port arrangement was found the best ? Olds standard port set up , Chev had the move the ports on SB2 heads the match Olds ports , Ford did the same and when Toyota built their first NASCAR V8 they chose Olds port set up ! That says a lot for Mr Charles F Kettering who designed the whole Olds engine family , 86 mm stroke the perfect one !
Olds went to the 455 in 68, not 70. The reason for the 2 versions of the 400 was 65-67 400s shared crank rods and pistons with the 425 and the 68 and later 400s shared the crank, rods and pistons with the 455.
If the later 400 shared crank rods and pistons with the 455 wouldn't it mKe it a 455???
Yeah that's what I thought too. Must be mistaken
One of the best all-around car I have owned was a loaded 62 Starfire until the 14 z51 Stingray. I had all Cads and Olds in between.
Thanks for putting this together and sharing all this. 👍
You mentioned the 330 Olds. I have one hanging around (shed). UHC was in the lid. 320hp, in its original Vista, it scared me. I believe she made more than the factory claims.
Mikel
I replaced a low compression 350 in a 1971 Cutlass with a 330 high compression from 67 Olds, It had a bit less torque from a dead stop but once you hit 25 mph it had amazing exceleration!
@@basilcarroll9729 you just needed the Jetaway trans with the throttle switch. Yup a 330 is a banshee.
Mikel
pontiac engines were used in GMC trucks too.
In 1971, while a Jr. in High School, l bought my uncles red w/white bucket interior 1964 Olds 442. The car had the ultra high compression 330 engine/4spd and it ran 14.90 at 93 mph in the 1/4 mile.
I’ve watched many of your videos and your very thorough! Thank you. I still own for many years a 1973 442 last year for the 455 4 speed combo. I rebuild the motor over 20 years now with L2323 pistons an Isky bracket cam Offy tunnel ram with edelbrock carbs, Milodon 7qt with windage tray factory rods and balanced too! I’ve spun this motor anywhere between 4000 to 6800 rpm and she’s still going! Not to mention numbers matching block. Oldsmobile made a real good solid quality engine back in the day.
Had a 76 cutlass with a 260 v8. Although it couldn’t get out of its own way the motor was indestructible . I currently own a 66 442 with the original 400 motor which is also a very well built
My dad had a '78 Cutlass Station Wagon with one of those 260's. 0-60 was overnight. A very smooth engine, but didn't have enough power to pull a string out of a greased cat's butt.
He went to trade it in around '83, but the newer wagons were 6 cylinders and even worse. He said to hell with it, and took it to a friend's house to put a 350 in it. When he got there, he noticed a big block sitting there. He asked the guy "can you put THAT in there?" Guy said "It'll take some doing, but why not?" It was a 454 Corvette motor bored out to 476 ci (I'm pretty sure) that was putting out about 450 hp. A SERIOUS sleeper - certainly for the early 80's!
I blew away a number of cars with that thing. The only problem was keeping the tires locked up!
I know I just seen somewhere an engine builder had made a 425 Olds small block by using a 350 crank in the 403. The 403 stock uses a 330 crank.
The 403 has the same stroke as the 350.....
Thank you for this program. I’m an old hotrodder/ engine builder and yes you hit the nail on the head with the early Diesel engines. First one I saw was in a Chevrolet pickup and thought it was an engine swap to an Olds. Anyway, also thanks for calling the engine torque ft lb not lb ft like some of these other so-called engine builders say.
Really enjoy your content. Born w gas running in my veins used to read chilton shop manuals to learn how to make repairs before I even began wrenching.
You're good people. Thanks for all you do and the info you share.
I am new to your channel and I just wanted to add this comment, in 1980 purchased a pew Pontiac Bonneville with a 5.7 diesel. I drove that car 160.000 miles and had no problems other than joining fuel a couple of times. Then in 1987 head bolts broke. GM replaced the engine free with what they called the Target program . Loved that car and that engine. Traded it in 1990. It had over 295.000 then. It consistently got 30 mpg. Loved your presentation.
I had a 62 Olds starfire, that car was the ultimate sleeper and a true muscle car. I enjoyed drag racing that on both street and strip and was very rewarding! Great video, but wished you mentioned the fuel injected engines that were also offered.😊
I had a 1973 cutlass in 1988 when I graduated high school .loved that car. 350 rocket. I really miss that car. Thank you for remembering great csrs
Glad you enjoyed it
Good information! But you forgot to mention the “RamRod” 350. Rare and quite powerful.
Yes I was thinking the same thing! I have a W-31 with that high rev 350 in it wondering what setup would be?🤔
Outstanding series and job.Thank you
Had a beautiful 77 Cutlass back in the early 90’s. Loved that car. Never did anything to make it faster, like all my buddies were doing with their cars. It was super reliable, drove and rode great. 350R motor with the 4bl Quad. Probably had 175k trouble free miles on it when I traded it for a 72 Monte Carlo
We ordered a new Olds 88 4-door sedan with a 350. Before it was delivered we learned that all Olds 350s were going into the Cutlass line, and our 88 was being built with a Chevy 350. I said “No, thank you “ and reordered the car with a 403. Drove it for 17 years, 130,000 miles. Replaced it only because we were tired of it, wanted something newer. Always loved Oldsmobile, had several others over the years.
Great information thank you! I love the Olds engines as well. I had a 1975 Cutlass Salon with the tired and true 350 in high school. It was stock but it had a performance exhaust (Sonic Turbo mufflers from "Super Shops") and was a ton of fun ! So true about the 350 diesel blocks, they had so much meat / metal in between the cylinders you can bore and stroke them out to 440 cubic inches, and paint the block the same color as the 260 c.i. and you would have one helluva sleeper. As far as I can remember, the W-30 package on the Cutlass was a 455, W-31 was the 350. I don't know if I missed it or if you mentioned it, but I also liked the early high-revving "Ram Rod" 350's. Thanks again for the video!
I think I saw a 330 whose serial number started with W,don't remember whether it was W-31 or W-30 .
Olds had a v8 engine in 1915. I had actually seen this car in the greater New Orleans aera at a use car lot own by Jay Armstrong. They were trying to figure out the firing order to get it running. I had work for Mossy Olds for over 20yrs in N.O. La. I remember very well working on these engines with there issues. Overall they were good engines. Great video
Hi, Our 72 Curlass Supreme 350 was Wondertful... was easy to tweak for fun also. Ours ran almost 200k. Changing springs and added KONI shocks with serious sway bars made it fun for aurocrossing and rallying. Thank you
I was assigned to GE in Schenectady for 6 months. I saw a 1967 Olds Cutlass Supreme in a field for $150 and bought it. That was the Summer of 1978 and that body was RUSTY! Open the trunk and there were 2 holes rusted through about 7'' wide and 2 feet long where you could reach through and touch the tires. I was on the Crosstown speeding with no traffic when I heard a clan da lang a lang. The jack fell through the hole in the trunk and tumbled down the freeway. The windshield frame was rusted out and the car was moldy from Summer rains. 3 tubes of silicone caulking gun RTV and bought 4 packs of Captain Black pipe tobacco and spread them all over the interior. It masked the smell a bit and stopped 80% of the leak.
A few years later I drove it from New York to California by myself in 5 days. It burned 27 quarts of transmission fluid to get there. The rear main transmission seal went out and I replaced it in Texas by the side of the road. The tailshaft bearing was shot and it leaked oil after wiping out the new seal. Nothing stopped that juggernaut (nor its driver).
I bought a big box of 50 M-80 firecrackers from a 4th of July stand in Missouri. I was so tired coming down that forever mountain by Winslow, Arizona that I started lighting firecrackers and tossing them out the window, watch the flash on the freeway in the mirror, hear the bang. The car was packed high with my worldly belongings leaving me only the pilot's seat for room to sit. I lit and tossed an M-80 out, maybe 3AM, no other cars, watching it in the mirror. BANG!!!! The wind blew it into my clothes piled high in the back seat and caught a tee shirt on fire. That woke me up. I smelled burning cotton for the next 2 hours and luckily the sparks went out. My ears rang for a day. I slept for 2 days straight after getting to LA. My dad sold it for $250 to the neighbor a few years later to get his gas voucher during the next round of gas shortages. What a car!
my father owned a 1961 olds f85 with the 215ci v8. the car was light, it had a 3 speed standard transmission. except for initial problems with prestone antifreeze. we went to dupont zerex antifreeze and that worked good. eventually a balljoint failed and it got towed away.my dad was a machine design engineer so his cars never got grease and oil like they needed.
My dad's 84 delta 88 got 33mpg.... that engine is still sitting in the barn
I had one with the 307. Great car. Should've kept it.
Great series, I'm enjoying them all.
The 330 was a small block.
Enjoyed your video. There are no negative vibes here on my end
I had the 394 Starfire ultra high compression engine in my 64 Super 88 that was handed down to me for my first car when I got my license. It was a powerful motor that moved the big 4300 # car down the road with ease.
Great information!! I've been a hot rodder all my life(77 yr old) and love to get the channel that details the cars we used to own and race. Keep it coming! I, too, want NO POLITICS in my channel.....we get way to much of that!
Lots of excellent Knowledge content. Like always.
Very informative video these engines are a favourite of mine back in the 80's we bolted a 455 in my dads 1980 Chevy truck using all factory parts as the frame mounts were drilled for the diesel even if not equipped it was quite the sleeper compared to the 305 it replaced and that same engine is now in a 78 Chevy Z-28 with an overdrive behind it. I have one piece of additional information...in Canada the 307 was used in caprice sedans as well as Pontiac full size sedans thru 1990...keep up the good work bring this info to the younger enthusiast thanks Karl from eastern Canada
Myvintageiron7512 , The 1964 to '67 330's are all actually short deck engines and exactly the same as the 260/307/350/403 block height (same block and crankshaft stroke essentially, except for the bore). The first tall deck engines came in 1965 with the 400 and 425 , later on becoming the second version (small bore) 400, and the 455.
Not a GM guy, but I have always been curious about their different lines of engines, and thank you the pearls on these different GM engines.
I was always under the impression the Rallye 350 shared the same engine as the 68/69 "Ram Rod".
The Rallye 350 engine was just the standard Supreme 310 hp engine. The RamRod/W31 engine differed in the ; cyl head valve size, camshaft, distributor, carburetor, and another .25 point of compression.
I bought agod 79 Trans Am swapped out the 403 for a 74 455 out of a 98 and drove that vehicle for a decade with HEI ignition and Bosch platinum and never had any issues that car would powerdrift like a Porsche 911 and turn heads any time it was out in public .Gas was 40 cents per liter back then approx in 1992 I paid 1500 dollars for that car best vehicle I ever had !
In 1968 no 442 ever had a 350 and the Hurst Old's never had a 350. All 515 Old's Hurst Old's manufactured had a 455 CID engine. The 442 had a 400 CID engine. In 1970 GM did away with the restriction of no engine larger than 400 CID in a mid-size car. 442's then had a 455 CID engine. The W30 is for big blocks and the W31 is for small blocks. Just a correction in an otherwise excellent video. Thanks.
Small block was the ram rod 350.
@@royleininger8427 You are correct W31.
The 455 was a taller deck 350 or was it a completely different block?
@@sydrider6023 Completely different block.
Thanks for clarifying that about the Oldsmobile engine s I didn't know that it had that many changes in the engines? I am an Oldsmobile muscle car fan. Because I gave my son the 1966 f-85 Cutlass/ car the kids grew up with. And I ended up giving it to my youngest son and he has it totally restored. Of course its been done up, well with a 355 possy differential. And the engine in it is a 455 stroker engine and I don't remember what it is now? But I know that it's bigger than the 455 that was in it and it has a rebuilt transmission/ turbo 400 automatic. New factory color paint. It's a light blue 🔵 Lucerne mist with a little metal flake mixed in
Awesome video! Very interesting taking a walk down memory lane. Unfortunate that
GM killed the Olds.
Yes, very sad. GM purposely killed Olds, Pontiac, and Saturn. Instead of letting private hands buy the marques, like Penske wanted Pontiac, then Saturn, but GM turned it down and let them die. GM couldn't let a former brand to be run by engineers and possibly forge into new directions and become highly successful with wanted models. Go figure.
Super interesting presentation. Love it.
Good job! Thanks so much! Enjoy all the engine history. Got my license in 1973 and a 1961 Oldsmobile Super 88 with a 394 4bbl. Tire roasting monster. You do you, Bring it on, Dominate!
Now a 5.2, 5.9, and a L19 7.4 factory 454 G30 EXT, all in vans, lol. V8 Van museum.
Plus a little Chevy 4.3 in a SeaRay, and a little Pentastar 3.6 V6 in a Ram 1500 Shorty. 305 HP, 269 torque is plenty.
No more Ram Regular cab Shorty pickups, since mid 2023. Only Reg cab longbed pickups. now. You do get the 33 gallon fuel tank. But still. The 3.6 is the only V block without MDS. Get the Hemi, get MDS, and E-Torque. But the 2024's with V8's are on and coming to the lots, some good deals are out there.
Also, is 2024 the last year for the Dodge/Ram V8's?
Also, in 64, besides being the last year for the 394, the new 330 had rocker arm shaft heads, but in 65 Olds went to pedestal mount rockers same as the 400 and 425.
Rocker shaft was very good on the early Olds V8s. The later rocker arrangement I didn't care for in the beginning. They proved to be durable with a bolt holding the rocker to a pivot ball.
Chevy and Pontiac rocker studs were pressed on to the heads and pulled out at sustained high RPM.
Well done video. Looking forward to the Pontiac video.
I like this man’s vids. Love Olds and Ford!
In all the Oldsmobiles that I owned, I have had all of these engines except the 303 and the diesel. Nice vid, thanks!
Very cool!
These types of videos are excellent great job
You mentioned the 1970 Rally 350 but forgot about the 1970 W31 package which featured the same engine and chrome trim. In 1971, the year of the great Compression ration drop my brother ordered a new Cutlass S with the following features. Take note of the features listed because this feature set triggered some under the table enhancements and was a GM policy for Olds, and Chevy. What they were doing was hotting up cars that appeared to be ordered with the intent of being raced. The feature set is rather simple, Basic Radio, NO AIR CONDITIONING, Performance suspension, performance exhaust system, performance rear axle ration, manual transmission, and a 4 barrel carburetor. When delivered my brothers 1971 Cutlass had a 1970 W31 engine under the hood that under a compression test produced 205 PSI or a touch better on all 8 cylinders. I also have to say the engine felt a lot like it made 370 HP.
I had a 68 Olds cutlass s , 350, I put a 4bbl, bigger cam , loved that car.
Great job thanks for sharing
Very interesting thank you very much I do often listen and follow your sight! Kind regards, Mats. Lindén Sweden
Excellent education,intresting and enjoyable👍👍👍
Always loved Oldsmobiles as well. Nice cars with great power trains.
I bought a 1969 delta88 convertible for $200
I was in high school
(class of 81)
One of the pistons had a broken ring land so it was parked
I rebuilt the engine in high school auto shop Of course I put in a mild cam and raised the compression slightly
That car has been in my family since I got it
One of the best trouble free smoothest running fun to drive
“hard to park” cars I’ve ever owned
It has been used in many local parades and high school events
Best $780 including rebuild I’ve ever spent
My kids tell me they are never ever getting rid of the BOAT🥲
Keep up the series, Well done sir
The Rallye 350 actually started in '68, and was called Jr. Super Stocker, or Code Name W31. The '68 had the most power, advertised as 350HP, and was the first hydraulic cam engine with a factory 6000rpm rev limit. I had one of those engines in an '80 Cutlass Salon, with a Doug Nash Street 5-speed, 3.08 posi and FE3 suspension pkg. Granny shifting (taking foot off throttle when clutching) at 5000rpm, it could break traction in all five gears, with third at over 90mph. It was quite a car.
Still have an 84 cutlass with 350 rocket with 68 7A heads no beast but very stout glad I kept it Olds powered sounds soo nice 👍
My father had a 66 starfire with a 4 spd. A very rare car one of only 12 made all built the same day. My brother talked to a guy that worked on the Starfire line back in 66.
My 1st car was a 1970 w31 back when i was 18. Wish i still had that car.
incredibly well done brother.
Great video. Learned a ton.
I drove a 260 Delta 88 (unleaded fuel only) in my early years ( father’s car), it had ok low end torque and was able to cruise at 60 mph with little effort. But beside that, it had no pull. They did not have a 305 in 77, the 350 was the next option followed by the 403. I have seen a 403 Delta 88 run against a Corvette of the same years and the 403 Delta took the best of the Corvette. During those past years, you would have told me that 700hp street cars would be available in car dealers one day, I would have not believed it for a second. (Tks for keeping the channel neutral and politic free).
Wow, I have a 50s GMC here in my backyard with an Oldsmobile in it. For most of my life I just assumed some backyard mechanic pieced it together... I might need to research this. Thanks
I think there was a period of time when GMC pickups had pontiac 347's, too, but i'm going off memory.
@@albertgaspar627
You are Correct.
Also the 370 cid
Great video by the way thank you for posting
I learned a lot about engines from racing my 403. It took a lot of abuse and kept on running. I still hate the oil fill tube.
Great video , thanks.
I have A 403 IN A 70 cUTLASS. People rag on the 403 because of the main webs. Have you ever heard of a failure of the main webs? I haven't. IMHO the cap takes the beating. What say you?
@@tomcrosby6332 Seen many pics of cranks blown out the bottom of 403's with the main caps still on it. Good for 400 to maybe 450 HP and if you want more then you'd better find a stronger foundation for your build !
Thanks Mr. King. I put 70 350 heads on it and a "Voodoo" cam, headers. If I got 400 horse, I'd be pretty happy. My tranny shifts at about 5200.@@tking7513
The Olds 455 is a powerhouse in any time. I knew 2 guys in the late 70's that transplanted them in 69 firebird and a 77 firebird.
68 H/O was 390/500
Love my Toronados 455. The torque they make is monstrous.
I can from experience, George Hurst truly dropped the ball by not installing rebuilt switch pitch torque converters in their H/O machines. GM would have made up for their displacement limitations if they had kept on with those.
@@albertgaspar627 Some 1966-1968 Oldsmobile Toronados had switch pitch converters in them. It was an option on the 68 W-34 or on custom orders. I'm more knowledgeable on the facelifted but I'm pretty sure the 66s had an option for the switch pitch too. If I'm wrong please correct me
@@crazycoffee mine was an aftermarket conversion on a manual valve body THM400. I believe your information is correct, however. It was used from the late 1950's until mid 1960's on two and three speed Buick transmissions, but was operated by the throttle. you stomped on the gas, and with the weak first gear ratio of the two speed, flashing to a near 3,000 rpm stall speed really helped move 4,000 lbs of GM luxury car. mine can be manually activated by a switch built into the T handle of a Hurst ratchet shifter.
I've seen mentions in Oldsmobiles until 1968. i think you're correct about the Toronado, not sure if it made its way to motorhomes. it's a nifty street and strip device that would have been a selling point for the supercar wars of 1960's.
There was also a 260 V8 Olds diesel used in the mid sized cars for '79 only, IIRC.
My very first car was a used 1980 Delta 88 Royale 2-door with a 307. Nothing to right home about powerwise but man was it strong, smooth and reliable! Besides my daily drivers, I also have a 1962 Olds Dynamic 88 2-door with a 394. Again, strong, smooth and reliable!
My 1990 ZR-1 has 16 fuel injectors, it runs on 8 injectors, but when you get in it all 16 go to work.
Like your work, very interesting 👍👍🏁🏁
My friends dad was a dedicated Olds man and bought one of those rallye's and changed up to chrome bumpers , keystone chrome wheels , did make the car look better. His dad was always changing things to his liking if it wasnt on the option list.
Also would like to add that 455 Olds engines were used in a lot of jet boats because they made torque at lower rpm range
Worked at a Cadillac dealer, made a lot of money installing auxiliary fuel tanks and water separators on diesels powered cads. If you rebuild the pumps and matched the pop off pressures on the injectors they ran pretty good.
Also saw 2 broken cranks and a few wristpins broke.
My favorite 455: 308* camshaft & hood scoops. I had a 1972 442 with that engine for many years.
Good series of videos
I love this channel. Please keep making videos.
My dad had a 79 Olds diesel. I don't recall him having any trouble with. Living in Iowa, there was at least one trip to CA with the car. My bother got the car for a few years, I'm sure it had 130 thousand plus when sold outside of family. Got pretty good mpg.
Thanks for discussing the Olds engine, been waiting for this one.. One of my favorite engines, own a 84 rear drive Cadillac coupe Deville I re-powered with a new Olds 350 after the original 4100 (252 cubic inches) aluminum V8 desentegrated around 50,000 miles. It was a perfect drop in with minor wiring and tubing modification. Night and day performance from a tiny underpowered engine in a 4400 lb car to a proper V8 with more power. Hope you go over the Pontiac, and Cadillac engines.
yep Pontiac is next them Cad in that order
Cadillac was in bad shape in the early 1980's. They were going to phase out their full sized body-on-frame cars and they let their big V8 go after the V864 debacle. All they had was the 4100 V8 that was created for the front drive platforms.
But, when the OPEC crisis was resolved, suddenly Cadillac was faced with massive demand for their big C-body cars again but, all they had was the 4100. So they put in a rear end gear ratio of 3.54:1 (as I recall) just to help that poor engine move the car. The whole thing was just inadequate and there's no way Cadillac could revive its old cast iron V8s. Eventually, they had to borrow Chevy's 5.7 L for the trailer towing package and got by until the early 1990's when they got their version of Buick's Roadmaster with the slightly detuned Corvette LT1 engine.
@@Myvintageiron7512 - Pontiac and Olds are mid block engines... by bore spacing... should forget the terms small block and big block when discussing them and use short deck, regular deck, and tall deck...
Wow a 135 hp diesel!! Gee that's sure is the one for me! no M code Clevland or anything else!! Great channel man. Thanks for all the work you do..
Enjoyed your discussion on the olds engines. I think however even the 1950 303 engines used hydraulic valve lifters . I remember many of the early olds engined with tappet noise when people put off chinging oil often enough.
That's correct. and they recommended not to use gasket shellack that it may find its way into the hydraulic lifters.
Did some early Olds engines have their hydraulic lifters replaced with a redesign? (Tended to get noisy with the varnishing oils of the era) Were there a very few with loose piston pins and/or piston skirts that tended to crack? Or possibly was that in the 1956 model year?
I like ths series, it's always interesting to hear the history of anything really, cars, tractors and my perrsonal favorite which is steam locomotives, gonna head to Chacgo and see Union Pacific 4014, aka the Big Boy as it travels the UP system next year.
I had a 1971 Oldsmobile Vista cruiser 350.i put a new top end on her .wen I went to do my pullshion control the man said this thing runs better than most new cars.we called it the blue flame.