Looking for some info and advice on the Oldsmobile 371? I can get a 1958 in pieces and a 1959 complete with a trans. I know absolutely nothing about them other than they have an integral bell housing. I think one of them has a 3x2 carb setup with it.
if i'm not mistaken the 58 and 59 371s have some differences. not sure what though. my bro has a 58 Olds with a 371 and i have a 60 371 going in a roadster project i have on the back burner
Did either you or your brother rebuild them? Wondering if parts are hard to find. I found some info online but not much. I would like to find some more resources. The 58 was only year with 3x2 option so that might be a good find... or a bad one? LOL, I don't know. Somebody on here must have worked with these motors? They are listed as putting out from 265 to 315 hp stock.
yorgatron, right now I am a rookieteer. are you familiar with the rocket motors? Any resource/info you can pass on?
The 58 was only year with 3x2 option so that might be a good find... or a bad one? LOL, I don't know. Very wrong; the J2 option came out in 57. Parts are very expensive, Kanters and one or two others are about the only sources. I did a 57 a few years ago and the customer paid something like $1300 + just for the rebuild kit.
286Merc thanks I will check out Kanter. You are right on the tripower I was wrong. So other than $1300 being high no other opinions on the motor? 1957 All 371 9.25-1 277at4400 400at2800 4 bbl Tri-power 371 9.25-1 312at4600 415at2800 3 2bbls 1958 All 371 10.0-1 265at4400 390at2400 2 bbl All 371 10.0-1 305at4600 410at2800 4 bbl Tri-power 371 10.0-1 312at4600 415at2800 3 2bbls 1959 88 371 9.75-1 270at4600 390at2400 4 bbl Super 88/98 394 9.75-1 315at4600 435at2800 4 bbl
some parts are pricey,i'll be the first to admit it.but there are chevy valves that can be used,springs and retainers and roller rockers can be adapted easily enough.GMC 370 timing chain is a double roller.440 mopar rod bolts can be used too,i'm using'em.cams can be reground.really the expensive parts are pistons and bearings and small end bushings on the rods.send me a PM or an email and i'll xerox some copies of rocket rebuild articles to you-george
Well, at the sake of getting Rocketeers upset, the 371 is a dog, at least 57-8. As long as I can remember they ran hot and were hard starters after a good run. That one I rebuilt had a bad crank; too rough to cut. The customer bought 3 other engines before we got a machinable crank. All the cams were flat also. Oiling problems? OTOH, I never had problems with a 303/324 when I ran Rockets in the late 50's after phasing out of flatheads.
All the cams were flat also. Oiling problems? [/ QUOTE ] The camshaft problems started on the late 56 engines and were prevalent on the 57 and 58 motors were due to incompatibility between lifters and lobes.Usually the cams were softer than the lifter faces.Replaced a few of them for friends.As for them being dogs,considering how much iron they had to move I thought they were pretty rapid even with horrible gear ratios and terrible transmissions.BTW I'm not a Rocketeer anymore but still like them.
286, Safari, Thanks for the straight scoop! Safari do you know if they worked out any of the cam problems in the 1959 model? I wouldn't use the stock trans and it would be going in a very stripped down '46 chev truck.
[ QUOTE ] 286, Safari, Thanks for the straight scoop! Safari do you know if they worked out any of the cam problems in the 1959 model? [/ QUOTE ] Not sure of what problems they had with 59's unless there was still some metal compatibility issues.I haven't pulled an Olds apart since 69 or 70 and that was a 61 394.The earlier ones I worked on were mostly early 50's stuff(303's and 324's)with 50 standard transmissions.Got pretty good at pulling them down.Nothing like cold 90W running down your sleeve when you're trying to wrestle a gearbox in by yourself on a 10 degree day outside!Good old days?Bullshit!
didnt seem to be mentioned by someone else, but the 1959 and forward 371 had different heads simular to the 394 so valve covers for 1957-1958 371's don't work i blelive the intakes might not he exactly the same either is probally the same intakes as the 394
[ QUOTE ] didnt seem to be mentioned by someone else, but the 1959 and forward 371 had different heads simular to the 394 so valve covers for 1957-1958 371's don't work i blelive the intakes might not he exactly the same either is probally the same intakes as the 394 [/ QUOTE ] thats what i was thinking but i was'nt sure if it was 59 or 60 that they changed. the intakes are different and i was told the heads will NOT interchange though some log type intakes MIGHT fit both. don't quote me though.
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