Hello everyone. New to the site today and wanted to ask some questions. Just acquired a 1975 Buick Electra 225 and only bought it for the motor. It is the 455.4 and I will be using it in a 1988 C1500 body dropped and air-bagged LWB truck project I am putting together currently. Although it is running well, I am going to do a complete Rebuild and need advice. I am asking for the advice of you 455 guru's what engine recipe and components should I use to obtain the following: GOOD CLEAN POWER, nice lope at idle, while using stock heads, upgraded grooved cam bearings, the TA eldelbrock intake possibly unless otherwise suggested, edelbrock carb unless otherwise suggested, high volume oil pump, new water pump, possibly a high volume fuel pump (if available) and a suggested good set of gaskets and plugs/plug wires & distributor. Also a gear combination that will work with a 700R4 tranny behind this 455.4 ONLY TO BE USED ON THE Street for normal driving and possibly pulling or hauling two bikes or a civic every once in a while. HELP Guys and Gals, I am wanting to build it right the first time and enjoy it for years to come. NEED YOUR ADVICE... If you need more info from me let me know. Thanks in advance, JDB1971 - HELP!!!!
Hi JDB. We're all on a friendly 1st name basis here, so please sign your posts.:beer Rule 1: DO NOT use a high volume oil pump. The extra effort required to turn the taller gears loads the front of the cam and drives it down into the cam bearing - effectively cutting off oil and burning the bearing. Also, MANY people shear the roll pin off the bottom of the distributor because of the extra effort required to turn the pump. Rule 2: See rule 1 and then use TA Performance's oil pump booster plate and adjustable regulator. Those heads are pretty bad. There are 430 and 455 heads on ebay right now (the 430s are already rebuilt even). They bolt right on and bump the CR up considerably. Also, those pistons are dep dish. The 1970 pistons are shallow dish and provide a good CR bump. Zero deck the block. Do yourself a favor and don't use an Edelbrock carb! If you want spreadbore, contact John Osborn and buy one of his Q-jets. You'll be years ahead of the game. Also, use www.davessmallbodyheis.com to convert a point distrib to HEI. Lose the GM HEI. It sucks. Buick performance is in the heads. Not using good castings is going to hurt you. Find 430 or 70/71 455 castings. Casting numbers are on my webpage: http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jholthenrichs/weightsn.htm Click the link for head casting numbers. Call TA and tell them you want a lopey idle and ask for a recommendation. Good luck and Welcome!
Do yourself a favor and don't use an Edelbrock carb!~ Yardley I will agree with that, although there's nothing really wrong with the Edelbrock carb OK: 1) the edelbrock will work just fine. I use an Edelbrock Performer 800 cfm unit right now (you don't want to go under 800 cfm on your 455; I know about the "formula" to determine cfm requirements, and if that's the rule, well, the Buick 455 is the exception that proves the rule, because you'll want as much cfm as you can get, at least 800 and depending on your buildup, more. The racers here will tell you a 1000 cfm Thermoquad is the carb of choice, in many cases) 2) Both edelbrocks I have used on my 455 did indeed run well right out of the box, i simply bolted them on and went. they ran so well that it really was impressive. The Q-jet, however, should be a better choice for performance, in my opinion. The huge secondaries and the center float bowl are a few features I miss from my Q-jet. Although I like my Edelbrock just fine and it isn't a problem, I wil be re-installing my Q-jet when I get the chance to have it benefit from a good perfomance build up. For one thing, on the Edelbrock Performer AFB-type carb, I find I have some fuel slosh issues I never ever had with the Q-jet. For another, the fuel filter is in a much better place on a Q-jet designed for a Buick- the Edelbrock AFB-type carb uses an in-line type, and on the Buick 455, the fuel pump is on the opposite side of the engine from the stock inlet on the Edelbrock- which is simply a flared fitting for a soft line. Another thing is that I feel I am losing some performance without the Q-jet, from seat-of-the-pants feel experience with both carbs. You'll be able to tow 2 or 3 Civics with your truck:TU:
Thank you!!! Guys, Thank you for the input on the motor recipe, I will follow these suggestions and just received my TA perfomance catalog, so I am about ready to tear the 75 down and get it bult back up right. Hope everyone's Buick projects are going well. As I go through my process I will be comprising a website full of pics and processes and I am sure blood sweat and tears.. Thanks again. ______________________ J.D. Boles - JDB1971 88 Chevy Ext. Cab LWB - Body Dropped & Bagged - w/75 455.4 & 700R4 going in... STAY TUNED!!!!!
