Anyone else running a Olds Rocket?

[iluvmy72]

I didn't say the rocket was for the 350 only.....I don't want to argue but there was a difference in the blocks themselves......and the cam we tried to use form the 79 caused a loping and didn't run right at all......1968- 1972: Smaller combustion chambers, strong blocks, possibility of Nodular Iron cranks (a close second to the forged cranks that the 330's used). Four-speed 4-bbl engines had pretty decent camshafts. No EGR. Of course, if you get a W-31, you've got a pretty great engine right from the factory. The '68-'69 heads used a smaller exhaust valve than the later units. The high-compression pistons will make any of these a high-compression motor. 7/16 head bolts............1973 - 1976: Larger combustion chambers, small intake and exhaust valves. EGR intakes, but the #8 heads were not too restrictive (compared to later units). Block is still relatively strong, with solid main webs. No more nodular iron crankshafts, but HEI ignitions on the later units are the best street setup. You need earlier heads to get high compression, even with high-compression pistons. 7/16 head bolts.........1977 - 1980: Large combustion chambers, small ports, EGR, low compression. They did, however, have ½ head bolts (in common with the 403's and diesel 350's), though the windowed mains on the block make these the weakest engines to start a performance rebuild from. In reality, however, you're not likely to blow out the bottom end of this motor on the street below 6000 RPM.

There were also the D- and DX-block diesel 350's that are the heaviest duty around, and which had ½ head bolts.

A site to reference for you:

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

Here's a quote from it........"A Olds 350 is not a Buick 350 is not a Pontiac 350 is not a Chevy 350, is not a Cadillac 350, small and big block! This applies to Olds small block and big block engines. The only things in common with other GM division engines are the distributor cap, rotor, carb bolt pattern, and the transmission bolt pattern. Buick, Cadillac, Olds and Pontiac are the same, with five bolts. Chevy is different, with four bolts.

Chevy's are bigger and heavier than comparable CID Olds engines since they used very little nickel in the cast iron. Nickel is a expensive strengthening agent for cast iron. Low quality iron requires mass in order to make it stronger, which is why you will see the physical weight and size difference.

I hope you don't think that 4 bolt mains were put in Chevy engines so that they would be "Ultra-Strong" for the performance enthusiast. This is simply not true, they are there because the iron requires strength to keep the cap in place and 2 bolts in mush is not as good as 4 bolts in mush.

Oldsmobile blocks aren't made of mush, rather, they are made of high quality cast iron with plenty of nickel to make it strong. Olds big block engines were cast with extremely high nickel content until mid 1970. You can easily spot the difference in the shape of the "F" near the oil sending unit. Look at any 1968 1969 and early 1970 block and the F will be different in shape than any late 1970 to 1974 block. In 1975 the nickel content was lowered even more. Some of these later engines will have a mounting hole for a clutch swivel rod ball, some will not. This can always be machined."

Post this one and see if the crack smoking and clown shoe wearing is excellerating....LOL.....

Speaking of laughing, you remember the 301?!....LOL.....that was a pretty bad engine!!!.....now correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the 301 have the lifters that shaved metal off of the cams after 6000 RPM's?....I know that the heads and compression were constant headaches....but I seem to remember the lifters being made of the wrong type of metal.