Fletchmo72

I just bought a complete 455 engine on ebay. It is completely disassembled and cleaned. The block has been honed (I don't know if bored over) by a shop. The entire motor is said to be "ready to assemble."
Needless to say, I will check all this out for myself before starting in.
This will be my first build. I have always been "mechanically inclined," and in high school worked as a small engine mechanic. Probably rebuilt about 50 single cylinder Briggs & Stratton engines.
To prepare I have done how-to research online. One video seemed pretty good to me, but perhaps others on here know of, or would be interested in watching this 4-part video and let me know what they think of it.
It can be found at Myvintageiron7512
My biggest worry is that it seems too easy... I've gone through it in my mind and I feel like I know what to do. But... there's always things that will trip up a newbie, and I don't want to find out the hard way.
I do know about lining up the oiler hole for the cam bearing. And about the plug with hole to oil distributor. Not sure if I need to worry about restricting oil flow to the lifters since I'm not racing it, but someone can chime in.
I want to use new pistons, not the stock ones it comes with. And I need to know whether I need to upgrade the rods from stock if I increase compression. I think I'm only looking for 9.5 or 10:1 for my daily driver needs.
This motor comes with 3 sets of heads, including "C" heads, which I intend to use. The other two are not the smogger "J" heads, but I'm not sure what kind (might sell them if anyone's interested).
So to summarize:
What do folks think of the video I referenced (Myvintageiron7512)?
What pistons/rods do you recommend?
Biggest concerns for a newbie engine rebuilder?
Also, how do I choose a cam to go with the "C" heads?
Wow, that's enough for now.
Thanks!

Fun71

Choose the cam to go with your intended application, not the heads.
The rear gears, weight of vehicle, and compression ratio are major considering factors in cam selection.
You said "daily driver" so look for a cam that makes power in the low and mid RPM range.

Hairy Olds

Way too organized for me.

Fletchmo72

Progress... and 3 questions:
I am using a local machine shop for work on my block and heads (T & B'z Racing Engines, Monroe Wisconsin). Great people. Block is being bored .030 over. I'll be using Speed Pro forged dish pistons (SLP-L2323F30) which, with my 80 cc C heads, will reportedly yield about 9.3:1 compression. (There are better pistons, but at less than $300 bucks for a full set I couldn't pass them up.) Also a set of plasma-moly rings (SLP-R1037430). These pistons are calculated using a .030 deck clearance. I know that is not optimal.
1. Should I have him deck the block 10 thousandths or so?

The engine came with a new-in-box Engle cam. (Part no. 2718H, EP 18/20H grind.) I'll be installing an Edlebrock performer intake, paired with a q-jet carb, and 1-3/4" headers into a 3" dual exhaust. Also have a W-30 type intake with dual 4" tubing, but without the ram air bumper scoops. So, basically just a cold air intake set up. Will be using an HEI distrubutor. This will be mostly a daily summer driver ('72 Cutlass Supreme), with plenty of "spirited" driving and take offs.
2. Is this the correct cam to use with this engine set up?

I'll be using cast iron C heads with the stock flat tappet set up, but may at a future date upgrade to Edlebrock aluminum heads.
3. Should I have the heads ported (and what specifically should be done)?

Would love anyone's advice. Thanks

dc2x4drvr

Fletchmo72

Thanks. I hadn't thought about having to mill the intake. So to maintain the desired compression ratio of about 9.3 (to work with 91 octane gas), if you have a zero deck clearance piston does it use a bigger, deeper dish? Seems like you end up in the same place. Also don't understand how flattop pistons, that are often mentioned here, can have compression ratios much below 10 that would still work with pump gas.

SWinner

[QUOTE=Fletchmo
2. Is this the correct cam to use with this engine set up?
Would love anyone's advice. Thanks[/QUOTE]

Fletchmo, do yourself a favor and let the machine shop build the engine and recommend the parts. I too have rebuilt plenty of Brigs & Stratton and other small engines. I've even done a few bone stock V-8's without a problem. But you are not doing that. You have nonstandard parts that you do not know if they are going to work together. Your machine shop can determine how your engine will perform with that cam. They will also determine the proper length of the push rods, correct rockers and valves to use. Cams are complicated. A good machine shop does this every day and has all the special tools to build it correctly.

Write down what you want in the finished engine. Reliability, run on pump gas, maximum street performance. Tell them about the car, transmission and rear gear and any changes you way make to those.

Let them assemble the entire long block. You can put the rest of the engine together. I have several friends that took everyones advice, bought all kind of parts from Jegs and Summit. When they first started the engine without an exhaust, the could not hear the valves and pistons colliding with each other. They managed to ruin a special original engine.

It will be money well spent. Good luck,

redoldsman

I read this thread and think back to the first engine I ever assembled. It was a 265 Chevy I put in my 1940 for in 1963 when I was 17. I bought it from a junkyard for $55 and saved $5 by pulling it myself. I found a locally owned machine shop that had lots of patience with young kids asking questions. They turn the crank and vatted my block and installed he cam bearings. They pretty much told me how to assemble it. I never used a torque wrench. It worked and I drove the car my entire senior year. I had no help from my dad. Today we have the internet and utube that shows about anything. That 265 Chevy was a lot simpler than a 455 Olds. You might be able to do it yourself but I would work closely with a good machine shop.

Fletchmo72

I appreciate the advice. I am indeed working very closely with the shop. They are setting clearances, making recommendations. I am only assembling things within my limitations. I will likely install the pistons, but will let the shop set end clearances on the rings first. I asked about the cam to get people's opinions. The shop thinks it will be fine, but people on here have lots of experience with Oldsmobiles in particular. This is a semi-budget build. I'm doing some of the work to save $$, but also for the fun and challenge of it. I hope it works out. I think it will. But if not, well, I will accept the outcome.

dc2x4drvr