Technical Olds motor ID help

I picked up an olds motor today, and the internet is all over the place with this stuff. I hope someone can help me.

Block 574865-4

Heads 573305 have an 18 on center exhaust port

I know someone here knows, Thanks in advance, Louie

 

Is it 2 center bolt valve covers, or perimeter bolts around the gasket?

I think 18 is newer than 57/58 first generation 371.

 

It has 5 bolts on the valve cover, so I know it is a 371 or 394.

 

There are two different 371's

The 57-58 looks like a 324 type motor, 2 bolt covers, and with similar exhaust ports as the 324.

The later 59-60 371 has perimeter bolts and has different shaped exhaust ports. 394 would also look like that. I am not up on those.

I am sure you will get better info soon. There should be a stamped engine serial number on the extended deck surface of the block, but I am not sure which side. Look along the head gasket edges near the exhaust manifolds. It will be a flat machined area sort of like a Chevy pad, but Olds were on the sides. Should be a letter code prefix, then the number.

 

Which heads are better, perimeter bolts or center bolts? Is there any difference, and are they interchangeable?

 

Zayloran did a thread, maybe it has serial numbers somewhere after page one? He shows 59-60 on that head but does not say 371 or 394

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=715390

 

18 heads are 1959-60


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Are these heads any good for power?

 

Louis^^^^^little more crack prone than other years...but they work fine.

later 64 heads are a little better......depends on your build and expectations.....the early olds engines make a lot of torque so most people are very happy with them.

 

Cool..

 

Not interchangable as far as I know and the perimeter bolt heads were on higher output engines like 371s and 394s.

 

Does anyone make fake Olds Rocket valve covers for them?

 

where is the motor mounts front or sides ? 1962 and older have front mounts

 

Different bolt spacing ..... But same principle as the 62


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I wish someone did. I had someone look at my 394 ( still in pieces) a while back and say is that a 454 or a 396? They made their guess based in the rocker covers and not on the block.

I told them it was a 427 GM Mystery Motor one of 50. he never figured it out.

 

Everything you ever wanted to know about Oldses RocketV8

http://442.com/oldsfaq/oldsfaq.htm

http://442.com/


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Ha ha Louie's uncle showed up while we were in the driveway, motor still in the back of the truck and said the same thing.