olds 307 and 403

I like the simplicity of the factory non adjustable valve train. This is going to add many hours of my time to get it together. Good thing my time is free.
If I find play in the rocker arms, I will get Mark an installed valve spring height and get him to order the proper valve springs for these #6 heads and the roller cam.
Here is everything I have.
Cloyes 9 way billet timing set
cam button
Lunati custom hydraulic roller cam
218/218 .525/.525 112 LSA
Comp Evolution hydraulic roller lifters
Scorpion SBF 1.72 ratio true roller rockers 3/8" stud, I plan on using these will give .565 lift.
Comp 1.6 roller tip 3/8" stud
Harland Sharp 1.65 7/16" true roller rocker arms designed to work with Edelbrock heads
7/16" rocker arm studs
3/8" top by 7/16" base rocker arm studs
7/16" stud by 3/8" push rod guide plates
Mr Gasket MLS 4.100"× .040" MLS head gaskets
Mahle .040" head gaskets and composite intake gaskets
Mr Gasket .045" head gaskets

CANADIANOLDS

are you giving up on it already? adjustable valve train is a must on an Olds using most aftermarket cams ….smaller base circles and thicker than stock factory head gaskets a s different base circles on the int&ex lobes are just some of the reasons why.

hyd lifter need correct preload to work properly. even when I am forced to use a factory rocker set up, I will set preload by milling the bridges or shimming them

CANADIANOLDS

Post a video of the ticking sound.

olds 307 and 403

I realize these cams have a smaller base circle. This block was milled .016" and the heads were milled when fully rebuilt, takes up the .025" head gasket difference. Everything had no play torquing the rocker arms to 25 ft/lbs. I have ran these cams with Felpro head and factory pistons .025" in the hole without issue. This is more than a tick, almost sounds like a stuck lifter. I will take a video this weekend. If I have tear into the motor or have to go adjustable valve train, this cam is getting pulled. I already have alll this stuff, so why not.

CANADIANOLDS

how do you compensate for the smaller base circle on the exhaust when using factory bridges? They’ll either have less preload than the intake , or the intake will have too much. do you know if all the valve stem heights were the same?

olds 307 and 403

So only the exhaust side has a reduced base circle? I didn't realize that interesting. I believe these heads have the same installed height, I will check this weekend. If I have to run and adjustable valve train, this cam is coming out and the roller cam is going in. I will probably have to clearance the push rod tubes, just cleared 5/16" push rods with the 1.72 to 1 rocker arms. As well as drilling and tapping for 7/16" base rocker arm studs. I will also smooth the combustion chambers some more and use the MLS Mr.Gasket head gaskets. I may as well push more power and blow up the crappy TH350. Maybe a Torque Storm down the road, who knows?

CANADIANOLDS

whichever lobe has more lift, has the smaller base circle. That’s one reason factory cams have the same lift on both…it’s easier with non adjustable valve train..they would vary the valve tip height or pushrod length to get the same preload on all lifters from the factory when the cams had higher lift

the one exception where you can use stock style rockers with big differences in lift/lobe base circles between int and ex is the aftermarket replacement steel bridges..they can be shimmed differently without breaking like the aluminum factory bridges would

olds 307 and 403

I have those bridges. It sounds like a single lifter, noise wise.

olds 307 and 403

Dale was right it is a preload issue. I assumed with the block decked .016 and the heads being milled, it was enough. I guess I should have got the one head milled to even them out. But two years of waiting was enough and sure cost enough. The passenger side has 0 issues. The drivers side has multiple issues with rocker arms loose. I replaced most of the rocker arms a few years back but they have some wear. I found 3 pairs of new rocker arms for good price. Roller rockers are horrendously priced and these stock ones are $30 CAD a pair from Summit! I will probably order these cheaper NOS, replace the 3 cylinders with issue and go from there. I have a belt walking issue as well plus the trans needs swapped still. Then the whole SEFI swap.

olds 307 and 403

Rocker arms arrived. I actually used the original bridges, a tiny bit shorter. The first 4 torqued up tight first try. The last set, I had to flip around the bridge then all was good. I'm going to fire it up and make sure it shifts and sounds like it tomorrow.

olds 307 and 403

Tick is gone. Belt started walking foward again. I removed my extra braces completely and added one thin washer on the passenger side, where it is walking. It didn't instantly pull foward and I shifted through the gears. Dropped down to low couple of times, shut it down, the belt pulled foward again. I drained the oil, some metal on the magnet but not excessive. I cut open the filter, no forbidden glitter.

olds 307 and 403

I contacted RobMc about a replacement O ring for their thermostat housing. They don't so I but the universal replacement kit, the largest 2 1/4" O ring is the right OD. It is a bit thinner but two were too much. I also didn't want to pay $13 each for thermostat gaskets from Amazon. So I bought a silicone cookie sheet liner for $5 on sale. They are very high temp and oil resistant. I cut my own gasket for the thermostat housing. Also fresh 10W30 Lucas Hotrod oil and a Wix filter. I used Aviation sealant on the temp sensor plug and on the drain plug along with a rubber metal gasket. I also got a 6 pack of VR1 10W30 for a good price of Amazon. I also ordered a new deep pan for the TH350. I will probably do another oil change the oil again in a few hundred miles. I also added one washer behind the passenger side serpentine adapter bracket. If it continues, I will try space the A/C delete pulley itself, since that is where the belt is walking foward.

CANADIANOLDS

When are you taking it out for a rip and lay some rubber?

olds 307 and 403

If I can get this belt issue fixed, probably Saturday. It is actually above freezing, unseasonably warm till the end of the week. Supposed to be 3C on Saturday and they just fixed the truck scale, get a weight. Also, how much is too much glitter in the oil of a fresh build? Definitely some in there. I will see tonight what the oil pressure is with fresh 10W30 tonight. I need my garage to work on both my Daughter's vehicles.

CANADIANOLDS

uh oh, I thought you said there wasn’t glitter? that’s after an oil change too?

CANADIANOLDS

Cut the filter open again and show it here

olds 307 and 403

No first oil change the other night, 25 mins run time, including the cam break in. I took a closer look at the oil last night. I thought I saw a tint in the oil. I see some copper, not much, the rest is silver. I will show a pic of the white plastic sour cream container I dumped the oil filter in and I will put a magnet in it. The filter had no amount I could see in the element, just a bit of dirt in the bottom. I will take a pic of the Wix element too.

olds 307 and 403

Not as bad as I thought but glitter there, some magnetic. Honestly, who knows how well they cleaned the block. The oil pressure is still the same, maybe even better, didn't get below 50 psi with the fresh 10W30. The belt also stayed on. The bad? My thermostat gasket idea worked, not so well. It is shooting a stream of coolant out, so no test drive.

olds 307 and 403

Man you guys give up hope quickly, oh wait, that is me. I decided to throw on an air cleaner since the car is outside. I put a bit more Optimum Grey in the spot where I thought it was leaking. I noticed the hose clamp right above crossover where the leak was split! Maybe my gaskets did hold.

CANADIANOLDS

You need to spread open the pleats , rip off the metal ends and lay out the paper..to see deep in the bottom of the crevices

olds 307 and 403

Yeah, I will cut off the ends. Just happy to see better oil pressure with the 10W30 vs the break in oil and no bad sounds. Hopefully the coolant leak and belt is now fixed. I am wondering if wideband O2 is screwed up. It was reading rich then lean and started putting out different than I would expect this Qjet to read. It was 13's to 14's idle, 15's part throttle and mid 12's full throttle. During cam break in, it read in the 12's. Idling it goes all over the place to sometimes reading 18's. I will probably order a replacement O2.

olds 307 and 403

Cut the filter element. Only minor glitter, more came out of the filter when I dumped it in the container upon removal.

fleming442

I wouldn't worry about trying to adjust idle with the wideband. Use your nose and a vacuum gauge.

olds 307 and 403

The idle seems pretty spot on. I had it tuned pretty close on with the 403, then it started reading weird. I assume it is a 4.9 O2 sensor, not the 4.2. I only want it, since I have two O2 bungs to compare against the Terminators reading. I am not sure I want to pay AEM's on sale price $116 CAD for a replacement sensor. There are some decent rated $30 sensors on Amazon.

olds 307 and 403

Pulled the trigger, saved $276 CAD but still over 3 grand Canadian shipped. Holley Terminator X Max SEFI with 4L60E/4L80E control and their 350 LPH drop in fuel pump module, MSD noise capacitor, Mr Gasket fuel pump relay and other odds and ends.

CANADIANOLDS

have you driven it yet?

CANADIANOLDS

What injectors will you be using?

olds 307 and 403

Nope, no plans till spring. My thermostat gasket idea did not work and wasn't nice with the wind last weekend. I will be picking up gaskets tomorrow. The injectors I told Mark to spec me something good for 600 HP.

olds 307 and 403

Well, they lied, only have 5 in stock, supposedly had 6😁. Dale and other Canadian members, here is a blast from the past.

olds 307 and 403

Thermostat gasket leak fixed. This time I used the Right Stuff Grey 90 minute and 3 gaskets. I got the new temp gauge installed and working. I got it up to 180 degrees, 80 cold oil pressure, 75 psi hot at 1000 rpm, 50 psi hot around 800 rpm in gear with 10W30. There is a slight tick, sounds like maybe one rocker arm, I will go through them again.

olds 307 and 403

I went through the rocker arms, no play of any kind, no tick on start up. I turned out the idle mixture screws a 1/4 then 1/2 a turn when running. It started and ran fine till the choke came off. The O2 was reading normal numbers then choke came off and went way lean on the gauge but idle choppy but didn't stall. I think the noise was the unstable idle, talking a minor tick. Pretty sure I could get the carb where I need it but why bother, it is coming off. I had to cancel one small optional gasket that wouldn't ship till March on my Summit order. The Terminator X, in tank 350 LPM pump module, Mr.Gasket fuel pump relay and MSD noise capacitor are on their way!. I may start replacing all spots with rubber hose in the stock fuel line with 3/8" efi rated hose and clamps, tomorrow and the next day.

olds 307 and 403

Well as always, nothing is truly universal. My intake has EV6 injectors and the Terminator X Max universal comes with Bosch style injector harness, so adapters will be needed.

olds 307 and 403

Had issues and it would start, pissed around with a whole but of settings and finally it ran. Still having issues with the TPS, may have to splurge for Speedmaster's TPS.

olds 307 and 403

I drained the oil again. It will get VR1 10W30 and a Wix 51258 oil filter.

olds 307 and 403

I got Mark Remmel advice and he said Holley's tune is rich and I inputed 325 CID instead of 358. It still wanted to be difficult to start and idled at 2000 rpm then finally smartened up idled around 850 rpm, my target was 770 rpm, close enough. Looking at the Speedmaster TPS, the dirty buggers modified a mid 80's Ford 302 TPS with a small D shaped internal contact vs the 2 prong style which is slightly two large for TPS contact arm. I tried modifying the GM style TPS but even moving the holes sticks the the primary throttle blades. I ordered the Speedmaster sensor, over $150 Canadian plus $40 CAD shipped for the TPS adapter, really stupid an adapter is needed. It still puts it well under the Holley by about $200 CAD but the Holley includes a MAT sensor built in. But I haven't heard the greatest about Holley's sensors for reliability either. I am also ordering NGK 7355 spark plugs, the Iridium version of the XR5 spark plug.

olds 307 and 403

Got the TPS cobbled with the GM sensor and got it out of the garage under Holley EFI power for the first time! It needs more learning and tuning, I may try more timing at idle, stalled quite a few times when put into gear, currently at 30 degrees.

fleming442

Congratulations, man!

olds 307 and 403

Thanks! Of course weirdos going or coming from some party wanted to sit it in it this morning, I already locked the door. I emphasized what a POS it was. I was going to leave it outside, needless to say it went back inside my locked my locked garage. I'll park the Dakota in front of the big door, you have to steal it, sucks to bethrm. I got a camera for a the back yard, have another solar one coming for my garage and parking area and two SD cards to capture recordings. Either way it needs fine tuning, less IAC, knocked it down to 20% from 40%.

olds 307 and 403

Well, I picked up two new fuel pressure sensors. The one in there was reading 111 psi. I also have a gauge coming. I tried both replacements, one read 28/29 psi, the other 31/32 psi. The oil pressure sensor is the same sensor. It reads within 5 psi, reading lower than the gauge, 70 cold and 28 or 29 hot at idle in gear around 750 to low 800's rpm with 10W30 VR1. I swapped sensors, oil pressure is the same, fuel now 46/47 psi at idle. So fuel pressure may be close, will see once the gauge arrives, should be 58 psi. I decided to drain the oil again, much less on the magnetic drain plug and less glitter in the oil. I changed to Lucas Hot Rod oil, 5 quarts of 10W30 and 1 quart of 20W50 I had sitting around. It now has 80 psi cold, didn't check hot, more on that. I got the new Speedmaster TPS and wired it in, would not set, wouldn't read above 1 volt. No mater how I wired it, still didn't work! I spent hours and tried everything. Other two TPS sensors set and work, a Ford 5L and chebby LT1 TPS. The issue is the D shape needed vs the two prong, which is what they are. I ordered a LS sensor which also has a D shaped contact. Even if I have to drill and tap the TB to it's pattern, it should work and are available everywhere. I should be able to mount however is needed to work, rotation wise. The Speedmaster throttle body uses the LS IAC, not sure why they didn't out right make the LS TPS work is idiotic. Should have saved for the $1300 CAD Wilson throttle body. The Holley was on back order and could have went Edelbrock for above $200 more. It is a well made throttle body, hope this helps anyone going SEFI.

olds 307 and 403

Ok, so this Speedmaster throttle body has been giving me fits. The LS TPS doesn't have the right sweep and doesn't bolt on anyways. I reordered the Ford TPS since I damaged the tang in the one I had, only a $30 sensor. I cut off the D out of the defective new Speedmaster sensor so the arm won't jam in an off the shelf, cheap Ford sensor. I also found my TPS sticking issue on the Speedmaster throttle body, the Allen head bolt that tightens down the arm to throttle blades was loose. It allowed the throttle blades to stay open independent of the linkage, only sometimes, not good at all. I actually put back on the other throttle body as the later TBI/ LT1 TPS sort of works with it. But it has a slot shaft so the throttle arm moves a bunch before the TPS registers. Not sure why these chesp throttle bofies have oddball TPS setups. I have an adapter coming for it as well. I am going to take it for a drive today for the first time, since the snow is finally gone.