2 Types Of Oldsmobile 307 Engines. What's The Difference?

ITS GOT A 5.0 WOW. what the hell is that supposed to mean? I don't speak metric. for those of you who don't know, Oldsmobile manufactured 2 different versions of the 307 AKA the 5.0 . I love how car commercials make it sound impressive. any way hope you enjoy the video.

[@MrWill73]

You can almost double the hp on a 307. I did head work, cam, HEI ignition and a non computer controlled Qjet carb. That put my 87 Olds 442 into the 13s. Biggest problem with the Olds 307 is they came in huge cars like your wagons and Riv and they were tuned for emissions and fuel economy. If you only change the ignition to HEI and put a good Qjet that is from the 70’s and jet them and tune them right, it will wake up a 307. They are great little motors for what they are. Cool video

[@jamieshipley8963]

What cam did you use

[@pepsiman91]

please give me details, I'd love to beef up my 307 in my cadillac

[@googleusergp]

The early ones were also typically painted blue, the later ones were black. My '82 Toronado 307 was blue, my '84 Delta 88 is black. Also, some 307 engines suffered from oiling problems due to improperly drilled crankshafts. My '84 Delta 88 (which was my uncle's car from new) was one of those cars. GM paid for 1/2 of the engine repair bill in 1990. I still have virtually every receipt for that car (and I still have the car, although it's "retired" at my other property now). I have a settlement letter from GM to my uncle for the $900 part of the repair (It was $1800 back in 1990). At the time the car had about 65,000 miles on it. Also there was a VIN code "9" (the regular RPO LV2 was the VIN code "Y") version which had slightly better tuning and some extra "go fast" (for the time) parts. This was typically used on the Hurst Olds 442 from 1983 to 1987, however it was also used on commercial Cadillac chassis through the 1990 model year, which a lot of folks don't know. Off the top of my head that was RPO code "LG8". That Riviera was produced in Linden, NJ as they all were from 1979 to 1985. VIN is something like 1G4EZ57Y*FE123456. That's 1G4 for US made Buick, EZ57 for Riviera, Y for 307 V8 with four barrel, RPO code "LV2", * would be a check digit, F for the 1985 model year, E for Linden, NJ assembly and the rest is the production sequence. The '83 wagon you have is probably a Flint/Buick City, MI made car, the 1990 wagon is probably an Arlington, TX made car. The 307 was an economy engine and they are known for their longevity as you alluded to. They run, run, run, run and run. If you take care of them, not uncommon to go 250K plus without ever taking it apart. They are one of my favorite engines next to Pontiac V8s (I have three Pontiacs, two 2nd generation Trans Ams and a Pontiac G6 convertible). The 260 was made from 1975 to 1982. It was a VIN code "F" engine from 1975 to 1981, and then a VIN code "8" in 1982, the final year. All were two barrel.

[@UsefulEntertainment]

all great info, i never expected this video to blow up so big

[@googleusergp]

@@UsefulEntertainment No problem. I've owned two 307 engine equipped cars ('82 Toronado and '84 Delta 88) and there's been quite a few in my family over the years.

[@jimmyers8939]

A salute to the 307....picked up an 83 buick Lesabre for mom in 1991, it had 110,000 on it, she drove it for years to work, put a timing set in it once and it made it to 257,000 when in pulled it, it still used no oil but the exhaust valve stems were getting worn down and getting close to the keepers so i replaced it with a junkyard 307 with 89,000 on it, put in all gaskets less head and intake gaskets and a new timing set, now the car has 446,000 on it and the "new engine doesn't use oil but again, the exhaust valve stems are getting worn like the first engine. So, with 278,000 miles give or take we still depend on it for our long trips. True, they are not a powerhouse but this thing idles so smooth and runs so well i give two thumbs up to the development of this engine....I am a full time "mechanic" not a technician and can say this is one of the best engines ever developed for reliability and longevity.

[@marquiswilliams485]

I have an 1985 Buick LeSabre, collectors edition with the Oldsmobile 307 v8 which I bought on 3-26-05, with 100,000 original miles on it and I still drive on a daily basis to this day.

[@tboneo2005]

@@marquiswilliams485 that's what's up I got a 307 Oldsmobile cutlass and I have to say they are a beast with flow master it sounds dayum good

[@_JoeMomma]

Marquis Williams about to pick up a 1986 caprice classic with a 307 in it and glad to hear that this engine is solid. I plan on putting in new valves, springs, rockers, and rods along with timing chain and gears with a new cam as well

[@richardpalleschi4807]

Had an 83 Olds Custom Cruiser. Bought it used 88.000 miles. Drove it for years 165.000 miles. Under powered but great long running engines. Never used any oil

[@jameshedrick6839]

I rebuilt 4 of the 307's in the last 4 years. They are good motors

[@mikebraz25]

Excellent reliability and smooooth running.

[@lukewatson8557]

For sure, own a 88 Chevy wagon put 55,000 miles on it in two years. Never left me astray

[@twoeightythreez]

I had a few 307 powered regals. The most notable one I had was an 87 with 7a heads and i drove it cross country from PA to Cali. It was notable because it could only do about 90mph foot to the floor, but due to the lower rpm torque it could reach 115mph at about 5/8 throttle (keeping it in overdrive with the 2.56 gears). Yes, you read that right. You would be cruising along at around 90 and flooring it would cause the car to downshift and SLOW DOWN. The only really good thing about it was reliability and the great gas mileage.

[@Wbfuhn]

I was doing some research on a 83 Olds I found at a dealer and am glad I found this video. I'll be keeping an eye out for those details.

[@UsefulEntertainment]

Glad I could help.

[@robertseymour6095]

How do look 4 0ne

[@nateball-ri9nb]

@@UsefulEntertainment check out my comment that I didn't tag you in.

[@UsefulEntertainment]

@@nateball-ri9nb where?

[@1978mackdaddy]

My first car was a 1985 Olds Delta 88. I have owned nothing but Hondas since. I can confirm, The 307 is one of the few American motors that will scare any Honda in a reliability challenge.

[@UsefulEntertainment]

LOL, made me crack a smile. Yeah, ive had a few ive purposely tried to kill before i swap 350s or 455s in their spot and they just dont die, like a damn zombie engine.

[@SingleMost]

i have an 84 and an 85 olds 307. bulletproof. ive spent 100,000 k abusing my 84. shes still a gem. beautiful

[@SingleMost]

i have an 84 and an 85 olds 307. bulletproof. ive spent 100,000 k abusing my 84. shes still a gem. beautiful

[@Lidia-fg5km]

@@UsefulEntertainmentHi my names Gabriel my neighbor has a Buick riviera 1979-1985 body not sure what year it is exactly but I believe it’s for sale, any thing I should look into before buying engine wise 🤷‍♂️ IDK not to familiar with these vehicles any help would be much appreciated 🙏 thanks💜💜

[@UsefulEntertainment]

@@Lidia-fg5km hey what's up man, make sure the heater core isn't leaking because you have to pull the dash to change them. Typical stuff like check trans fluid and stuff. Look for missing body bushings etc. They are pretty decent cars over all. If you do buy it, make sure the differential gets serviced at some point.

[@bababooey7576]

This makes complete sense!(I think!) My neighbour's 82 Buick lesabre had shitloads of power and there were times the dipstick was dry, and she didn't maintain it well, or at all, and my 87 caprice was more gutless... indestructible, but gutless...and yes, olds kept the carb until 1990..an 88 caprice was throttle body with the 305, vs the olds. I miss my olds 307 for its reliability and durability...never asked for much and started up every morning. High energy ignitions rule.

[@midos6767]

I got an 1985 Olds Custom Cruiser Wagon with a 307 V8. It's an oil burner so it smokes. It's looks just like the Buick Wagons on the video, but it's an Olds. I bought the old battle wagon for $500 back in 2011, and 7 years later I'm still driving it. It's always burned oil ever since I bought it, so I add a few quarts of oil every month and change the oil on it once a year (I only drive it about 800 miles a year). It's a good reliable backup car for when my truck gives me trouble.. so I've always hanged onto it.

[@terdferguson9516]

Lol. "BATTLE WAGON" love it

[@midos6767]

*Update*: It's now 2 years later December 30th, 2020 ... And I am still driving the Oldsmobile battle wagon. It's going to be 36 years old soon and it's original 307 V8 engine is still running. I recently acquired a 2003 Chevy Silverado, so I now have 2 trucks and the wagon. But I still plan to keep the wagon & plan to someday put a 5.7 Olds 350 V8 in it when I am ready to restore it.

[@jamesfurtney6592]

Really informative didn’t know about the 2 gen 307

[@Titomjay]

Your absolutely 💯 right. I'm as well familiar with the 307 . Extremely reliable to say the least. If your into longevity the 307 is not a bad way to-go

[@juniorblack9089]

You are absolutely correct! I had a 84 Olds Cutlass Supreme Brougham 4 door with the 5a gen 1 motor I could power brake and smoke the tires. Now I have a 85 Olds Cutlass Supreme Brougham 4 door and I can't even spin the tire way less power compared to the 84.

[@AlexanderCrump]

When new, the 5A 307s had some grunt. They were very quiet under full throttle acceleration so they were very nice in the full-size sedans and wagons.

[@harambe8103]

Thanks for the video I was able to get a 85 old's toronado caliente with all stock parts in it besides the usual replacements. Knowing the differneces with these its great to compare and know I could be using some parts from the 84 on down for the most part, I got 101k rn and cant wait to add more :D remember folks its the smiles to the gallon not miles to the gallon!

[@davidwhitman9609]

I just bought a 1990 Estate wagon in Florida and drove it to VA. I babied it since it was unknown yet it was peppy and went down the road effortlessly at 80mph. When I got home I matted it and discovered that it feels slower at full throttle than half throttle. Go figure. I was thinking engine swap but now I’m thinking rear gear and a 6 speed manual would be more fun and I’d get to keep the legendary 307. No pilot hole in the crank but I’ve read there is an adapter available. For now I’ll just enjoy it as is. Funny Video!

[@UsefulEntertainment]

there are a ton of things you can do but the best bang for your buck would be to just drop an Olds 350 in it. its all plug and play.

[@samsung5181]

Always wondered why my cousins 82 307 olds could do nice burn outs and my 86 307 felt sluggish; thanks.!!!

[@UsefulEntertainment]

yup, its one of the many wonders of the world finally resolved

[@San_Simon247]

I can't even count how many 307s I had. My favorite car was the 4 door g body and le Sabre. I didn't mind because I used to put spokes and vogues on them. I had 1 le Sabre coupe for 16yrs with no problem

[@1984Cutlass2nv]

That said I have a 76 (last year of solid mains) 350 Oldsmobile in my 84 Cutlass now and I would never go back. I got it from the junkyard, replaced timing set and gaskets 12 years ago and 100k miles ago....it still runs like new, very little oil usage. Cheap chrome 350 Rocket valve covers still don't leak any oil after 12 years (the extra bolts seem to keep the gaskets sealed up compared to newer ones with less bolt holes). My friends 79 Caddy with 350 Olds needed valve cover gaskets as has every 307 we have had.

[@realtruthexposedone3237]

Proly a 425 not 350

[@BrianWelch-ct4zp]

I just got a 1990 estate wagon, the last year for the 307. 125k mint interior, but yeah it’s gutless. Though it is a happy engine at 75-80mph with the over drive and removing the smog pump and tuning her up. Kids love the rear facing third row. Will look for and keep my eye out for any past or future 307 videos thanks for the info.

[@chief1972]

So,what it comes down to is,go with the 350.Any year Olds 350 is going to run good.The 260's and 307's were built for one reason- trying to get gas mileage numbers up and emissions down.An instructor at the former GM Tech Center in Cherry Hill,NJ told us that the reason they lasted into 1990 is that they had a bunch of these engines and they just needed to use them up.That's why a 1990 looks behind the times under the hood,with all of the vacuum hoses and a carburetor.They didn't bother to update it.The same year Chevrolet was clean under the hood with one or two vacuum lines and throttle body injection.You could see the valve covers and intake!

[@stevemino142]

Oldsmobile 307 was carbureted until 1990 the 307 Oldsmobile came out in 1980 as a replacement for the 350 as 350 sized gas engines were discontinued in 1980 in GM cars good video

[@UsefulEntertainment]

thanks

[@nathanlester9985]

7:19 dude was like "am i still recor-yea wtf!" ?? 🤣 that Rivi's engine bay looks fun to work on haha theres soo many hoses and wires to make a whole new spare tire. my dads 85 was the same.

[@UsefulEntertainment]

yup, thats me

[@blikedon3066]

Good Info...My 87 Cutlass with the 307 80000 miles still rides awesome at 80 with cruise control on

[@UsefulEntertainment]

Don B yup a) they need are timing chains around that mileage. Best to change them or they can bend valves.

[@blikedon3066]

Good idea I will order one up tomorrow

[@UsefulEntertainment]

Don B wise choice, I'll bet it is stretched and when you change it youl feel more off the line tq that has been lost over time.

[@blikedon3066]

@@UsefulEntertainment So I finally got around to changing the chain and gears..Chain had a little stretch but no nylon or gear cracks..Replaced with melling ..My problem is I also bought new harmonic balance and the spacer that goes in balance for the balancer bolt is not a snug fit in balancer the new one does not taper down as much as the original one did??Any answers or ideas on this ?..Thanks

[@UsefulEntertainment]

@@blikedon3066 that i have no clue, ive never used an aftermarket balencer before. as long as it still slips over the crank tight i wouldnt worry, just put the big washer in there if it fits and bolt it in

[@stevenallen6245]

I just put an 83 olds 307 in my 84 olds 2door cutlass & I'm planning on installing a 350 trans & a 373 posi trac rear end on it maybe in the near future I might put in an 350 olds still don't know yet cause I love my 307 with the 5a heads lol....

[@peterrivney552]

You want a bullet proof combo :. '67. 330 with #4 heads install valve rotators from the 307 , 403 connecting rods & '70. W-31 grind cam shaft the 330 has forged crankshaft, 403 rods are the strongest from Olds, W-31 camshaft with 308 duration, you need the valve rotators and hardened valve seats becouse there is no lead in gasoline anymore... All these parts will bolt together and be one shella strong engine that will hold up and can give you easy up to 400 horses with a few tricks... And some head work...

[@junkcarwilly]

Wow 5 years ago..you had a channel for awhile. Congratulations

[@UsefulEntertainment]

Yeah man, started it back in 2014

[@DeanMk1]

In the Gen 1 era, the "HO" version of the 307 used the same camshaft Olds used in the original 442 in 1964. It was also the standard cam for the 455. The cam option allowed the 307 to be rated 10HP more than the regular version.

[@UsefulEntertainment]

Thats kind of comical to me, using a dated big block cam profile I think was a 400 lift / 400 duration in a 307. I mean yes they did the best they could do but they could've developed a profile to better suite a small block. ether way its watter under the fridge and im glad they could use the Olds v8 as long as they did. thanks man.

[@DeanMk1]

@@UsefulEntertainment Actually the original 442 cam was quite mild and not a bad cam to build a grocery getter from. The 442 was the result of Oldsmobile vying for a police car account. The result was the new A-body with a higher performance version of the then new V8 engine and the first muscle car to feature sway bars. Originally, it was the Oldsmobile B09 Police Interceptor package. A fairly similar copy of that cam is the Comp DE255 cam. The smallest of their Dual Energy offerings. Works in about the same RPM range, too. 307 was a good engine. Cadillac used the Olds engines (mostly 350, gas and diesel) in their RWD models in the 80's.

[@UsefulEntertainment]

@@DeanMk1 yes Cadillac used olds motors in the 80s, the 350 (gas) ended in 80 as that was the last year of production, they started using the diesel DX engines for s short spell in between the shatty Cadillac 4100 motors, and by 1988 all caprice, and full size Cadillacs and Buicks used the 307 because that was the last american motor to come with a carburetor. As for the police cars in the 60s, yeah I have those advertisements at home, pretty cool stuff if you ask me. Im just glad some other people out there still have the same knowledge.

[@67marlins]

Thank you for posting...as a Ford guy I'm still fascinated by this engine, and overall with Oldsmobiles. The way you describe the 307 reminds me of the Ford 351-M ...which was just a de-stroked 400. It was an anemic motor, but we had one last 532,000 miles on original block, etc, ( documented miles, honest truth my friend! ). Anyway, I really appreciate your thorough & interesting lesson on a good engine - that chances are I will wind up owning one one day! Thank you very much, have a safe week with minimal snow. I live in Massachusetts, and we're getting decent Winter weather.

[@bobbyheffley4955]

The 307 V8s used through the 1988-90 model years specified 5W-30 motor oil. For previous versions, 10W-30 is preferred.

[@UsefulEntertainment]

Idk why, it's not like the oil passages changed. Hell, thats probably why they sludged up so bad. Takes nothing to bake water oil to a block.

[@franciscorivas3322]

Love those wagons, my mom owned 3 wagons growing up, a skylark, and 2oldsmobiles

[@SmokeyMcSpaceballs]

Thanks for posting this video, I own a 1984 Buick Electra Park Avenue with the Olds 307. It's still running like a champ. It's hard to find information about this type of engine so I appreciate this video.

[@UsefulEntertainment]

Xentrix hey your welcome and thank you btw. I want a park ave. But it would have to be a black 2door. Ether way they are nice cars.

[@81moldy6]

Bro I have 1981 Buick park Avenue white 2 door with red interior got power everything and of course the 307 olds and a 700r4 I think. She's been sitting for 18 years but she's crank over for sure

[@edwardpersico2001]

Im picking up a 84 307 from a friend so this video made me happy to find out its a first gen. Great video

[@JCT442]

Beyond the two generation engines there's also the difference between the 9 code & Y code. I had an '84 Cutlass bought new with the Gen One Y code which put out 140HP. I traded that in 1987 for a brand new 442 which I still own. The 442 has a 9 code 307 which is considered the 'HO" engine putting out 170HP & 265 torque. That may not sound like much, but it is very respectable as Oldsmobile beefed up the rear using a 3.73 ratio with an 8.5 inch ring gear. Only the Grand National had the same rear, not even the Monte SS had that set up. Oldsmobile knew the engine was a victim of the pollution controls & fuel CAFE standards of the day, but they did a good job getting the most out of the 307 9 code HO in the 442 at least. There was a huge difference between the '84 Cutlass & the '87 442.

[@shonbratton1906]

Had 86 442, the transmission was special also, roller camshaft, mid-range strong swirl-port cylinder heads(86 GT mustang one year only) same design. Great low-end& mid-range power only. The 442 had factory air rear shocks. The as close2 factory dual exhaust as you could get from the factory in the smog pumps era. The bad was no posi-traction, but with factory cop tires Goodyear eagle GT 65 series.

[@JCT442]

@@shonbratton1906 Correct! When I had the transmission rebuilt & torque converter replaced at 97K after 19 years I was told the shift points were different and the torque converter was the same as the Grand National; apparently Chevy didn't use the 8.5 rear and used a standard torque converter in the 80's SS. The 307 gets a lot of shade from guys but with the changes Olds made with the drive train it made a noticeable difference going directly from the '84 Y code Cutlass to the '87 9 code 442. I replaced the air shocks with gas shocks early on. I had trouble with the air shocks when the car was new, they leaked routinely and required too much attention. I replaced the 215 tires with 23565R15 BFGs. I had to do research on how wide I could go; at 235, they almost hit the frame. Best car I ever owned and I drive it as often as I can.

[@MrCAMO112]

I have a Buick Lesabre with olds 307. Production date 12/84 but vin shows 1985. I want to get a small camshaft, which motor do I have?

[@oldsrocket8456]

I did the same I have a 84 cutlass 2 door yanked the 307 out and put a 350 in it

[@Firebird400]

Actually a good video. I didn’t know there were 2 versions.

[@brandoncurtis-hammett5324]

I have a 85 Oldsmobile Cutless Supreme that I'm working on. Thanks for the info. I was about to sell it. Almost made the same mistake again. Thanks again

[@deewaa24fly]

I have a 307 out of an 85 cutty parts car. Just dropped it in an 81 Malibu just 2 get the Malibu running. Wondering if you can help me figure out some of the stuff I can remove off the engine now since it's been swapped. Seems to be a ton of vacuum lines

[@UsefulEntertainment]

you can delete all the vacuum lines get rid of the air pump. its an old school v8 so it only needs the minimum to run man

[@deewaa24fly]

@@UsefulEntertainment man thanks a million for getting back to me so quick. You would be a great asset to me right now as I have 2 307s that I need to get going and u seem to be the 307 whisperer. Anyway I can get your cell number so you can guide me thru this. I wont bug u, will only reach out if necessary

[@deewaa24fly]

Also, not asking you to provide it here. I can email you

[@jimmy_olds]

The only 307 I ever had was in a 1986 Cutlass I bought but the motor was bad (rod knock from lack of oil). I immediately pulled it along w/the 200 metric trans for a stock, low mile 350 Olds and 350 turbo out of a 72 Vista Cruiser. I know the 307 was known for their smoothness but that 350 was smooth as glass as well!! I ended up putting a comp cam in it, an edelbrock intake and carb, headers & dual exhaust, 3.73 from a Monte Carlo SS and a 200r4 with shift kit of course...which is all well and good, but I ended up liking it best how GM built the engine and trans... The stock, torquey and smooth Olds 350 along with the turbo 350 the way GM built them was perfect, especially with that tall rear axle ratio

[@UsefulEntertainment]

That's awesome to hear. I dumped the 307 I'm that wagon for a 70 350 4bbl and a 350 trans.

[@jimmy_olds]

Useful Entertainment yeah man, that wagon will click off the miles like nothing else, nice and comfortable

[@walliehart2055]

My father had a Oldsmobile OMEGA fast back. 350 rocket auto. Floor shift buckets blue with white stripes. Really nice car. He told me he had no clue how fast it would it topped out at. When passing gear shifted into drive the speedo was buried into the gas Gage, he figered it was probably equal to his late 60's tnt Chrysler 300. According to him the best tires available were sketchy at 120mph. After that they could just blow up for no reason . He preferred the 60's and 70 MODEL cutlass, he liked the 421 and 425 engines equipped with a rock crusher behind it. They had a 125 mph speedo. Safer than the 85 mph. In the OMEGA. Cruise for days at 100 mph. With decent mpgs. Before my time. Running corn licker and cigarettes and sometimes fire works before radar detectors and radios. He built his cutlass's , the 300 was his favorite tho. He said that car was made for his line of work. A few years later he was born again Christian and never returned to his old life. 25 years was pastor of church. Left early ,unafraid,told doctor ( If I am alive I want to be a man not a invalid. Fix my heart .win or lose I've lived more in 56 years than most men could live in 3 lifetimes) miss his stories.

[@pillipino3788]

Just bought me an 85 lesabre sedan idles so quiet I suprised it runs! Hei starts it immediately, 77,800 km on it roller cam so I cn drive it in the winter on thin oil nbd and I’ve got two fast cars, I just want a reliable all year round car with pillow top seats and enough low end to unstick itself from snow banks

[@lukewatson8557]

Have an 88 Chevy caprice wagon 307 wagon, used to drive it daily. Bought it with 96,000 on the clock. Drove it for 55,000 miles for two years. Drove it once to Hilton head from middle Ohio straight there and back with fresh oil never burned an ounce with 150,000 on the clock. Friends thought that we wouldn’t make it but I knew it would because it’s a tank. Incredible engines that Oldsmobile made. They perfected the carbureted v8 engine I think. Just depends how you take care of them

[@UsefulEntertainment]

yeah, i hear the same stories from everybody lol, yeah i agree they perfected the carbureted engine, thats why i love olds so much.

[@jhull7490]

Owned an 89 brougham caddy...next to last year...gotta say really noticed no power in that...but still 20mpg...my 85 lesabre gutted cat and that made a noticeable difference in passing power

[@suburbanator91]

Some people confuse the problems of the 403 with the 307. People think that the 307 has weak webbing, but that was true for the 403 because the bores where so big that the webbing had to thinned out. The 403 only made 185 HP, which was almost the same as the high output 307; also about the same power as the smog controlled Olds 350. I dare say that the high output 307 is why the Olds 350 was the first 350's to get killed off by GM. Of all the malaise era 5 liter V8's, in my opinion, the Olds 307 for the win; I do feel the Olds 307 kicks the crap out of a Chevy 305 or even the Pontiac 301. The standard 140 Hp 307 was R.P.O code LV2 with VIN code "Y", while the high output, 180 HP 307 was R.P.O code LG8 with VIN code "9". What was done to make the 307 high output was that it used pretty much the camshaft from the 455, stiffer valve springs, & a larger vibration dampener; the heads where otherwise the same.

[@kobra6660]

certain cadillac brougham modeld had the high output LV2 307 oldsmobile engine on the cadillac commercial chassis and are called the vin 9 brougham if your lucky to find one

[@72troy455]

You should check out what guys running NHRA Stock Eliminator are doing with 307s. I've seen em running low 7s in the 8th, mid 11s in the 1/4, in "Stock" legal trim. Everything can make more power.

[@robertr298]

Man thank for all the information you gave me I'm about to get a 86 Cutlass supreme

[@RabeHighPerformance]

A few months ago I bought a warm up 69 Oldsmobile Rocket 350 v8 with turbo 400 transmission for $500.00 very low miles engine. The engine bore out .30 over has a mild cam, elderbrock performer intake, accel hei distributor, and hooker headers. I putting the engine in my 1986 Pontiac Grand Prix LE.

[@UsefulEntertainment]

Great to hear, 68-70 are the best to get your hands on. You should have the #5 heads on that engine.

[@RabeHighPerformance]

@@UsefulEntertainment Someone put 425 big block hi compression C heads on the engine.

[@erikdoering2920]

SPOT ON DUDE, KUDOS, i own a 1988 Olds battle wagon, no one ever that I've seen yet , put it together so eloquent, as you have. now i understand why mine is like it is, and what to do to correct or undo it. on the cheap. enjoy the time out if your still on it, I know bout Time out, only three things to do in Time out.

[@UsefulEntertainment]

Erik Doering hey I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I'm also glad to hear you've got an old b body wagon because they are getting very rare and I appreciate anybody who helps keep these wagons around.

[@fredanddebramacdonald2445]

I had a couple of 307s and the thing with them is the lack of power, although they were not the only engines from the 55 mph limit, even on interstates era to have that problem. I had a Ford with a 255 V8 and Buick V6s that we’re even worse than the 307 Olds. The Olds 307 was OK on flat terrain but ran out of steam on hills, etc. I always dreamed of replacing that 307 with an Olds 403, but never got it done. A gal I worked with at an auto parts store had one in a TransAm and that car was sweet!

[@UsefulEntertainment]

Fred and Debra MacDonald couldn't have said it better. Also 403s are sweet when you add older 350 heads to them because the 403 was the lowest compression olds motor, adding small combustion chamber heads wake them up.

[@zxratd]

I grew up with an 87 Cadillac Brougham. It was an Oldsmobile 307 engine. 140 horsepower and 235 pound feet of torque. It was a slow dog. It was quick from about 0 to 30 mph. But I still had good memories of the car. I also wanted to see if I could double the horsepower of that car with just heads and cam...

[@robdoggerful]

Mine is the y and its great. Port polished heads and ground down atomizer in intake also polished. Smokes dodge mag.

[@marcusmitchell2169]

Bro I have a 5A in my 84 Delta 88 royal is that a good thing or bad?

[@UsefulEntertainment]

Marcus Mitchell it's the better of the two engines. Got the better heads and intake and exhaust manifolds

[@juliandrake1634]

I have a 1987 Cadillac Brougham that has a 307 that my cousin gave me but it's been sitting since 2005. I just need to get to it & get it running. What should I do? Change the parts here while driving it & there since they're reliable, or get a complete overhaul?

[@shawnrachal1631]

Change wat u need overhaul would be unnecessary if it runs well now

[@budwengler6730]

One was a vin code y , one was a vin code 9...

[@oldsrktracer]

I put a 307 in my 72 cutlass for one summer because i knocked out 3 piston skirts on one of my 350's . long story short. I had a 650 double pumper , HEI I received , full length headers. Mind you this is a totally stock 307. I had a th400 at the time with a 2300 stall and a 3.73 it hauled ass !. Would lay rubber for days lol. It only made 20 psi of oil pressure but we could not kill it and it ran so good. We put it in a demo derby car and it got passed around until the block finally broke from one smash

[@UsefulEntertainment]

Haha I love those kind of stories man. Like I said, they just won't die lol.

[@mooch514]

The 307 in 70 71 has 200 hp stock. They were used in all sorts of cars.

[@UsefulEntertainment]

Those were Chevy engines

[@herbertbrown8188]

Marty I absolutely agree with your video on the drain back problem . And I subscribed to your channel. I have a 1970cutlass s and it pulled the drain back shit and out came the rod bearings. I'm going to chamfer my drain holes on my head's and possibly machine the block to improve the flow. Take care man

[@UsefulEntertainment]

Ohh man that would ruin my day. Yeah man ive heard of a few ways guys go about improving oil return so there are plenty of options. I take it it was a 350 in the cutlass? Thanks for subbing btw, glad we smoothed everything over.

[@saxit2me]

I have a 90 custom cruiser. The 307 is smooth but I hate all the vacuum lines and the electronic carburetor

[@RobEffbrady]

so random question... was there something different about the Hurst 307 in the 80's Cutlass ?

[@UsefulEntertainment]

Yes, I think they had lower rear gears out back, I believe they did something different with the engines but I'm not sure what.

[@davidpowell3347]

Should get an old 66 or 67 Olds 330 to compare with it. (330 came with more than one head type or compression ratio ?) very first 4 - 4 - 2 came with 330 before 400 was introduced?

[@UsefulEntertainment]

I don't know the difference between 330 years but I do know they are good engines. The 350 replaced them in 68.

[@anthonyrodrigues1309]

thank you so much.i wont get rid of my 85 custom cruiser

[@UsefulEntertainment]

great to hear, keep these cars on the road!

[@anthonyrodrigues1309]

I was thinking the motor needed to be rebuilt cause it didn’t have v8 passing power like my 79 cutlass. She’s a boat.ill clean her up and cruise. Thx again. Maybe I’ll get a 350 for her someday like you did on your video.

[@DavidSmith-pp9mt]

I own a 1989 custom crusiser with the 307 I put valve cove and intake gaskets desmog remove the power.robing and gas robbing removed the cat installed real dual exhaust gets 2 more miles per gallon in the state I live in cars over 25 years old dont reguire emissions the engine runs like a diffient engine mine uses not oil and I am happy with it I rather have durability over power I love my oldsmobile cc it will be my last car I own..

[@mtrevino01]

Great vid man! I had a 81 riv that we put a 5a in place of the diesel. Best damn engine ive ever owned as far as reliability. Brought back alot of great memories with this video good job bud!!!

[@UsefulEntertainment]

wow i didnt know they put 350 diesels in the rivs, i knew they used turbo 6s and 307s. hey ill bet that 5a motor aint half bad on power and as i stated above, they just keep on going.

[@ponchoman49]

I had a 260 in my 1981 Cutlass that was factory rated for 100 HP and 190 torque at 3600/1600 rpms. It was a smooth engine but literally made no passing power. My 1983 and 1987 307's were far better.

[@darrylstanley3188]

Can a v6 231 be swapped for a 307

[@UsefulEntertainment]

That it can, easily.

[@chrispratt7561]

We had an 84 lesabre growing up with a 307. Ran like a top but the frame was swiss cheese. We ended up driving down to Florida with it to trade it towards a motor home we wanted. That lesabre got 24 mpg on the open road with my dad driving like grandpa. I'd get one if I came across it.

[@davelowets]

This video sums it all up. The Olds 307 was doggy, but they DID run forever, and got way better gas mileage than a Chevy 305.

[@davidpowell3347]

As I remember the 1985 was the last "real" Oldsmobile 88,it was a plush comfortable car and quiet with its 307 and often gave no trouble from the engine for as much as 200 K miles. I believe it could run at 80 mph easily but wasn't much quicker if at all than a healthy older Dodge Dart with the old 225. (Of course quicker than the Dart with a 170) People might be confusing the Olds 307 with the Chevrolet 305 or even the older Chev. 307

[@UsefulEntertainment]

You are correct with the 85 being the last year of the 88, it's also the last of all the GM B bodies except the Caprice and the B body wagons. The Caprice, Cadillac and some wagons ran till 1990. The other B bodies were replaced in 86 by all the fwd Chevy celebrity K car shltboxes. The carbureted 305s ran till 87, the Olds 307s were shoved under the hood of every remaining B body from 88-1990.

[@KF6LIL]

If you really want to save gasoline a 307 engine is the must have for your big gm car and 350 turbo transmission..

[@cooleydread3215]

So wassup man I have a 1986 cutlass I'm doing all shock 98000 on her so if I want a lil more power I can put a 350 transfer with the 307 with no worries

[@cooleydread3215]

Never mine the pic man

[@shabadoo24]

The 307 was only meant for daily driving. Like the 305, perfect for everyday use. Yes, they lasted a long time

[@am74343]

I ran my '84 Olds 98 Regency at 240 degrees for 1 hour when a hose blew and I couldn't stop! Fixed the hose, filled 'er up, and it lasted another 4 years! I do wish that GM would have converted the 307s to TBI injection like all the Chevy 305's and 350's did after a while. They probably would have had a little more power, and better emissions. The 307's were never officiall called "Lean-Burn" engine, but the whole philosophy of the 307 was definitely "lean burn". The older 307's took the R46SZ spark plugs, which had a gap of .080 thousanths! The only time you'd ever need a gap that big is if you're running an intensely-lean mixture!

[@jeebra7491]

I have an 83 delta 88 that I picked up a year and a half ago, drove it a bunch but very sporadically (and way too hard😅) thought maybe I should do the plugs and wires this last weekend... almost completely sure they were the stock plugs (still gapped to .080 and all) copper etc. I have to go back and look at the actual part number to be sure

[@johnnywrench9669]

Very interesting kid, did not know that I had a nice 87 regal It ran forever

[@UsefulEntertainment]

Johnny Wrench hey any 307s better than a 6 cylinder

[@DanielLopez-me9mh]

Cool video i remember seeing the windowed main olds engines from 77 and up they all had those windowed mains the only engines that dont have windowed mains were the 350 diesels maybe Oldsmobile did this for cost cuts in manufacturing ?

[@UsefulEntertainment]

I guarantee it was for cost cutting, save 3 cents per engine, times that by 1 million motors,,, profit 🤣🤣🤣

[@chuckpratt447]

I have a 81 Buick Regal 307 olds engine 5A heads real Quadrajet HEI I can't get hooked up 1st and 3rd it just keeps burning rubber runs like a 350 olds

[@chiefj4964]

Hey bro, I have a 1981 Olds 98 with a 307 (5A) motor. What starter do you recommend for that engine? Could I use the olds 350 starter for it? Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks!

[@UsefulEntertainment]

hey man, any 64- 1990 olds starter will work for you

[@chiefj4964]

@@UsefulEntertainment Good Lookin' Out! Put that 1977 on the 307, had to remove a bracket, but is awesome now! Thanks again!

[@UsefulEntertainment]

Thats what its all about, glad to help

[@88cutty]

All the 307s went to roller cam and 7A heads in 85......except the 85 442.

[@johnnywrench9669]

It had a 307 and yes never will drive anything unless it's a v8

[@rickymoore1145]

Hello how are you? Great Information! I was wondering if I could put a 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 307 Carburetor on my 1984 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 307? Thanks and God bless you.

[@UsefulEntertainment]

Hi, I'm good. Yep those carbs should be the same and all the hookups should be in the same place. Good luck.

[@rickymoore1145]

@@UsefulEntertainment Yesssss! Thank you and God bless you and your Family!

[@bigsexy6105]

Thx bro. U helped me learn alot. Just bought a 88 cadillac with this engine. And it is leaking oil bad.

[@UsefulEntertainment]

Carnell Bonnerjr no problem brother, just glad to hear the good news you didn't get stuck with a 4100 pos caddy motor.

[@kdawg8312]

Thanks for posting this. I don't know a lot about engines but I want to put a Olds 307 into my 1984 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz. I don't need a powerhouse, just a solid lasting reliable Engine. I heard the 307 is good. My question is will a 307 longblock from an 84 Toronado fit my FWD Eldorado? I think it's the 5A. I hear I will need to get engine brackets and oil pan from the 307 too but I don't really know where to get all this stuff.

[@intermissionbuffalo]

You can see in those pics the Gen 1 wants to breathe and the Gen 2 has no chance. It's choked out. They were essentially selling a "V8" for the sake of reaching the customer that insists on a v8.

[@UsefulEntertainment]

That, AND they were the only v8 to pass emissions past 1987 running all the way till 1990.

[@SingleMost]

wanna know at a glance if shes an olds block? oil fill tubes at front of crank case.

[@jamesdeth94]

I've got a carbonated 307 in an 1988 Cadillac brougham hearse

[@patrickflohe7427]

Carbonated, or carbureted? BAHAHAHA

[@tinov1122]

I have a 86 regal with the 307. I want to buy a chrome air cleaner for it. any suggestions ?

[@UsefulEntertainment]

ehh it really doesnt matter, any cheapo from autozone or summit will work fine. keep in mind you will have to delete the heat riser tin foil pipe that comes up from the exhaust (dont damage it) just tuck it away somewhere and there are 1 or 2 vacuum lines that go to the carb you will have to cap off when you take them off. any pepboys should have a small container of assorted vacuum caps. just dont go for the tallest one you can find because of hood clearance. oh also if you still have a quardrajet you will need a 1 inch spacer between the carb and base of the aftermarket filter, ask me how i figured that one out lol. good luck.

[@More2Sal]

Looking to swap my 307 in my 84 riv not sure what engine to go with… any advice it’s front wheel drive

[@TheSamplebridge]

350 olds. direct bolt in swap. only thing is im not to sure how strong the trans is on them. you should be fine for the most part, but i would race it around

[@bigblack262black8]

What can I do to get more power out of my 307????

[@UsefulEntertainment]

Honestly, enjoy it for what it is or swap it for an olds 350. kinda like trying to hop up a chevy 305, you can throw money into them and theyl still go nowhere.

[@patrickflohe7427]

Replace it with a 350.

[@michelsaarloos4392]

I drive one. Just love it.

[@knexmanmanmanman1781]

my 86 lesabre estate had a 307 with 4 barrel rochester. I wish io knew what i had

[@steveengelbrecht7271]

Hope you don’t have any with the metric 200 trans!

[@UsefulEntertainment]

You mean the 2004r? Or is there a different version.

[@patrickflohe7427]

The later ones, ‘85 & newer, used roller lifters and smaller valves.

[@UsefulEntertainment]

Ive had many 85 and newer 307s, none of them have had roller tip rockers, just the same standard rockers they've been using since the 60s.

[@patrickflohe7427]

@@UsefulEntertainment Sorry, I made a mistake. It was roller lifters. Also, the exhaust manifolds & crossover pipe are different. I edited my post.

[@UsefulEntertainment]

All good

[@justintime4072]

Had one in my taxi. 350000 miles.

[@GregHuston]

You totally skipped over the VIN 9 307s, These were used in the 442s and some Cadillacs they have a better carb, slightly bigger cam. My 442 is a 1985 and has the 5a heads and solid hydraulic cam.

[@80fordmustang6]

So basically a 318 but in gm form gonna be getting a olds with a 307 in it and hey if it’s anything like my old 318 mopars I should be just fine

[@harryeccleston6777]

Thanks. Just ran into 87 Estate wagon

[@FIXANDREPAIR]

Nice video. Questions: Have a 1965 425 olds ultra high compression engine, like to put an aluminum intake on it. Will an olds 350 or olds or 307 intakes fit on it? It's going into a 1985 Cutlass supreme. Thinking I might have hood clearance issues? Was also told I might. Will a low rise stock 307 HO aluminium intake be necessary? How much lower is stock intake than say an aftermarket? I want to keep the hood stock. Also what other parts swap? You mentioned heads. Once read 425s can also have oil issues, where it doesn't get enough oil?? Any thoughts appreciated or mods to correct future problems. Thanks for all & any advices

[@UsefulEntertainment]

hey man hows it going. as for the aluminum intake from the 307 fitting on a 425, i should know this but i dont, im not sure if it will fit or not. on the factory intake i dont think youl have hood clearance issues but i could be wrong. the thing you need to look into is the valley angle on the block, the early ones have i think a 40 degree angle and the later ones have a 39 degree. i think your 65 has a 40. what i would do is get on the classicoldsmobile forum and join the site and start a post asking about that, alot of the guys on there know their shit and are very helpful. the oil problem is in the heads, if you hold them above 5k rps for lengths of time they will send all the oil up to the heads, suck the pan dry and wipe the bottom end. the problem is the oil return holes are angled weird and arent the biggest. DO NOT try to rectify this by adding a high volume oil pump, it will suck the pan even faster. they sell oil restricters you can put in the mains to control how fast the oil gets to the cam but its a bad idea, i dont know what company sells them but somebody makes ristrictive pushrods, thats the way id go. and if you want get a 7 qt oil pan but then you need a longer pick up. i dont run them because i like all the ground clearance i can get. kzbin.info/www/bejne/faqlnWWgqbp3o68 watch this for the oil issue

[@SingleMost]

high nickel content in the 307. shes hard. ive heard the block can manage 14,000 rpm on the strip rebuilt and tuned

[@jackofblades3171]

I used to have a 5A 307 but my cutlass supreme wasnt a 442 or hurst. So 5A is better than 7A but the 5A cutlass supreme had a 7.5 axle with 2.14 rear different ratio and the later 7A 307 cutlass supremes had a 8.5 axle with better gear options. So unless you have a 5A with a 8.5 axle (442/Hurst) you probably never knew you had more power.

[@UsefulEntertainment]

I never knew they had different ratios then again never gave it much thought. that's interesting. I wonder if the rivieras and other cars with engine have multiple ratios over the years. I will say between the 5a and 7a cars ive always noticed the difference on the highway when trying to go around somebody, the 7a just feels like there's a parachute attached to the back of the car lol

[@oreotcat]

Good info bud. Yeah the 307 isn't a powerhouse, but like you said it's a solid reliable engine. I call it a cruising engine lol. Have you ever driven a vin 9 version? Wondering how much more umph it has.

[@UsefulEntertainment]

JoeyPete hey thanks man. no ive never driven the "high performance" version but I cant imagine Its that much more exciting than a 5a motor lol. I've got a factory 350 4bbl in my 68 cutlass supreme and that's what I consider to be acceptable lol.

[@MRSMOOVE1008]

I agree most def a cruising engin!!

[@jhull7490]

Buddie had an ho...hurstolds cutless....a little quicker but not much

[@samueljackson2478]

Can you swap the Gen 1 Heads to the Gen 2 307.

[@UsefulEntertainment]

I don't see why not but you will need the intake and exhaust manifolds to match

[@octavia19961]

1985 Oldsmobile 442 have 1st gen 307 1986/87 442 went to 2nd gen

[@codysleiter5781]

My '84 has a 5A heads hell yeah

[@ronmark61]

Thanks for information now I get a Better idea about the 307 💯