I hear and read alot of bad things about the 455 OLDS. I have one in my '82 Nordic. As it runs fine now, what should I watch for or do to prevent any problems?

i have a 455 in my boat and i spun a bearing and sucked both head gaskets. the big problem that i found out about the 455 is that they have oil return problems. if you are just going to use the boat for your typical ski boat you will be fine, they have run those motors for years. the oild restrictors are good but are not cheap. just keep the motor under 4800 and you will be fine, dont run it for a long time at high rpm. the 455 is expensive and hard to find parts for, and if you want to make alot of HP then you should change motors to BBC or BBF. thats my .02

The Beav

i hope it runs but i had the block .00" decked. scat crank and h-beam rods. oil restrictors(pushrods,in the block and bearings), keith black pistons (fly cut), roller hydraulic cam and lifters and roller rocker on a set of ported "C" heads and a 10 QT pan

New to 455s, but let me get this straight, I have a 455 with a stock hydraulic camshaft/lifters, and people recommend running oil restrictors??? If I had a solid lifter (roller or tappet) cam, I see the logic.  But otherwise what keeps the top end wet.  Maybe I do not understand how a 455 oils the lifters, pushrods, valvetrain...

Someone explain this to me like I am 7

thx
poverty

Ok, oil restricters don't plug the oil passage, they make the hole alot smaller for the oil going to the heads.

My 455 will run for about a mile WFO and then the oil pressure will drop rather quickly to a dangerous level.  Soon after it will drop to a catastrophic level.  Go BOOM

there are ALOT of reasons pressure drops, heat and expanding clearances are the two main reasons. which goes to condition of bearings, bore size, condition of oil? filter?  And not to upset anyone, but alot of these boats are WAY over carbureted...the multi /giant carb setups look cool but unburned fuel fouls plugs affecting the way they absorb and tranfer heat into the head.  Unburned fuel also contaminates oil diluting it.

absolutely, opening up and smoothing the drain holes in lifter valley, and the heads