322 nailhead specs

[NC-car-guy]

Ok,  maybe the seasoned experts on this thread can help.   When I google 322 Buick Nailhead specs, I get a range of #s all over the place.  Especially in the HP.  164 all the way to 255.

 

Does anyone know the true Hp of a 322?  Was there a 2bbl option that was maybe less?  Did it go up when dual exhaust became available?  Are some of these #s talking about at the wheel horses or engine horses.....   

 

I guess I've always over simplified and assumed all 322's were the same....

Edited September 20, 2016 by wndsofchng06 (see edit history)

[SpecialEducation]

Specs are variable due to different carbs as well as different compression ratios. 

 

In '56, the 2bbl Dynaflow engine was rated at 220hp, where the 4bbl engines were 255. 

 

I have searched all over for a rating on the low compression Syncromesh 322, but have never found it. 

 

We all know the engine should do better with dual exhaust, but back then those were bare engine ratings, so that's HP at the flywheel with no generator load, no PS, etc...

Edited September 20, 2016 by SpecialEducation (see edit history)

[NC-car-guy]

2 minutes ago, SpecialEducation said:

Specs are variable due to different carbs as well as different compression ratios. 

 

In '56, the 2bbl Dynaflow engine was rated at 220hp, where the 4bbl engines were 255. 

 

I have searched all over for a rating on the low compression Syncromesh 322, but have never found it. 

Wait what?  different compression ratios in the 322?? wouldn't that require a different bore or stroke or head or something?

[SpecialEducation]

Compression can be changed with different piston domes and different head chambers.  Changing pistons is pretty common, but my understanding is that Buick used different heads, too. I don't have a parts manual for the exact breakdown.

 

I don't have my manual in front of me either, but as I recall, Specials got 7.5:1 (SM) or 8.9:1 (DF) 322s, where all others got 9.5:1 engines. 

Edited September 20, 2016 by SpecialEducation (see edit history)

[NC-car-guy]

seems like a lot of engineering for an engine that only went from 53-56.  So in my pile of 322's I may have several different HP engines... wild  Now I want to open them all up and look inside!  HA HA HA

[SpecialEducation]

7 minutes ago, wndsofchng06 said:

seems like a lot of engineering for an engine that only went from 53-56.  So in my pile of 322's I may have several different HP engines... wild  Now I want to open them all up and look inside!  HA HA HA

 

You definitely want to catalog them by casting numbers. This engine was an infant back then. There were lots of evolutionary product improvement changes going on. 

[old-tank]

3 minutes ago, wndsofchng06 said:

seems like a lot of engineering for an engine that only went from 53-56.  So in my pile of 322's I may have several different HP engines... wild  Now I want to open them all up and look inside!  HA HA HA

Just supply the engine number on your 322's.

 

All the different years had changes to the heads and/or pistons to raise the compression ratio and hp.  The differences in the year of the engine was usually different head gaskets.

[MrEarl]

24 minutes ago, old-tank said:

 The differences in the year of the engine was usually different head gaskets.

 

That ^. especially between standard and auto shift

[SpecialEducation]

Block Cast #	Year	Displacement
1169334	56-59	322
1390972	1953	322
1391753	1954	322
1392101	1955	322
1392102	1955 std.	322
1392290	1955 dyna.	322
1392291	1955 dyna.	322
1392586*	1956 dyna.	322
1392734	1956	322

 

Head Cast #	Year	Displacement
1344214	1953	322
1343840	1953	322
1165549	54	264/322
1166349	54-56	264/322
1168930	56	322
1169349	56	322
1175109	56-59	322*
*Chev truck

 

Intake Manifold Cast #	Year	Displacement
1162286	53	322 4bbl
1163206	54-55	322 4bbl
1165308	53-55	322 2bbl
1165308 1169189 man. trans. 1170624	55	322 2bbl
1165384	55	322 4bbl
1169189	55	40 std.
1170624	56	322 2bbl
1170625      50/60/70	56	322 4bbl

 

Exhaust Manifold      Cast #	Year	Displacement
1165212 right 1345564-5left	54-55	264/322
1168110 right 1169265 left	56	322
1168110 right 1169001 left	56	322
1175576 right 1175575 left	56	322
1175576 right 1175581 left	56 with duals and series 70	322
1345564-5 right 1345564-5 left	53	322

 

(From Buicks.net)

Edited September 20, 2016 by SpecialEducation (see edit history)

[MrEarl]

 

5 hours ago, SpecialEducation said:

I have searched all over for a rating on the low compression Syncromesh 322, but have never found it. 

 

54 Syncromesh Supers (2bbl) had 177 and Century's 195 at 4100 RPM. The small bore 322 (the 264) had 143 @ 4200. 

Don't know about 55-56

 

[JamesBulldogMiller55Buick]

for '55

all 322 had four barrel carb. Dynaflow jobs were 236 hp

all 264 had two barrel carb. Dynaflow jobs were 188 hp

 

the synchromesh jobs had lower compression ratio and lower hp. (thicker headgaskets)

again ,

all 1955 322 were four barrel

all  1955 264 were two barrel

 

EDIT; the lower compression engines have different piston heights . The head gaskets are the same

Edited September 22, 2016 by JamesBulldogMiller55Buick
pistons (see edit history)

[NTX5467]

And, on top of all of that, the "Export" motors usually had even lower compression ratios?  What about camshaft timing event specs?  Valve sizes?

 

I rather suspect the main compression ratio differences were in the compression height of the pistons themselves.  Head gaskets might have been thicker, too, but not all of the difference in compression ratios, typically.

 

NTX5467

[JamesBulldogMiller55Buick]

21 minutes ago, NTX5467 said:

And, on top of all of that, the "Export" motors usually had even lower compression ratios?  What about camshaft timing event specs?  Valve sizes?

 

I rather suspect the main compression ratio differences were in the compression height of the pistons themselves.  Head gaskets might have been thicker, too, but not all of the difference in compression ratios, typically.

 

NTX5467

You're right about the pistons. 

I'm wrong about the head gaskets.

It was headgaskets on Fireball Robert's Daytona '55 Century that I was thinking about. 

That's a story for another thread