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I have been working on my first build. 1974 olds omega with 350 rocket. I pulled motor and Trans last year and rebuilt the motor in a shed by myself. It’s ready to go in and for 2 days I’ve tried to line the engine mounts to the original frame pads and I can not get them to line up. I’m using the anchor 2261. My question is…. Does the passenger side need spacers? Ive ran into so many problems just trying to get this motor in. The steering box gets in the way of the Thornton hugger headers too so I pulled the box. It’s breaking my spirit. I don’t know what else to do. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated
How much is it off by? Is the gap/space fore-aft or side-side?
Lining up an engine by yourself can be tough, even harder with mods such as headers. Walk away for a bit and see if you can get a helper for the line-up. Be certain the torque converter is fully seated if applicable.
How much is it off by? Is the gap/space fore-aft or side-side?
Lining up an engine by yourself can be tough, even harder with mods such as headers. Walk away for a bit and see if you can get a helper for the line-up. Be certain the torque converter is fully seated if applicable.
I’ve got the trans mounted and it’s perfect. It just seems like these could be the wrong mounts maybe? Everything I’ve read says they are suppose to work. My main question is do I use spacers with the mounts or bolt straight to block? I really appreciate your encouragement
Are they not lining up with the frame mount through bolt? Something like the Sanderson center dump block hugger headers was probably your only option on your Omega to clear the steering box. https://www.sandersonheaders.com/hea...ldsmobile_350/
After you get the correct mounts you still may struggler a bit getting the motor in with the headers on . Worst case scenario you remove the headers and get the motor where it needs to be . Take the above advice above and step back for a breather I’ve destroyed more stuff when I got frustrated and pissed off . You will get it just take your time . Btw nice job doing the work yourself in the shed ! Not an east task
I don't know about spacers...about installing the engine it may be possible to put the headers in the ballpark of where they go, secure them loosely and bolt them to the heads after the engine is in place. This would allow the headers to be moved a little to access the mounts and associated hardware.
There are NO spacers required with the correct mounts. The bigger question is, which headers are these? The 73-74 Omegas used unique headers due to the rear steering. Hooker 3104s are the correct headers for an Omega, but they have been out of production for decades.
These are thortons. I was bummed at my futile attempt to find mids or long tube. This was at least better than the stock exhaust manifolds.
I just realized too that the pan I put on is the 6 quart from Inline tube. No wonder they wouldn’t line up. My pan was bottoming out on the crossmember I bet
Last edited by Mommas74rocket; March 5th, 2022 at 04:30 PM.
I suspect they will be right on top of the steering box. Of course, you know my feelings about shorty headers...
We know you love them. I don't know if Mark ever tested the rear dump Sanderson's I sent him on the dyno. These Sanderson center dump will clear the front mounts but didn't allow for enough pipe space when I had them on the Olds 4x4. Also expect grinding the welds if you get them uncoated. The last set I bought looked like ***** Mark was not impressed. I was told shitty welds were norm, them being rough finished, WTF? Sanderson O350, just as much as the Thornton headers coated.
What do the factory manifolds look like? Sorry my assumption, front mounts made the manifolds a center dump manifold. I don't think I ever saw these cars on the roads up here. Plenty of Nova's, almost none of the other siblings.
What do the factory manifolds look like? Sorry my assumption, front mounts made the manifolds a center dump manifold.
And you know what happens when you ***-U-ME...
The Omegas only came from the factory with single exhaust on the Olds 350. RPO N10 dual exhaust was not an option. The factory exhaust system used the conventional under-the-oil-pan Olds crossover pipe to the passenger side, so there was no issue with clearing the steering box. Unlike the 65-70 full size cars, there is no factory manifold that goes up and over the steering box for dual exhaust. If you try to run the driver side pipe under the crossmember and steering linkage, it will drag on the ground. No, I do not know if the 65-70 full size manifold can be used. The passenger side manifold is unique to the 73-74 Omega - casting number 411962. We had a member here a while ago looking for one. The unique part is how tightly the outlet port curves down to clear the firewall. Other Olds manifolds will hit the firewall.
Do the later 3 bolt 260 and 307 bolt manifolds hit? Won't his Thornton shorties hit there as well? That side goes straight back. Hopefully there is room on the driver's side once down on the mounts.
Last edited by olds 307 and 403; March 6th, 2022 at 09:23 AM.
Do the later 3 bolt 260 and 307 bolt manifolds hit? Won't his Thornton shorties hit there as well, that side goes straight back.
Since I've never owned an Omega, I have no idea what else fits or not. Common sense should tell you that Hooker wouldn't have tooled up and warehoused a unique set of headers for the Omega if something else fit it. Any headers or pseudo-headers that Thornton sells will be designed for an A-body.
Don't you know that Olds only made 68-72 A-body cars in their entire history?
Apparently, the case. I think the Sanderson or his stock manifolds might be his only choice. The Sanderson's fit tight but might be very close to the steering box. A good pic of the underneath of a 74.
Center dumps will aim directly at the center link and inner tie rod ends. Like I said, Hooker 3104s if you can find them. Long out of production. I still kick myself that I saw an Omega with those headers at a wrecking yard years ago and I didn't grab them.
Too bad, it would have been good to have those dimensions to copy. Yeah, it would be an extreme challenge to route exhaust in that position. Hopefully he can make it all work.
Is it a possibility to put an oldsmobile flange on a set of sbc headers for it?
I've often wondered that same thing. The only problem is the angle of the exhaust flange surface on the heads. Olds it parallel to the cylinder bores, Chevy is not. Could you start with Chebby headers and cut and paste them to fit? Yeah, probably.
The Sanderson O351 point straight down and are a block hugger design. The welds were messy on the last set I bought, my 4th set.. They told me because the welds were messy because they were uncoated🙄. Otherwise there is the Hedman shorties which are almost mid length, make sure you have good ground clearance for them.
Last edited by olds 307 and 403; March 7th, 2022 at 04:40 PM.
March 5th, 2022, 07:25 AM
