joe_padavano

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Automatic, but they are the same, by changing flywheel & put bushing in rear of crank. </div></div> No, they're not the same. Olds did not drill the pilot hole in the crank on AT motors. You can buy a conversion bushing that fits in the AT pilot in the crank, but this requires you to trim the end of the input shaft on the MT trans.

I think you'll find many people willing to help, but you'll need to provide the year and model of your Oldsmobile. Also, there were three different diesel engines offered (two V8s and a V6), which one do you have? Finally, a picture would be useful. Good Luck.

It would help to know where you're located.

It looks like a 215, though it could be Buick or Olds (or Rover, for that matter). You may know that the 215 was originally designed by Buick (thus the front distributor). Olds designed different heads for it's version.

When you adjust the choke to close, the car needs to be cold. As the car warms up, the choke should open. If it doesn't, either you're not getting power to the choke, the ground is bad, or the choke coil itself is bad. Also, when you adjust it to closed, the choke should just close with light spring force. Finally, the adjustment depends on the air temp. If it's a hot day, the choke shouldn't be closed very hard. On a cold day, the spring force should be stronger. You may need to play with it a little to get it right.

Go to an auto paint store and get a gallon of pre-cleaner. This product is sold under various brand names and is used to remove wax and other contaminants prior to painting a car. It's a fairly strong solvent but won't damage paint or plastic. I use it often to remove tar and adhesive residue. You don't need the expensive DuPont or PPG brand pre-cleaner; the inexpensive house brand will do. I think this is just a slightly stronger version of Goo Gone, to be honest.

OK, first of all a 72 did not come with an electric choke from the factory, so this is an add-on. By the way, I'm a big fan of an electric choke, so this isn't a bad thing. Power to the choke should be switched from the ignition and should actually be run through an oil pressure switch so the choke doesn't start to open until the engine is running. Start by disconnecting the wire when the engine is cold and pump the throttle once to see if the choke closes. If it does, you've got a problem with the wiring. If it doesn't close, there's an adjustment on the round black choke coil. Loosen the three screws and rotate the coil until the choke closes. Snug up the screws and start the car. Watch to see if the choke opens as the car warms up. If it does, you can fine tune the adjustment to get the right opening time. If not, check for power on the wire when the engine is running (should be 12 v). Also verify good ground from the choke housing to the engine block. Some electric choke kits run a ground wire from one of the three choke screws to a good engine ground. If power and ground are good, you need a new choke coil.

Here's a guide to GM transmission pan shapes to help with identification: http://www.autotran.us/gmABpg26.htm

Actually, to be completely correct the Jetaway is called the Super Turbine 300 (ST300) and was used in Buicks and Pontiacs as well as Oldsmobiles. Only a few parts are interchangeable with the Powerglide.

The original TH350 trans used this cable to activate the kickdown. It does not control the shifting under normal conditions, only when the trans needs to downshift when you floor the throttle. When the engine was swapped, was the original TH350 retained or was the stronger TH400 trans installed along with the 455? If the car now has a TH400, that trans uses an electric kickdown and does not require the second cable, which is probably just hanging there. If the car does still have the TH350, you'll want to repair this cable. In what way is it broken, anyway. By the way, if the car has been converted to a TH400, the gas pedal should be replaced with one from a TH400 car. This will allow you to install the correct kickdown switch for that trans.

The only FWD 68 442 that I'm aware of is the one custom built by George Hurst (of Hurst shifter and Hurst/Olds fame) in 1968. That car is documented in the Hurst Heritage book. If it can be proven that this is that car, it would be worth a few bucks.

Where is the car located and what do you want for it?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> The cranks are nodular I believe, if not outright steel - and can bring $250 to $500 depending on condition.</div></div> Only a very few 68 455 cranks were forged. The 69 will be nodular. <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The heads are high compression and the letter - as you correctly note - will give them away as valuable.</div></div> Nope. All big block Olds heads (except for the 68-69 D heads) have the same 80 cc combustion chambers (although as-cast is always a little larger than that). Olds varied compression ratio by using a larger or smaller dish in the piston. Also, C heads may be prized but they are not particularly rare, since ALL big blocks built from 1967-1969 used the C head exclusively, with the exception of the 68-69 W-30 and H/O. The Toro heads WILL have the larger 2.07" intakes vs. the 2.00" intake used on lesser big blocks; exhaust valves are all the same 1.63". By the way, the D heads used 72 CC chambers. <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The dual exhaust manifolds can be sold on ebay or 442.com for $50 to $200 or more depending on condition.</div></div> Maybe, but the exhaust manifolds (as well as the intake) are unique to the Toro. The exhausts won't even fit in a 442/Cutlass. <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The Quadrajet has value because it will be a high CFM version.</div></div> Nope again. It will be the same 750 CFM as other 69 Olds Qjets. <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The oil pan on Toronado 455's has a deeper sump and built in windage tray ($$$$) and on and on.</div></div> Since I have a couple of Toro pans and "windage trays" in the barn, I can tell you they aren't all they're cracked up to be. The pan actually has two sumps with a groove in the middle to clear the axle shaft. The pan is deeper than a RWD pan, but narrower due to the transmission, so there isn't much help there from a performance standpoint. Similarly, the "windage tray" is actually a couple of baffles designed primarily to control oil flow between the two sumps. It does NOT scrape or prevent oil from clinging to the crank. In fact, the design of the pan forces oil to acculate in the front, potentially starving the pickup in the rear. Bottom line is that for performance use, an aftermarket pan and scraper are a much better selection.

You could get a column-shifted three speed manual in the D88 at least into the late 1960s, but I don't know if that was an option when the body style changed in 1971. In any case, the parts for the clutch linkage and shifter are extremely rare, plus I don't know if you wanted three-on-the-tree or a regular floor shifter. If you don't mind using aftermarket parts, you can convert to a manual trans with some work. First, you should know that if your engine orignally came with an automatic, the crankshaft will not be drilled for the pilot bushing needed for a manual trans. Most of the Olds performance houses (Mondello, Dick Miller, and others) sell a conversion bushing that will fit into an AT crank and allow you to install a manual trans. Unfortunately, this requires trimming a fraction of an inch off the end of the transmission input shaft. Next, you'll need to find or make a clutch pedal. You're on your own on this one; you'll probably need to adapt something from a 442. Since finding the original style clutch linkage will be virtually impossible, use a hydraulic throwout bearing such as the one sold by Howe. These are listed in the Summit catalog and fit over the input shaft on the trans, eliminating the need for a Z-bar and mechanical clutch linkage. You'll need to mount a clutch master cylinder on the firewall, but you can adapt the one from a Chevy truck. Next you'll need a manual trans flywheel, bellhousing, clutch, and pressure plate. The flywheel and bellhousing are available used on various auction sites. The clutch and pressure plate from a Cutlass/442 work fine. If you have a 350 motor, use a 10.5" clutch, for a 455 use the 11" clutch. Olds flywheels are drilled for both. The big decision will be the trans. Muncie 4-speeds are getting expensive. You may want to consider an aftermarket 5- or 6-speed if you're going through this much trouble. Depending on the trans you select, you may find that the crossmember lines up with existing holes in the frame. Otherwise, you'll need to drill new ones. You'll need to configure a shifter that clears your seat - I assume you have a bench. This requires cutting a hole in the floor and installing an aftermarket shifter boot. Again, depending on the trans you select and it's length, you may need a new driveshaft. Once the trans is installed, take the measurements to a driveshaft house for a new one. They can also set you up with the correct front yoke to match your trans. You'll need to get the right speedo drive and driven gears to match your rear axle ratio as well. Finally, depending on the trans length and crossmember location, you may need to get different length emergency brake cables. Joe Padavano