SoCal Jet Boats

Tech Talk => Engine Mechanical / Electrical => Topic started by: Joecochrane on May 13, 2014, 06:34:46 PM

Title: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: Joecochrane on May 13, 2014, 06:34:46 PM
I just bought my first jet boat today its a rogers cyclone. with a 455 and a berkley. 12jb.  I'm. woried about the oiling isues common with these motors. the block casting starts with a l so it should be a marine motor but the heads have a e stamped in them so i think they are car heads. how do i tell if they have had the mods nesscarry for the oil to drain back to the bottom end.  What else can i look for any and all info ypu guys can give me would be great.   Motor has a tunnel. ram dual 660s bassets and a full malory marine setup. I have know clue what the internal specs are.
Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: MorePower on May 13, 2014, 06:45:52 PM


Pics are worth a thousand words, maybe even 2000..

Phil will chime in shortly and he will take your hand



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Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: MorePower on May 13, 2014, 06:46:10 PM
Also, what oil pan?


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Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: jyeager on May 13, 2014, 06:51:32 PM
Jmo, keep the motor under 5000 to 4500 RPMs it's whole life and it will be fine. Or find yourself a nice BBF or BBC


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Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: Joecochrane on May 13, 2014, 07:13:42 PM
There. is a bunch pics in the project boat section i can't post pics from my phone. i can't remember. exact what i named the thread but its gpt rogets cyclone in the title amd should be at ythe top because i just posyed in it.

oil pan is big and square. definitely a marine pan. i haven't changed the oil so i don't know how many. quarts yet giessing 10ish.
Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: RushinEliminator17 on May 13, 2014, 07:20:32 PM

I just bought my first jet boat today its a rogers cyclone. with a 455 and a berkley. 12jb.  I'm. woried about the oiling isues common with these motors. the block casting starts with a l so it should be a marine motor but the heads have a e stamped in them so i think they are car heads. how do i tell if they have had the mods nesscarry for the oil to drain back to the bottom end.  What else can i look for any and all info ypu guys can give me would be great.   Motor has a tunnel. ram dual 660s bassets and a full malory marine setup. I have know clue what the internal specs are.

None of the olds engine came from the factory with "oil mods". These mods were developed by many olds gurus to improve the engine. Pull the valve cover, if the two oil holes on either side of the head do not have any grinding marks on them... Then you can stop there... Oil mods have not been done. Only REAL way of knowing if the lower end has been prepped for jet boat use is to physically inspect it.

E heads, means little without knowing what has been done to them, ie: new valves, porting, springs, retainers and so on



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Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: Joecochrane on May 13, 2014, 07:28:22 PM
Good to know. ill pull the valve covers and check. guessing. the motor is stock. and so are the heads. sounds like its got a decent cam in it. so with out the oiling mods what are the dos and donts to driving. this thing.
Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: MorePower on May 13, 2014, 07:36:07 PM
Make sure your tach is accurate, have a mechanical oil pressure guage (keep a close eye) don't stay above 4000 for long periods if time...




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Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: Chad krieger on May 13, 2014, 08:43:23 PM
Post some up close pics of the motor them we can help u out. C heads are I think the best for 455s big valves. Also I think just by reading the post high rise manifold and two carbs and a cam your motor might be a good motor. Also pics of oil pan. Just remember that if u have a gate valve comming off the jet make sure it's set a half to a full turn open. This is my 455 motor.


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Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: Joecochrane on May 13, 2014, 09:51:26 PM
Thanks guys ill get some pics asap.  Any guess on what the boat migt  top out at with a mildly built 455
Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: MorePower on May 13, 2014, 10:24:59 PM
Lots of variables... At 5100rpm I did 55 up river, then again I don't stay there long enough for GPS to catch up.


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Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: Bunger on May 14, 2014, 10:24:23 AM
Ive got a motor built pretty close to yours. Forged rotating assembly, ported heads. Cam. High rise with 660s and bassetts. With a nice tight pump just me no tools or icechest my phone app said 68 in a 19ft hallett which is a heavy turd.


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Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: Bunger on May 14, 2014, 10:26:32 AM
Here's some pics


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Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: Joecochrane on May 14, 2014, 10:44:35 AM
What heads are on yours?  I'm guessing my internals are pretty much stock besides the cam my heads are"e" castings which from what I've gathered aren't the best but aren't the worst .  And  from what I've read if this is the original bottom end that was sold with my boat it was a 390hp 10 to 1 motor.  Casting numbers are for a marine block but who knows what's been done to it in the last 44 years
Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: Bunger on May 14, 2014, 03:45:24 PM

What heads are on yours?  I'm guessing my internals are pretty much stock besides the cam my heads are"e" castings which from what I've gathered aren't the best but aren't the worst .  And  from what I've read if this is the original bottom end that was sold with my boat it was a 390hp 10 to 1 motor.  Casting numbers are for a marine block but who knows what's been done to it in the last 44 years


Ive got the Ka heads. My motors somewhere around 11:1 ive been told.


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Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: GeneralLee on May 14, 2014, 03:53:33 PM
In my opinion you got yourself a good motor. My first boat had a 455 Olds in it no mods and that thing was a mule just kept going and going. I would never abuse her though. Took it up to 4500 and never held it there long. 4k cruising nice and easy...

Last trip I tried blowing her up and I wasn't successful. Great motors to cruise with too much to build up to go fast imo. Just do a compression test and if it comes back ok leave her alone. Tighten up the pump and enjoy the boat.



Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: MorePower on May 14, 2014, 04:07:33 PM

In my opinion you got yourself a good motor. My first boat had a 455 Olds in it no mods and that thing was a mule just kept going and going. I would never abuse her though. Took it up to 4500 and never held it there long. 4k cruising nice and easy...

Last trip I tried blowing her up and I wasn't successful. Great motors to cruise with too much to build up to go fast imo. Just do a compression test and if it comes back ok leave her alone. Tighten up the pump and enjoy the boat.





I second that....


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Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: Joecochrane on May 14, 2014, 09:09:25 PM
I just have a gut feeling its gonnea blow up first time i take it out.   But if it does oh well i paid a lot less for it than i planed. 
Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: MorePower on May 14, 2014, 09:22:16 PM
Lol! What makes you think that?


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Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: Joecochrane on May 14, 2014, 10:00:10 PM
Absolutely no reason motor sounds good on the trailers she's going in elsinore Sunday to see how good she sounds with a load on her. And if she lives through the day ill be on the river with her the following Friday morning.  just got a feeling she's gonna give me problems.
Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: chrisx2 on May 15, 2014, 10:13:53 AM
I would recommend looking at this blog/forum   http://realoldspower.prophpbb.com/ (http://realoldspower.prophpbb.com/) 

These guys are hardcore oldsmobile as am I, and you can gain a lot of useful information that won't cost much on how to modify/maintain your BBO.

This is mine going in my '75 Glastron Carlson CV21
Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: MorePower on May 15, 2014, 10:30:05 AM

Absolutely no reason motor sounds good on the trailers she's going in elsinore Sunday to see how good she sounds with a load on her. And if she lives through the day ill be on the river with her the following Friday morning.  just got a feeling she's gonna give me problems.

Just don't go out and smash it, ease into it...


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Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: MorePower on May 15, 2014, 10:30:53 AM
Also, post some pics brother!


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Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: Joecochrane on May 15, 2014, 11:35:22 AM
Here's a couple pics boat is in ok shape plumbing on motor looks like hell
Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: Joecochrane on May 15, 2014, 11:40:19 AM
If the motor makes it through memorial I'll start looking into restricted push rods and opening up the oil drains.  What oil and filter should I be running?  I've herd that a filter with a real low micron number can help does anyone have a part number?
Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: MorePower on May 15, 2014, 11:50:08 AM
I run 20/50 VR1 with a wix oil filter.
Have some faith man!


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Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: Joecochrane on May 15, 2014, 11:53:11 AM
Do you know the part number on the wix?
Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: Joecochrane on May 15, 2014, 12:00:23 PM
Here's a few more pics I run around between hippe hole and goose flats so if anyone sees me floating down river with a rod busted through my block give me a tow and I'll gladly drink all your beer.
Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: MorePower on May 15, 2014, 12:06:22 PM
51258 is the number. And you will have a good time man!


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Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: Joecochrane on May 15, 2014, 12:09:55 PM
I've been going out there since my mom was pregnant with me and I've never had a bad time. Boat could blow up before its off the trailer and I'll still have a good time
Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: MorePower on May 15, 2014, 12:11:32 PM
Lol! That's a good mindset, I'm really curious what's done to your motor. Who knows everything could already be take care of


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Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: Joecochrane on May 15, 2014, 12:18:12 PM
I hope so some one spent the money to put 1200 bucks worth of carbs and manifold on it and 400 on ignition so at one point one of the po's was looking to make a lil power.
Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: H20Nut21Bahner on May 15, 2014, 12:45:51 PM
My wifes uncle ran a few olds race motors. He used pipe cleaners in the push rods to restrict flow ..
Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: Joecochrane on May 15, 2014, 01:01:26 PM
Pipe cleaners are a interesting approach think I'll just buy the ones with the holes choked down to .40 and may be do the external drains on the heads.
Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: Redeye1620 on May 16, 2014, 06:26:42 AM
Pipe cleaners are a interesting approach think I'll just buy the ones with the holes choked down to .40 and may be do the external drains on the heads.

Take one of your pushrods to ACE Hardware & buy 16 roll pins that can be pressed inside & you're good to go & saved some $$$$.

I welded two 1/2" bungs in my valve covers for the return lines.  Saved having to pull the heads....-Rich
Title: Re: seeking help from 455 experts.
Post by: Joecochrane on May 16, 2014, 08:25:40 AM
Do you have any pics of your oil return lines.


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