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Jun 25, 2006 19:58:38 GMT
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Hi all , recently bought a 1965 AMC Rambler American,converted to v8, 4 door off the member mattblack . Very nice guy . On my drive back to sunny Cornwall (300 miles'ish) hit abit of a snag . Engine knocking , sounds like bottom end , water system pressurised , and steam and smoke coming from all areas . Anyhow , got recovered home . The engine is apparently a 350 cu in.V8 Oldsmobile motor attached with a TH350 3 speed auto box . Now for the advise,please .. How can i identify the engine ? where would i find the numbers ? also what other cars would i find these engines in or other engines would go straight in and match up to the box . Does anyone know anything about the history of this car ? reg APO 155C formely AGP 977S. Any help would be gratefully received. cheers ;D
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Jun 25, 2006 20:04:50 GMT
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Not too hot on yank V8's but arent olds motors very similar to chevys? If so it shouldnt be too hard to find a 350 chevy lump for a few hundred quid.
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Jun 25, 2006 20:11:54 GMT
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Hi & welcome!
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Jun 25, 2006 20:17:23 GMT
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Ideal , seen a few Chevy 350s advertised in various mags , thanks for the tip , ill look into that . cheers
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Jun 25, 2006 20:21:49 GMT
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Welcome! Is it worth repairing the original engine when you find out what it is?
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Jun 25, 2006 20:28:32 GMT
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wheres alistairK? he knows his beans with yank tin. hello btw.
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Jun 25, 2006 20:34:02 GMT
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Oldsmobile V8's are different to Chevy V8's.
Don't know much about them, but all the GM brands at one time used to make there own design engines. So nothing will be inter-changeable. Also, although you have a TH350 gearbox, this will not fit a Chevy engine. The Chevy bell housing pattern was different, your gearbox will have what is known as the BOP (Buick, Olds, Pontiac) bell housing pattern. The Oldsmobile engine will have been produced for quite a few years I would imagine. I know the last of the "smokey and the bandit" shape of Firebird Transams had 403ci Olds engines, which would have been the same design. They also did a diesel version! Also if you do look for a replacement engine, an Olds engine will probably be cheaper as the Chevy engines are more sort after for kit cars/hot rods and historically have been easier to tune.
Sean
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Jun 25, 2006 21:25:20 GMT
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Welcome to the forum! Nice to see another member from darkest Cornwall joining up ;D I can't help you on the Yank front, but Alistairk knows his onions and he should be along any time to impart his wisdom ;D *edit* Just read the bit about the pressurised coolant... I'd be looking in the direction of a head gasket meself...
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Last Edit: Jun 25, 2006 21:27:04 GMT by BenzBoy
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Jun 25, 2006 21:50:20 GMT
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Thanks all for the tips and useful info , will be looking at the motor to see whats wrong before i replace it but it does appear to be quite bad , and a replacement seems the quicker option for this summer , oh yes forgot to mention that it seems to be fuming from the rockers too ?? and smells of very hot oil . nice !!! if anyone knows of a good breakers for yanks id be glad to try them . cheers again all
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Jun 25, 2006 22:25:50 GMT
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Hi and welcome aboard. I might be stating theobvious but what about asking mattblack he should have some idea I would have thought
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hi PhoenixC, mattblack told me all he knew about the car but he didnt do the conversion , it was done around 2001. Would be great to find who did it and i think forums is going to be the easiest way. All good though . Thanks alot
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Right, as has been said the Olds is a different engine to the Chevy. The achilies heel of the Olds is that it can suffer oiling problems, but usually only if people fit high pressure oil pumps and rev the nuts off it. The return to the sump is a narrow passage and a combination of an over enthusiastic oil pump and high revs means the sump drains and all the oil is stuck up the top end of the engine leading to bearings failing. Theres a couple of companies selling oil feed restrictors to stop too much oil going into circlation at one time but a lot of people reckon you don't need them. I don't wind my Olds to high RPM anyway so its not an issue. But I do have the oil thing in the back of my mind and make sure to use good oil of an appropriate viscosity in her even more than I would any other car. Anyway, back to your problem. Its sounds like either a stuck thermostat or a blown head gasket. Check if theres a thermostat in there and remove it. Compression test it as well. Not sure what year youur engine is, I'll double check but there is a date casting code on them, but don't be surprised if you get a fairly low cranking pressure (like 140 PSI) as the 350 was made right through the smog era when they were turning out engines at like 8:1 CR. If its an early 350 from a high compression application or has aftermarket pistons in there you could see 180 PSI on the gauge. The important thing is that the readings are even, ie you get roughly similar readings off each cylinder. You'll soon spot where the blow is if you have one. Did the temperature go up before the knocking started? I've had this happen to me, I lost coolant and and boiled up and because of this the oil got hot and thinned right out - oil too thin and the bearings knock. They may well survive this OK though. You could drop the pan and check them (main bearings would be my first suspects, although you could have taken the cam shells out - I did kill mine as well LOL) or you could just change and flush the oil, pop a new filter on it and see hoow she goes. Depends on how easy it is to get the pan dropped with the motor in place. I don't know about your installation as its non-stock, but I know in my Oldsmobile you have to drop the exhausts to get the sump off and no way they'll come off without a fight... Some of the steering gear might be in the way too. They are tough engines, you shouldn't kill it just by over heating it so long as you pullled over pretty soon. I drove a Buick for miles on no water without realising and I killed that pretty good, but it was billowing black oily smoke from every orrifice so you'd know if you'd done that. She still ran though... When you say it was steaming and smoking was any of the smoke blue-black? As for the rocker covers smoking - yes sir, they do that First thing to check is do you have PCV and EGR on this engine? PCV is positive crankcase venitlation and on the Olds motors I have seen (might be different on later versions) there is a canister valve on the passenger side (LHS as you look from the front) rocker cover which has a rubber tube going to either the base of the carb or the base of the air filter. This uses manifold vacuum to suck fumes out of the oil system to prevent gaseous buildup and to improve ring to wall seal. The fumes are then ingested by the engine and burnt. Some people replace this valve and tube with a simple breather which is not as effective and also leads to smokey vapour in the engine bay. Also the valve can fail or the tube can perish leading to fumes escaping. EGR is Exhaust Gas Recirculation and is an emission control device designed to recycle unburnt hydrocarbons from the exhaust and plumb them back up to the carb, intake manifold or air filter assembly. This is often a steel pipe and can corrode. It runs up by the driver side head as I recall and if the steel pipe cracks or rusts through it will give the impression of a smokey rocker cover. Also also has someone fitted an aftermarket breather to the covers? Lastly I'd check that the rock covers are seated properly. This should manifest as an oil leak around them if the seal is gone. If the leak is small you'll probably notice the smell rather than the oil. Leaks are more common when aftermarket chrome covers have been fitted as the shiny smooth chrome is a difficult surface to seal against. best thing to do if theyare chrome is to take some fine sandpaper and knock the gloss of the mating flange and make sure you use the OE style cork gaskets when you refit them. Olds rocker covers shouldn't leak - they just arn't prone to it. Oldcott Motors in staffs seems to be well recomended as a breakers but I seldom find yank breakers have what I need. I use USAutomotive in Bedforshire - they will import used parts for you as well if necessary. www.usauto.co.ukChevy engines will be more expensive than a replacement Olds 350 if it comes to it. "off brand" V8s are usually cheaper by far. EG I just missed out on a Buick 300 V8 for £150. Its rare to find a complete Chevy 350 for less than £500. Don't bother with junk like the Chevy 305 or 307. You will also need the Chevy version of the TH350 as has been said the bolt pattern is different. The one good thing is that Chevy engine parts are cheap as chips and very easy to get hold of compared with the less common brands. You may want to chat to the guys at www.realoldspower.com or www.oldspower.com which are 2 americna forums for V8 Oldsmobiles. For car & chassis etc related queries go to www.amcforums.com (or is it www.amcforum.com ? I forget) which is a good AMC-Rambler forum Thats a cute little car, good luck with it and let us know how you get on with it.
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Last Edit: Jun 26, 2006 8:20:05 GMT by akku
1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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You sound in remarkably good cheer considering the engine has buggered up on your new mota! I'd be savage if it was me! Welcome aboard anyway.
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1972 Fiat 130 1985 Talbot Alpine 1974 Lancia Beta Saloon 1975 + 1986 Mazda 929 Koop + Wagon 1982 Fiat Argenta 2.0 iniezione elettronica 1977 Toyota Carina TA14 BEST CAR EVER!!!!!!!! 1979 Datsun B310 Sunny 4-dr 1984 Audi 200 Quattro Turbo 1983 Honda Accord 1.6 DX GONE1989 Alfa 75 2.0 TS Mr T says: TREAT YO MOTHER RIGHT!
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alistairk-that Yank tank in the local scrappy is apperently a runner and there's almost a complete engine in bits in the back, i did spot a fookin' 'UGE carb and a couple of heads.
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Stu
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,913
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Welcome aboard, I've no idea about your car but just thought I'd say hello!
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'89 BMW E30 325i Sport, '04 MINI Cooper S, '09 Volvo V70 D5
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street
Posted a lot
6.2 ft/lbs of talk
Posts: 4,662
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Welcome! Would love to see pics of this beastie!
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guz, thats a Caddy isn't it? nice BIG block. 7.7 or 8.2 possibly. thumpin'
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Jun 26, 2006 12:14:01 GMT
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yup, there's a bare block in the back too... coffee table ?
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Last Edit: Jun 26, 2006 12:34:53 GMT by guz
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Jun 26, 2006 12:28:37 GMT
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took me a moment to realise what you meant there. Thought you mean there was a naked man in the rear seat!
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Jun 26, 2006 12:34:33 GMT
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took me a moment to realise what you meant there. Thought you mean there was a naked man in the rear seat! better go back and edit that typo...EEK !
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