69 Cutlass 350

[OLD SKL 69]

Hi everyone. I just joined the forum and was hoping for some good advice. I purchased a 69 Olds Cutlass S with a cutlass supreme interior and 442 badges on the outside. I guess the last owner could not make up his mind. Anyway, it originally came with a 350 and a powerglide, but both were replaced with another 350 and a turbo 400. The 350 is a 68 motor with #6 heads on it, 4 barrel carb, hei ignition, headers, and 3" exhaust with 2 chamber mufflers.

It sounds cammy with a lopey idle but it is slow. I read on another post that the hei distributors were for smog motors and I need to get an adjustable vacuum advance and make sure that I am getting 36 degrees total timing by 3000rpm. That I will check when I can run it. But I think the exhaust is also too big for this car. Shouldn't it have a 2 1/2 inch exhaust with 3 chamber mufflers? I am thinking that I do not have enough back pressure to give me low end torque. I also checked the timing and found that it does not want to run anywhere near the factory setting, so I am not sure if someone degreed the cam in correctly. The previous owner could not tell me about the motor other than he said it was rebuilt about 7 years ago and has sat the whole time. It smokes when you accelerate it at start up and seems to clear up as it warms up. I am figuring that I will need to take it out drive it more. Finally, I wanted to know if anyone is using a 200R4 tranny and if it was worth the money to switch it over from turbo 350/400. I will be using this car for cruising and occasional drag strip runs. Thanks for your help.

Darrell

P.S. I tried to sign up at realoldspower.com but I could not finish the registration process. I tried contacting the administrator but they have not replied. Can anyone help me with that?

[Oldsguy]

Darrell, welcome to ClassicOlds!

Work on the tune-up items first. Lots of guys use the HEI with a build street/strip SBO so it can be done. I think your total advance goals sounds about right. I agree with your evaluation of the exhaust, 3" is a little ig for the SBO. I wouldn't worry about the tranny until you get the car running good and then notice any weakness in the drivetrain, you won't break a TH400 with that SBO unless you really built it up. The 200R4 would be nicer on the highway for sure though.

[OLD SKL 69]

Thanks for the welcome. I appreciate the comments.

Can anyone tell me if there is a way to check if this is a high or low compression engine in this car? Are the #6 heads a small cc head? What cc size are they?

[Eightupman]

http://www.442.com/oldsfaq/oldsfaq.htm This FAQ will give you most the info you need. You have to take it with a grain of salt because most of the info on there is "dontated" but guys who are either professional Olds guys OR self proclaimed professional Olds guys. The rule of thumb I use to get information is to ask my question as many different people I can, and lean toward similar answers.

Good luck.

John

[OLD SKL 69]

Thanks John. Great site!

[cutlass tom]

i believe the #6 heads are 70 cc

[2blu442]

Darrel, you may already know but a 1968 350 should have had #5 heads from the factory. I've got several 1970 350's with #6 heads, not sure what the 1969 was. John

[OLD SKL 69]

Thanks for your responses. I was able to find out that it is a 70 350 with a 68 intake manifold. The heads are listed at 64cc. It is running a total of 39 degrees advance.

I checked the initial timing and found that it is running at 24 degrees btdc. I tried to bring it in line with factory specs and it did not want to run. I know the engine was rebuilt and I am thinking someone did not degree the cam in properly. It is definitely down on power and starts smoking when I bring the idle up over 1500rpm. Oh well, it was supposed to be a good engine. I am going to check compression next. If anybody has any other ideas, please let me know Thanks.

Darrell

[Oldsguy]

Was that 24 bdtc with or without the vaccum attached? Make sure the vaccum advance is disconnected and plugged and try to bring down the timing by steps, say 5 degrees a step. After bringing down the timing the first time, then re-adjust the idle misture screws. The car may be way out of adjustement and it might have been done on purpose to cover a problem, especially since is smokes. You might be right about the cam not being dialed in correctly. At any rate, trying small steps when something is way out could work, I think 10 or 12 btdc is more correct for a stock engine. Then again, if the engine was rebuilt and there is a non-stock cam in it then the stock tune up figures won't necessarily apply. But whatever the case, it shouldn't smoke.

[OLD SKL 69]

I backed the timing down to 12 btdc and reset the carb. It was down on power to begin with and after the adjustments, it has even less power. It sounds very lopey and has 13hg at idle. Someone has been into this engine and I really dont have a good history on the car itself. I know it is a 70 350 and it should be a stock 9 to 1 compression ratio. If all they did was add a big cam, I guess that could explain the power issue. The only thing I haven't done is a compression check. Also, for all I know, the valve guides could be shot and that is why it is smoking. I will take it apart when it gets warmer. Anyone know of a good olds head rebuilder in my area that they can recommend? If not, I would consider sending them out on any recommendations. Thanks.

[leadfoot067]

sooooooo if the cam was installed incorrectly the compression test will not come out the way you want,if the cam is retarded in the motor,and its bigger than stock(longer duration and overlap)than it will show low numbers on the compression test.it could also simple be too much cam for the rest of the combination you have.its very important to have all parts working TOGETHER thats what makes power.if the compression necccesary for a big cam isnt there to begin with and the motor has a big cam anyways than that just makes the situation worse...i konw what a motor sounds and runs like when the cam is retarded,but its difficult to describe,and difficult to figure out when im just reading words on a screen..lol ya ive tried 2 times at realoldspower..with no luck