Does anyone know the redline on a Oldsmobile J2(1957 specifically)? I have a one in my rpu and am having fun with it and hoping I am not running the revs up too high.
this a for real solid cam J2? used and abused, or purpose built race ready? seems the motor's listed peak power is around 4600 even stock fresh I wouldn't go much over that, if it's fresh talk to your mechanic what are the mains clearenced at, fully ballanced, what cam etc..
Hi Paul Yes, a real J2. It's a little bored and a fresh build in a 1932 Ford. I've been shifting at around 5,000 when going through 1st, 2nd, 3rd, just having a little fun I then thought maybe I shouldn't be doing that
'58 J-2 specs: 312 HP @ 4600 415 TRQ @ 2800 '57 J-2 is rated the same as far as the HP number goes. RPMs for both '58 stats above are the same as other 371s in '58... and in '57 the regular mills are rated @ 4400. IMO, if HP is rated at 4400, redline is going to be right about 500 or 600 over that.
I'd like to see it, you going to bring it to Billitproof? who built it? are you happy with the work? I just dropped my '58 J2 short block off at Hagen's Auto Parts going .060 over basicly stock lower end 'had Delta Camshaft regrind the cam a bit lumpy and recondition the solid lifters and adjustable rockers they do a super job and are fast and priced reasonable too.
Paul My intention is to bring it to Billetproof though with no top if it pours like the forecast says it is I think I will either pass or drive something else Action Auto Machine Shop in Shoreline built it. I am very happy with it so far(about 500 miles) A lot of torque, very loud, etc.
Back in 65 I owned a fresh 57 j2 in a 55 olds, I reved it over 5000 and cracked pistons, its a low rev high hp motor have fun
I've gone over that a few times running up through the gears Maybe I will need to settle down a little bit
those motors are all about bottom end torque relatively small runners and in stock form the bore to stroke ratio was meant to pull a heavy car away from a dead stop strong and smooth with the .125 over-bore you should be altering that ratio enough to see some quicker revs but top end will still be limited by your cam, the ability to get air in and out of the motor and.. many other factors.. bottom line, that motor is total over-kill (perfect) for that little truck
Damn I love the look of those headers. As far as reving it up 5k would be about the limit for stock pistons. I have looked at quite a few where the skirt had cracked on them. Hopefully see you at billetproof. Eric
AWESOME headers... and i still wish i could get a set of those valve covers for reasonable... nice, CLEAN motor!
Rick Carlyle built the headers. He did a fantastic job. He also built me a second set that has a much more aggressive look and point a lot more downward toward the ground. This may be a ridiculous questions, but I have to ask, I'm assuming that I would know if something, anything, in the engine has cracked already?
Where did you get that engine? I worked in Oldsmobile Experimental back then. The standard 57 or 58 J2 was the same as a 4-barrel engine except for the three carbs. The engine you have looks like a J2-W1, which had a different cam, solid lifters, and maybe a few other things too, depending on how the engine was obtained. The W1 had solid lifters we called them hard lifters at Olds, and these engines had dimpled valve covers to clear the rocker arm adjustment screw. Your valve covers are the dimpled covers. Are your rocker arms adjustable do they have adjuster screws? Those covers are really rare. We used to make occasional short production runs of those covers, and most of them that I ever saw were chromed not painted. The standard J2 or 4-barrel engines horsepower peaked at 4,200 rpm and they would rev to about 5,000 rpm. The J2W1 horsepower peaked much higher maybe 5,400 rpm, and they would easily rev to 6,000 rpm. The standard durability test for these engines was 100 hours full throttle/full load on a dyno. The engines were then torn down for inspection. This means the standard engine was run at full throttle at 4,200 rpm for a hundred hours. It was very, very rare for an engine to fail to finish one of these runs. And I dont remember breaking pistons either. <O The standard rear axle ratio for a J2 with a Hydra-Matic was 3.42:1, for a synchromesh (stick) was 3.64:1. If you were able to get a W1 package, we had axle ratios from 3.08:1 to around 6:1. Olds was much involved in racing back then, and we built a lot of special stuff for racers. <O A long time ago, and a fun time
Wow, very incredible knowledge and insight. I bought the engine from a guy who had the whole car in his garage and the engine out of it(this one) behind his garage. He said that the car was a factory race car. He did say that the car was a factory race car and the engine was a special one. I had no way of knowing and the fact that he was seperating the two to build a street rod with a big block, I really didn't know what to think other than I did confirm that it was a real J2 by the numbers. How can I tell if this is a J2W1 engine? The engine has been completely gone through and I do have all of the old parts in my garage.
If you busted off part of a a piston skirt you would have a very appearent knock in the motor. It throws the piston out of balance and you wouldn't miss it. It's louder than solid lifters tapping.
I agree. As far as checking if it is solid lifter or no pull a valve cover if it has adjustable rocker arms it is more than likely a solid lifter cam. Or someone put some money into it and changed the rockers. Solid rocker arms on the rocket engines are fairly rare. Eric
Damn Paul you got some more cool stuff there. I am going to have to stop by and check out your new toys. Eric
Imagine what that car would bring at a B-J auction. Ooops, someone sold the motor. Oops, someone cobbed it up for a big block Chevy or something. Now it's just another '57 Olds. Well, at least you're having fun with the motor -
I did check and it does have the screws on it for the adjustable rockers. Well it sounds like the guy was telling the truth about the motor. Pretty cool to find out the information as well
Another idiot ruining a car with a big-block chevy. Unbelievable what those guys do. What do you think that factory race car would be worth at Barrett-Jackson it was a Lee Petty car? Lee was Richards dad, and one smart man. Way ahead of the rest of the NASCAR guys then, a thinking man. Lee was Oldsmobiles main man in 1957. I remember that we built five engines in Oldsmobile Experimental for Lee, I think in 1957. He came up to Oldsmobile and was there for about a week, tweaking the engines on the dyno. Anything he wanted, he got. We had some really good engineers working with him. Those engines had hardly any actual production parts in them, but every part got a part number to be legal with NASCAR. I cant remember any dyno numbers sorry about that. <O In 1957 Lee Petty won four Grand National Championship races driving an Oldsmobile, but did not win the Championship. In 1958 and 1959, Lee did win the overall championship driving Oldsmobiles. A quote from: http://www.allpar.com/racing/petty-plymouth-racing.html<O Eager to showcase its power, Oldsmobile division of General Motors came calling on Lee Petty in a deal that took place prior to the AMA racing ban. Olds had introduced its J-2 model V-8 engine for 1957. It was a 371 cubic inch beauty that had three, two barreled carburetors, along with dual exhausts. After initial preparation, Lee Petty took the J-2 powered Olds down the beach in the 1957 speed week contests at 144.9 miles an hour! Remember, this was a strictly stock car! Bill France took one look at the numbers and promptly banned the engine in that configuration. He was correct in citing that it was not a regular production engine when it was initially introduced. Olds quickly changed that, but, by then the ban was in place, and France's ruling would not be rescinded. It was 20 miles an hour faster than anything else. That, combined with the strict compliance within the GM Corporation to the AMA racing ban put Oldsmobile's active participation in Lee's racing activities in a sort of standstill. This was 1957 Chevy. Pontiac, Chrysler, and Ford were all there, and the Olds was the fastest. Sorry about the long-winded reply - kind of fun remembering all of this. Want to know how we got around the 1957 ban on being involved in racing?
I have a modified original J2 in my 57 Olds and I wouldn't recommend anything over 5k. I run mine at 3k or less, and even then it's sucking gas at 6 mpg. Mine has been modified with an Offy intake and Offie valve covers, and a moderate cam. I love it, but one of these days it will be replaced with something newer and lighter. Will probably also go with FI. J2 will be moved from the Olds to a roadster.
no need to aologize,you just go right ahead and tell us everything,and i mean everything you know about Oldsmobiles,all us Rocketeers will be listening
Mark, 5,000 R.P.M. shifts? Holy shit man be careful. I know you have been waiting to drive this thing for 2 years but take it easy!! Very cool information on your motor. Did the guys at action say anything about the motor when you picked it up? Seems they might have noticed it was something different. I had them do a 65 327 for me and was very happy with their work and knowledge.
I know, but man it's fun It revs pretty quick and as soon as the outer two carbs open the revs sky rocket VERY fast.
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