Engine Modification and Tuning Guide Oldsmobile
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EEnnggiinnee MMooddiiffiiccaattiioonn aanndd TTuunniinngg GGuuiiddee Oldsmobile Gen 2 V-8 Engines from 1964 through 1987 Including the 260-403 Small Block and 400-455 Big Block Developed Exclusively for: The Automotive History Preservation Society Copyright 2015 Use Without Permission Violates Copyright Forward I published the original of this manual back in the late 1970’s when Oldsmobiles and muscle cars in general had been relegated either to junkyards or sat dusty and unused in garages – mostly because of two colossal gas price increases, a huge jump in insurance pricing, and Uncle Sam’s new emission control regulations. As you probably know, by the time 1978 arrived, the American auto manufacturers had basically totally exited the performance marketplace. In a single decade it was as if the knowledge of muscle cars and ways to increase the performance of the American V8 just disappeared – as if a comet had struck the Earth and killed off all that knowledge. That phenomenon still strikes me as weird to this day. As a gearhead who grew up in and around the horsepower crazed 60s and birth of American muscle car, I was amazed by the almost total loss of information about hopping up Oldsmobile 442s and Cutlasses. My friends and I would sit around and lament the fact that except for a few of us, everyone seemed to be a dunce when it came to extracting some performance from an Olds V8. Then it struck me; it was I who was the dunce. I realized that: 1) there was a whole new generation of people who had been kids when these cars roamed the streets, 2) Olds had been kind of stingy in handing out performance information, and 3) there just had never been any real Olds performance publications out there. So one day I sat down and compiled all the information I knew about Oldsmobile performance parts and the factory muscle cars, and the original Olds Performance Manual was born. Since then, I moved on to other things and the Manual ran out of print. But recently I have realized that the cars have been resurrected and are found everywhere, but once again all that lore has been lost. So our friends sat down and determined that the only way to recapture this information was to develop a website dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of things automobile. The offshoot of such is these Manuals – and this one is one of the keystones. So here is Oldsmobile Performance - Part Three. Inside you will find many of the part numbers that can no longer be found in GM’s parts catalog and even on websites and forums. Many of the parts are still out there - either as NOS or NROS – so hopefully these listings will help. So grab this Manual and go for it! Bob Gerometta Palm Harbor, Florida March 2007 PS. Thanks to Dana Page and Helen Early of Oldsmobile Public Relations, who annoyed me until I did the first edition - and then supported me with tons of materials and pictures; my gearhead friends in Smithtown New York who helped print that first run; and Paul Tortorici, of Hackensack New Jersey who reinvigorated my desire to update the book back in the mid 1980’s. And thanks to my wife Sue, who puts up with the tons of information I collect on performance cars and such and enjoys our current rides almost as much as I do. The picture that graced the front cover of the original manual – circa 1977 - i - Introduction General This document is not intended to be the Ten Commandments of Oldsmobile engine modification – no document or manual could do that or be so perfect. It was and is intended to be a guide to those people wishing to get better performance out of their 1964 trough 1989 Oldsmobile - powered by an Oldsmobile Division V8 produced in that period. We've updated the original Olds Performance Manual with tips on the 403 and 307 Oldsmobile Division V8s, as well as information on improving the performance of the last body on frame car (G Body) that was produced from 1978 to 1987. Each suggestion will improve performance, but it will not turn a worn out, 200,000 mile oil burner into a ten second quarter miler. Many will ask; “Why did you recommend this product over that one?”, or “How come you did not say anything about Zilch cams? They worked for me”. The answer is that the products we’ve recommended in this Manual were designed by people who had tons of experience in getting the most out of an Olds. And based on our own experience – these are the products that worked great for us and many other successful modifiers and racers. Some parts are no longer available across the counter, especially the factory pieces, but where we recommend them, they may still be the best for your vehicle. So we suggest that you scrounge the Internet and swap meets for them. Another piece of advice: if you are unsure, use a factory performance part. Back in the day, the factory didn’t have race teams and performance companies using CAD and computer simulations to build replacement parts, but they did do extensive testing of what they did release and they took a lot of feedback from racers and the average Joe (something that seems to be a lost art). Take if from us – the old stuff works- especially on the cars that will see a lot of street time and an occasional sortie to the strip or road course! Last, this manual makes no guarantee for any product. The manufacturer alone bears any responsibility for their products, not Wild About Cars, LLC, the authors, or anyone else mentioned herein. Check the guarantee and/or warrantee of any product before you purchase it – for your own protection. On Information Available There is more information out there on rebuilding and modifying Olds engines than could ever be placed in one document. Thus, this document focuses on stuff that we know works. If you want controversy, sign on to all the Olds (both at Wild About Cars and wherever) forums and go for it. You will get a lot of information, some BS, and lots of opinions – with no way to sort it out. Trying to find reasonable information from multiple sources manner is like asking; “What was the best college basketball team ever?” As part of the development of Wild about Cars, we spend lots of time web surfing and believe me, we see more misinformation and opinion than facts. Please be careful with all that material – it’s not only your money but your safety as well. What we have tried to do here is use our collective experience to sort through all that stuff and come up with a logical and practical approach. Everything in this manual will work well and reliably and make your Olds motor sing. That’s what this document is all about. You can read this and use it as a reference guide, or decide that it is toilet paper - it's your choice. So if after reading it, you have a different opinion on what works best remember, there is still valuable information in here. With that said, we are always interested in ideas and information. So you may offer a suggestion on a revision to the manual (after all it’s virtual), by sending your comments to [email protected]. But if you do, please give us some facts to back your idea up. If it seems appropriate or reasonable, we'll include it in our updates and credit you. This Book Covers Engine Modification Only This Manual covers engine modification only. For Chassis and other information such as running gear and peripherals, see Oldsmobile Chassis and Running Gear Modification. The materials became too voluminous to include in one book. Further, updates, changes and alterations regarding engines are likely to occur more frequently, making revised editions a nightmare. We hope you will bear with us and see the value in the two volume approach. We hope that by following this rout, we can keep costs down and not confuse the user. - ii - Table of Contents This book contains engine modification information for the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors Corporation V-8 engines from 1964 through 1989. Earlier engines and the V-6 are covered in separate manuals. Forward ...................................................................................................................................................... i Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... ii General ............................................................................................................................................ ii On Information Available .................................................................................................................. ii This Book Covers Engine Modification Only .................................................................................... ii Section 01 - Preparation and Planning ............................................................................................................ 1 1.0 Thinking about your Approach......................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Modification Levels .......................................................................................................................... 1 What Block to Start With.................................................................................................................. 1 Begin at the Beginning .................................................................................................................... 2 First – Short