Oldsmobile Information

OK, I'm starting a post on Oldsmobile engines. Anyone with accurate knowledge is welcome to add info, misconceptions, & general tidbits. I'd like to have a thread like this for Pontiac & Buick as well if any Poncho or Buick guys wants to get one started. These threads will benefit newcomers to the BOP realm or anyone that gets bored & wants to learn something they might not have known. While I might not be the prominent Olds guy around here, I do have several sources that I will pull information from including old Haynes & Chiltons manuals, Olds FAQ, vintage HRM magazines from the 70's - 90's, & a few other places.

Common Misconceptions

Rocket motor - All Oldsmobile V8s, regardless of year, displacement, or even generation were called Rockets. If you notice, Oldsmobile's emblems & logo was a rocket. The Olds logo is actually derived from the Rocket engine, not the other way around as some would assume. GM coined the phrase "Rocket Power" after refusing to let the principal designer "Charles Kettering" call the V8 "Kettering Power". They were the first mass-produced OHV V8 in 1949 and was the last carbureted V8 passenger car engine in 1990.

442 - does not stand for a 442 cubic inch engine. Here is the definition of 4-4-2 from the Oldsmobile Factory Literature:
1964 (Original meaning)
4: Four Barrel Carburetion
4: Four On the Floor
2: Dual Exhausts

1965 (First year of automatic transmission option on 442)
4: 400 Cubic Inch Displacement
4: Four Barrel Carburetion
2: Dual Exhausts

1985 to 1987 (Last of RWD 442s)
4: Four speed automatic
4: Four barrel carburetor
2: Dual exhaust

1990 and 1991 (FWD 442)
4: Four cylinders
4: Four valves
2: Two camshafts

Neat facts

The 1901-1904 Oldsmobile Curved Dash was the REAL first mass produced automobile made on an assembly line. Henry F-ord can suck it!

First car built with a speedometer. First car to use chrome plating. First turbocharged passenger car. First successful front wheel drive car.

The name Oldsmobile was actually derived from "Olds Automobiles"

Oldsmobile was the first manufacturer to feature an automatic transmission in 1940 - the Hydramatic.

Engines
We'll skip the 1964 & older stuff, because if you really want to modify your G3 to swap in outdated technology with limited parts availability, you might need your head checked, lol.

Starting in 1964, Oldsmobile came out with a new engine - the 330 cubic inch small block. In 1965, they brought out the 400 & 425 big blocks. As the years went by, more displacements were added. Notably, although there were big & small block Oldsmobiles, parts do interchange. Unlike Chevrolet Big & small blocks, the BBO is basically a tall deck version of the SBO (9.33" vs 10.625").

Big Block CIDs

CID Years Bore Stroke Color
400 '65 - '67 4.000 3.980 Bronze
400 '68 - '69 3.870 4.250 Bronze
425 '65 - '67 4.126 3.975 Red; Toronado is Blue
455 '68 - '72 4.126 4.250 Red; Toronado & 1970+ is Metallic Blue
455 '72 - '76 4.126 4.250 Metallic Blue

Small Block CIDs

CID Years Bore Stroke Color
260 '75 - '82 3.500 3.385 Metallic Blue
307 '80 - '90 3.800 3.385 Black
330 '64 - '67 3.938 3.385 Gold
350 '68 - '72 4.057 3.385 Gold
'73 - '80 4.057 3.385 Metallic Blue
350D '78 - '85 4.057 3.385 Metallic Blue *Diesel; Roller lifters '80 and up
403 '77 - '79 4.351 3.385 Metallic Blue

All GM engines were painted black starting in 1983. It was due to better heat dissipation. From early 1977 to 1982, all GM engines were "corporate blue". Early 1977 and back, each division had their own unique engine colors, combinations, and usage (low & high compression, low & high performance, etc). ALL SBO engines had the same stroke, bore was the only difference.

More engine info coming.

Addition to the "Neat facts"...

The founder of Oldsmobile also founded the REO/REO Speedwagon company, which were his initials...Ransom Eli Olds.

And then a band named themselves after the cars lmao.

Cool.

[quote="Roadcaptain S3"]Cool.

So, what were the "Rocket " engines. Seriously.

I know my grandad had a late 50's-early 60s olds with a Rocket script on the valve covers.I think it was a Holiday model, or something like that.
I'm pretty sure some of the 70s 350s were called rockets. I remember a guy with a Cutty that had "Rocket" valve covers as well.

Did olds just call all V8s rockets for a time?

Roadcaptain S3 wrote:
So, what were the "Rocket " engines. Seriously.

I know my grandad had a late 50's-early 60s olds with a Rocket script on the valve covers.I think it was a Holiday model, or something like that.
I'm pretty sure some of the 70s 350s were called rockets. I remember a guy with a Cutty that had "Rocket" valve covers as well.

Did olds just call all V8s rockets for a time?

Rago wrote:
Common Misconceptions

Rocket motor - All Oldsmobile V8s, regardless of year, displacement, or even generation were called Rockets. If you notice, Oldsmobile's emblems & logo was a rocket. The Olds logo is actually derived from the Rocket engine, not the other way around as some would assume. GM coined the phrase "Rocket Power" after refusing to let the principal designer "Charles Kettering" call the V8 "Kettering Power". They were the first mass-produced OHV V8 in 1949 and was the last carbureted V8 passenger car engine in 1990.

Quoted from the first paragraph of the "Common Misconceptions" section.