Olds 350 Diesel

One of my friends might be getting a car for free and it has an Olds diesel. Is it possible to convert one to gas? And if it is what parts do you need?

A complete gas engine.

I was under the impression you could use the block. And I heard the block is much stronger and can take a .120" overbore.

I think that was discussed on here just a few days ago. From what I understand, you can convert it to gas with a new top end.

Are they paying him to take the car?

I had one when we first got married in '94. My in-laws bought it new in '81 and gave it to me when my Dakota got hit and totaled. The first compromise of marriage.

Yes, the motor can be converted over but it usually isn't worth the expense. Any other gas Olds V8 will bolt right in. I was looking for a 455, 403, or 350 (in that order) when we had ours. None were to be found at a price that was young newlywed friendly. Two 455's surfaced right after it was junked.

-Rob

Does it need Oldsmobile 350 heads or will it take Chevy 350 heads? I don't know if there is any difference or not but he has a set of Chevy SBC heads sitting around so we figured if the fit we would convert to gas.

Olds and SBC heads don't interchange. Olds are like Pontiacs; all the heads will swap: 260, 350, 403, 455. Use the gas engine pistons and intake etc and you are ready to roll.

Around 2000, Car Craft did a series on "The other 350s," i.e., Buick - Olds - Pontiac. The only one that jumped up when I Googled was Buick (Feb 2000) but I'm sure the Olds article is out there somewhere. I believe that's one source for the idea that the Diesel blocks can be bored out significantly.

A friend of mine swapped one over to gas back shortly after they were new. I don't remember if he put a Chevy or Olds gas motor in, but I think it was an Olds. You could get the cars for nothing then because all the Diesel motor were shot at like 10K miles or something. The rumor was that the Olds motor was the strongest of GM's 350's, so that's the one they converted to Diesel. Of course, it was not strong enough for 20:1 compression and turned to poo in a short time. After putting a gas motor in, the cars ran great. You could hardly hear the gas motor because of all the extra sound deadening they got to insulate out the Diesel noise.

Plus its still a "Diesel" so its smog exempt.

Friend of mine who was Airborne in Ft. Benning had a wagon. Back then you could get them dirt cheap, low miles and mint condition but with a blown motor. Dumping in a 455 gave him the opportunity to embarass a Porsche owner in front of his girlfriend in his passenger seat and four other laughing Airborne GI's in the wagon. Oh, and the wagon was also loaded down with civilian sector skydiving supplies. IIRC, dif gearing was something unusual in the diesels.

In reply to 96DXCivic:

My strategy would be to trade the diesel engine to an olds hot rodder. Someone who might want the diesel block to build a gas engine out of. Presumably this person would have a hot rod olds engine to trade you ...

Clem

ARP head studs, copper head gaskets and a turbo. I'd keep it diesel.

So let's say we wanted to be difficult and different would we just need the complete heads or would we need the pistons, rods, cranks, etc.

I think you can use the block, crank, and rods. They used to use 350 diesel rods in small block chevys before 6 inch rods were so easy to get. Im not sure of the exact details, but im guessing you would get another olds v8, and do a complete rebuild and use use the diesel block and probably crank and rods, and the rest from the gas engine. Unless you are planning on making over 450 hp or something, I dont think it would have any benefit over just using a complete gas engine.

I converted a 1980 Seville (FWD, 4 wh discs, IRS) diesel to gas using a late 60's Olds 350 Rocket. Was virtually a straight bolt-in and really transformed the car.