RocketRonnie

I have a incomplete engine, I believe I'm missing the cap to the distributor and the valve covers.

I found a local guy selling a buick 300 for 200$. Will the heads of a 300 buick fit on an olds 215?

Also looking for a hei swap for the distributor any junkyard options..

Ps. I'm the type that like to save a coin at the junkyard.

RocketRonnie

Will I have trouble finding parts for the 300 heads. I understand that they flow better.

RoseCityOldsmobile

If the 300 heads are aluminum, then by all means pick them up. Buick 300 heads from 1964 will bolt on the 215 Olds motor, and will work great. If you end up deciding to not buy them, I would be interested in doin so myself and would appreciate the guys contact info. How's that for advice? Haha

RocketRonnie

Haha.Thanks man. I will pass the info if I don't get them.. I been reading some of your old post and understand you have 2 63's also. How is the ride, does that 215 yank you back in your seat? My moter does not run. Did you ever swap out the slimjim? I asked around and found that the 300 heads would kind of kill the Low end torque of the 215, what do u think, mine is not strocked.

young olds

Buick 300 heads have combustion chambers a bit bigger than the low comp 215 olds. They will reduce the comp ratio when used on to any 215 unless you do pop up pistons or shave the heads down, then you have large ports in the heads vs standard 215 ports on your intake. I'm not trying to discourage you from using them but I wouldn't use 300 heads unless your planning on 250plus hp. For an hei distributor go to the junkyard and pull one out of a Buick 3.8 then pull an hei out of any gm v8 and swap the reluctor wheel, pick up coil and cap onto the 3.8 distributor. Now you have an hei that will work with the 215. Here's a link to the 215 I'm putting together if your interested https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...eet-215-a.html

RocketRonnie

Young olds___ Thanks for the distributor advice that was much needed. I like how u think " shaving the heads down" but I'm going to pass on the 300 moter because I won't have enough money to strock the moter plus do an LS swap on another car ( I have two 63's, one semi complete and the other in my profile pic is missing engine/trans) I'll just work with what I got. I sent you a pm asking about swap question but jumped the gun on reading all of your build thread...
2 questions off you have time.
Have you experienced an 1961-63 f85 with the 215v8, how is the engine in regards to power, how many mph does it want to stop making power at.
2. How hard was it backhalfing your 62.
Ronnie

RocketRonnie

I have also been reading your post that you linked me, thanks.

young olds

I've had 4 62's, only one without the 215. My 62 that I drove the most did ok, ran mid 9's in the 1/8th and wouldnt spin the tires to save its life but was consistent and actually won me a trophy one season of bracket racing. Never topped it out on the freeway but would keep up with traffic fine. Back halving the 62 was easy, time consuming to make sure the rails were straight. Hardest part is letting go of the money to buy quality parts. I didn't get a pm btw. And did you mean stroke the motor?

young olds

Here's an old magazine article you will probably find interesting http://www.seight.com/images/tech/magreps/1961hrm.pdf

RocketRonnie

I did mean stroke, sorry. your experience with the 215 engine give me hope for the future. Thanks for the article, that's was nice of u, God bless you.
Ronnie

Tedd Thompson

If you are looking for cheap power take a look at the late Rover engine, Same basic block as the Oldsmobile and a bunch of free horse power. GM sold the rights to the 215 and Rover used that engine design for years with many HP upgrades.... Tedd

RocketRonnie

Thanks Tedd, I have looked at the rovers, and at first they interested me but after searching in my area, all the 4.6 engines out of discoveries have overheated, pooped out or the owners are hesitant about giving me more info, a Google search of there reliability also implies the same..
Cheap??? I really don't know if it would be cheap taking a problematic block and and just dropping it in... the liners of those engine I hear are bad.. at this moment I really need convincing, not to be a jerk ( I just need my engine to be one of my last worries when I'm on it WOT or taking my wife on a long trip..
Any advice on a rover would be helpful, Joe on this site told me there are diy fixes on the liners, but I need to investigate more. Thanks
RONNIE

young olds

Did you get my pm Ronnie?

RoseCityOldsmobile

I just now saw this. It's a type 5 rotomatic, and I did not swap it out, though considered it. I paid some old hotrod dude who was familiar with Olds to rebuild mine with high end parts. I am one of the crazy people that love the Oldsmobile automatic transmissions. It's been suggested that I would enjoy swapping out the trans for a 200r 4spAT from the 80's, but it's at the bottom of my priority list, and I don't want to give up the springloaded flex plate for a torque converter. As far as throwing me back, it doesn't do. It's had just the regular 4bbls. Though I've yet to put a built motor in, which will happen to the 215 sitting next to my refrigerator in the kitchen (Awww yeeeah) as soon as I order the hop up parts to do so. But it scoots enough in 2nd for me being an aggressive driver.