Building My Stock Motor
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 46
From: Folsom, California
Building My Stock Motor
Good Morning,
Its been so long since I have been on here but was hoping for some help! I have a stock 350 motor that i am going to drop in my cutlass. It is a rocket. I would like to make some minor modifications to the motor, I just don't know enough about this to go out and get anything. I am on a tight budget. I was told I should do a cam, headers and intake, the motor needs a carb, and I am not even sure what kind of carb I should get with the budget I have. I want the car to sound and perform better than a stock but just a little. Does anyone have any advice as to what I should buy or should I go a different route with what I am going to buy? The motor I have now is complete, except for the carb, ready to drop in, but since its out I figure this is the time to replace the motor I have in there. The motor in the cutlass now is done, leaks every where and I lost compression in two of the cyl. Thank you all for reading and helping me!
Its been so long since I have been on here but was hoping for some help! I have a stock 350 motor that i am going to drop in my cutlass. It is a rocket. I would like to make some minor modifications to the motor, I just don't know enough about this to go out and get anything. I am on a tight budget. I was told I should do a cam, headers and intake, the motor needs a carb, and I am not even sure what kind of carb I should get with the budget I have. I want the car to sound and perform better than a stock but just a little. Does anyone have any advice as to what I should buy or should I go a different route with what I am going to buy? The motor I have now is complete, except for the carb, ready to drop in, but since its out I figure this is the time to replace the motor I have in there. The motor in the cutlass now is done, leaks every where and I lost compression in two of the cyl. Thank you all for reading and helping me!
Hot Rod Has Been
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 339
From: Central Wisconsin
Assuming the engine you have is sound you can install a slightly bigger cam along with a new timing chain and gears. You may want to recurve your dizzy to take advantage of a better timing advance curve.
The carb choice can be a q-jet if you have a stock iron intake or an Edelbrock or Holley if you use an aftermarket intake. Q-jets are much maligned but can be an excellent choice if you get the, set-up correctly.
IMHO the Edelbrock's are pretty much plug and play... the Holley's are OK but can overwhelm the novice with all the adjustments that may be needed. A 500 or 600 cfm should work fine for you.
Headers are a crapshoot... noisy and sometimes tuff to install. Unless you are going for more HP I'd stay with the stock manifolds.
The carb choice can be a q-jet if you have a stock iron intake or an Edelbrock or Holley if you use an aftermarket intake. Q-jets are much maligned but can be an excellent choice if you get the, set-up correctly.
IMHO the Edelbrock's are pretty much plug and play... the Holley's are OK but can overwhelm the novice with all the adjustments that may be needed. A 500 or 600 cfm should work fine for you.
Headers are a crapshoot... noisy and sometimes tuff to install. Unless you are going for more HP I'd stay with the stock manifolds.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 38
What year is the engine? Generally if you have a low compression engine, that would be the first thing to fix. If you are staying with the low compression there isn't really any off the shelf cams that will work very good. Time for a custom cam then, or stay with the stock cam.
The low compression engines are rated at 8.5:1 but are usually around 8:1 in reality. Once you replace the head gaskets with composite ones, you lower it to about 7.5-7.7:1 so you really need to pay attention here.
Other than that, get a Performer intake to save some weight, use a Q-Jet for better throttle responds and fuel mileage and long tube headers.
If you have room in the budget, I would install larger valves with a pocket port. Even cleaning up the pockets with the stock valves will help. Filling the exhaust crossover and separating the center exhaust ports are also recommended.
The low compression engines are rated at 8.5:1 but are usually around 8:1 in reality. Once you replace the head gaskets with composite ones, you lower it to about 7.5-7.7:1 so you really need to pay attention here.
Other than that, get a Performer intake to save some weight, use a Q-Jet for better throttle responds and fuel mileage and long tube headers.
If you have room in the budget, I would install larger valves with a pocket port. Even cleaning up the pockets with the stock valves will help. Filling the exhaust crossover and separating the center exhaust ports are also recommended.
Last edited by analogkid455; Jan 13, 2013 at 09:52 AM.
Chevy budget Olds powered
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 8,638
From: Elgin, Illinois
I ran a 73 350 with the7 heads milled and shim gaskets to get 9 to 1 compression stock rocker arms . I ran a 260h comp cams with an edelbrock performer intake and 1405 carb and proform dist. with long tube headears and an x pipe backed by a th400 and a 2200 stall with 3.73 gears it ran a 13.86 in my 72 when it was all steel everything was pretty much box stock no dist. curving no fine tuning of the carb car ran great. The shortblock was freshend up and the heads where also freshened up i had 2200 into the whole deal. It had great street manners pretty much stock aside from a slighly higher idle.
Last edited by coppercutlass; Jan 13, 2013 at 10:10 AM.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 46
From: Folsom, California
What year is the engine? Generally if you have a low compression engine, that would be the first thing to fix. If you are staying with the low compression there isn't really any off the shelf cams that will work very good. Time for a custom cam then, or stay with the stock cam.
The low compression engines are rated at 8.5:1 but are usually around 8:1 in reality. Once you replace the head gaskets with composite ones, you lower it to about 7.5-7.7:1 so you really need to pay attention here.
Other than that, get a Performer intake to save some weight, use a Q-Jet for better throttle responds and fuel mileage and long tube headers.
If you have room in the budget, I would install larger valves with a pocket port. Even cleaning up the pockets with the stock valves will help. Filling the exhaust crossover and separating the center exhaust ports are also recommended.
The low compression engines are rated at 8.5:1 but are usually around 8:1 in reality. Once you replace the head gaskets with composite ones, you lower it to about 7.5-7.7:1 so you really need to pay attention here.
Other than that, get a Performer intake to save some weight, use a Q-Jet for better throttle responds and fuel mileage and long tube headers.
If you have room in the budget, I would install larger valves with a pocket port. Even cleaning up the pockets with the stock valves will help. Filling the exhaust crossover and separating the center exhaust ports are also recommended.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 46
From: Folsom, California
Assuming the engine you have is sound you can install a slightly bigger cam along with a new timing chain and gears. You may want to recurve your dizzy to take advantage of a better timing advance curve.
The carb choice can be a q-jet if you have a stock iron intake or an Edelbrock or Holley if you use an aftermarket intake. Q-jets are much maligned but can be an excellent choice if you get the, set-up correctly.
IMHO the Edelbrock's are pretty much plug and play... the Holley's are OK but can overwhelm the novice with all the adjustments that may be needed. A 500 or 600 cfm should work fine for you.
Headers are a crapshoot... noisy and sometimes tuff to install. Unless you are going for more HP I'd stay with the stock manifolds.
The carb choice can be a q-jet if you have a stock iron intake or an Edelbrock or Holley if you use an aftermarket intake. Q-jets are much maligned but can be an excellent choice if you get the, set-up correctly.
IMHO the Edelbrock's are pretty much plug and play... the Holley's are OK but can overwhelm the novice with all the adjustments that may be needed. A 500 or 600 cfm should work fine for you.
Headers are a crapshoot... noisy and sometimes tuff to install. Unless you are going for more HP I'd stay with the stock manifolds.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 46
From: Folsom, California
I ran a 73 350 with the7 heads milled and shim gaskets to get 9 to 1 compression stock rocker arms . I ran a 260h comp cams with an edelbrock performer intake and 1405 carb and proform dist. with long tube headears and an x pipe backed by a th400 and a 2200 stall with 3.73 gears it ran a 13.86 in my 72 when it was all steel everything was pretty much box stock no dist. curving no fine tuning of the carb car ran great. The shortblock was freshend up and the heads where also freshened up i had 2200 into the whole deal. It had great street manners pretty much stock aside from a slighly higher idle.
Chevy budget Olds powered
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 8,638
From: Elgin, Illinois
The heads where milled/ resurfaced to have a better sealing surface for the head gaskets and to lower the cc number of the chamber to bump compression. This engine was very tame no big hp just a fun street motor that perfromed well at the track for what it was.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,605
From: Fuquay Varina NC
You mention that the compression is down in 2 cyl. In the engine you are taking out. If these 2 cyl are side by side I would bet this is a blown head gasket. Just make sure you are not discounting this engine just because of the compression problem.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 7,286
You seem very much the novice, so you will need to get up to speed. Start with the basics.
I have to be honest I am not sure what the ratios mean. Like the whole 8:1. I don't understand that. Would you mind explaining that? Thank you so much
==================================
This dissertation on compression ratio might be overkill for your needs
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compression_ratio
try this one, found with a youtube search for "engine compression ratio"
The internet is a great resource.
So the engine in the cutlass now is the one with the compression issues. I'm not sure what year it is and would not know how to tell.
=======================
Google “Oldsmobile engine ID”
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...ification.html
Leads to
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...ine-blocks.jpg
I wanna gradually get use to the power an make additions over the years,
what is “milled”?
==========================
see this, and learn to search youtube for boning up on processes like this…
Thank you for all the information. And I do want a little more horse power, I'm thinking I may go with the headers.
================
Headers you might want to wait until you get your feet wet first. Manifolds are ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE easier. And, much less expensive, if appearance is not a condern- ugly stock manifolds are dirt cheap.
What is IMHO?
==============
Google, sir...
http://www.internetslang.com/IMHO-me...definition.asp
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,384
From: Union City Calif.94587
what year is the engine you are going to upgrade ? Do you have any history on the engine? Do you have ability to pull the engine in the car now and can you assemble and install the new engine ?
Gene
bay area
Gene
bay area
Last edited by 64Rocket; Jan 13, 2013 at 08:42 PM.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 46
From: Folsom, California
The new engine is at a shop in Vallejo, I am taking the cutlass to the shop next weekend, to pull the motor. I am not sure of the year of the upgraded engine. Is there a way I can find this out? I know that the guy had it in his car for about three months. Im so lost on this. I am not sure if I should just drop the engine i got in or i should upgrade it. I don't want much, a smooth street car would be nice, I am not trying to go to the track and run 10s.
lol, Thanks!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
