This is my first time joining a car crew online also my first Oldsmobile 64k original miles. I've been driving it for about a month and have plans on pulling the engine out and doing some work in the spring but I started to get some lifter tick so I might be tearing it apart early. haven't had much time to plan but I definitely want more horsepower than came with the car cuz I need to be a little Burn Rubber not going to say something astronomical although I am new to building so any idea as to what type of parts and where to get them would be great. the wife said $3000 is my limit on the engine but it's a little flexible although the cheaper the better. I have some experience rebuilding Motors and have a pretty reasonable machine shop even some advice on transmission and Gear could be useful. I truly appreciate any and all advice

 

Welcome to the site, we look forward to helping you with your project and seeing pics.

As far as parts go all of the body parts you'll have to fine NOS or OE from a salvage car. Performance parts for an Olds 350 are readily available as are mechanical parts for a 78 Delta 88 like shocks, brakes and steering components. The sky is pretty much the limit if you have enough cash.

IMHO, an engine refresh and Quadrajet tune are the way to go. Where do you live? If you are someplace like OK you might consider ditching the smog pump and catalytic converter.

 

Thank i am glad to be here and look forward to sharing on the project survive the is mostly in good condition except for a tire blowout I just had on a dry rotted Tire as I was driving home when I got it so the fender smash but I got a pretty good body guy I plan on pulling out the motor trans and shaft and sending it to my body guy to fix all the corrosion I was planning on doing in the spring so I figured I'd have a lot of time for planning but because I got a lifter that collapsed I figured I'll pull it out sooner so I was just looking at for any advice on what I can do to the motor such as cams heads that people wouldn't suggest or even like Pistons and gears possibly type of transmission people would suggest

 

If you have a lifter that collapsed all you have to do is pull the valve cover and intake manifold. That will allow you to access the lifters and rocker arms for disassembly.

Be aware that Olds used a "turkey tray" type gasket under the intake manifold. Some folks have difficulty getting it to seal properly when reinstalling it.

 

First off, I would locate a set of 64 to 72 Olds 350 heads unless you plan replacing the pistons with flat tops. Even then your 3A heads are crack prone with a horrible exhaust port. If the compression and oil pressure is good, I would add a set of the early heads milled with 2.07"/1.625" valves with bowls opened up and matching springs to a better cam. The stock cam sucks and the nylon cam gear hopefully hasn't flaked apart. With that mileage maybe rings, bearings and gaskets plus the parts I mentioned above. A 2000-2500 torque converter would help as well.

 

I doubt you have a collapsed lifter if all your hearing is a light tick. Dump a qt of Rislone engine treatment, Marvel Mystery oil, or transmission fluid into your oil and drive for 100 miles. Then do an oil an filter change.

You can do a refresh on your engine. The best bang for your buck to spin your tires is a gear change. Remember as performance increase fuel economy will decrease.

 

Welcome to the group... What you maybe hearing is a bad rocker arm or pivot (or both), very easy fix until you are actually ready for a rebuild...

 

Yea it's definitely a lifter that clasped when I first got the car I changed the oil and it looked like it literally had never been changed 3 of the lifter were not working after I ran some trans fluid 2 of the lifters came back to life but one didn't and now it's hitting hard. I'm kinda a newbie to Old cars and have no idea where to start looking for part and what parts match together

 

Btw with the information you guys have already provided shows I'm in the right place you guys are already awesome

 

70 6 350ci heads. $150 plus shipping. Not magnafluxed.



I found these in the for sale form how do you guys feel about it for the 78

 

Oz, those heads look pretty solid, but I don't know how desirable the SBO 6 heads are. $150 + shipping seems pretty steep. Where are you located? Surely there are salvage yards close to you that have plenty of Olds parts in them.

 

If you suspect a collapsed lifter, pull the intake and loosen all the rockers so you can pull all the lifters and inspect them and the cam lobes. You can remove the clip and take them apart to clean them out or just replace the one thats bad. If you see any dramatic wear then I'd suspect you may also have a bad cam.

 

Those heads will work but shipping won't be cheap. I found a fully rebuilt set of #6 heads with big intake valves added and the bowls opened for $400 on Kijji. Check all the local for sale sites.

 

Thanks guy for the input what # would be most desirable someone has a #4 and a #7 for sale I'm in south Carolina btw

 

If they are similar shape the #4 heads have smaller chambers but are similar to the later 5,6 and 7(a) heads.

 

OK so I decided to just pull out the bad lifter and just replace it till January when I'm going to do a full rebuild I'm going to keep I the search for some #5 heads put some flat top pistons I'm trying to figure out what cam to use though

 

So are the 4,5,6, and 7 head a direct fit as in do I need need different lifters and push rods or anything else

 

Flat tops with early heads will give too much compression. Cutlassefi worked with Mahle to bring a 10cc dish piston to the market. Very light and very modern 1mm ring pack. With early heads you will have low 9 to 1 compression. Get them in the 4.065" bore and you should be able to hone to size on a low mile motor. Plus there should be an easy 10 hp gain over the old school Speedpro forged pistons everyone uses. Don't hold out or pay extra for #5 heads. Any of the heads you mentioned are very similar stock and have just as much potential to build.

 

Thanks Olds you have been a huge help like I said before I'm really new to the classic car world do you know where I can find those pistons? And what cam do you recommend

 

So I decided to go ahead and replace the lifter so that's fixed but I'm still doing the rebuild this January cut it really needs it I'm excited my wife is learning automotive in college si she really interested in helping me with it and January is when she's doing the rebuild classes so I figured we can move at the same pace of her classes