Advice on my 86 Salon 307

[UgotBronx]

Thanks Joe!

The engine is already out so i'm paying for that labor either way..

This summer i replaced all the fuel and brake lines and brakes all around. I just hate to buy someone else's headache for 2g's and be stuck with other issues. The plus is that the trani was also done not too long ago so at least i know there is only so much more that can go wrong!

ughh such decisions.. i need a drink!

I'll know more after the leak test is done and I hear the engine run

EDIT: This is the 2nd engine in it. Seems i was taken hard core for the previous swap. so at the minimum I know what I will really have under the hood! (add in "That's what she said at any time" )

 

[UgotBronx]

Well a local guy (well call him "R")has a 307 HO 442 from a 71 olds with 70,000 on it. he will install it for @ $1400. If he doesn't install it he will pull it for me and sell it for @ $800 tops.

He told me that the 350 olds that this other mechanic(We'll call him "K") has (that wants to sell me with still an unknown dollar amount) I would have to change the intake on it so that my edlebrock will go on it. (more $$)and yet again do the intake kit . The original owner (we'll call "P")didnt know many details about his olds 350 motor either.. except it 's been sitting for a while

I have not heard back from the mechanic "K" with my car that is "testing" the 350 olds. I wont even be able to hear it for myself unless he comes and gets me

This other guy "R" I can walk to his salvage yard 1/4 mile down the road. and i can have my car flat bed right to him THANK GOODNESS FOR AAA!

he's "R" redone about 10-15 olds.. that's his thing and he is good with them. he's just shady some times...(that's the rumor) but at this point "almost" every one that has touched that car has been shady with me.

I'm giving "K" till monday to get back to me so I can make some sort of a decision. "K" told me I would be up at least by the $2000 mark.

I wish I was in the bronx right now cuz Hunts Points boys would never lead me wrong and they would have had this done already!

 

[UgotBronx]

And just as i wrote that last post "K" got in touch with me. He "saw" the 350 OLDS engine and took pics but can't get the pics to me off his phone.

Said there are ZERO miles on the engine it's all been rebuilt . "P" was going to put it into a project car but then sold the car. He also said my headers (which he took from my car to see the engine) lined up .

I asked about the Carb and the intake because I wanted my Edelbrock on it. and he said that it should be fine that i shouldnt need a new intake. There is a 4BBl QuadJet Carb on there SO THAT WILL BE FOR SALE!! (i also have the one from my 307 if anyone is interested)

The price of the engine is $750 so that is better since it has ZERO miles on compared to the 71 307 HO 442 engine which has 70,000 . both just about the same $$

I did ask if "P" could find the receipts for all the parts he put into the engine. not sure if he could but at least I would know for sure WHAT IS IN IT

I asked "K" if he could take a picture of the block #'s for me as well. Im not sure he was happy about that but heck it's important! :lol:

I was also told that if anyone would be interested in the 307 as a CORE it's worth it. So let me know otherwise it's going in the scrap heap.

Now I am just waiting on the curve balls if any that will come up when installing this 350 olds. So if anyone out there has gone thru this and can give me a heads up PLEASE let me know. This woman is so freaking tired of "bending over" I'd rather see it coming! ( was that too much for you guys? ) :lol:

 

[DoubleV]

Well a few things in no particular order;

1) There's no such thing as a 71 Olds 307 whether an 'HO' or otherwise so it seems that guy doesn't know what he's talking about. There's a red flag right there.

2) Engine install shouldn't cost as much as he's asking since your old motor is already out. I'd also ask if his price includes EVERYTHING like hooking up ALL components so they're WORKING PROPERLY. Any 'backyard' mechanic would charge much less.

3) Edelbrock carbs are inferior to Qjets in every way so you may want to reconsider your carb choice.

4) $750 for a rebuilt motor means that it's nothing more than a 'refurbish job' and and it may or may not have issues. Personally I don't like buying other peoples headaches. A $750 'rebuilt' engine is definately NOT rebuilt properly with quality parts, labor, and machining. It's probably a high milage engine that was torn open and had new bearings and gaskets installed which may not even have been done right.

5) If he's 'not happy' about you asking a simple question about the casting number, tell him to get over it and do it anyway. Maybe he's trying to hide something, like he's trying to unload a junkyard 307 or 260 on you? Another red flag....

If I were you I would get ALL the info you can in as much detail as possible and post it here before jumping the gun and giving any of these guys your money.

 

[UgotBronx]

Thanks so Much Double V!

That's where I was leaning to. I know the guy "P" with the engine but what are the odds of things just happening to be there all done. I do want the paper work so at the minimum I want him to write out what he is saying he did to the engine. And yes you are right, I dont know if it was machined shopped or just replaced (which at this point I can do my 307 all on my own and take my own time with it IF I send the block to get bored out.) Im going to try and get some sort of warranty with these guys.

If they whimper too much I'll just yank the car to me and let the reman shop build one for me and just bite the bullet more. at least i will get a warranty!

The $750 is the 350 Olds engine. The rest of the price of the $2000 plus is the removal and leak test of my old 307 and the install of the 350 and yes that is making sure everything runs right and should be including all new gaskets for the headers etc.. Everything .. and I mean everything else was new on the car from hoses to belts to battery wires etc..

I too was reconsidering keeping the QJet on. I had them on so many cars and never had them ever give me an issue. So since the engine is "rebuilt" with the Qjet on it I might as well leave it on there and run it for a while "just incase" there is something that does go wrong.

I only put the edelbrock cuz the last bozo's said that my Qjet was causing my issues.

I'll say it again. If I was back in the Bronx I would never had any of these issues! I miss my guys from there!!

Regarding the guy with the salvage yard 71 307 .. he spurted out that info as if it was written right in front of him on the wall. SO Thank you for clearing that up. he is known as the local scammer so that proves my point right there!

In all honestly I just want to pull the car from them and send it to the body shop and F the engine till spring. It seriously has me stressed out It's going to take me 4 months to recover from this expense. Thank goodness it's the winter and I don't driver her that much. And the body work will only take about a week w/prepping and all. I want her done for spring!

Well a few things in no particular order;

1) There's no such thing as a 71 Olds 307 whether an 'HO' or otherwise so it seems that guy doesn't know what he's talking about. There's a red flag right there.

2) Engine install shouldn't cost as much as he's asking since your old motor is already out. I'd also ask if his price includes EVERYTHING like hooking up ALL components so they're WORKING PROPERLY. Any 'backyard' mechanic would charge much less.

3) Edelbrock carbs are inferior to Qjets in every way so you may want to reconsider your carb choice.

4) $750 for a rebuilt motor means that it's nothing more than a 'refurbish job' and and it may or may not have issues. Personally I don't like buying other peoples headaches. A $750 'rebuilt' engine is definately NOT rebuilt properly with quality parts, labor, and machining. It's probably a high milage engine that was torn open and had new bearings and gaskets installed which may not even have been done right.

5) If he's 'not happy' about you asking a simple question about the casting number, tell him to get over it and do it anyway. Maybe he's trying to hide something, like he's trying to unload a junkyard 307 or 260 on you? Another red flag....

If I were you I would get ALL the info you can in as much detail as possible and post it here before jumping the gun and giving any of these guys your money.

 

[UgotBronx]

I finally got a rental car and went to see the new 350 olds that was being put in my car however... IT WASN'T at the SHOP and the guy who I'm buying it from went on vacation. So all I know is that it's in the same zipcode

I did tell them i wanted pics and block #'s and I hope they get that to me before the engine goes in since i returned the rental

I then went inside to look at my shot 307. basically if anyone would want the 307 to rebuild they would have to do EVERYTHING to it. Originally I was told it was not rebuildable but NOW what im told is that it's not practical for me to pay to have it done since I have the 350 olds w/ no mileage on it for $750. so If anyone wants this 307 it's up for grabs for what I would get in scrap $$ and that's just about $50 bucks.

It would have the valve covers on it but no water pump or carb. it's located over in Glen Spey in Sullivan County NY . I do have the original quadrajet c4bbl carb that came with it if anyone is interested in that as well.That was working fine when i took it off the engine 3 years ago

 

[UgotBronx]

So I finally got an update from the mechanic. I have been super anxious waiting to hear when the car was done but after 3 weeks not hearing anything I called and left a message. He finally called me back!

The 350 olds motor that was rebuilt is great! He pulled the valve covers and intake off to see all and did a leak test along with using a scope to see all the way down inside the oil pan He said everything even the cylinder heads are new. The guy "P" who i'm buying the engine from apparently built the engine well over 10 years ago and it just sat So "K" the mechanic had to blow out the ?? valves?? to get them to reseat and then everything worked fine ( I tried to write everything down but i gotta tell ya it wasn't easy since i was and still am over whelmed with finally having some GOOD NEWS )

"K" Said that the cylinder walls even have a shine on them from when they were bored out so that the engine was definitely not ran at all.

"K" said that he will run the oil pump before the install to make sure it has pressure . The only thing is that the new water pump on the engine is ceased so he's swapping it with mine from the 307 which was fairly new.

There is one thing we are not 100% on and that is the oil fill tube. "K" said that it's taller than the original one on mine that it's an aftermarket one. I said leave it if possible. he has to measure it to make sure the hood won't smack down on it. Not sure how much height difference there would be but I'm sure there is clearance for 4" from the old one to the hood.

And finally "K" said that he is painting my engine parts for me as a bonus so the block is already painted a light blue and I chose black for everything else. The other choice was purple and I wasn't going there!

So with a a ton of prayers I might get my car back by the 8th of Feb!!

Like I said I have been freaking out over this whole lengthy ordeal and not being able to see anything in person is killing me!

once my car is running and completed I will be posting all the parts from the 307 which are salvageable. including the qjet 4bbl, air snorkel, valve covers etc. If there is anything that anyone needs please let me know so I can remove it all before I scrap the 307.

 

[UgotBronx]

Well today is the day that I'm getting my car back!! It was supposed to be Friday but we had that snow storm. Then Monday i heard squat.. and then Tuesday I was told Wed nite or Thurs. So now it's Thursday and I am a ball of nerves waiting for this car to come roaring back to me!

I know I sound like a huge baby but I have been car-less since the end of OCT. She will go right to the car wash and get a thorough wash on the outside from me

My main issue is how am i going to clean all the grease off of everything(door handle, panel, kick plate, steering wheel, seats shifter etc..) on the interior. It's cold out so it's not like i can detail it with a machine. I'm taking up the carpet come spring but i'll have to do a quickie on the carpet as well so I dont track in all that grease

I know I will be taking pictures of the engine the minute i get a chance and posting them up on here.

It would be the perfect Valentine Day Gift to be able to take her for a ride!

I feel like i should end this with a "love always"

 

[UgotBronx]

So I finally got my car back and like I said I would post pics when i got home. I'm going to have to clean out the mice nest that are in the back seat and all the grease on everything!

The car does have some hiccups. 2 that stuck out are the throttle still sticks. It did this before the engine swap and did it today after a nice long ride. I have to "feather' the pedal to get it to respond back to normal.

The second is the trani.. when i shift it into drive it doesn't respond.. I have to play with the shifter even went into lower gear and then back to get it to go into drive that was never a problem before.

so now I need to make some $$ to finish paying him off. The whole job was $2400.

 

[88cscb]

Jeez that's steep. Other than some hiccups how's the power out of the 350 vs the old 307