Mike Sundy

Hi all,

I am currently tearing my engine apart to diagnose some milky oil and change all the gaskets as the history is unknown. I've run into a few thing that are concerning and a couple questions. Any help would be appreciated.

1. After taking off the intake manifold, I found that a couple of rods are severely bent, but not all.

2. The lifters don't look centered on the cam lobes, this seems like a big problem.

3. I was thinking of replacing the cam, lifter, and pushrods. Does anyone have suggetions on cam profile and brand to stick to or avoid? Is there anything else I should definitely replace while I have the engine this far apart?

4. Does anyone know if headers for a 64 will fit on a 71 or if header for a 71 will fit around a 64 frame? I ask because my exhaust manifolds look pretty rough and I might as well replace them since everything is out of the way.

5. What is the easiest way to tell which transmission I have? It is an automatic with a floor shift.

6. The central intake ports on both sides of the engine are caked with carbon. Is this a usual issue or does anyone know how to fix it?

7. I'm considering taking the heads to a machine shop, what's a good price to have them cleaned up with a 3 angle grinding?

I'm sure many other issues will come up in the near future and I appreciate any advice that you guys can give.

oldcutlass

Mike Sundy

Thank you for the quick and informative reply. Just to clarify one thing, will the 64 330 header bolt right on to the 71 350 engine? Also, will 71 headers not fit because of the suspension? I believe it already has 71 exhaust manifolds.

joe_padavano

To clarify, every single small block Olds, from the 1964 330 to the 1990 307, is externally identical dimentionally. Headers that fit a 1964 330 also fit a 1971 350. Headers need to be routed to clear the CHASSIS, not just bolt to the engine. The 1964-67 chassis is about 1.5" narrower than the 1968-72 chassis, which is why there is a header fitment problem. Back when these cars were new, there were lots of headers available. Today, not so much. Also, understand that every header manufacturer routes pipes differently. Some 68-72 Olds headers WILL fit in the early chassis, some will not. It depends on the specific tube routing used by that manufacturer.

Octania

I am currently tearing my engine apart to diagnose some milky oil and change all the gaskets as the history is unknown. I've run into a few thing that are concerning and a couple questions. Any help would be appreciated.
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You are on the precipice of a very deep mitaswell canyon here.


1. After taking off the intake manifold, I found that a couple of rods are severely bent, but not all.
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Typically after the engine was started with a stuck valve or three. If the valves have been freed [heads are being re-done] then new pushrods should be a good cure. They do come in different lengths, so measure and ck carefully, and maybe add the difference caused by your new thicker head gaskets combined with what was cut off the heads for surfacing. New rockers and pedestals, of course.



2. The lifters don't look centered on the cam lobes, this seems like a big problem.
===
Addressed above. Done on purpose to induce rotation while in use. Not a worry.


3. I was thinking of replacing the cam, lifter, and pushrods. Does anyone have suggetions on cam profile and brand to stick to or avoid? Is there anything else I should definitely replace while I have the engine this far apart?
===
See the experts [Mark]. Compression, final drive ratio, intake and exhaust mods, trans specs, all makes a difference as to what cam will give you the results you want. Measure your piston dish diameter and depth with say calipers. Yes, freeze plugs are often nearly rotted thru after years of service. If they look fresh don't fix 'em unless you poke at them and they get a hole. Oh, and the lift of the cam changes the base circle of the cam which changes the pushrod length needed, so maybe leave pushrod measuring and ordering until your final mockup assembly. Timing set unless it is in great shape. Front and rear main seals. Check the crank bearings. Rebuild the distributor or at least clean it and refresh the grease that now looks like cheese that was left out for a week.

4. Does anyone know if headers for a 64 will fit on a 71 or if header for a 71 will fit around a 64 frame? I ask because my exhaust manifolds look pretty rough and I might as well replace them since everything is out of the way.
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Fit the engine, sure. Fit the frame, not bloodly likely. You may wish to revisit this unless you have a large budget. It will be very, very much faster and less expensive to pretty up the manifolds you have, or buy prettier and/or brand new ones, than to get into headers and all the headaches that always go along with that.


5. What is the easiest way to tell which transmission I have? It is an automatic with a floor shift.
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Draw the pan gasket and count its bolts, go to the store or online and compare. If it has only 5 click positions PRNDL then it is probably the Jetaway 2-speed. If so it should have two wires to it, one for kickdown and one for switch pitch. These go in the LH side, above the pan gasket.


6. The central intake ports on both sides of the engine are caked with carbon. Is this a usual issue or does anyone know how to fix it?
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addressed recently. Shop-vac out the crud and it's good to go. You can have your intake blast cleaned at the machine shop, it's ony more money.


7. I'm considering taking the heads to a machine shop, what's a good price to have them cleaned up with a 3 angle grinding?
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Good idea what with bent pushrods
This service varies GREATLY in price and who gets to decide what "you need". Some guy will just replace really really bad guides, touch up the valves and seats, and get you out under $300 or so. Others will not do less than 100% all new everything and you are quickly above $1000 just for redone heads, which..... MITASWELLs you into slightly more expensive brand new aluminum heads.... and roller rockers... and now we fell into that canyon and the engine is becoming a $10k project, after which, you MIGHTASWELL redo the frame, and suspension, right....? Better brakes...

I'm sure many other issues will come up in the near future and I appreciate any advice that you guys can give.
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If you do not have a $20k budget, make that clear to machine shop guys, make it clear you want the bare minimum for a viable engine. Shop around. Make it clear that you will not bring it back and complain if the corner cutting later results in other issues. Sign papers to that effect if need be.

Mike Sundy

Thanks for the advice! I was just about to order the pushrods and some new lifters by now I'll wait. The headers are now off the block and have created more questions than answers. There don't appear to be anything wrong with the block or the gasket but I still had milky oil...also, the holes in the gasket don't seem to match up with the holes in the block, is that normal? So the exhaust manifolds were pretty different, one had a y pipe with a crimped off pipe and the other had only one outlet, is this normal? I've left the engine in the car so far, so I'm deciding if it's worth it to pull the cam. As for the transmission, it has 12DNRP I still have to check the shape of the pan against the ones provided earlier. The deeper I dig, the more "opportunities" I find.

oldcutlass

Its normal for the exhaust manifold to have the crossover blocked off in some way to create duals. The same manifolds are used for both applications. Milky oil can be caused by the an intake or a head gasket, it can also be caused by a timing cover behind the water pump.

Fun71

Yes.


Yes, sort of. The factory used a cap to block off the crossover outlet on cars with dual exhaust, but many folks just crimp and weld a short section of the crossover pipe to make dual exhaust on an original single exhaust setup that had the crossover pipe from one manifold to the other.

Mike Sundy

Would it make any difference to the exhaust flow if it had a six inch crimped pipe vs a proper cap on the manifold?

oldcutlass

No, other than it collects moisture.