Was wondering what realistic hp and tq numbers one can expect out of a 400 engine with 10.1 compression,roller cam,roller rockers and a good amount of porting and polishing of the heads. It's a 1968 400 engine.

 

Uhhh, could you be a little more vague?

We'll need a whole lot more info than that, i.e. cam grind, how much porting, headers, manifolds, carb size etc.

Thanks

 

How about this, it's the original engine is it possible to get 400 hp and still have good street manners? I have a 455 that I was going to build but Im just toying with the idea of doing the original engine and have a numbers matching car and still have some fun/ performance. Is there a well known recipe that will produce these goals with a 400 ?

 

Much better. As you know that 400 isn't the most desireable of the bunch (small bore, long stroke), but can you get 400hp from it and still have good street manners?

The answer is yes but of course the 455 would be an easier and cheaper path. However that 400 should make 450+lbft of torque fairly easily, that would still make a fun car to drive.

 

I owned a '68 Olds with the stock small bore/long stroke 400. After putting over 100,000 miles on it, I decided to freshen the motor up with a few simple mods. Even after all the miles on it, the engine still held it's original compression....I had the turbo 400 automatic rebuilt and a shift-kit; a slightly higher-performance cam and new lifters/valve springs; and a set of headers installed. I don't know the numbers in terms of horsepower increase, but the power and performance were amazingly improved. I drove that car to 180,000 miles before selling it to a collector.....It still ran like a tiger and I still regret selling it !

 

I'm in the same boat with a '68 400 (matching numbers) What cam did you put in it? Any other cam recommendations while on the subject?

Craig

 

Hey Craig in the process of selecting a cam now,I'm thinking comp cams 268 since I am just freshening up the valve train,timing chain so I'm thinking of doing cam and lifters as well....

 

do the 455

 

Hello 442 Craig
The folks who think the 400 is a waste of time, didn't watch Pete Kost drive the Smothers Brothers 1969 W-30, to set the F/stock automatic class record for NHRA at the Winternationals...(12.94)...which doesn't sound like much now, but back then it was pretty darn quick. Remember, these cars weren't extensively modified like the cars of today. I have personally spoken with Joe Mondello...(about 15 years ago)....who suggested I keep the 400, rather than replace it with the 455. I'm glad I took his advise....the Olds was the best street performer of the three muscle cars I've owned....(1969 Buick GS 400; 1970 Duster 340; 1968 Olds 442) all were bone-stock, excellent cars...the 442 was my favorite. Like I said before, I'm sorry I sold it....back in 1983. If I recall, the cam I had installed was somewhere in the neignborhood of 298 degree lift. nowhere near the kind of cam you'd find in a stock W-30 of that period...which I believe was around 328 degree lift. I think I purchased the cam through Crane cams....but that's a lot of years ago....and I'm an old Dude! At the same time, I had a double roller timing chain, new lifters and springs, and a 3.91 posi rear-end installed....I think the 3.91 wasn't really necessary (too noisy on the highway, but huge fun for stoplight drags)....the 400 doesn't need to wind past 5400 RPM... and you're only going to wreck the motor by over-reving it....so a rear-end gear in the neighborhood of 3.42 is plenty! The '68-'69 400's started getting trash-talked after the 455's became the trend. All the BS about them not lasting or breaking easily,...is just that!...BS! My 400 still ran like new after 180,000 miles. Not the case with either the Buick, lovely car but not very exciting,....or the Duster, which was as quick as the Olds, but really not as fun to drive! If you keep your 442 numbers correct, you'll have a valuable and rare bird, worth lots of bucks some day. Meanwhile, unless you're trying to compete against todays totally non-stock drag cars, you'll have lots of fun on the street/strip...and be surprised who's muscle- butt you might kick with your under-rated underdog!

 

Being the fact that it's a small bore motor with some potential breathing problems, you may want to think about a reverse dual pattern cam on a wider lobe sep. That would give you good tq/hp with a broad power band.

I do those, but jmo.

 

Sorry for being ignorant, but what does jmo stand for?

 

Just my opinion.

 

Gentleman,

Thanks for the advise. My dad had a 68 442 turnpike cruiser (why? long story) And I remember getting pinned to the seat on many occations. My pops was just giving me a hands on education on becoming a "car guy!" Unfortunatly that car was wrapped around a poll after he sold it. I purchased my own about 8 years ago. The car is stock and doesn't have much grunt. Sounds more like a cutlass than a 442 (no offence to the cutlass guys!) I have two young daughters who I need to follow in my dads footsteps and "educate them!" I'm rambling... I just want to give it a little rumble mainly for sound and a set of great mufflers (I'm leaning towards a magna flow set up)without going too crazy, I just want a nice cruiser. I am pulling the engine out to clean the engine bay and wondered what my options were. I live in California and considered giving Mondello a call for some pointers! This is my first attempt at a big block, I have worked on Corvairs my whole life so I'm a little green to the whole thing!

Thanks again!
Craig

 

Greetings 442Craig

I'm afraid I've been out of the Muscle-car loop for many years now...so I really don't know about current costs and availability. I'd imagine there are good after-market sources on these cars, because they're collectable (if original) Regarding Joe Mondello...previously I'd mentioned talking to him about 15 years ago....it must have been WAY longer than that....I'd sold my 442 around 1983, and we'd spoken before that. I was sorry to hear he'd passed-away some time back. He was a very knowledgable and personable gentleman. I'd telephoned him long-distance from Canada, after-hours at his workplace....yet he was happy to chat and share his expertise. I'm sure his legacy continues on..(maybe his business included family)
If your 400 motor is tired, it's probably way overdue for a rebuild A lot of these cars had the crap kicked-out of them by kids street-racing and trying to reach 6000 RPM's...Find yourself a reputable rebuilder...someone who know's Oldsmobiles...my niece bought a '68 442 (fake W-30)...which was ruined by a deal made on a cheap rebuild.

 

Have a good machine shop sonic check the bores all the way around, up and down and then bore it as much as is safe, and for which you can get a piston. I recommend a forged, light piston and pin combination for that long 4.25" stroke, with aftermarket rods (about as cheap as trying to improve stockers). You can also cut eyebrows to help unshroud the valves from the edges of the bores.
These things wil make the small bore G block do pretty well.

 

The car had a frame off restoration in '89. I believe it was babied after that. It just needs a good cleaning. It ran good before I tore it down, no smoke (should of taken a compression check) Probably just needs a re-seal and that's it. Thanks for the info guys, I'm going to tear into it in the next few weeks... keep ya posted!

 

Do lots of reading here and on ROP for pointers, before deciding to give them a call.

Like rund said, a little bit of grinder work, a good cam, and carb build should put grins on your face!

 

MX442, What cam would you recommend?

 

Unfortunately, cam science is over my head. I can NOT recommend an Edelbrock cam. That's what was in my 400 and it was very lazy. I went through the entire engine tweaking it to perfection, except for changing the cam. I wish I had.

My statement was made in a general sense.. Minor port work, good ignition, good carburetor, and a modern cam designed to work with current fuels and compression ratios will be the best bang for the buck on any older engine.

I do recommend a roller hydraulic cam. The reputable vendors the post here can help you out with selecting the best cam for your combo.

 

Hey craig talk to cutlassefi or 507olds. They can steer you in the right direction,they know thier sh$t! Steve

 

Thanks guys! Will do!

 

The only issues with the 1968 400 W30 was the small bore long stroke configuration and the intake. The bore can be increased safely to 4"( lots of meat in the block, now a 427 cu in). The cast iron intake is sunk into the lifter gallery restricting flow. The best part is the heads, flow test great. So keep your 400, bore it out, use a cam that operates between 1800-5800 rpm with a 510. to a 525. lift with low roller rockers (able to keep stock covers), 9.5cr pistons, match flow the heads to new highrise intake with 750 holley properly jetted, clean out the oil return gallery from the heads to the pan, stock rods are fine with a slight notch to allow oil to flow out quicker and a high volume oil pump with your stock pan, 2" headers to complete your rebuild. Engine will look stock (paint the intake and remove all id markings) except for the headers but, it will produce approx 460 hp with 535 ft lbs of torque, what else do you need. This will keep your 442 W30 original with a lot more pep.