Good day everyone, as you can see I'm new to the forum, I'm working on a 1956 Oldsmobile and need some help identifying my engines. What I have is an engine that I was told is original to the car but now I'm having my doughs, It has a 3 3/4 " bore with #567405 on the block, heads #567322 and a four barrel intake #567184 from what I could find out a 3 3/4" bore is a 303 not a 324. the other engine that is running in the car is a ? it has a 3 7/8" bore and 55564 on the block the heads look like 371 have a #B120363 and it has a 3 X 2 intake with a #571145. I found on 442.com FAQs that this one is a 324 by the bore and 57 371 heads. but on the same site it states that you cannot put 371 heads on a 324 or 303 due to different deck heights. Is this possable? so I guess I'm looking for some advise and help here, Id like to put one good engine together(hopefully the original one if possible) or if the first engines heads and intake would go on the running block of the second one I could sell the 57 parts to help fund putting it back together. if anyone could help me with identifying these parts or what heads can go on what blocks I would greatly appreciate it.

 

Welcome aboard.

Unfortunately I'm stuck in a 69 rut, but hang in there a sec, we got some great 50's experts lurking around.

Post some pics when you can.

 

Pervert

 

Thank you, I was in a 69 rut myself a couple of years ago I had an 69 442, loved that car. miss that car.

 

Welcome to the site.

3 3/4" bore = '49-'53 (303”)
3 7/8" bore = '54-'56 (324”)

Not true.

371 deck is higher by ⅛” (to allow for the ¼“ stroke increase) but the heads will interchange. It is the intake manifolds that will not.

Norm

 

Thank you for the info, so it is possable to have a 324 with 371 heads if you use the 371 intake? if my running engine is a 324 and the other is a 303 would it be better to run the 303 heads or leave the 371 heads on? if thats what thay turn out to be, reason Im asking is I have all the linkage and carb and air cleaner for the 4 barrel intake but not everything for the 3x2 intake and Im working on a budget like everyone is.

 

"That's a Tri-Carb you're describing. We don't need no stinkin' Tri-Powers or Six-Packs ........".............. sorry about that Im still kinda new.

 

Welcome 1956OLDS
Nothing to be sorry about! That "Tri-Carb" quote is just Norm's "signature file", not part of his response to you. We like to kid each other a bit here, but I don't want you to think that line was directed to you!

 

On the subject of "tri-powas" (or is that off it?), why is it that some guys just can't leave a 4 bbl '66 442 well enough alone? I mean, if it really did come that way from the factory, or was done by the dealer or even an owner buying the parts over the counter back in the day, great. But to go out of your way TODAY to do the swap to an otherwise nice car? I like ('66 afficionado) Bill LaPierre's take on it..his Ebay handle is "not3x2". My next '66 will be (and stay) a 4 bbl car!

Now 50s tripower setups...that's a different animal, a different crew, a different story...

 

No. Due to the difference in deck height, '57-'58 intakes will only work with '57-'58 blocks.

If the 371 valves have been clearing 303 bores, the choice is up to you. Because of the differences in port sizes, a '56 intake would be best to use with '57-'58 heads and a '49-'55 intake with 303 heads.

Nothing to do with you.

Tri-Carb is '66 Olds only, Tri-Power is Pontiac only, and six-pack is Chrysler only.

Norm

 

Thank you for all the good info, but I thinkin Im still kinda confused. Trying to identafy the motor thats in the car......... 55564 on the block acording to 442.com is a 303 but it has a 3 7/8" bore so... 324. then it has 371 heads #16 and B120363 on them and a 371 intake. is it possable that some one ran a double head gasket to make up the diff? (deck height) just trying to figure it out without totally dissasembling. it be nice to know what im running. Thanks again for the info. man I wish there was spell check on this. Oh there it is,.. gotta down load ispell Ill get it next time.

 

Also Id like to make sure it was'nt put together incorrectly. Iv only ran it a couple of times n it leaked so much I had to do some seal replaceing. Id rather fix somthing now than after its going down the road.

 

Not the most dependable source.

Classic example of "Catch22": You cannot believe what you read, unless you already know it is fact, but if you already knew it was fact, you would have no reason to look it up.

It was not uncommon for engines to be over bored by an eighth or more. If the bore is 3.875" and the stroke is 3.437" it is a 324.

From: http://www.oldsmobilewiki.com/index....Identification:

Is this what you are trying to work with?

Possible, but unlikely. Is it possible that your manifold is not a 371?

Norm

 

1956olds, welcome to our site. I have been away for a week or would have done so earlier. You got just about the best brain to pick for information on the early Olds V8s, Norm is "The Man" on those babies.

 

Well Its always possable that my intake is not a 371. but its a 3x2 intake with p/n 571145 which I beleive is a 371. I decided today that Im going to pull the motor out and see if its a bored over 303 or a 324. you know what thay say about the cat. just got to see for myself. is it a visable diff in the manifold to head angle? like if I put my 303 intake on it would I be able to see if it mached up or not or is the diff not that much that I would see with my eye? Thank you again for all your info n help.

 

From what I have read above it seems that the 371 heads on a smaller motor are closer to the crank and therefore the 371 manifold will be too wide to seal properly at the heads ...sooo the 303 or 324 manifold should then go on the 371 heads ...correct me if I am wrong... Try plasti-gauge for that manifold to head angle...

 

O.K. I disasembled my engine today and as funny as it sounds its true... I got a 324 block..... 371 heads and a 371 intake.... how Im not sure how, but it did run good before it was disasembled. lucky for me the inside of the eng looked like it was never ran, new bearings, pistons and a couple of new rods. The only thing I can guess at this time is the maniforld was machined down to fit the heads on the lower deck? Im going to get my 303 manifold back tomarrow and Ill see if it fits the heads the same.. keep you updated.. Thanks again

 

I know nothing about casting (or part) numbers.

No difference.

Correct. Since the heads were the same externally, from '49 to '58, they are physically interchangeable. Ports are in the same locations, but are different sizes.

That would make it the ideal choice for '56-'58 heads, on a 303/324 block.

Norm

 

Interesting conversion. Are you going to keep it? Sounds like a early hot rodders conversion makes your car kind of unique I would think. Keep us posted on what you decide

 

Well the plan is to keep it for now, you know how things go.... Kinda cool thing, the glove box was full of about 20 or 30 dragway passes from up here in MI. (detroit, Milan) and other stuff from late 50's to early 60's. and it has a trailer hitch. Maby a pull car or somthing? I tryied to find out as much info as I could about it from the guy I got it from but he didnt get much info from who he got it from. So im kinda left to wonder... I know it did sit in a garage for somthing like 35 or 40 years so Im told, The guy I got it from has pics of them pulling it out from its resting place.

 

Great story, well he give copies of the pictures or let you borrow them to copy? would be cool to have.

 

Ok Now Im sorry to interject into your threads but I have a unique problem as well with my 324. I bought my 56 Olds 98 with a 324 after being told the engine was completely rebuilt. When I checked it and re did the carbs, I noticed some oil leaking and decided to check that "rebuilt" statment further and found that the Valley Pan was crushed and not working as it should. The manifold had a nub for the heat dispersment and I KNEW the 324 was a flat bottomed manifold. I have, after checking, a 371 Intake manifold and it fit perfectly on the heads. The application of the 371 manifold crushed the Valley Pan and that needed to be replaced. Can I replace the 324 Valley Pan with a 371 Valley Pan on my 324 block and use the 371 Manifold?