Is the Buick 455 a weak engine?

Beau · Nov 4, 2019

stage2man said: ↑

The oil system is like the Cleveland ford engines with the oil going to the cam journals then to the crank. Ford cleveland engines have had a pretty good race record over the years. The block was the very last big block gm developed and is cast with high grade steel with a precision thin wall casting. This was done for weight savings. They have the strongest crank of maybe any big block. The thin bearings have tighter requirements then chevys. The front mounted oil pump needs to be a nice one like the TA unit.

I have been racing buicks for 25 years. My first 455 was in 85' with cam, intake and headers. Nothing else, no oil mods on a small passage '70 block. Just an old set of TRW pistons and small valve heads. I kicked more chebby butt over the years with that motor. I added nitrous untill finally I had a foggers with 300hp pills. 10.40s with the same motor and I know it had over 60K miles of street miles because it was my daily driver. In the 90s I took this tired motor out and dissassembled. All rods and block where in good shape the pistons had stress cracks. Even had buick rod bolts. My chevy freinds went thru several motors during the years I had the same one. MANY now run buicks here in houston, won over from the dark side.

Get ride of your engine builder and go to someone who knows how to do it.

Use one of the Jims. Use Mike and AM&P. Use TA. If near TX you could use G&G. All have buick torque plates and can check your block for core shift. My buddy Greg took his motor to Chris Giles, brother of the famous head porter Andy Giles, who specializes in buick motors at G&G. When testing the oil system before wrapping up the motor chris noticed bubbles in the oil. He tracked it down to a pin hole in the pickup tube. This is why the previous owner had bearing trouble. Just ask Shawn about his 494 he got from ebay. Chris fixed a bunch of chevy type screwups on that motor. Both are solid as a rock now that they went thru a buick specialized shop.

If you do use a chevy shop make sure they are told what to do and record every single measurement. Bearings, side clearance, crank radius and oil mods. This will force them to do it right.
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Beau · Nov 4, 2019

Who are one of the Jim's?

68 Wildcat · Nov 4, 2019

This thread is 13 years old. The only Jim I know still here building engines is Jim Weise

http://www.trishieldperformance.com/

TrunkMonkey · Nov 4, 2019

68 Wildcat said: ↑

This thread is 13 years old. ...
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Well, Halloween was just a few days ago...

Zombie thread.

Mark Demko · Nov 7, 2019

The 455 is an amazing engine, designed for Electras and wagons.
TONS of potential, it has some draw backs, but ANY engine you start "hot rodding" will start showing its weaknesses, but thanks to Hot rodders and machinists, we have better parts and fixes for the weak areas.
Same with the 350 Buick.

Donuts & Peelouts · Nov 7, 2019

This is old yes. But its dripping with knowledge

rolliew · Nov 13, 2019

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Is the Buick 455 a weak engine?

Beau Brad

Beau Brad

68 Wildcat Dash Riprock

TrunkMonkey Totally bananas

Mark Demko Well-Known Member

Donuts & Peelouts Life's 2 Short. Live like it.

rolliew Well-Known Member

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