I’m done with old engine

well that’s it. I’m done with old engine in uncle buck. last fall, I replace the the factory 307 olds engine with a factory crate replacement 307 .
well this week end, I went to move the car after I needed that parking spot for my dump truck. while I let it idle, so to get up to operating temp. I started to hear that noise again from the lower engine like the old engine. this engine only had little over 1,000 miles and it was hard to find a good rebuilt olds v-8. that crate engine was the last my family GM dealer had,
so this ford/chevy man is pulling out that no good olds and replacing it with a SBC/ 700-4R.

 

i always wanted to drop a buick 401 in one of those!

 

And obviously you didn't...

Do what you want, but I've got over 100K miles on an old rebuilt 307 from Trak Auto. Clearly there was a problem that's not Oldsmobile's fault in that motor. There wasn't a warranty from the dealer? Be aware that the Chubby motor is not a drop-in.

 

Yeah....better to drop in a 350 Olds engine. Lot easier. And, frankly, I'm confused....the 307, while no hot rod, is usually a strong running engine and generally trouble free. You sure that noise isn't coming from somewhere else? Like the tranny? Loose motor mount? Exhaust?

 

OH no. You maybe onto something. I had this problem with my wagon. The plastic cover under the torque converter would rub the flexplate a cetain what that sounded like a clanking rod knock tyoe of sound. Scared the hell out of me. Could not tell where it was coming from but the way the noise was it sounded like the bottom end of the engine. Wasn't until I got the car on jack stands and crawled under it while it was running that I finally tracked it down.

 

That is a common problem on these, stick, and I was hinting at it. And you are right....it does sound like engine noise.

 

no warranty on the GM crate engine because it was from a multi- make dealership that GM was letting go last year, so they where selling all there GM STUFF cheap! the family member said if GM wants to be like little kid, then they are not going to support any thing with GM on it.
as for chevy swap , I'm using complete drive train from my dads low mileage 1985 caprice cop car which is a 350/ 7004R/ 12 BOLT with posi & 3.73 GEARS/ springs/ front and rear sway bars . any way , all this car is a chevy caprice wagon with a buick headlight header on the front.

the noise is only on fast idle on a warm engine or going down a hill with my foot off the gas. the noise is right behind the front damper.if it was the flex plate cover it would do it all the time.



.
i didn't do or will do a 350 olds because:
1) can't find good rebuild able one around here .
2) all ready have complete chevy drive train and know all the history on it.
3) after spending money on two olds engine and not working right, why waist more money on something that clearing not working for me.

 

Ok the swap isn't that easy Because the clam shells that the motor mounts bolt to are different. And they can be a pain to change. I am not sure if the transmission crossmember is the same or not. As for the flex plate problem mine was very inconsistant. You would think something that rubs like that would be but it wasn't. It might pay to investigate it a bit further, simply because like the others have said the 307 is a very durable engine. Not a powerhouse, but durable.

 

I have done enough engine’s in my life time to know how to swap over drive trains. when i swap the chevy stuff over. I will be using every thing from the caprice. so that includes both half of the motor mount’s, transmission mount/cross member /the drive line/ A-C line's/ wiring harness.
again, I have investigate the flex plate / flex plate cover.
I might not be the very good typist but my 23 yrs of ASE certifications say’s I’m not stupid.
other people might had good luck with there olds 307 but i have not. making money here is not easy like it was and i have spent too much on two 307 olds. i know when to look at the "BIG picture" and change plan's when needed.

 

No one said you were stupid. Just sharing our own experiences with the same type of car. Sorry if it has come off that way.

 

sorry,like I said .I’m not a good typist but when I started this thread. I had the first 1988 307 with 90,000+ miles on engine stand with oil pan off and it had two bad rods bearing plus the crank and it was after I went through a complete inspection of the GM crate engine 307 in the car . so I knew it wasn’t the flex plate issue.
now that I have pulled the crate engine out of uncle buck and put it on it own engine stand with oil pan pulled. i find one rod bearing bad .
that's two olds 307 with bad rod bearing both built by FACTORY. I think, that telling me I’m not to be a Oldsmobile fan and I’m to stick with Chevrolet/ fords/mercury.

 

Good luck on your swap, rancheronut... Keep us all posted.

I might suggest that you take a lot of pictures so you can document the swap in case someone else wants to do the same swap.

 

It's REALLY unlikely an engine has bottom end trouble in a thousand miles unless you didn't have it properly pre-lubed at first start up.

 

Yeah....no offense, ranch. But....the flexplate problems that I have encountered were never consistent. The noise would be random at certain times.

 

2 engines bad? I can see the older one due to age and who knows how it was tooken care of before you got it but only 1000 miles on the new one, and they both have the same rod bearing problem??? It does'nt make sence. I've got the origonal 1987 307 in my Buick and it runs like a champ!