Technical 324 Oldsmobile rebuild

[fuxl]

I just recently got a 1956 Olds that I just wanted to do regular maintance to it, but then decided to get another core motor that I could rebuild on the side and then just swap into the Olds.

So I found a 1955 324 here on the HAMB ang got it delivered yesterday.

Here I'd like to document the rebuild and hopefully some of you guys can give me some advice to go in the right direction with it.

Last time I had a shop do the whole rebuild thing, but that was a pretty bad experience...

still on the truck:


Some concern, the freeze plugs in the heads are gone:


The Olds an it's future heart:


Got a nice Edmunds intake to put on:


Now the fun part of tearing it apart begins...

[telecustom]

Good start, I'll be watching this one.

[bigs merc]

looks like you got a good start here

[F&J]

Some concern, the freeze plugs in the heads are gone:

Not of concern, as the head plugs did rust out from sitting. Also the real small ones on the sides of the heads below the valve covers, do rust out if left sitting.


I gotta ask a question on your 56 swap. Is your car a base model 56 88 with the older hydramatic? or is it a Jetaway? Does it show a "P" for park?


I ask, because the cranks are supposed to be different, at the pilot bushing area.

[fuxl]

Good question. Glad you bring this up.
The motor in the car has a Jetaway tranny.
This motor is from 1955 so that must be different then.
I'll have to come up with the dimensions so I can get the crank machined then.
Do you have them by any chance?

[ClutchDumpinDan]

Cool! Looking forward to the updates Martin.

[Paul]

someone will correct me if I'm wrong but I think the issue would be if you wanted to use the later crank with the earlier or standard transmission as the jetaway did not use a pilot bushing.

[fuxl]

Found this in the manual:


The crank bore sure looks different.

What do need to be aware of, when I split motor and transmission?
I read something about a torus?

[F&J]

Originally Posted by Paul

someone will correct me if I'm wrong but I think the issue would be if you wanted to use the later crank with the earlier or standard transmission as the jetaway did not use a pilot bushing.

I've never seen the difference myself, but a hamber in Germany was posting here about getting a trans shipped from the US, and it would not fit his crank.

I don't recall which trans or which crank he had, but both were around 55 or 56 I think.

[mctim64]

Cool! I like the Olds Rockets almost as much as a Y-Block. Almost.

[Paul]

of the dozen or so Olds cranks I have only two are 324
the '55 originally had the Hydramatic and the '56 had a stick.
I'm using the '55 in the '56 block because it only needed a pollish to make it right

the cutaway view there does make it look like the jetaway needed a deeper large recess than the stick crank, whether that relates to the Hydramatic I do not know.

[fuxl]

The manual only talks about Jetaway or synchro mesh.
No note on the hydromatic.

Anybody else out there with a '56 jetaway crank?

Would the '57 and up crank look different? Didn't they all use the Jetaway tranny?

[D-Russ]

Martin, Is the Olds not roadworthy right now? Why the rebuild?

Are you going to do anything with that 2G on the motor right now?

[fuxl]

Dave, the current engine is somewhat alright, but I wouldn't trust it going to Austin for example. I'll probably drive it to Williamsburg in April, but will be lucky if everything goes well.
Right now it doesn't start. Not sure yet what the problem is. Most likely bad fuel pump.

Did I say: Tearing a motor apart was fun? I guess I have to rethink that statement.
This is the second motor for me, and after the first one I thought it couldn't get any worse.
The first one being a flathead.
Man, was I wrong. I can see now why somebody would want to sell this motor. (I'm not saying the guy that sold it to me, knew about the condition)

The good news, I didn't break a single bolt.

The bad news:

Can you find the cam







The bores look pretty good despite all the sludge.




Also, there was more water draining, when I pulled the plug, than oil

What's the best way to get the distributor out?

I want to send it out to Bubba for a rebuild. But I wasn't able to move it a bit...

Please, somebody tell me they fixed worse than this!

[F&J]

My only concern is why there was water in the pan. Was it outside without an oil cap or valve covers off?

The sludge is from non-detergent oil, short trips, and when the old cars started to burn oil when they were "old and worthless", the owners just added oil, never changed it very often.

Many hambers have saved Rockets that had all 8 pistons frozen with serious rust, and had pitted bores.

Soak around the distributor base from the outside and inside with PB Blaster for a couple of days, then a little tapping should get it to move.

[HEATHEN]

Yeah, while I'd never expect to see a modern engine look like that, most of the '50s engines I've ripped apart had similar sludge formation in them. I don't think that Edmunds dual intake will cover the ports on a 324 head, though.

[GOATROPER02]

Lol
Welcome to the world of restoration and hotrodding of vintage powerplants

This motor your showing is somewhat of the normal for a core

I'm sure youve seen some of my tricked out builds

This is how the new life starts...

Just remember ....if this shit was easy everybody would do it

Good luck,let me know if you need something

Tony

[GOATROPER02]

And Heathens correct, those manifolds need modified to use on later heads

Tony

[fuxl]

Thanks guys, that makes me feel better about the whole thing.

It didn't look like the motor was sitting outside. All the covers were on, the valve cover was loose (no bolts) but that shouldn't be a problem, right?
There was no breather on the carb. The carb is frozen up too!

HEATHEN, there is a nice trick I've found on here:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...4&postcount=59
1/8 inch aluminum spacer plate!

Thanks Tony!
I haven't forgotten to call you. Have been busy moving and wanted to get the motor in first, so we can actually talk facts and not assumptions

[Pete]

Better sludgy than dry!

I know a local old timer that has many Olds motors, all dry and seized!


I have a nice Edelbrock 3x2 for that motor.