I'm finally finishing up the overhaul on the 77 Firebird with the oddball (at least to me) Olds 350 engine. My Chiltons manual only shows how to set the valves like a Chevy 350 where you tighten down the nuts until it stopps clattering then go down a little more. The Olds 350 has a little "saddle" that goes across from the intake to the exhaust valve and has bolts that go through this saddle and thread into the head. These valves have to be set by tighening them down against the spacer on the saddle. At that same point, I should get 1/2 to 1 turn of compression on the lifter, I'm working on that part now by using spacers.
My question is this: Does anybody have a torque spec for how tight that valve adjuster bolt should be? The closest thing my book mentions is
30-40 lbs for a locknut on the HD engines but it's still not built the same as my Olds engine with the aluminum saddles. Any ideas on the proper torque for this thing?
This mongrel engine has been a pain to overhaul, NOBODY has parts in stock, next time I'll do a Chevy small block or a real Pontiac engine...but it sounds GREAT!
This mongrel engine has been a pain to overhaul, NOBODY has parts in stock, next time I'll do a Chevy small block or a real Pontiac engine...but it sounds GREAT!
--You must be dealing with stupid parts suppliers as I can get and order parts for my Olds 307 (which is the same basic engine as this 350 vin R Oldsmobile you're working on) and I can trip over parts for it :).
Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director '80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 26k orig. '79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig '84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 141k and still going.... '80 T/A project car...
Yeah, I am! I'm in Victoria, TX, pop. 60,000 but they act a lot smaller... When I lived in Dallas, I could get anything for any engine but down here I have to get them to order just about everything. Also, they never seem to know what I'm talking about. I've found 1 guy at the local O'Reilly's that's pretty sharp and one older gent at Auto Zone, but most of the rest of them can't seem to find anything unless they see it in the computer and either don't know how to use the book or don't want to take the time. I usually end up just asking them to dig out the catlogs and let me look it up myself. Actually, they can usually get most any part I need in a day or 2 but if it was a Chevy 350 they'd have the parts in stock. The crank took a week, and the new Edlebrock Cam took 2 weeks and 3 reorders before they got the right one. On the last one, I looked it up myself.
Here's a good example for you: Last week, I told the Auto Zone kid that I needed 2 belts, one for PS pump and one for Alternator, and they're both the same belt. He looked it up in the computer and it showed to be out of stock. I asked him if they didn't have a rack full of belts and couldn't just match the belt I brought with me? No, because he couldn't find a part number on it!!! I finally got them to let me get behind the counter and get my own belts. He said they won't be the same because they were 2 different brands, I told him the width was the same, the length was the same (3 last digits of the part number were the same) and I didn't really care what color the label was! ;-)
So yeah, you're right, parts suppliers (esp. aftermarket) just aren't what they used to be when they were willing to try to find a cross-reference for you.
On a brighter note, I got the valves all set and drove it around the block for the first time today!!! No hood or air filter yet, but it's got good oil pressure and runs fine. I need to take the valve covers back off and seal them up so I can get rid of the leaks. I don't have a working temp gauge yet so I'm a little leery of it but it seems to be fine.
Thanks, Kerry PS The oil pressure sender I have mounts on the top front of the block, but it looks like it's just a switch for an idiot light. Where does the sender for the gauge go? The wire for the gauge was run to this sender, but it just goes to the peg when you start it. One of the bigger senders wouldn't fit there since it's under the alternator. I didn't see another sender when I took the engine apart but it's possible somebody just plugged it before I got it.
I, and a few friends have been ordering parts from Northern Auto Parts.
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. I rebuilt my Olds 307 and they beat the local guys big time on price, even with the shipping. All name brand parts too, FelPro, Federal Mogal and simular names. None of this strange no name stuff you often see at many of the chain stores. Greg
On my racecar (76 Camaro Dirt car) we run a T for both the stock dummy light and for the oil pressure gage. Not overly pretty, but works. You might consider that if you can't find another spot to tap into (I know squat about the Olds 350...)
This is correct on the Pontiac motor, and I believe the Oldsmobile one too---they use the same sender, it's a bell type can sensor.
Any GM dealer's parts department should be able to find you the needed parts for it. Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director '80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 26k orig. '79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig '84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 141k and still going.... '80 T/A project car...
The online guys are good if you don't have any wholesale accounts/connections because they will almost always try to go as close to jobber as they can. The local guys might be charging you full list price :).
I can usually beat the online guys locally because I have a rapport with the parts store owners through my years of dealing with them through my neighbor. They know me and know I can and do check the prices with the price sheets :).
Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director '80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 26k orig. '79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig '84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 141k and still going.... '80 T/A project car...
Guys,thanks for the reply. For now, I've put a set of mechanical gauges on it. I'll try to get the factory gauges working for the long term, but I wanted to be able to see oil pressure and temp for the first few hours at least. I even made my daughter drill the holes under the dash and mount the gauges herself while I was hooking up the temp and pressure senders!
I'll check near the oil filter, that sounds familiar. For now, I'm running with a 185 thermostat, cooling nicely and gettng 40 lbs oil pressure at idle.
Aye....why did you ruin a good dash like that? Probably a simple problem with the engine!
I would run a hand held gauge taped to the window as a test of oil pressure if you suspect it being a problem....no dash gauge will tell you much anyhow!
Never, ever, ever, ever trust a dash gauge for actual oil pressure. ONLY use a reliable hand held gauge if you suspect oil pressure problems.
You could have a wacky sender and with a dash gauge, you think you have a problem, when all you have is a bad gauge or sender.
Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director '80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 26k orig. '79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig '84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 141k and still going.... '80 T/A project car...
I know :). I wouldn't trust those gauges either. The only gauge to trust on VALID, actual oil pressure is a calibrated hand held gauge for said purpose.
A GM shop manual won't tell you "look at the dash gauge". It will give you a "J" part # (which is the same as the testers you buy in Sears or other places) for the proper OP tool.
Sure I can use lopping shears to do surgery, but I'd rather use a scalpel.
Capish? :) Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director '80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 26k orig. '79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig '84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 141k and still going.... '80 T/A project car...
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