Need Ideas on How To Make My Olds Faster

[truracer20]

3.42's will wake it up without overdoing it.

 

[MegaOlds]

It's a 77-80 350 block, the numbers you posted for the heads aren't the ones I was referring to. The ones I'm referring to should be along the lines of 554716 if they are original to the block and should have a 3A cast on the left side if looking from the exhaust side. http://wildaboutcarsonline.com/cgi-bin/pub9990262549620.cgi?itemid=9990371596524

Ok here's what I got. They were hard to read because of the years of corrosion but I think this is it.

3A 554718

Looking back on what you said that "8" might be a "6" it's just very difficult to read.

 

[truracer20]

It has to be 554716. That's a good sign that nothing crazy was done like using 307 heads...
Do you ever notice any smoke from the tail pipe, black or gray/white?

 

[MegaOlds]

It has to be 554716. That's a good sign that nothing crazy was done like using 307 heads...
Do you ever notice any smoke from the tail pipe, black or gray/white?

No nothing like that. The exhaust looks normal.

 

[pontiacgp]

what is your timing set at?

 

[MegaOlds]

what is your timing set at?

I didn't set the timing on it. I will have to check that out in the morning.

 

[olds307 and 403]

You want around 20 degrees at idle with the vacuum advance unhooked and plugged. Those heads are crap, 307 heads would at least boost compression. If your compression and oil pressure are good, you need a head and cam swap. Any early heads, #2 through 7A milled .025" would work great. You no doubt need a timing chain anyways, do a cam swap while your at it. The stock cam is pathetic, any cam will be an improvement. Just stepping up to the 3.42 gears make a big difference. I gained .6 in the 1/8 mile going up from 2.56 gears.

 

[theoldsone]

The 350 from 77+ don't change much from a 76. If it helps to up your hopes. My father had a 76 olds cutlass about 5 years ago and it had a 350 in it and it would light up the tires NO PROBLEM. All 100% stock.

 

[MegaOlds]

I think the biggest area of improvement is changing out the 2.14 gears. Is that a good place to start before I start swapping out more parts on the engine?

 

[truracer20]

First check to be sure the engine is in tune as is, carb, timing, plugs, wires etc. If all of that checks out then your engine is just tired.

If there is no budget to rebuild the entire engine then I would at the least rebuild the heads you have, add new valve springs, new cam, new timing set and get the distributor set up correctly.
The heads you have are 75cc chambers, not terrible or best as far as compression ratio.
For a cam I would go with a cam with a duration of 210 in. / 216 ex. @.050 with a 112* LSA. If you go with older small chamber heads with larger valves then you can go with more cam.