hello everyone, I just picked up a complete 75 station wagon 455 that runs great, was rebuilt 15,247.1 mi ago. The plan is to install in our 1996 C3500 Chevy Dually for towing duty. The truck is geared 4.10 and I will be using a 1998 4L80E with a US shift trans controller. The 455 is bored .030 with a .010/.010 machined crank. Heads have big valves and everything is clean and machined right, basically a stock style rebuild with big valves. I am thinking the TA 112 cam and timing chain, TA oil pump improvement kit. It will have dual 2.5 exhaust to muffler and single 3.5 tailpipe. Using a 454 radiator for the truck and direct mechanical fan Should I be re curving the distributor for more/less that the wagon had? Seeing it will be running around 25-2700 hwy rpm under heavier throttle should I have an oil cooler? Any mods anyone would recommend for using a 455 for this? Thanks Everyone
The oil cooler would be a good idea with the higher load the engine will be under. Cam it on the small side. The '75 455 only had 7.9 to 1 compression, probably less, they're smooth but slugs compared to earlier years. They were rated at 205 hp, and a bit over 300 tq
I thought TA sells a cam for engines used for towing. JW built one for towing. Ask him about the cam.
A oil cooler is mandatory with that stroke if you ask me! I would also highly recommend running a Edelbrock Perfromer for its far better fuel distribution nature over the stocker, the added benefit of the weight loss is just icing on the cake! Nailing down the best advance curve with any motor starts with the best fuel distribution pattern you can get! You should have the hood clearance for a 1/2" spacer which I would run also. I would strongly concider bowl porting the Exh also , as they need help and the easier and faster the Exh goes out the better a timing curve you can run.
Thank You everyone for the quick replys ! Seeing I will be abandoning the Oldsmobile like single exhaust manifolds are the TA shorty headers worthwhile on a low compression 4500 rpm redline(MSD) engine? The compression test the wrecking yard did on this engine showed a consistent 135-137 psi on the compression test. I suspect whatever piston and machining done brought it up to 8.2-8.5 area.
With those cranking comp numbers you should be able to run a good advance curve and 10 degrees of vacuum advance. You will definitely want to run a adjustable vacuum can on the Distributor.
1. Before I install an oil cooler, I'd test the oil temp under load. It may not be what you expect to find. Doubly-so if the water temp is properly controlled, because the bottom of the water jacket acts as an oil cooler. All this requires is a bung welded into the oil pan for a temp probe, and an aftermarket temp gauge system. If you have an aftermarket temp gauge, you could re-route the probe temporarily to read the oil temp--if the sensor tube is long enough. Simple, easy, effective. 2. 135--137 seems low on compression, but of course that will heavily depend on altitude and cranking speed. 3. You absolutely want to get a proper fuel curve and even distribution, and you'll want to optimize the spark advance. 4. "Machined right" and "Stock-style rebuild" are contradictory terms. Given the low-ish compression, I'd want to know how far the pistons are in the hole. Fresh pistons are probably a FANTASTIC upgrade leading to better power, better fuel economy, less chance of detonation, and they're probably going to be lighter. Given the increased highway RPM, a proper aftermarket balance might be worthwhile--but it's not like you're going to spin the engine 6K+. 5. "Direct mechanical fan"??? No fan clutch? Bad idea. Pay attention to getting the fan centered in whatever shroud you're using. Your first priority is getting the driveline angle correct via proper placement of engine/trans mounts. Then you're going to adjust the shroud as required.
Clutch fan on 427 Truck engine in 1993 K3500 gave us 190-195 degrees w/180 t-stat, Direct run fan gives 165-180 and never more. On the Cad powered 82 crew it dropped the temp in town 10-15 degrees and even in the dead of winter our snow plow trucks have direct run fans as they will overheat in 10 degree days without it and that’s why I like them (direct fans) on our trucks. Towing a 24’ trailer with even a bunch of zero turn mowers and not our skid steer is hard work for a truck and it’s driveline. We’ve used Chevy powner, Cad, Olds, Pontiac and seeing my supply of those has either out of my budget or dried up here I found a rebuilt Buick 455 that has perfectly round bores with hone pattern and perfectly flat deck and head surface and even the intake manifold is re machined to mate with the heads and yes there are shims in the rocker arm mounts to keep the geometry correct. What I’m saying here is the attention to detail that went into this 455 is better than the Jasper 427 Chevy truck motor I have and that says a lot. I’m new to Buick, a bunch of mechanics say it’s a bad idea as Buick’s have poor oiling system, run hot , have good torque but poor performance and are very unreliable engines. I don’t believe what they told me and that’s why I’m here to ask the people who know. All I will say about mounting is the truck had a 4L80E trans and the crossmember and driveshaft are in the OE location. The Trans Dapt BPOC to Chevy trans centers the crank to the trans, and the Buick frame and engine mounts put the crank pulley centerline within 1/8” of the 454 and I can shim the 1/8” if it’s a problem. Thank You Everyone for your knowledge!
I believe its not that the Buick 455 is unreliable, its that its so powerful people are using it in ways that were never intended, such as high rpm in racing or low rpm high load like hauling or towing for extended periods. The biggest issue with the 231 V6 and 350/455 V8 is the oil pump being part of the aluminum timing cover, but those issues are easily remedied with proper clearances and a booster plate, OR just purchase the TA cover all set up. All engine designs have issues or drawbacks................ even Chevy
There is an article posted discussing the very large power loss attributable to going without a fan clutch. The combination you posted while operating with a fan clutch is closer to a correct engine operating temperature than the temperature you posted while operating without a fan clutch.
I'd have said the biggest problem is the overhung camshaft gear, leading directly to failure of the front cam bearing. The second-biggest problem is the faulty oil-routing, using the front cam bearing as an oil passage from one side of the block to the other. Chevy pulled that crap on at least two different engine families--but had enough sense that after a couple of years of production, they put the groove in the iron instead of in the bearing. Buick didn't do that at all on the V-8s, and waited until...'86 (?) to do it with the V-6. The iron block casting should have had the oil groove, leaving the cam bearing smooth with merely an oil hole or two. The bearing would have improved load-carrying capacity, which it desperately needs. Further, when the front bearing does wear, oil supply to the downstream lifters would be unaffected.
Yes, I am aware that you can loose as much as 20-25hp from a direct drive fan. Now before emission controls 180 was the norm for automotive thermostats, and 160 for high performance, 195 came later as warm fuel atomizes easier and you can run leaner mixtures plus it make catalytic converters work better and early o2 sensors need 195 degrees to work right. I am not subject to emissions here so I run 180 thermostats and a good pvc system plus better oil and 3000 mi oil changes. Normally on our trucks either the frame fatigues or rust claims them long before the engine fails. I will likely run an oil cooler with a 160 thermostat as with only 5 qts capacity I need to have cooler oil. The wrecking yard found me a 88 6.5 diesel 4 core brass radiator for the truck so 1 less part I have to find. I am at the parts gathering stage with this, the fun comes later Thanks Everyone!
180 degrees is the temp when the thermostat starts to open and not the expected temp for the water after it opens.
A guy I worked for put a 430 Buick in a Chevy car hauler, he said it was the only car hauler that would smoke the tires with a car on back
Last 180 we had in a pot of water on the hot plate at the shop started opening at 174 and was full open at 180 but maybe defective?
This thread interests me, I’ve got an 85 k5 with a 6.2 diesel that’s a dog and an extra BBB sitting around.....
Yes, defective. A 180 stat should start to open at 180, and not be fully open until 200. There should be a 20* spread between any stat's opening point and full open. That is how they control the system temperature, they open just enough to keep the temperature at what they are rated. That's why if the system runs hotter than the full open rating, the stat has lost control and there likely is a problem somewhere else in the cooling system. The Buick Chassis manuals describe how to test a thermostat. This is from the 1971 Chassis Manual. Back in 1971, the stock stat was 190*
The only change I would make if it were mine would be the heads and pistons and that really wouldn't be needed, run it as is and keep the timing stock, you don't want early advance with a truck engine, more so on a hard pull with the possibility of sub par fuel. I ran a stock Buick 455 in a one ton wrecker, pulled some loads that almost lifted the front wheels off the ground. It would out pull my uncles 454 dually Chevy and use less fuel doing it.
Today I ordered this: Chevy-to-BOP GM Turbo-Hydramatic Transmission Adapter Plate https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079PTHLSW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_NEbcBbSHZB4G3 And looking at the single exhaust manifolds that will not work for this I will have to go to the wrecking yard a dig through a van half full of Buick exhaust manifolds and find a different manifold. I really don’t like the rebuilders stock replacement timing chain so I’ll have to get a double roller for that and do the TA performance oil pump mods and double grove cam bearings. The stock replacement cam checks out ok but I would really like a small cam to build some dynamic compression like I did with the other 427 powered dually. It’s a pile of parts in the shop right now and Work is crazy busy, not much time to play. Fuel- because our mowers/trimmers/ blowers need 91 octane no ethanol to save time at the pump truck also gets 91ron fuel. Thanks Everyone!
