Performance Upgrades for a 307-9code...

[zjchevy1]

I recently got my 87 442. Its a nice, original car, but I would like to get a little bit more out of it under the hood & keep the stock appearance. I've had plenty of SBC's and Mopar big blocks, but this is my first Olds engine.

I don't really know much about these as far as additional performance goes, so I come to the forum in seek of answers 🙂

A good friend of mine is a whiz with carbs and ignition, and I'm going to have him set a tune on it - adjust the q-jet, reset the timing, adjust the kickdown and shift points where he can. Other than that, and pulling the heads & having them set up, I've not seen anything else for these cars.

I'm replacing the exhaust next week. To keep the stock appearance, I'm using all the correct parts with the exception of Flowmaster mufflers, and I'm going to build my tailpipes MCSS style coming out the rear instead of at a 45 degree behind the rear wheels. Oh yeah, and when I unbolt the catalytic converter, I'm going to accidently remove the catalyst inside the housing before I bolt the new y-pipe on


Any input would be appreciated, thanks!

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Well, the best bang for the buck is to find a good Olds 350 or 403 and install it in place of the 307. You have a 442, so you already have 3.73 gears which is about the shortest gear you would want on the street, even with a .67 overdrive. Honestly, the HO 307 is the WORST Performance G body engine that was offered, and stock it did 0-60 in 9.8 seconds, compared to the HO 305 doing it in about 7.5 seconds in the Monte SS. The Turbo Regals were, of course, MUCH quicker...

 

[hunter_alexander]

I agree with the above.

The 307, while good for reliability, was not a really good performance engine.

Your best bet, find a 350 Olds or 403 Olds engine. It will drop right in using all the same brackets and such from the 307.

Before you pull all the emissions stuff off, as people tend to do, learn what each part does first. Youll find that the computer controlled carb and distributor actually do a good job running your motor.

There is a guy on ROP who dropped a 403 in his 442, but kept the computer and still ran in the 12's.

Hope this helps.

Oh, and before you switch to a chevy engine, DONT!!! lol

You will be able to do it if you want to, but there are a lot of changes that you will need to do to get it all hooked up.

A Olds small block will drop in place with no issues or reconfiguring involved.

 

[joe_padavano]

X3 on the above comments. The roller cam 307s don't leave a lot that you can do to improve performance. The peanut port 7A heads and A5 intake are significant choke points. Also, the CCC system prevents you from making any timing curve adjustments without burning a new chip - the timing curve is controlled by the computer. All you can do is change initial timing. Similarly, the computer controls the primary side metering rods. The secondaries are still fully mechanical, however.

If you are subject to emissions testing where you live, you are further restricted as to what you can do and still pass.

 

[zjchevy1]

I'd like to keep it as stock appearing as possible. I agree that the emissions junk all over the motor doesn't give you any extra horse, and I don't really want to remove it either for originality's sake.

I'm aware a 350 Olds would drop in, and if my car wasn't as nice and I wasn't worried about keeping the value up, I wouldn't hesitate to do an engine swap.

Thanks!

 

[olds307 and 403]

I'm not sure what potential there is on the 7A heads. Supposedly the 307 can go .100 over bore easy. Guys have got VERY good 240 cfm with highly modified 140 cc runners and small valves. Find someone who knows Olds heads(GM Rocket on Real Olds Power 400+ hp 307), raising the intake and exhaust roof and floor filing seems to be the key. Also stroking the bottom end with your crank offset ground to except either SBC or Honda rods with a custom piston. The early 350 Olds block(76 and older) is stronger due to solid vs windowed main webs.

 

[kustomkyle]

Here is a site I've looked at a few times.

http://tlentz.oldsgmail.com/more_power.html

As far as swapping in a bigger engine goes, there is more to the story than most people tell you about.

Olds engines are hard to find, or at least much harder to find than Chevy engines. 403's were only used for a few years which can make them harder to find than 350's or maybe even 455's. Yeah, some people can trip over tons of Olds engines without looking, but I have yet to find an Olds engine for sale in my area, let alone anyhting in the junkyard that would have anyhting bigger than a 307. 403's are somewhat limited to how much you can bore it due to the siamesed cylinder walls like a Chevy 400. Bigger engines get less fuel mileage too, but if the 307 is out of tune it may not be getting the best mileage it can get (but it is definitely better than most if not all 455's out there for sure).

The cost of a new engine is usually glossed over too. "You can get a bigger engine for less than the cost of a rebuild" is, for the most part, false. First, you have the cost of the new engine/core. Don't expect to get a used engine that is ready to drop in either, even if it is "freshly rebuilt". You can't really trust anybody anymore, and you don't know what they did to it. New engine+rebuild costs is NOT more than a rebuild itself unless you really know your stuff and have all the proper tools and space to do it. 307 parts can be found cheaper too since most people don't bother with them. You just have to search, like on eBay for example. There was a set of brand new Clevite .030 roller 307 pistons on there for $30 not long ago.

Emissions/computer can be a problem too. You can swap the stuff over to the bigger small block engine, but if you hate the 307 that much, why would you put it's smog equipment on your new engine? Also, messing with all that stuff in the first place can cause problems.

Like you said, "hollowing-out" the cat is a good idea. I'm not sure how it effects the drivability/emissions, because the 307 in my car is worn out (the previous owner obviously didn't change the oil much, if at all) which lead to a number of problems. Hollowing out the cat REALLY woke up the engine. It won't pass emissions tests though, especially if you have a decent amount of blow-by. I have a cat that I put back on for the testing which is promptly taken back off.

On the other hand, what do you consider performance? I would love to have a VIN 9 307, and plan on spending thousands to upgrade my VIN Y to H.O. spec when it gets rebuilt. 9.8 seconds to sixty and 15-16 sec.+ in the 1/4 is plenty fast for me, and I don't see why headers and true dual exhaust would hurt it either. I've been told the roller 307 is the smoothest, most reliable carbureted V8 around (almost as if it is a fuel injected engine).

 

[dogsht]

I took the vin9 307 from my 87 442 and put it on the garage floor for safe keeping. This way when I go to sell the car I have a good matching engine to go with the car or I can put it back in for them. It keeps the value for the restoration crowd. Also I could have a fun to drive power plant for driveing that I am not afraid to beat on. If you want a strong fun pump gas street car that looks stock use a well built 403. Its pretty much externally identical. One of the Olds vendors can build you a reliable street friendly 400HP 400+TQ 403. In my case i built a Cadillac 500 for reliable bang for the buck power and slid it in place of my 307. But again I can put the 307 back in if somebody wants that lump for a numbers matching correct car.

Check out www.oldspower.com

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Well, there is no rule that says you can't keep the 307 stored somewhere in case there is ever a market for the car with that engine put back in it. I would go with the 350 or 403, but leave it looking like a stock 307. The CCC Quadrajet can be easily bumped from 600 to 800 cfm, you can also get a custom chip burned, you already have the faster computer, and the air cleaner housing can easily support more power. The only thing you would need that is visually different than stock is a set of free flowing headers or larger manifolds. You can even run a good dual plane aftermarket intake with an EGR passage and paint it black so no one will notice.

 

[hunter_alexander]

KustomKyle,

Here is a 350 in delaware, as well as the whole 72 delta 88. Yank the motor and get most of your money back from scrap. 🙂

http://delaware.craigslist.org/cto/1124971494.html

And here is a guy parting out a whole slew of Olds cars. Gotta be a good core in there, maybe even a 403.

http://delaware.craigslist.org/pts/1113068206.html

Near delaware, in baltimore (depending on where your at in delaware) is a 87 salon, wrecked but the whole car, including Olds 350 and transmission is $650.00.

http://baltimore.craigslist.org/pts/1131066853.html

There are plenty of engines to be had. 😀

Might need to do some driving for it, but hell, nothing is easy. 😀