Hey all, not sure if this is considered a build or a restore, because I'm too chicken to try headwork or anything else internal. Have an olds 350, from the looks of it it has had all the belt driven accessories removed, up to the water pump, and is also missing a carb. I don't know my way around these engines so will be doing my best to document what I see regularly, check the site here for advice, and post any questions I have:


So as you can see by all the masking tape LOL I'm not familiar with vacuum lines. Not going to mess with those now, because I don't have a carburetor yet. The area for the water pump seems clean, but I will to a light scrape/sand to get the area ready for the new water pump.




To me it looks like the power steering reservoir and pump were removed from their brackets, but the fluid lines were not disconnected. (AC compressor is the same way). I can't tell if any of the belt driven accessories use the same bolt holes that the water pump bolts do (do I line up two parts at once, and use a single bolt to retain power steering bracket and water pump?), so I will try and scan the forums for pics or descriptions. Power steering hoses are leaking, so i'm optimistic that nothing was damaged due to being...empty?

Goals for now:
1. Figuring out if I need sealant+ gasket or gasket only on the water pump
2. Do I need to re-attach the water pump and the power steering pump simultaneously

Thanks everyone!

 

Here is the link to my Newbie introduction thread:

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...utlass-164663/

 

Your only a few bolts away, I would pull the harmonic balancer and the water pump mounting plate to replace the timing chain set.

 

^^^Agreed! Now is the time to do it.

A couple of the water pump mounting bolts double as studs to mount the power steering pump and res brackets.

If you don't have one already, get yourself an OEM/original copy of the Chassis Service Manual for your car. Don't bother with reprints or CDs; their quality is severely lacking, and have no color pages (wiring diagrams, etc.). The CSM will have all your engine info, vacuum line routing, wiring harness connections, etc. I don't know into what vehicle you will be mounting the engine, but a Product Information Manual (PIM), otherwise colloquially known as the Assembly Manual, and the Fisher Body Manual will also likely be handy. Same for the Body manual as the Chassis manual, go original print, not reprint or CD. You may be able to get a quality PIM from one of the users here, HairyOlds. I don't know if he has the year you need, but his copies are Head and Shoulders above anything you will find anywhere else!

Good Luck with your resto/build!

 

Never tried anything like that before; it's not the bolt removal or install of the chain, it's the "timing," I've always just flinched because I've never used a timing light, and right now I am weighing the likelihood of the chain breaking versus the goal of getting it to run...sooner than later. I guess for me, if it runs then it gives me some more drive to take it off and do the timing.

I will look up the timing procedure on the forums; see if I can convince myself :-)

 

you are literally a couple bolts away from accessing the timing chain, they usually need replaced and by the looks of that engine, the timing chain probably needs done. you can slam it all back together to get her to run just to figure out the timing is off and or has slipped and you will be right back at this point, where you started. you said so yourself you will have to check the timing once you get it running, save yourself some headache and replace it and cross that off the list, you will be glad you did. if you are ambitious enough to try to get this engine running, you should not fear the timing chain!!!

 

Sorry didn't see this reply, I think I need to reload the page every so often on the computer....

I purchased a Service Shop Repair Manual, seems to be printed directly from GM. It's over 1100 pages but includes every Oldsmobile from 1977. I am not taking this motor out at all; I want my 77 Cutlass on the road again. The PIM and the Fischer body manual would be great; never realized these would be available. Going to message HairyOlds. Thank you for the advice!

Still looking up timing chain info...

 

Timing chain is a piece o' cake! Don't be scared. Once you have that cover off, you can use a breaker bar to manuall turn the crank (and cam, via the timing chain) so that the indicators line up on the Cam and Crank gears. Then you take both the crank and cam gears off - SIMPLE! - and reinstall with new chain and the indicators lined up as before. There are a few threads here on C.O. on doing it. It really is "that simple." You can do this.

 

All good advice. The nylon coated cam gear could be near perfect or broken to pieces and jammed in the oil pump pickup. You don't know till you open it. The pan gasket and main seals should also be changed but are best done with the motor out of the car. Too bad the original Qjet is gone, being a perfect match to the stock 350.

 

Update: Trans cooler line broke.

I decided to take the advice and do the timing; couldn't get the crank pulley bolt off obviously, no leverage and car's a mummy at this point so I didn't want to try the 'starter bump' to loosen it. Cordless impact drill wouldn't fit because the radiator was in the way....took the bottom trans line off, went to take the top one off and I didn't realize it was seized. Kept turning that flare wrench and the line snapped right behind the connector. Trans cooler connectors were sprayed with Pb Blaster last night and I let soak till about a couple hours ago. Don't know what else I could have done.

Not gonna lie, that stung. But whatever; I wasn't expecting the car to move for a while, just want to get a healthy start and idle out of it. No other bolt casualties, upper radiator mount bolts were fine. I'll pull the radiator tomorrow morning and then on to the crankshaft pulley!

 

I am not sure those combination cordless impact/drills have enough torque for a crankshaft bolt. Try it, but have a "Plan B" if it doesn't work.

 

All ears for a Plan B. I guess I could try the bump tomorrow, but this motor hasn't turned in a few decades. I'll take the sparkplug wires off and try that, if the impact drill doesn't work. Thanks

 

You can't crank or run the engine with the cooler line broken as you'll make a transmission fluid lake on the floor. I'm not understanding your question for a plan B.

 

Have you put oil in the cylinders and turned the engine by hand a few times?

 

Got lucky! Radiator came out, RYOBI cordless impact can now fit. (Can't speak on it's durability as it's new but I already had the compatible batteries at home) pulled the bolt loose on the medium setting. The four pulley bolts also came out pretty easily.

Good to know, will have to address the cooler line then. Really hurt when it broke; I spent 5 minutes crying and another 10 looking up replacement lines...

I used a breaker bar the other day, turned it half revolution at most. Thinking about it, the idea was to see if it was seized which it is not. Your idea is great, I should have done this earlier. After the timing replacement, i'll turn the engine with some fresh oil down each cylinder, through spark plug wells I'm assuming.


The immediate problem is...this pulley is still not coming off...I tried hitting a piece of wood with a hammer, while the wood was in contact with the pulley but I don't think this angle will work:



I'm going to search the forum for ideas. I do have that Pittsburgh pulley removal kit from Harbor Freight; see if there's anything there that'll help. I'll also see if I can find a way to make some of these pics smaller, sorry if they're opening too large. I know, these are all new user questions; thanks for bearing with me. Overall I think today's a win because I was worried the bolt would give me more trouble. Thanks again for everyone who's been offering advice.

 

Checking the service manual now; i am not sure what the small ring around the puller is, but it came loose instead of the crank pulley:

 

Is that the washer that was under the bolt you removed from the crankshaft ?

 

Yesit has to be, i see it in the diagram in the manual. Alright, I'm packing it in now; will take a hammer to that pulley tomorrow!

 

Don't bend your pulley! Use your HF pulley remover tool. You need to add some material under the driving screw in the center so that you have a higher base to start from. Now that you have the crank bolt out, you can put it back in temporarily for the puller's drive screw to push against.

 

To run TEMPORARILY, loop the two cooler lines together with transmission cooler hose double clamped at each end.
Good luck on the journey!!!

 

Thanks for the tip, didn't use the hammer yet. Adding the crank bolt and washer was a great idea....tried it butthe HF pulley bent. I hit the pulley assembly with more Pb blaster, I will try again. I don't know what else is holding, can rust really create that strong a bond?

Good idea, I have jotted it down to use when I get to the big day of trying to start it. Honestly I'm really frustrated over this pulley I have to figure out how else to get it pulled off.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

 

Sorry, i meant the HF pulley removing tool bent

 

I didn't think to mention, when you temporarily install the crank bolt to push against, don't tighten it all the way down. Perhaps the bolt is holding the pulley in place at this point?

 

I have never had any issue removing an Olds crank pulley, all came off by hand. It may be time to add some heat.

 

Not to be insulting but are you sure you removed all the bolts that hold the pulley to the balancer?

 

Advance Auto loans out pullers.

 

Very sorry for the late reply, pulley came off days ago. Hooray!!!

There's a part of me that doesn't want to believe this...but as soon as I took the crank bolt and washer out again, it came off. Very newbie thing to do...BackInTheGame thank you very much you have no idea how happy I was when the pulley came off.


Thankfully didn't have to resort to that!

You're not being insulting.

This...this was insulting...LOL thank you John in the future I'll try to remember to ask the store for a loaner prior to purchasing.

Although the puller is a little bent now, it was still able to remove the crank pulley. I also started on the harmonic balancer to gauge difficulty as well as checking if the puller is still in usable condition. The balancer is coming off easily. I'm just going to wait for a little cooler temp to hit, it's too hot for me to work, so hoping by the weekend. Thank you again everyone!

 

Fantastic! You are on your way!