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THE oldsmobile rocket 303 324 371 394 post to end all other posts, (lasalle related )

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by RocketDaemon, Dec 19, 2006.

  1. Building another one eh?
    T body or A body this time?
     
  2. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    Turnabout is fair play...:D
    DSCF0039a.jpg

    I know from past conversations that Paul wants one of these...:p
     
  3. I have a '53 303 with attached hydro. It was reported as a take out of a running but rusty car but has been sitting in a shed for 4-5 years. My buddy thinks I should attempt to save the factory head gaskets/not take the heads off and try and fire it as is. I pulled a valve cover and it has the usual build up of flaky old oil so it must have quite a bit of miles. How far should I go before cracking it open? Is just cleaning out the pan/valve cover area good enough to fire t up and see if it is OK? I am not afraid of a full rebuild, been saving for it. But his comment on not breaking the factory head gasket seal has me thinking/wondering. What would you do with a new to you old Olds motor?
     
  4. gonzo
    Joined: Dec 24, 2003
    Posts: 1,876

    gonzo
    Member

    If it was me I'd put it on a stand and blow it apart to assess the situation. The concept of "not breaking the factory head gasket seal" makes no sense as there is no particular value to the factory seal on a motor with no known history.

    Regardless I would at a minimum clean out the oil and valley pan areas and possibly the rocker arm shafts. If you wanted to skip the rocker arm shafts I suppose you could just prime the oil pump and verify you're getting oil out of the rockers.

    I would also do a compression and leak down test if I skipped pulling the heads off.
     
  5. jebbesen
    Joined: Aug 18, 2015
    Posts: 716

    jebbesen
    Member
    from Winona, MN

    [​IMG]

    What Street Rodder issues did this build appear in? Can anyone help me out with this. I've tried asking Hot Rod magazine who owns Street Rodder but get no reply.
    I have the 2000 issues where they build a 394 but haven't been able to find this one. I know at one point they had an online segment of the build on Hot Rods web archive but I can't find it again.
     
  6. I would pull the plugs first, oil the cylinders with some Marvel Mystery oil, then after a week or so I would try to slowly turn the engine over using a socket on the harmonic balancer bolt or use a large screw driver and move the flywheel. Prior to this I would pull the valve covers and watch as you turn to ensure that the valve train moves. Make a 360 degree rotation. If you have a stuck valve and fire that engine you will most likely break the valve off and drive it into a piston. If it passes the test I would pull the pan, pull the oil pump and clean it. Put it back together and then prime the engine, check the compression and then fire it off to be totally safe. Then you will know what you have IMHO.:):)
     
    Freaky1 and Crusty Chevy like this.
  7. Paul
    Joined: Aug 29, 2002
    Posts: 16,389

    Paul
    Editor

    That's always a tough call,
    Once you pull the heads you are at at least a hundred bucks,
    With that commitment you should check the chain and pump,
    Then you may as well hone and rering,
    If you go that far you might as well have the heads done,
    Then you might as well go all the way and start fresh new throughout..

    Do you want to do this super cheap and have something that will run for a season or two?
    Or do you want to spend what it really costs to know it's done right?
     
    Freaky1, Joe Tx and falcongeorge like this.
  8. This is the slippery slope that starts with taking the heads off. I do not want to do it twice, but also I do not want to do it if I do not have to.
    This sounds like a good first step. Low buck, know what you got, make an informed decision. Hope to get to this in the next two months and will post results as I go.
     
  9. Six Ball
    Joined: Oct 8, 2007
    Posts: 5,777

    Six Ball
    Member
    from Nevada

    If I was you I'd just trade it to me for a "good running" '89 305 small block. Of course it's been sitting a while.:confused:
     
  10. Ill trade a stripped 307 block and crank to you for the 305, you could have 2 extra ci
     
  11. jjjmm56
    Joined: Feb 7, 2009
    Posts: 531

    jjjmm56
    Member
    from FL.

    I have a question about a 303 oil pump. Has anyone turned the gears over to run them on the good side. I see that one side of each gear has wear marks. The dis drive gear is keyed to the shaft and can be pressed off and turned over so the good side of the gears are in contact.


    Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
    jakespeed63 likes this.
  12. jebbesen
    Joined: Aug 18, 2015
    Posts: 716

    jebbesen
    Member
    from Winona, MN

    Nobody? Someone has to know.

     
  13. Freaky1
    Joined: Mar 25, 2013
    Posts: 85

    Freaky1
    Member

    I went out, picked up a set of #10 heads & a 2x4 Weiand intake. Rather than rebuilding them & putting them on an old engine I'm going to run the stock '49 303 this summer. Then, come next fall, I'm blowing the entire thing apart & doing it all. I think your path should also consider your future plans. I'm not interested in running a 66 year old engine any longer than needed. Regardless if I know that it's a runner, unless I know it was rebuilt recently.

    Sent from my SM-G930P using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  14. We ran my wife's 316 pontiac for 5 years as a weekend car with it billowing smoke out the breathers. When we pulled it down everything was bad, 2 inches of sludge in the pan, all the pushrods were plugged, pistons scuffed, cam scored, crank needed cutting, everything. Not sure if we made it worse as we put about 1500 miles on it like that. It was bad when we got it so who is to know. Did a full rebuild with a mild roller cam and it is a great motor, just hate the ancient automatic (same one as on this Olds) which was rebuilt as well. For the Olds I now know better, it will in the end get a full build and some sort of modern transmission adapter but part of me really wants to see if it will run as is. The pontic cost about $3000 (roller cam was $500 more than a flat but worth it) with home assembly and I would expect the Olds would cost about the same. I got the motor for free as part of a trade deal so the buy in was right. The Olds is slated for a '40 Ford coupe that needs much love so I have lots of time.

    IMG_0304.JPG
     
    Speedy Canuck and Freaky1 like this.
  15. AH! Another Olds saved!
     
  16. engine138
    Joined: Oct 5, 2007
    Posts: 2,193

    engine138
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Commack NY

    Question fellas, Have 53 like in the avatar, looking to install power steering i have from a 53 parts car any issues or interference with fenton headers and starter location on drivers side? any info would be great.
     
  17. don't believe that the starter will play a big role in the ps install. Don't know about the Fentons though. Perhaps a pic of t he ds fenton would help. Where does the generator attach in the ps application on the donor car. I thought in 53 they all were moved to the exhaust manifold.
     
  18. engine138
    Joined: Oct 5, 2007
    Posts: 2,193

    engine138
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Commack NY

    Here is a pic of fenton headers and clearence view
    unnamed (3).jpg
     
  19. jjjmm56
    Joined: Feb 7, 2009
    Posts: 531

    jjjmm56
    Member
    from FL.

    I have a question about the road draft breather system. I'm machining a valley cover and was wondering if I can close off the stock breather and locate a pvc valve in the valley cover. Also were would a good vacuum source to pull from.


    Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  20. jjjmm56
    Joined: Feb 7, 2009
    Posts: 531

    jjjmm56
    Member
    from FL.

    I found this pvc valve that's adjustable to your engine vacuum [​IMG]


    Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
    Fortyfordcmm and chickenshift like this.
  21. Rocket Man 57
    Joined: May 21, 2016
    Posts: 33

    Rocket Man 57

    Should work in the valley cover provided it clears the intake. As for the other end, you want it to be north of the throttle plate. Something like the bottom of the air cleaner. I was thinking of doing something similar off of the old road draft location. That way I could keep the oil separator. My car came without an air cleaner so I was thinking of making a custom copper thing. So adding a vacuum port wouldn't be that much more work, at least in my head.
     
  22. mgtstumpy
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 9,214

    mgtstumpy
    Member

  23. Paul likes this.
  24. Speedy, have you or anyone you know opened up the round port oe 303 manifolds to fit the 324???
     
  25. jebbesen
    Joined: Aug 18, 2015
    Posts: 716

    jebbesen
    Member
    from Winona, MN

    I finally found it. It's August 2009 if anyone wants to look for a copy. Just bought one on Ebay. It's a great build with lots of pictures.

     
    mario711 and gonzo like this.
  26. I have not. Looking at the manifold, there should be enough meat on them to get there, if not, pretty close. I'll try and remember to take a picture tonight of a 324 gasket up against a 303 manifold for reference.
     
  27. Nick Flores
    Joined: Aug 13, 2009
    Posts: 1,357

    Nick Flores
    Member

    I've been looking for a valley pan gasket for our '49 303. I've come up with a part number of 19013e, but it's on ebay with a price tag over $30 and two of my local supply houses cant find a cross reference. Is there another gasket that works or does anyone have a Felpro number?
     
  28. Try Fusick or call Tony (goatroper2) at Ross Racing in OH
     
  29. Best Gasket makes those #19013E and everything else for the olds.
    They do not sell direct but have a lot of vendors, shop around and you will find it http://bestgasket.com/distributors.asp
     
    Nick Flores and Freaky1 like this.
  30. gonzo
    Joined: Dec 24, 2003
    Posts: 1,876

    gonzo
    Member

    I'm seeing Rod and Main bearing prices that vary quite a bit. Anyone have a recommendation on where to get quality bearings and a gasket kit?
     

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