Another 403

[Kennybill]

I've got to quit searching Craigslist. I spotted a "fresh" posting for a "crate" 403 engine. It was 3.4 miles from me. The story was "Father" had a G body 442. He bought the engine long block from Auto Zone. He then decide to pull the heads to put high compression pistons yada yada. He went to Summit and bought a lot of "gizmos. Then he took it to an "engine guy" to rebuild it "up." Guy had it for over a year, took it to another, same result. Got the engine back and it's sat for years. He got sick almost died but still smokes. So what I bought is short block still together.
403, 0.040 Seal pro pistons. The cam and lifters, pushrods, rockers, timing set from Auto Zone in a box. Camshaft core has #'s for smaller grind but had wrote in paint "olds 307" harmonic balancer is a solid one like 307 & 260's. I'm not sure if I like that. It came with a Edelbrock Performer Camshaft kit and Edelbrock springs, Edelbrock roller timing set, the complete Comp Cams roller tip rockers kit. A Preformer intake and a Preformer RPM intake, new HEI distributor, new flexplate, new in the box Edelbrock 600 cfm, couple of gasket sets. He even threw in the engine stand. The engine was right on the cusp of corrosion damage. I spent the afternoon cleaning, WD40'ing the engine. It rotates and is lubed. My plan is to put it together fairly stock and put it in a 1967 Olds 98.

 

[Kennybill]

The picture that is blurry is a metal tag saying do not remove, warranty. There is another tag glued under it.

 

[Olds 307 and 403]

Yah, some of the 403's had the solid balancers, not a good idea IMHO. One of the famous 403 carnage pics have that balancer. I ran the Performer cam in a low compression 403, it did fine. Plenty fun on the street but only ran a 9.7 in the 1/8. How far in the hole are those pistons? Should be fun even with high 7 to 1 compression.

 

[Kennybill]

This engine will be great for my purpose. Regular pump gas engine. I have a 22 y/o new Mellings camshaft same profile as the Performer I may use with the new lifters that cam with the engine. That way I can keep the Edelbrock performer cam and lifters in the box and sell them too. I lent my degree wheel out 15 years ago, haven't seen it since. I only degree'd 2 camshafts back in the day and both were spot on. There seems to be a lot of problems with the quality now. Guess I'll get a degree wheel and check out the camshaft that came with the engine. It's never been run and paint stick on it says "olds 307".
I have a couple factory 455 used cams, .430/.430. I put one in a low compression 350 an it made it more frisky. I have a 4A and a nice like new 5A factory intakes. I've heard the 5A's are junk but who knows, just a putt putt engine.

 

[rfpowerdude]

Forget the 5A intake. Very small ports. Mismatch will be horrible.

 

[Kennybill]

Yes, that's what I read online after I posted that. The 4A intake I have has the 2 "pipes" coming up it the plunem. I was going to plug them, not sure what the idea of them was fore?

 

[Olds 307 and 403]

Yeah, I ran that Melling cam in a 350 and 403, both ran fine, same specs as the Performer. I didn't degree that cam, the Erson from Cutlassefi was within 1/2 a degree. My Cloyes Street roller timing set was accurate but sloppy. A few others found them off a few degrees and sloppy like mine. Those pipes are for EGR, I believe. The A4 is an Ok intake.

 

[Kennybill]

I don't care about performance just want to get all the torque I can. This engine will be moving a 4,600# car. I put a 3:08 posi in it about 5 years ago, it made it more "frisky."
The car has a perfect running 1967 400 E engine presently. Long story on the original 425 D block. I presently need the 400 E block for my 1967 442 convertible. So many projects, so little time.

 

[Olds 307 and 403]

That convertible is gorgeous. My 403 even with crappy crossover, single exhaust, lean reman Qjet, not degreed Melling cam, their cheapo timing set, 2400 stall, 2004R and 2.56 would do 1/4 block, one wheel peels. I would suggest getting the base $120 Jegs converter, 2000 to 2300 stall, good reviews and supposed to have lug style and made by B+M. My 70 sucks right now, 1700 stall is a big part of it. Also run as much timing as it will stand, low compression Olds V8 like a lot of part throttle timing. I run 20+ base, 18ish mechanical and a 30 degree vacuum can off manifold vacuum. It means close to 50 degrees at idle and 60 at cruise. Even with my 9 to 1 350 bumping timing 6 degrees from 15 base, 18 mechanical and 12 vacuum helped a lot. It made it almost fun to drive again but 424 ci is the ultimate cure.

 

[Kennybill]

The 1967 Olds 98 is a nice running car. It has a switch pitch turbo 400 (technically a turbo 425, I believe) in my opinion, the best turbo transmission GM ever made. It has a "high" stall and a "low" (lockup) stall. It's controller is on the trottle linkage. The idea is when low trottle it's in high stall (probably 2,400 rpms) so when little old lady's sitting at the red light, she barely has to have her delicate high heeled foot on the brake petal to keep the big ultra high compression Red Rocket 425 cu.in. 365 hp engine from pushing threw the light. Start away from the light and the S/P converter goes to low stall 1,600 rpms for lockup fuel economy. Kick the big Quadrajet down converter goes to high stall to let engine get into maximum power band for passing gear. Buick factory stock appearing guys love these swith pitchs. In the Aquamarine 1967 98, I had it on a toggle switch. High stall off the line, flip switch at the 60 ft mark to low stall. Only came on the 88/98 big girls in 1965, 66, 67. One year only 1967 442, and 1966, 1967 Toronado but different transmission.

 

[Olds 307 and 403]

Sweet, cool it still has its TH400 Switch pitch, should be really nice to drive and not bad on fuel for a big boat.

 

[TURNA]

The picture that is blurry is a metal tag saying do not remove, warranty. There is another tag glued under it.

If you overheat the engine that freeze out plug tag falls off.

Not warrantied due to overheating

 

[Kennybill]

Okay that makes sense. This engine is years over the warranty. After purchasing the long block engine at Auto Zone, the buyer went on a shopping spree at Summit (20 miles away) and I saw dates of 2006 on a box. So I figured he purchased it around then. It cleaned up better than I thought. I'm glad nobody tore into the bottom end. I'm not sure how many "National Record Holders" Auto Zone has sold. •》

 

[TURNA]

Just a heads up.

When you see one of those melt away plugs, its a sure sign of a shit assembly line rebuild

 

[Kennybill]

This is what a Switch Pitch looks like in action.

 

[Kennybill]

I might pull a main cap and a rod cap or two and "hi-tec" mic it with plasti-gauge, just like the 1960's. What could possibly go wrong? •》 that's what engine startup stands are for. I have a backup Olds 350 that I was planning on use. I already have the hard to find small block exhaust manifolds on it. The 1965 thru 1970 Olds B/C bodies have rear steering box and most had big blocks, very few had 330/350 small blocks to snag there exhaust manifolds.

 

[Kennybill]

Who needs BTR (Bill Travado Racing) when there's AZR, Auto Zone Racing. •》I pulled 3 rod caps off, crank grind looks fine, 20/20 under. The bearings look good but not sure of the maker. Rods clearance with "hi-tech" plasti-gauge was 0.0015, all 3. Pulled main #1 and #3 thrust and they were both .003. The bearings didn't have a name on them, just numbers. The one main cap bolt was dry, everything else was oiled. Engine looks pretty good. Should be a decent driver.

 

[Kennybill]

Boy, if only I had a halo girdle for it! •》

 

[TURNA]

J&S Machine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

J&S Machine Products

J&S Machine Products

jsmachineoldsmobile.com

 

[Kennybill]

Jim doesn't make them anymore, Dick Miller still has them. I was jokingly saying that because I just sold one to a Fellow forum member. •