Olds 350 head gasket question

[bill]

obviously the 77+ head bolts are 1/2 bolts but does anybody know the thread pitch? in case i wanted to piece together a set of head bolts for myself without spending the money on arp

should be able to match them up...side by side. I would suspect they are the same thread pitch.... machine shop should be able to verify that for ya too.

 

[Oldsmoletick]

Should be 1/2 x 13

 

[FE3X CLONE]

Head bolts aren't something to skimp on or piece together. I'd either reuse your stock bolts or buy the ARP's. You won't be saving any money if your constantly blowing head baskets, etc.

 

[Rocket]

step up to the plate & buy a set of ARP...don't bother trying to "piece together" a set, that's just asking for trouble

 

[beeterolds]

dude.. the later bolts are 1/2in.. REUSE THEM.. Id be sketchy about reusing the thinner 7/16s bolts.. But I've reused the 1/2's many times with no issues.. just dont install them dry put a little oil on them and use a quality torque wrench...

One thing i DO recommend.. is if you go with fel-pro like gaskets.. Coat them f'ers with Permatex Copper hi temp spray.. youll thank me later.. once you run the motor and put some heat on the gaskets.. youll never separate the heads from the block!

 

[Peter]

got a surprising early call from the machine shop and picked up the 5 heads today. He actually had a 8506 head gasket sitting around and he told me i could have it. I measured the head gasket at roughly 4 and 4/32 inches so that equates to a bore of 4.125. The stock bore of an olds 350 is 4.057 so if i assume that my block is .030 over than it would put my engines bore at 4.087. That should allow the felpro 8506 gasket set be applicable to my 350 bored over. any math errors here or does this sound about right?

One thing i noticed about the head gasket it looked like the water ports on one side were quite small, am i supposed to open them up some?

I will inspect my head bolts and with them being 1/2 bolts might opt to reuse them if they check out alright.

 

[Peter]

What do you guys typically do to pre oil an Olds engine to build oil pressure with a new cam install. I was planning to just remove the spark plugs and let the starter build up pressure and I would assume the assembly lube will be able to handle the friction of the lifters and cam.

Any input?

 

[Rocket]

5/16" socket on an extension in a drill is all i've ever used

 

[Oldsmoletick]

^^ Yup, Olds was nice enough to give us a hex oil pump shaft so we don't need to buy or make special tools, lol.

 

[FE3X CLONE]

You might wrap some tape around the socket/extension joint to minimize the chance of losing the socket in the oil pan.

Years ago I bought an 18" long 1/4 drive extension and a 5/16" deep well socket and had the TIG welded together.