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

Very cool Paul!

 

Jerry often goes for a month or two without posting,
216 posts in almost eight years,
when it comes to posting he's a man of quality not quantity

here's hoping he's enjoying himself where ever he is.

 

Any info on the specs for a Isky 505c roller cam for an olds 324? Solid lifters I take it?

 

search reveals this thread:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=301034&highlight=isky+505c

 

Thanks Paul... Blond moment on my part.

 

I´ve got a 62 Starfire(heavy car) with 3.08 posi rear.
Wanna help it move along a bit.
I´ve got electronic ignition.
Offenhauser dual Quad is laying arround somwhere in my shop.
Does this work well or should i look out for a different type intake?
Maybe a hotter cam?
No Idea about rockets.
Mine is a 394 Ultra high compression Startfire rocket.
What set up would make sence regarding making the car just moving a bit better?

 

have you had it out on the road yet?

 

Yep.
Plenty tork. No complains bout that
But seems everything happens under 4000rpm
It´s not a race car, sure.
I just wonder if the Dual Quad is a good idea and
if a cam would help perform a bit better.
Engine runs really well for a stock engine.
I should be content with it but.....

 

hey paul i just got my first olds about two weeks ago and people are telling on the olds forum i have a 394 in my 56 by just the paint color how can i find out the if its a 324 or a 394 is there a big size dif in the two ??? plz pm me and let me know

 

I would start with dual exhaust, 'doesn't do much good to add more fuel and air if you can't get rid of it.
it wouldn't hurt to improve the spark, an old trick was to use the dual breaker plate from a '62 'Vette, it's a simple swap and doubles saturation time.
might be tough to find now though.
and finaly more carburetion, personaly I would go with a tripower setup in that car before going to dual fours.

 

yeah, about 70 inches

seriously, the best way to know exactly what you have is to run the stamped number on the deck surface.
paint colors are easy to change.
big external clues would be in the head,
the center exhaust dump bolt pattern, 2 bolts? 3 bolts?
the valve cover bolt configuration, 2 through? 5 around?

can you post a picture of the engine?

 

i really dont have any good ones but here are some





thats the best ones have right now its raining out so i cant go get any new ones right now

 

thanks for doing this. I have a 1964 Oldsmobile Starfire, it came with the 394.. this is really going to be helpful.

 

You wouldn't happen to the part number on the Chevy Solid Lifters would you?

 

hard to make out in the picture but if the cast number at the center exhaust port here is a 10 like it apears that would make the heads and probably the motor a '56 324

 

thank you

 

A good source of early Olds parts and advice is Ross in Ohio, they are knowlegeable and good to deal with. Your 394 if original was factory rated at 345hp@4600 with 10.5 cr. All Starfires came with dual exhaust and most had 3.42 rears. My dad had a 63 and it ran low 15's @ around 90. If running right it should pull hard to at least 5 grand not quit at 4 grand like yours is doing.

 

Thanks for the help guys.
Mine had the 3,42 ratio, too. Bought a posi thirdmember with 3.08 gears.
Thought would be better for milage, but I might stay better with the 3.42 for performance sake.
Checked Ignition a couple times and everything looked fine. Has new plugs, cap, rotor condenser and points and is adjusted well.
Thought that´s normal since the engines peak power is rated at 4200 from factory(don´t have my book here but remember a number like this...)
Only issue it started bad when cold.
I´m still running a stock rebuilt Rochester 4jet.
Í bought a old electronic Accel Distributor and wanna run it with a Mallory Voltmaster coil. Maybe I add my Mallory VI Al ignition box, too.
That should help out a bit, right? And than maybe the 2X4 with two Holleys or mayber change to Edelbrock 500. Hope to find a 3X2 setup though and run it progressive.
And I already contacted Ross for a cam.
On the exhaust side, the original exhaust pipe that runs between the stering box and engine at the driver side has two dents from factory to clear the steering linkage. There ain´t much room to route a bigger pipe down there. Headers aren´t available so I thought I might have to built some on my own. Not sure about that though. I think that engine would be happy to have at least a half inch bigger pipes.
What do you guys think?
Anybody experiance with such a setup?
Any better ideas?
thanks.

 

Read this in another Forum

"FYI, the Offy dual quad intakes are single plane with a single large plenum. They do not flow well at low speeds in my opinion and frankly, it's not clear that the flow that well at high engine speeds, either. There's definitely no work done on tailoring the runners for any sort of tuning. Usually you only see Offy dual quads today as conversions to blower manifolds, where the carb surface is milled and a thick aluminum plate is added as the blower mounting."

The more I read the more I get the idea that it might be smarter to leave that engine stock, just tune itt up better and change to the better ignition.
I´ve got a new Fuel Pump which will hopefully solve my starting problem and I might check the carb tuning and leave the engine otherwise like it is.
Instead i´ll save my money to get me another car to play with, something lighter....one cruiser, one racer...

 

How about two on a 394.....

 

That is killer!

 

I have read most of this thread and searched elsewhere and can find very little info on casting numbers for the early Rocket engines. Can they be identified by casting numbers?
I have one that was represented to me as a 303 but after pulling the head the bore measures 3.895 indicating 324 +.020. It looks to have had the ridge cut out at some tome so may be std with that much wear at the top as the top is where I'm measuring.
The heads are marked 3 by the center port indicating a '53 303 I think.
I need to know if this is a 324 block or a 303 bored to 324.
Below is a pic with casting numbers on the bell housing. Can anyone identify it from these or are there other numbers or indicators on it somewhere?
Any help appreciated.
Thanks.

 

Are the Olds and Lasalle starter covers ( lower bell ) the same ? also are the Auto and manual the same ?

 

Hey REM/mo -

I'm kinda new to this Olds block identification, too, but I found some info. which might help you. Instead of wrestling with block casting numbers, I'd check the actual motor number assigned to your particular block, the one that is STAMPED into the angled i.d. pad surface located along the far back and upper area of the block on the driver's side, roughly between cylinders #5 and #7. According to my copy of the Hollander Bible of Interchange, 1953 Olds motors begin with #R-215001; 1954s begin with #V-1001 up; 1955s begin with #V-400001; and 1956s begin with #V-1000001. Please check this info. with a known Olds expert before ordering expensive parts or having labor done on your block, and good luck!!

mr50s

 

can you guys help me out im looking for a vacumm diagram for my 56 4door hardtop 88

 

Anybody have spare Solid Roller Lifters for a 324 Olds Block laying around they do not need anymore?

 

I have a 1951 Olds. What all Olds or Cadi motors will the hydromatic bolt up to? Only the 303,324,371 and the 394??? I read that its stout and will last along time but what kind of H/P or torque is safe. I have found a 455 I am interested in but wasnt sure if it would need a 400th.
Thanks, Brandon

 

just posted this to the little pages group

Car Craft, Sept Oct Nov 1957, How to Build an Overhead

 

Keep getting an "Invalid social group" error message

 

does this get you there?

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/group.php?groupid=289