Are Edlebrock Performer 455 Olds heads worth the $$$

[Squirtcha?]

A good set of worked over "C" heads flow as good as or better than the Edelbrocks
There's no getting around the 70+ pounds of additional weight of the irons though.

[Taylorman]

Ok, the junkyard motor has "G" Heads, Guess thats grocery getter heads. Havent checked on the bown up motor yet. I had no idea heads made that big of a difference in HP. Like bolt-on power. So if i get these hi-performance heads, am I stuck with Hi octane gas?
Also, What kind of intake manifold are you guys running? I have the Performer Olds 455 #2151 as I mentioned, but Edelbrocks website says the Performer RPM heads require Manifold #7111. If thats true I cant upgrade heads without throwing away my manifold?
And do you think I should stick with the stock rods?
If you buy Edelbrock heads you should at least have the torquer manifold. Stock rods are fine for the power you'll be making. Gas depends on your compression. Bump up your compression to 10:1 and run 91 octane gas and you'll be fine.

[1899]

OK, I just checked the motor thats in the boat. It has K heads on it. I didnt see that on the chart. Can you tell me about these K heads? Good or bad?
EDIT: its K with a little "a" near them.

[HotDogz]

ID/ Use Casting
Code Year(s) CID CCs Number Notes
A '65 400 80 383821 Unique 3/8" stud and nut rocker
425 mounting, using a 3-piece rocker
pivot assembly; all except irrigation
B '65 400 80 383821 Later '65 heads. Some use 3-piece
B '65 425 rocker pivot asssembly.
B '66 400 80 389395 Toro's and 442's got the big [2.072"]
B '66 425 valves. Some use 3-piece rocker pivot
asssembly. "-1" after the casting number
on all B heads after April 21, 1966.
C '67 - '69 425 80 394548 A/C '68 H/O's. Toro's and 442's got big.
455 valves. Rumored to flow the best of all BB
heads. Can still be found.
CA Very small ~3/8" ID lettering.
D* ' 68 - '69 400 69.75 400370 All W-30. Non A/C '68 H/O's. All '69 H/O's.
All big-valve.
455 69.75 400370
DA
E '68 - '70 455 77,80 403686 455's in general, with 442/Toro's
having big valves.
F* '70 455 80 404438 W-30's. All big-valve units.
G '71 455 80 409100 Generic 455 use, big valves in the
usual applications.
Ga '72 455 80 409100 W-30's, manual 442's used big valves.
H* '71 455 80 409160 W-30's. Big Valve units.
J '73 - '76 455 80,82 411783 All 445's. 'Smog heads',
restrictive exhaust valve pockets.
No big valve units.
K** 455 80 413191
Ka** '73 - '76 455 80 413191 Marine, irrigation, industrial, W-30/Toro,
442 4-speed replacement head. Most were
big valve units.

[396_WAYS_TO_SPIT]

Funny, i guess im cheap. My crank is .030 and .040. I cant remember which is which though. No problems yet.
I know that your motor runs great! I personally would never run anything under 10/10. I just imagine the crank going through the floor when it snaps :cry: :cry: :cry: Thats why I run std or 10/10. I have had an olds and it ran great. I just did my homework like you kevin

[MACHINEHEAD]

I had heard that the perf. cam bearings come with a smaller hole than they used too. Not sure. 230/236xe hyd. w/ e-head made about 475 w/performer and I think went up to almost 495 w/torquer. Is that enough? Definetly step up the cam as that XE comp peaked at about 5100. I always have to look back at all those 455 olds jets running around that are bullet proof. Why is that? Maybe because they didnt make enough power to hurt themselves.Straping on these E-heads/cam and the 120-150 hp that goes with them shouldnt be taken lightly. Consult somebody whom has blown up a few but now has a hard runner! And the journals are still big even at 30/30!

[maxwedge]

There's no getting around the 70+ pounds of additional weight of the irons though.
Sure there is, I just leave the dog at home. In fact, if I leave the dog, the wife, toys, friends, and the anchor at home, it feels just like I did the whole Mondello package with a set of edelbrock heads, only I still have gas and beer money. LOL

[1899]

Cool! Im almost fininshed tearing down the junkyard block. Its sceduled to go to the machine shop on Monday to do 30 over on the block and cleaning. Anything I should tell the shop to do or check?
Heres my list of stuff from Summit for the rebuild. Did i miss anything?
Part # Item
CLE-MS804P
Main Bearings, P Series, 1/2 Groove, Standard Size, Tri Metal, Oldsmobile V8,
$49.88
FEM-1234M
Cam Bearings, Direct Replacement, Tin-Based Babbit, B-100, Oldsmobile, Kit
$31.69
FEM-3345P-Rod Bearing, Standard Size, Tri Metal, Oldsmobile, V8, Each
$10.99
SES-7-60-08-017-Oil Pump and Pickup Assembly, High-Volume, Oldsmobile,
$49.95
SLP-260-1008-Full Gasket Set, Oldsmobile V8, Set
$52.39
SLP-E-243K030-Piston Rings, Moly, 4.155 in. Bore, 5/64 in., 5/64 in., 3/16 in.
$46.95
Sub Total: $241.85
You wont belive what happned to the Carb! I was trying to crank the boat and I looked down in the carb and the fuel is pouring in the intake on top of the 4 butterflies like a sink! The guy had a fuel pump on the boat that looks like a red ignition coil. Now the motor is hydrolocked with fuel and comming out of the exaust header drains! What could be causing the carb to not seal out the fuel?

[1975sleekcraft]

the float in the carb is stuck open. sounds like you have an electric fuel pump.
someone might correct me if i am wrong but they are not coastgard approved.
anyway i see alot of standard sizes on those parts listed-when your done at the
machine shop she wont be standard.
you definetly need oil restricters
i had my rods channelled on the (big end) both sides top and bottom.
mondellos has a tech article on doing this.
if you cant do this i would get the mondellos rods with this already done.
arp bolts for sure.
10 quart oil pan too.

[1975sleekcraft]

click on "search"
type in "455 guys engine buildup"
click on the thread
these guys built a sweet motor !!!!!!!!!!
they take you step by step !!!!!!!!!!!!