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Yeah, too much humidity in my garage to even consider assembly. I will probably file another ring set tomorrow. The snow has finally melted around the shop and the car. Expecting another possible 10" of snow next week, so the cover will back on the 70S. Every couple of days I am shooting down the block and crank with WD40/penetrating fluid to prevent rust. I plan on cleaning the heck out of the block and parts, have a drum of brake clean, lube, measure, degree the roller cam and assemble the short block in the next month or so.
After spending way to many hours changing the Power Steering hose on my Daughter's Edge, it was a PIA, I did a couple of things on the Olds. I threw some fresh Premium in the tank, charged the battery and took out of the basement into the car. I then fired it up, moved it back and topped up the air in tires. Then recovered it, waiting for the 10" of snow next week😥.
I ordered a new headlight surround, two headlight bezels, in pieces and the wheel well trim as mine needs replacement when new paint goes on. RPM is still trying to get an ETA on rear quarter panels. Their prices are close to US prices and my Wife goes to Saskatoon every month so there will be no shipping charge. I will have to see if the quarter panels will fit in the trunk of the Challenger, when they come in😎.
So the stainless headers just arrived. The only issue is a dent, others have had similar. The welds and finish look great for $300 shipped. I will paint the mild steel flanges this weekend. I polished them with this.
So I have got my shop mostly free of water and have the dehumidifier going. I should be able start assembly of the 358 in the next few weeks. Of course rain this weekend. It actually might help thaw the ground. After Amazon ******* around, not sending parts in stock for 2 weeks, the CC507 springs finally showed up. The KYB shocks have been sitting patiently waiting. The rear ride height will get fixed this weekend.
So the springs weren't bad to change, thanks to the one inch diameter solid steel bar about 5 feet long with a flat end. I kept it from the farm, probably at least 50 years old. It worked great to pry just enough space and use a 3 foot bar to tuck it in. Finally a proper rear ride height. The driver's side had more sag, noticeably shorter. The rear shocks were completely shot. The pic is with 2 spare tires and a fairly heavy container of parts and fluids in the trunk. Sure glad I went with the tallest option. The mystery box is my Performer RPM intake, it is going to Mark next week for SEFI conversion.
So I took it for a test drive and shifted the weight in the trunk. It is slightly stiffer in the back end but not terrible. I thought, side to side it was still somewhat uneven. Parked in different angle and it is the exact opposite, so it must be the uneven ground level, which slopes towards my shop. Which is perfect for water to collect and why any amount of rain is an issue, along with spring melt. New KYB gas adjust shocks will go on the front as well. I will be adding the wideband next, on my next day off.
Today
Yesterday
So I got my wideband O2 sensor installed. This Qjet is very rich, it was idling like ***** now I know why. Idle was around 11 about 2.5 turns out on the mixture screws. With the choke on, high 10's! Part throttle was maybe 12. I turned the mixture screws one turn out, high 12's. I turned in the mixture screws a half turn out. I turned the APT in another two turns, I will test on the way to work tomorrow.
Better again, high 12's with the choke on. Idle was low 13 to 14. Part throttle was 13's to a low 15. I turned in the mixture screws another 1/4 turn and the APT another turn. Idle is perfect mid 13 to mid 14's. With the choke on, high 12''s, very low 13's. Part throttle was unchanged. I tried one more turn on the APT, need to see if it makes any difference.
Last edited by olds 307 and 403; May 17th, 2022 at 06:02 PM.
The adjustment made a slight difference, should be good. I got tired of the 2 year old aluminum/plastic leaking, it got to point when I put coolant in, ut came out just as fast at the seem on the passenger side! The new rad is good but the Dorman plastic over flow is leaking, not very old. I will probably get this one.
I bought 4 core mounts but Thornton only sent one set. So I hammered the bottom saddles till the rad dropped in and drilled out the top spot welds and replace the top with the 4 core saddles.
I finally received my front KYB shocks. I will try and get them in Saturday after work. I have a weeks holiday and will assemble the 350 short block!
Things are moving along nicely for you. It looks good with the new rear springs and shocks. What size are your rear wheels and tires? Looking forward to you starting the engine build.
Things are moving along nicely for you. It looks good with the new rear springs and shocks. What size are your rear wheels and tires? Looking forward to you starting the engine build.
Proffensionly widened Pontiac Ralleye 2 15"×10", they did a real job, welds were real nice. I put 275/60R15 Cooper Cobra's. My Neighbour sold his 79 T/A but kept these rims. I bought them for $20 each, along with 14"×7" fronts which have 225/70R14 Radial TA's. I am looking forward to getting this motor running!
So I changed the front shocks from what looked like factory shocks to the KYB shocks. I was happy when my Daughter's boyfriend pointed out the big Made in Japan on the new shocks. The passenger side came right out and went right in. Of course no new bottom bolts, so the factory shouldered bolts were reused and torqued to the factory 25 ft/lbs spec. The top 10 ft/lbs spec is tough to do. The factory had a thin top lock nut on top of the regular nut. The KYB also included two nuts along with the rubber top bushings and thick clamp washers. The driver's side didn't go so smooth. The top and first bottom bolt came right out. The second snapped the factory clamp nut. I could not get a 1/2" wrench on it, not even a stubby wrench, due to the coil spring in the way. I ended up feeding a 1/4" drive 13mm socket, since it fit better and a 6" long extension with straight jawed vice grips. The ratchet wouldn't fit, the vise grip barely fit between. It worked to remove the bolt and install the new shock on the driver's side.
Last edited by olds 307 and 403; June 13th, 2022 at 06:00 AM.
The new headlight plastic surrounds and bezels came in. A PIA for my Wife to pick up from RPM, couldn't go in and only accepted cash or an Etransfer. Two hours later she had them🤔. I also had to get a couple of new speed nuts for the bezel screws. Yes the passenger side fell off driving around town due to the broken down plastic🤗.
Before
After
Last edited by olds 307 and 403; June 19th, 2022 at 11:46 AM.
Agreed. Probably the tail lights will be next cosmetically. The 358 engine assembly and possibly a used 403 with my #6 heads and my 204/214 cam until Edelbrock releases the new heads. I am sending Matk the money for the EFI conversion to my RPM probably next week, now that he has it in his possession.
Pretty sure I have a line on a good 403. With my 65cc #6 heads with the 2.07" intake valve, bowls opened with upgraded springs with .042" Felpro gaskets should be right at 9 to 1. I also have the 204/214 cam and double roller timing set. I already have all the gaskets as well. I also received all my 2.5" stainless exhaust parts to work with the full length stainless headers. Yes, these are straight through, Flowmaster stainless mufflers. I still plan on some assembly of the 358 after picking up, gasketingz head swapping, painting and installing the 403 first.
So I went and got the 403, very clean on the outside. I also got the short tail 350 on it for $400. He let me take any of the parts. I took the 6 blade clutch fan and triple pulleys. I also got a very nice trans dust cover. The intake and carb aren't stock for this motor. It is off his 79 Custom Cruiser wagon that had a carb fire. Fairly minor, the carb looks salvageable for a rebuild. The guy mentioned he was told the 4A heads were rebuilt. The main caps are marked with yellow dots, pretty sure the whole thing was apart at some point. The timing chain was also replaced. I pulled all the caps to get the rope rear main seal out. The bearings look decent. I am going to use the Canton pan and pickup with the purple spring in the Melling high volume oil pump. Then clean and install the 204/214 cam in the same spot, since I degreed it in the 350. Then clean and install the #6 heads with 2.07" intake valves and the Performer intake. I will also install the new stainless exhaust.
Last edited by olds 307 and 403; June 26th, 2022 at 06:49 PM.
It looks like this motor came from a 1977 Buick orginally. I cleaned everything up and painted VHT Gold Engine Metallic on the 62 and 64cc, what they actually measured #6 heads and the Performer intake. I painted the Serpentine accessories VHT Black Engine Metallic. New Anchor 2261 engine mounts, they fit perfect, torqued to 80 ft/lbs. The piston I measured was .025" in the hole. That means I will be just over 9 to 1 compression with the .042" Felpro head gaskets. I need to bend a new fuel line from the pump to carb, I have NiCopper 3/8" line to use. I will get the 350 out, make sure the 204/214 cam looks OK from it and put it in the same place. I may just clean up one of the stock oil pans and save the Canton pan and pick up for new motor, still deciding. It would mean another Melling High volume oil pump and drive shaft for the new motor, not the end of the world. I do want to make sure everything fits with the full length Stainless headers. I realize that will require moving the brake proportioning valve. I also will install the new Powermaster starter. Although the red no name mini has worked perfectly.
I pulled down the knocking 350, it spun the #1 rod bearing. I kept the block and main caps, the rest is trash. The 204/214 cam still looks great and the lifters easily came out. I installed the cam, straight up on the unknown double roller timing set in the 403 where it was in the 350, since I degreed it. I used the oil pump that was in the 403, a Melling 22F. I cleaned up the already Gold 350 pan, there were a lot of metal in the bottom, lucky the cam survived. I already installed the AMC 252 neoprene rear main, I installed the upgraded Felpro pan gaskets already coated in rubber, just Optimum Black on the lip seals and corners. I put the shields on both motor mounts. Also Felpro timing cover and fuel pump gaskets, both sides lightly coated in Optimum Black along with a new front seal. I decided to put both shields back on the motor mounts and torque them to 80 foot pounds. The flex plate that came with the 403 and balancer back on. The short block will get dropped in tomorrow then the #6 heads and the Performer intake which I stole the restricted heater hose outlet off the #17 307 intake to save the heater core.
The passenger side fit nearly perfect with these . The frustrating driver's side header will need heat and maybe a big vise to move that tube away from the motor mount. For now, the shorties and the 2.5 X pipe exhaust is going back on. Heads are torqued, valve train back together and torqued, intake on with Optimum Black on the rails and around both sides of the shim side gaskets. Aviation sealant is around the intake ports. Sanderson's are put on with Optimum Grey, since they don't use gaskets. I will work on it little bits to try and get it running by next weekend.
So I took the day off and put everything back in under the hood basically just secure the fans from underneath, torque converter bolts, new Powermaster starter and exhaust. I even threw on a filter and primed the oil system. The 1/2 cordless Ryobi drill was smoking after a couple minutes but I got oil to the rockers. I was surprised by how dark the Lucas Hot Rod oil is.
I got the cooling fan wiring zip tied up. The torque converter bolts are in, new Powermaster mini starter and dust shield on and the exhaust head pipes hooked up. Just the back half of the exhaust and fluids, hook up the battery and Vroom!
I spent 4 hours late night getting thr car back together. I had no spark, pretty positive the Ignitor module is cooked in that distributor. I finally swapped the distributor and finally spark. Just spent a few minutes it was 180 out, popping out the exhaust. It popped out the carb once put back 180 the other way. I turned it to the firewall, popped back but not as quick. I will go back a tooth and try again this weekend.
It lives! I restabbed in the distributor with the rotor on number one and the timing indicator on 20 degrees. It had 50 psi cold and around 15 psi warm idle oil pressure with 10W30. I had to add a bulb between the L wire and the 12 volt key on source, which I should have done initially. I had a pig tail very similar to a factory dash light, it now charges. I set the timing at 20 degrees at 1000 rpm in park.
Last edited by olds 307 and 403; July 10th, 2022 at 12:32 PM.
Well, I did some full throttle tests of this 403. I smell burnt tires😁. Plenty of torque, half throttle will spin the tires. It is running at about 11.5 AFR at wide open throttle. Supposedly the max torque AFR, I believe it.
So since I installed the 403, my Qjet was very lean at idle and part throttle. I am shocked it actually idled and drove so well. No bogs or hick ups at all. I went maybe a 1/4 turn on the idle mixture screws and one turn out on the APT. Much better no longer 15 to 16 at idle and no more 16 to 17 part throttle. Now 14's at idle and maybe 15 at part throttle. The full throttle AFR is still 11 to 11.5 even with the leaner AY secondary rods from the CV rods. I currently have a G hanger on there. I may try my V hanger, which should lean it out considerably. I will test😁 and report back.
My Wife's eyes were bugging her so she didn't want to go fishing on our local Reservoir😱. So I finally installed the Inline Tube direct replacement throttle cable. It fit as stock. I liked the aftermarket locking clip, so I used it over their hair pin clip. I also didn't use the rubber grommet and center tube. The cable sits on the large in piece on this 78 403 800 cfm Qjet. I added two extra washers on top of the one included, so it can't slip off the larger portion closer the linkage edge.
Still waiting on the second machine shop for the 358. I picked this up months back, not cheap from Monzaz. A high quality Yukon posi to go with the 3.08 gears that got a while back. The Stainless Chinese passenger side header fit perfectly. The drivers side hit the mount. I tried a couple of hits with a big sledge hammer, barely left a dent. I tried heating and a come along, nope. My Daughter's Boyfriend thought of this. Used long bolts and exhaust clamp ends with heat, the tube should be moved enough to clear the motor mount. I also removed most of the dent in the collector with heat and a tail pipe expander. More to come soon.
Before
So, I set up my 350 block with a number 8 head and a used Felpro head gasket and the original 70 motor mount. I pryed the tube as much as possible, still hit the mount unfortunately. So heat and a hammer and it barely fit. I will use a factory motor mount heat shield, I have two somewhere. I will use on both sides. Not ideal but not the first set of hammered headers. They are extremely well made, not thin metal and decent Stainless. Here is the before and after on the collector dent, quite a bit better.
So now that it is officially Winter, well has been for nearly a month, time to work on the Cutlass. I swept snow off the 70 and the rest melted off, warmed up this week. Before more snow could fall, into the garage it goes. I got all the fluids drained from the engine and trans. I am going to pull both. The trans is getting a CK pump, CK's improved GN servo, shift kit and all new seals, including a new 4L60E filter in the deep aluminium pan for the 2004R. The 3rd use of the Edelbrock Performer cam was not the charm, at least one lobe is gone. The 403 has decent compression, 150 to 160 psi. The oil pressure is on the lower side, bearings were so so but the crank looked really good. I will probably go with another 204/214 cam or similarly mild flat tappet with a minimum 112 LSA, new standard rod and main bearings. I flushed the 73 Oldsmobile valve covers until no more blasting grit came out of the baffles. When the 350 comes back from machine shop jail, I want this motor for 88 to 95 Chev/GM 4x4 to run the factory TBI and should run OK on 87 with the lazy sbc timing curve. I would probably like the open loop parameters modified to run better cold. So the Performer intake will stay on this motor, idle to 4500 rpm is the target. I finished paying Cutlassefi for my RPM EFI conversion, injectors and the rest of the parts. He is dropping off the new Sanderson headers to be coated. I am pulling off this current exhaust with half rotten, 15 year old coated Sanderson headers. Since I got the drivers side full length header clearanced, the Stainless headers, cats, pipes and straight through Flowmaster mufflers also Stainless in 2.5" will ho in, no crossover pipe for now. Current has a compact X pipe. The Dynomax Superturbo mufflers are too quiet for my liking, these should be a bit more aggressive. I will start tearing it all out over the next few weeks. Once the motor and trans is done then I will get new bearings from Monzaz and the used 3.08 gears and pricy Yukon posi installed in the Type O rear.
Last edited by olds 307 and 403; November 26th, 2022 at 03:14 PM.
I thought the cam had a flat lobe, nope. All look OK including the lifters that have normal wear, came out easily and turn easily in the bores. I will be swapping a couple of rocker arms and bridges, if need be, play in a couple. I will be swapping in new rod and main bearings with a new standard volume oil pump with the purple spring, drive and pick up. Then onto the 2004R upgrades.
Well the passenger side of the non adjustable rocker arms bolted on with no excessive play. Number 3 and 5 on the drivers side took some fussing around. I switched bridges and swapped rocker arms side to side on #5. No more excessive play, even after rotating the cam. I put the stiffer spring pinkish or purple spring in place of the green spring in the new regular volume oil pump. Not only higher but more stable pressure throughout. I had to hammer the new pickup to achieve the proper position. A used Melling oil pump and pick up, had the same bend as a stock removed pump and pickup off the 403, so I copied them. The new Autotech oil pump, is a rebadged Melling with the new clicking pump gears. Not sure why Melling changed them. Here is the before and after on the oil pan. I will take more pics tomorrow oil the assembled oil pump and the current main bearings. The new standard rod and main bearings should be here Monday, NOS Ebay, super cheap, just over $125 CAD shipped. More than good enough for this 403.
Well, good and bad. The main bearings look the same as when I popped them to add a rubber rear main seal, not terrible. I never popped the rod bearings but I assumed they were fine. I think they were fine but either the extra compression and or detonation killed them. Just over 9 to 1 compression 91 non ethanol gas. It only has a 20 degree vacuum can on it and I added a mechanical stop on the HEI mechanical advance. I will back that down 10 degrees. On fire up there was too much silver filings in the Lucas Hotrod 10W30. I assumed it was the used 204/214 cam heading south, nope. The rod bearings aren't spun on 1 and 2 but definite copper. Both rod and mains are standard but the mains were apart for sure. Clean out and new bearings with a new oil pump🤷♂️. In the new year, I will contact machine shop about the 358 in the new year, hopefully on their to do pile.
April 9th, 2022, 09:45 PM
