Valve Material Recommendations

For

Oldsmobile Small Block V8 Engines

Joe Elias

The best sources for custom titanium valves for Olds applications are Manley or CV Products. Nevertheless, I question the use of titanium valves. There are stainless steel valves that will do the same job for a 1/5 of the cost of a custom titanium valve. The only advantage of a titanium valve is weight; the stainless steel valve will last longer. For 307, 350 and 403 engines with the stock 1.50" exhaust valve, I use a Manley Severe Duty Racing valve, off the shelf for Buick, Turbo V-6 racing applications. It has the proper angles, the best material and it flows a ton even at low lift numbers.

For intake valves, I either use a custom made Manley intake valve, or buy one piece, stainless steel, under-cut/swirl polished valves from S-I Industries. S-I Industries makes them for all Olds applications in this form.

Open Main Web Blocks - In my experience with 403 engines, I have never used, or had the need to use the Mondello Girdle. For racing applications, I fill the block half way with my own mix of concrete and epoxy. (I do not use HardBlock) Install ARP studs on the mains. You can use steel straps with either the stock caps, or purchase machined, billet steel caps from Batten Corporation.

Also, you replace all the main caps with aluminum units made by Dave Smith Engineering. You guys may panic by the use of aluminum; however, Dave uses aerospace 7076-T6 aluminum. This is the same material used for landing gear components in Boeing airplanes; I know this since I work at Boeing as an engineer.

The aluminum caps absorb the loads and harmonics of the rotating assembly; it will also prevent the transmission of the same to the lower portion of the block. There are many engine builders doing this and specifically those that race and build Mopar big block engines. Mopar big block engines will crack the main web too.

You cannot bore the diesel block to the 403 specs either. (I get asked this question frequently). There are rumors of solid 403 blocks, but I have never seen one and I doubt they ever exited like Mondello claims. There is one block that will bore to 403 specs, but it is extremely rare. It was a special block built for Winston Cup/NASCAR applications. I have seen only one of these blocks, and after sonic checking and offset boring, the block was bore to the 403 size, with walls thick enough remaining.

Joe