My 455 blew please help out

Hi I have an 89 eliminator that is in great shape and just blew the engine on Saturday, I think it either spun a bearing or broke a rod. The engine was about 6 years old on its last rebuild and had quite a few hours on it so I guess that is just the way it goes, im trying to look at this as an opportunity to improve the boat, I have a few questions that I would like run by you guys before I decied what direction I would like to go with this. Thanks in advance for the help
Should I consider moving to a 454 or other block or is the cost of the other peripherals I would have to buy for a conversion just too much. If so how much of an extra cost would this be?
Who does a good job at rebuilding olds 455's and what type of cost am I looking at for a full rebuild including the heads?
Is there anything else I should be considering here, my goal is to have a reliable boat that runs for 6 more years and my friends and I can enjoy. As long as it pulls 65mph like it did with the other olds ill be happy.

I would go with a 454 for sure. Dont get me wrong, olds are great motors But they have issues that need special attention. You would be better off spending more money building a chevy because they offer cheaper horsepower than the olds. You could find a good block from one of the guys on here and a set of heads cheap.Here is a idea of costs for a good 454 build up.
machining on the block $600
machining on the heads $300
Pistons$400
Bearings$120
cam kit$250
intake$100
headers$250
mounts$250
ignition setup$150
Carb$ use your old one!
Oil pan$200
timing cover$60
Driveline$75
that is a baseline for costs. Remember i am still drunk from lastnight so I might be off a little bit so bear with me.
Advantages with a chevy
1. reliable
2. more horsepower
3. everybody has parts for them
4.you can run them over 5k rpm's without worring
5.better oiling system
6. cheaper to rebuild.
So there is a little info to think about. I'm pretty sure with the help from a few guys on here we could possibly get you into a chevy for a decent price. We all have parts laying around;)
396

If I were you, I would contact some of the guys that took good running Oldsmobiles out to install BBC in their boats. BUY the olds they took out, put it in and enjoy your boat. It is no secret that the BBC will make power, so will the Olds. While it true that an olds may blow up, BBCs have also been known to blow up. True the parts are cheaper for the BBC, but when you consider all the changes you're going to have to make you will be better off in the short run to just put in another olds. While enjoying your boat, look around for deals on the BBC stuff you will need, gather all the pieces, find/build an engine and make the swap this winter, then sell the olds engine to re coup your expense of the change over. Summer only lasts so long, enjoy it, do the major changes in the winter...........Moneypitt

Man another olds goes up in smoke ? Sorry Olds fans but I say change it now to BBC ! Sure you have to change alot of things to change over to a BBC .. but you can find all of it used through the boards and can find some good deals on these parts . My boat came with a olds and after the 3rd time spinning rod bearings I gave up !

They ALL go up in smoke. Ford ,Chevy Olds, mopar. As we all put these things closer and closer to the edge, they're gonna break. I'm not pro anything, or con anything as far as motor choices go, but you gotta dance with who brung ya. Thats why I said stay with the olds for now and build something, ford, chevy, mopar or even another olds, but change it in the winter. For now just get it back on the water, as quick and easy as possible. If you start the change over now, without any pre planing, you'll be down all summer and part of the winter...........MP

If your gonna changeover take into consideration the cost of new intake, exhaust , motormounts and driveline just for a start.
Peace Man!:cool:
CESAR

Originally posted by Moneypitt
They ALL go up in smoke. Ford ,Chevy Olds, mopar.
The problem is that the OLDS engines lead the way at about a 20:1 margin over the combined total of the other 3. In the 3+ years I've been reading this jet forum and several others, I could count the total of Chevy and Ford failures on my fingers. I'd need a calculator to keep track of the Olds failures.
Your idea of getting a running Olds and keeping the boat on the water is a good one, except that would be a difficult thing to find.:D Most guys make the change after they blow the Olds up.
An alternative to building a Chevy would be the 460 Ford. Core engines are still plentiful and there are quite a few guys here running them quite successfully.
Just for the record, I ran an Olds for 18 years with virtually no trouble. The short block is still alive and kicking in a buddy's boat. Could have moved that engine into the new project hull I bought 2 years ago, but went Chevy instead. I would never go back.:D

Iv've got a BBC in my 69 Tahiti, broken, and a 455 olds my 36 year old hydro that is still hauling ass, boat's broken but the motor runs like a top. My son has a 383 mopar in his jet, runs great, hauls ass, (for a stock pump), and I've built just about everything you can imagine. If done properly, an olds will live. At least as well as any other brand, granted, it cost a little more to do the Olds right, but nonetheless, with the right stuff they'll run a long time. As far as the rest not blowing up as often, I see a lot of fords and chevys in the gearhead and v drive sections with problems, alot of guys going to the later generation motors, alot of showroom boats with the BBC, and SBC factory motors letting go. You have to remember, there were thousands upon thousands of jet boats with Olds power from the 60s on, so there are alot of them out there to blow. I can, and have built a bullet proof olds, and SBC/BBCs and even a few fords, that had their necks wrung, and lived. Boats are hard on things, but they really wear out a garage floor quickly if left there all summer..........MP

THanks for the info and the opinions, both are very much appeciated. I would love to get my boat back into the water this year, but I just dont see it happening unless I spend some serious cash, which I am considering at this point. I think either way I am going to be converting over to a BBC. All of the mechanics I have talked to have suggested this, and while I know some people think OLDS motors are no good due to ignorance, based on my ignorance I am not one to second guess someone whos business it is to fix these things on a daily basis.
So if I wanted to spend some money and get a new/rebuilt BBC put in, does anyboday have a kick ass shop they know of in either the bullghead, Havasu, oragne county, or riverside county they would reccomend? Someone specializing in boat engines obviously......

Originally posted by Moneypitt
If I were you, I would contact some of the guys that took good running Oldsmobiles out to install BBC in their boats. BUY the olds they took out, put it in and enjoy your boat.
Problem with that suggestion is that most of them didn't remove a RUNNING Olds to replace it with a BBC. :D

I've seen a couple of people here that were selling "running" olds motors. Granted "running" is a broad term. So I guess I will quit trying to encourage this boat back on the water the quick and easy way, and lend any help I can to the chevy make over. That said, what kind of olds parts do you have laying around? I'm looking for some nice headers for the hydro, as well as a mag, nice valve covers etc. My stuff is 36 years old and could use some spiffing up before I put it back in a freshly done boat. The internal stuff is fine, and I didn't build it, just bought the boat that way and drove it like I stole it. With 12% gears, and a 12-15 3 blade, the old boat went 78.5, (GPS) at red rock last year, turning 5300 rpm s...........PM me about any of the good stuff you won't be needing after the change. I'm leaving for Burley on Wed eve, so it may be a while before we could get together.........Moneypitt

Originally posted by OLDSQUIRT
The problem is that the OLDS engines lead the way at about a 20:1 margin over the combined total of the other 3. In the 3+ years I've been reading this jet forum and several others, I could count the total of Chevy and Ford failures on my fingers. I'd need a calculator to keep track of the Olds failures.
Your idea of getting a running Olds and keeping the boat on the water is a good one, except that would be a difficult thing to find.:D Most guys make the change after they blow the Olds up.
An alternative to building a Chevy would be the 460 Ford. Core engines are still plentiful and there are quite a few guys here running them quite successfully.
Just for the record, I ran an Olds for 18 years with virtually no trouble. The short block is still alive and kicking in a buddy's boat. Could have moved that engine into the new project hull I bought 2 years ago, but went Chevy instead. I would never go back.:D
How long did your Olds run?
;)

Originally posted by GlastronGuy
How long did your Olds run?
;)
18 years and still going. I probably put more thought into it and took better care than most. The guy I bought it from blew up 3 motors in 2 years. Of course he thought you could run an Olds like it was a Chevy. You know, wide open for miles and miles and miles......:D

Originally posted by Moneypitt
I've seen a couple of people here that were selling "running" olds motors. Granted "running" is a broad term. So I guess I will quit trying to encourage this boat back on the water the quick and easy way, and lend any help I can to the chevy make over. That said, what kind of olds parts do you have laying around? I'm looking for some nice headers for the hydro, as well as a mag, nice valve covers etc. My stuff is 36 years old and could use some spiffing up before I put it back in a freshly done boat. The internal stuff is fine, and I didn't build it, just bought the boat that way and drove it like I stole it. With 12% gears, and a 12-15 3 blade, the old boat went 78.5, (GPS) at red rock last year, turning 5300 rpm s...........PM me about any of the good stuff you won't be needing after the change. I'm leaving for Burley on Wed eve, so it may be a while before we could get together.........Moneypitt
I won't argue the time factor and trying to get back on the water this season, I just don't know that I would buy someones used stuff unless it's a great deal. What I've seen is mostly overpriced and an unknown quantity. If he wants to save bucks for a BBC and still get some use this year, why not just pickup a used car engine? Most of them haven't spent their entire life living in the 4-5k RPM range. Out here I can pick up a decent running used 455 for $100-$150 and get it in the boat for no more than another $100. Are the prices out there that much higher that it's not at least a consideration?
Sell off the unwanted Olds mounts and stuff on ebay while searching for deals on the BBC stuff in the off season. He can probably offset half the cost of the conversion parts.

Originally posted by Moneypitt
They ALL go up in smoke. Ford ,Chevy Olds, mopar. As we all put these things closer and closer to the edge, they're gonna break. I'm not pro anything, or con anything as far as motor choices go, but you gotta dance with who brung ya. Thats why I said stay with the olds for now and build something, ford, chevy, mopar or even another olds, but change it in the winter. For now just get it back on the water, as quick and easy as possible. If you start the change over now, without any pre planing, you'll be down all summer and part of the winter...........MP
I understand your point about finding a running Olds in order to get back on the water ASAP and keeping cost down ,but if he can't find another CHEAP and quick and has to build another I say chunk the olds and look into a Ford or Chevy ?

I've been running an olds for years and yes they do blow up gone through 3 myself but it's a learning process. First time sucked all the oil from the pan, so I taped the heads and ran lines back down and got a bigger pan. The new bullet is built to Mondello specs and as of yet no issues. BUT I had to invest the money to make it as bullet proff as possible. And it's no hot rod 500 hp never over 5000 rpm. Maybe run 60mph for me thats fast enough. It realy all depends on how fast you wanna go. Like the saying goes If they go they blow.

there was a guy selling a complete olds motor a short time ago on here. look back. you may find that he still has it. he just did the change over but said the olds was still good. ive run my olds 455 in the tahiti for 8 seasons and i didnt allways baby it, and its still going strong. the 454 or 460 change is allways a great idea, but like many have said, look at the cost and time to do so. id say get a 455 and be back on the water quikly. off season you can make a decision and take your time.

Go with the chevy. DIfferent motor mounts and a different driveshaft will get ya going reliably;) BTW, Did I mention that I have a spare 454 (Actually 476ci) for sale?:D

Originally posted by JROCK
THanks for the info and the opinions, both are very much appeciated. I would love to get my boat back into the water this year, but I just dont see it happening unless I spend some serious cash, which I am considering at this point. I think either way I am going to be converting over to a BBC. All of the mechanics I have talked to have suggested this, and while I know some people think OLDS motors are no good due to ignorance, based on my ignorance I am not one to second guess someone whos business it is to fix these things on a daily basis.
So if I wanted to spend some money and get a new/rebuilt BBC put in, does anyboday have a kick ass shop they know of in either the bullghead, Havasu, oragne county, or riverside county they would reccomend? Someone specializing in boat engines obviously......
Try this site:
http://www.harmanmarine.com/newsite/pp/index.html
They built my 454 in '78 and it replaced the original Olds 455 when it seized.

Anything setup right will run for a very long time. If you have the money and know what parts to get, keep the olds so you dont need to change motor mounts and exhaust and all. If you want to change that stuff around and go pick up a a running BBC, go do that, you wont have to do as much to make it dependable, but you will have to make all the appropriate changes. Mondello (I think that is the name) has had alot of luck fixing the oiling problems on the olds and other various problems you run into using it as a jet boat motor. Talk to them, do the mods, get it running and hit the water. Everyone tells me BBF's arent as good as BBC's but my BBF runs awesome and I rarely have problems with it, the secondary in the carb overflows sometimes due to a needle and seat, other than that, its good times.

Originally posted by King Kuracz
Sell off the unwanted Olds mounts and stuff on ebay while searching for deals on the BBC stuff in the off season. He can probably offset half the cost of the conversion parts.
This is what I am doing right now.

I rebuilt my olds last year and spent 2000 including machine work, new oil pan, pistons, bearings, oil pump, timing set. If cost is an issue, keep the olds. I doubt you can get a BBC in you boat running for $2000. I assembled my engine myself but had a machine shop bore and prepare all my parts. I put oil restictors in the mains and lifters and added an 8 qt pan.

I just spent about 2200 at the machine shop and 800 with mondello to build my olds. got back a running motor from the shop ( complete assemble & test run )
We'll see how it goes. Boat hull is not ready yet.
If I had it to do again? Tough decision, I already had all the olds stuff. was cheaper to do what i did.

Just remember the olds stroke on the crank is 100 thousands longer then the bbc stroke. so you dont want to turn to many rpms without beefing up the bottom end. if you want to turn 6000 rpms or more all day long maybe you should go with a chevy. it will be cheaper in the end. THATS ONE OPINON! i turn my olds no more then 5400 rpms. BUT REMEMBER THE OLDS MAKES ALOT OF TORQUE AT LOW RPMS..:wink:

Petrofied can tell you how to go about changing to a chevy and how much. He can also do a 455 for you. He ran one on NOS for a few years then kept it alive with a blower for a couple. He knows olds motors. PM him or get on the thread Petrofied, Moneysucker, Quack attack and contact him there. Ie pulled the olds from his hot dog boat and replaced it with a chevy. and he does have a line on parts for either way you choose. We are down here in san diego so it isn't far for you.

Motor Machine Super Shops in Carmichael put mine together for about $4600 assembled including headwork and new intake and new block core. Runs really strong and is good to 5600 rpm.
Engine has been outfitted with restrictors in the cam bearings, lifter bore, and crank journals. A Melling HV oil pump and 10 qt oil pan lube everything. Block was bored .060 over, crank journals were aline honed, rods were reconditioned, speed-pro forged pistons were used, crank was ground and polished, the whole assembly was balanced. I went with a CompCams 292 cam and Cloyes double roller timing chain and swapped out the stock aluminum rocker assembly because they cannot hold up to the additional pressure the new cam and springs will put on them. Stainless Ferrea valves were used also. If would have had the extra money at the time, I would have opted for Edelbrock heads. Maybe soon. The only thing original from the old motor were the rods, crank and heads. I now spin a "B" impeller to 5800 rpm.
The Olds can be made to be made to be reliable. Attention needs to be paid the rotating assembly and oiling system. The Olds has specific needs, if you care for these, the Olds is a torque monster that will last for years.
On a footnote; If had the money at the time, I would have swapped for a 502 or 454 just for the number of options that are out there for those configurations.