Guest Anonymous Posted July 17, 2003 Share Posted July 17, 2003 will a 350 out of an oldsmobile work in a hybrid z? is it pretty much the same as a chevy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoeightythreez Posted July 17, 2003 Share Posted July 17, 2003 That depends on whether it's an oldsmobile or a chevy v-8. Oldsmobile built v-8's up until about 1987...the 307 that was available in the Buick Regal and other GM G-bodies was an oldsmobile. Some cutlasses had chevy 305's and 350's though. My dad had a '79 cutlass with a chevy 305. (and I had a 1986 Regal with an oldsmobile 307) It's confusing if you don't look at the engine, because the emissions label will say "5.0 litre" for both the 305 (chevy) and the 307 (olds). The easiest way to tell the difference is to look at the front of the motor. ( if you already haven't noticed that an olds is much wider than a chevy) The timing cover on the olds is a flat piece of metal covering timing chain that the water pump bolts to, while the chevy, the water pump bolts to the block on either side of the timing cover. Also the valve covers on an olds have 10 to 12 bolts while the chevy has the more common 8. Also, most olds engines have the oil fill going into the timing cover, while the chevys fill thru the valve covers. The fuel pump on an olds is on the driver's side while the chevy's is on the passenger side, plus the olds fuel pump mounts upside down. I guess you could do it, from what I've seen the Z car can accept just about any engine you want to put in it. You will have to fab mounts and stuff because nobody makes a swap kit for putting in an olds, that I know of. I hope this helps a little bit, I'm anxious to do my own Z engine swap when my ship comes home from deployment, but I'm going to do the much more common chevrolet engine swap, even though i've been a buick man for a long time now. I have a buick 350 at home, (in PA) but I'm stationed in San Diego, so I figured just buy a chevy and a JTR swap kit so I can get my car running! Good luck with your swap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted July 17, 2003 Share Posted July 17, 2003 Well the oldsmobile has a sb 350 so is that actualy a chevy 350? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoeightythreez Posted July 18, 2003 Share Posted July 18, 2003 Yes you can get an olds motor to fit. You can't do it using a swap kit designed for a chevy sb though. It depends on whether it's a chevy or an olds. In the 1970's Buick, Chevy, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac all had 350's. They were all totally different. Saying an olds sb is the same as a chevy sb is like saying a chevy straight 6 is the same as a ford straight 6. They both have the same # of cylinders and are OHV engines, but are totally different engines. Why do you want to use an olds engine anyway? I have had a few and they are awesome when you build them, but they're very heavy, are you sure you want to put such a heavy, torquey motor into the nose of a Z? It'll wreck your handling. I'm no expert on z engine swaps, so I would definitely ask around (my experience being limited to GM cars in the past)...u know putting olds and chevy motors into buicks, swapping buick sb for buick bb (in my buick) which is basically the same amount of work as it apparently is to put a chevy into a z. (had to mount new frame pads and use chevy truck mounts to put an olds 428 into a '66 skylark. I love buicks ,and thier engines, but my buddy scored this motor from a Delta 98 for 200 bucks and it's still running, and the torque monster olds pulls that buick like it's a slingshot. (of course it won't rev more than 4,800rpm but who cares?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilRufusKay Posted July 18, 2003 Share Posted July 18, 2003 I recently had to change my starter on my 75 V8 280z and found out that it was a buick starter. I was worried I had a buick motor in the car ( i bought it with the 350 swap already done) But after reading your description of olds vs chevy mine definatley sounds chevy. Thanks!! Oh..... the lighter the engine the better. With no power sterring parking lots/3 point turns can be "fun" with a sb V8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Magnum Rockwilder Posted November 23, 2003 Share Posted November 23, 2003 Tip: An Olds Big Block (455) is only an inch taller and an inch wider than an olds 350, and they bolt up to the same mounts. I know of a '75 280Z 2+2 (for sale) that has an Olds 350 and formerly had a 455. The guy made the mounts himself using 74-87 Chevy pickup engine mounts... you can bolt up a SBC or Olds to the frame mount adapters that the guy made, because some of the Chevy trucks had Olds diesel engines in them. I'm building the 455 now for either my 240Z or RX7. I have a writeup from Hot Rod on how to get 500HP and 575TQ with basic bolt-ons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fastzdriver Posted December 10, 2003 Share Posted December 10, 2003 any idea if the 74-87 Chevy pickup engine mounts will bolt up to a 307 Olds engine? If so that would help me alot in moving forward in my conversion. At least I would know a point to start from as for as mounting was concerned. And the 455 Olds idea sounds like a great plan if those dimensions are accurate, maybe something i could try later once my v-8 breathes life into my 75' 280z again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickinback88 Posted July 5, 2005 Share Posted July 5, 2005 if a vehicle used an oldsmobile v8 (post 1964), you can bolt any oldsmobile v8 to the mounts. the only considerations are that a big block (400/425/455) on small block mounts (307/330/350/403) will sit higher in the engine compartment vs big block mounts, and the small block mounts are less beefy than the big block counterparts. however, if you are doing a 307 swap, consider a pre 77 olds 5.7 as they are abundunt, cheap, and a whole lot stronger than your windowed main 307 with much better airflow in the heads. for a roller cam, look for a late 5.7 diesel, or for a killer big block olds roller motor, a 66/67 toronado (ONLY!!!) 425 can be easily adapted to use the 307's hydraulic roller lifters! hope this helps! -ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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