scooter123

Well last night I decided to remove my engine of the 88.
I noticed some oil weeping down from the area by the engine mounts so I made the decision to pull the motor and do some work/clean up!!

This was my first time removing a engine.....And I think it went well for not being a mechanic!!

Here are a few pics


oil weep
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OLD MOUNT ON TOP/NEW MOUNT ON THE BOTTOM M
image-2_zpsce66aedd.jpgOUNT ON TOP/NEW MOUNT ON THE BOTTOM

Allan R

Coming along nicely Roger! That old mount looks like crap..going to let everyone in on your plans? BTW, did you decide to pull the tranny too or is it still in the car?

scooter123

Trans is still in the car Allan. My plan is to replace both engine mounts, new cam chain and gears, new seals ...front and back, also paint the engine....I spent 3 hours today degreasing still have more to do but its coming along nicely!!
I would also like some input in a cam and lifters upgrade with my current set up....

650cfm carb
2 1/4 dual exhaust
performer intake

Allan R

I REALLY REALLY hate to say this to you cause I'm the kind of guy who is always affected by this syndrome, but you know that since the engine is out, you May As Well rebuild it......after all the work to take it out, change seals, timing gears/chain and gaskets, possibly change the cam and lifters; it would almost be a shame not to do the rest. How many miles on it??

I know the main reason you pulled it was to investigate/fix the oil pan leak and check to see if the pan had been rubbed through. On the + side though, if the engine is a strong performer already and all it needs is those things you discussed, $$ is also a factor in what happens - I get that.

Also, while it's out is the PERFECT time to detail the engine bay. Hee hee hee, I see a longer term project coming your way. Want to borrow my engine stand?

scooter123

Well Allan, Its no show car so I wont be spending much time if any in the engine bay. I realy dont have the money to do a total rebuild, the engine runs strong....it only shows 56000 miles on it but who knows what the real millage is...it does not have that extra digit to show if its more.
The condition of the interior I would think its correct millage as its like new condition!!

I will spend some money on a new cam if it will give me some extra power and that great cam sound....but I dont know if that is achievable with the stock pistons!!

oldcutlass

Nice work there. Yup, the limited budget thing, if its been running fine I'd stick with your plan.

Allan R

For pretty much a stock engine, I'd focus on getting it to breath better with dual exhausts before changing any mechanicals - especially if it's a strong performer. I guess for the most part - don't fix the stuff that ain't broke!

krooser

Keep going with your budget repairs... my 330 circle track engine build has a $1000 budget. If I don't count some of the "optional" parts I bought that I may or may not use (extra valve covers, Edelbrock intake, etc) I'll be pretty close to my target.

scooter123

Any recomendations for a new cam and lifter kit anyone????? I have no idea when it comes to this.....any help to point me in the right direction.

thanks

krooser

Cutlassefi can help you with that...

I got my 330 cam from www.camcraftcams.com ...a small family run grinder who races Oldsmobiles...

pogo69

It' s tough to decipline yourself and decide what you are going to do and not do to the engine I know how bugets go, they always go over buget. Hopefully when you start taking things apart you won't get stuck on the fence with questionable parts and tolerences....good luck

oldcutlass

The problem is as you delve into the cam and lifters, your just few bolts away from a valve job. You might as well pull the heads. If it runs fine I'd leave the cam alone if your not going to do a valve job.

scooter123

Well back at it again the morning!! I removed the oil pan and degreased it, inside and out, and sanded it and gave it a coat of primer!
Do most guys/gals use high heat engine paint on the oil pan???

I also took a pic of the oil pump screen...it looks pretty clean...a few pices of rvt gasket there which i wwill clean out!!

So im replacing my rear crank seal and by the looks of it i have to remove the oil pump to get the bearing cap bolts out....is this correct??? If so is there anything special i need to know about removing the oil pump?
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scooter123

So I looked at the numbers on the crank today and they show N with the number 397363........whats the meaning of this if any.......and how do i tell how many hp this 445 is stock???

thanks

Allan R

Roger, not sure what N397363 is. I looked up the crank that would go in a 71 Olds 455 in the GM parts manual and it shows part number: 230908 in one catalogue and 231726 in a later version. Might be a cross reference to pilot bearing?

Did you downgrade your engine? It used to be a 455. Now I see it's a 445 . Don't you just hate typos?

scooter123

haha..... 455 ..lolIt is stamped on the crank in seperate places the big N is in one spot and the 397363 is in another spot......must be some kind of crank identification!!

krooser

True but you are also a few hundred dollars away, too. Then, some would say, you may as well re-ring it and install new bearings.... this never ends.

Discipline....discipline...

scooter123

Well I might just give it a good cleaning and painting ...all new seals...new cam chain and gears and throw it back into the car!!

Kennybill

I did pretty much the same thing to my 71 Royale. It was the 2-barrel 455 engine. It ran fine so I didn't get to carried away. I pulled the engine cleaned it inside & outside. New oil pump though not really needed. Used Comp Cam & numbered lifters, H 262 , .456/.456 lift, RV torque cam. Third engine I've had the cam in, two 455's, one 350. New timing chain, Elelbrock performer, 670 cfm Holley. Cutlass Hooker headers that I already had, heated the tubes on the drivers side and bent the collector down just a bit. Dual exhaust with torque tube, one step up B&M convertor, used that has followed the cam, go figure. It really woke the car up. I build for torque in the big girls, I've never had it over 4800 rpms. Good luck, Ken

Kennybill

One more thing. Put a strap or a limiter on the drivers side because she'll break the engine mount if you "wake" her up.

scooter123

Thanks for your help......today I went to the point where there is no turning back!!!

I went to change the rear crank seal and removed the bottom cap bearing and its the old rope seal!! Removing the bottom one was ok but could not get the top one out........I think you have to remove the crank??? Tried to push it around but its way to tight.

So I made the decision to strip the engine right down....not sure how long this is going to take me...but I hope to have it up and running in the next 10 years!!
I noticed the pistons all have lettering and some have notches in them which is for balencing and order of assembly i think!!

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pogo69

if you dont take the crank out you better be super careful putting the cam back in without chewing up the bearings

scooter123

Removed the pistons and made sure to keep them in the same order!!!!

The crank looks good, I think the heaviest part of the engine was the heads.

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Allan R

MAW STRIKES AGAIN ~ !! I feel bad for suggesting this.....But on the + side I just know you'll do a great job. Label EVERYTHING, bag small parts so they don't get lost and take lots of detail pics of the disassembly.

Do you need that engine stand now?

scooter123

Got a balancer puller today and got a good look at the timing chain....would this be stock ???

pogo69

looks stock...yep the budget is on the move, while your replacing it it's also a good idea to check your balancer for wear and separation

looks like you are doing a nice job....very methodical

MDchanic

Time to read the Engine chapter in the Chassis Service Manual.

Also, that is not an original timing set - the original cam gear was aluminum with nylon teeth, that one is all steel.
Almost looks like the PO replaced the gear but not the chain.

- Eric

69442C

N means cast Nodular Iron and the 397363 is the casting identifying number for this crank which came in 68-72 455's and it was also used in 68/69 400 motors too. It will fit the Olds 455's up through 1976 however Olds changed the material for the 73-76 model year cranks to regular cast iron but used the same 397363 number. The letter N was not used for obvious reasons on the cast iron cranks.

Brian

scooter123

Hi guys i went to the garage and did some measuring of the cylinders, stock cam, and took some pics of the cam bearing thats pitted!!
I also went to napa today and ordered a full engine gasket kit and a new timing chain kit!!

My cylinders were measured with a vernier so its not 100% accurate, but here is what i got.....average between 4.115"to 4.120"

I did not have a micrometer to measure the cam so these are not 100% either but should be close.
.

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rcrac3r

That bearing has seen better days.

m371961

I take it the pistons came out easy. How much ridge at the top of Cylinder?
To the machine shop with the block and main caps and bolts. Hot tank, measure bore.
Get out the wallet, have fun.

1970-W30

The cam journals are sized progressively by design, otherwise the cam bearings couldn't be installed. The cam journal measurements you listed are not something to be concerned about, close inspection of the cam lobes is more important if cam is to be reused.

scooter123

went back out the garage this afternoon and removed the valves from one of the heads......those keepers were a bit of a pain but I got them!!

Some of the valve seals were toast....My question is what holds the valve seals in place......keeps them from moving up and down???

I cleaned up all the valves and will give the heads a good cleaning later!!


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MDchanic

Nothing - they generally ride to the top of the valve stem and stay there.

- Eric

scooter123

Ok thanks Eric!!

MDchanic

Yeah, they kinda suck, but they seem to work.

You're welcome.

Rickman48

Onr thing not mentioned is the water pump - the seal usually dries out after being off the car for a while - make sure you replace it!

Allan R

Roger, check your PM box. Nice job getting the valves out BTW.

scooter123

Thanks Al.....Got them all cleaned up and in order as well as all the hardware !!

scooter123

No ridge at all they came out with a few light taps!!