The 350 diesel block delivers lots of horse power and torque but not at the
low RPM of the 455 engine. When it comes to torque there simply is no
substitute for cubic inches and long strokes. That said you can convert the
350 DX diesel block to a 425/440 or 454 cubic inch block with not only lots
of power but lots of torque also at the low RPMs. Mondello makes kits to
stroke the blocks.
But I personally cannot see going to one, as the present olds 455 will do
all it will do already.
The Eldlebrock aluminum heads for the olds 455 have a lot going for them,
and they do not predetonate on pump gas because of their new combustion
chamber design and the fact that they are aluminum and a very good heat sink.
I first saw the heads in an article in Engine masters in the 1998 annual
special collectors issue. Joe Mondello had written and article about them
and the dyno results were spectacular. At 3600 RPM the aluminum heads and
mondello cam produced 348HP versus the stock 455 engine 215HP. The torque
was 370ftlbs/2400RPM for stock and 480FTLBS/2500 for the aluminum heads.
Hope this helps. I like the aluminum heads and will probably put them on my
new engine.
>Tom wrote some time ago about the 350 engine and the aluminum heads from
>Mondello. I think that I posted this previously but may have missed your
>responses Tom.
>
>My queries are :
>
>In regards to other engines than the 455, Tom wrote had good things to say
>about the 350 diesel block. Assuming that it is converted to gasoline, how
>does the 350 diesel block match the torque of the much larger 455?
>
>In regards to your comment about no pinging on the Mondello 455 heads, what
>is the factor in the design that allows this? Do you think that the engine
>will run comfortably on 87 octane gas with these heads? Is this true of
>aluminum heads on most engines or is it this particular design? Is there
>any downside to running aluminum heads?
>
>Vic Marks
>Vancouver, BC
>
>
>
>
low RPM of the 455 engine. When it comes to torque there simply is no
substitute for cubic inches and long strokes. That said you can convert the
350 DX diesel block to a 425/440 or 454 cubic inch block with not only lots
of power but lots of torque also at the low RPMs. Mondello makes kits to
stroke the blocks.
But I personally cannot see going to one, as the present olds 455 will do
all it will do already.
The Eldlebrock aluminum heads for the olds 455 have a lot going for them,
and they do not predetonate on pump gas because of their new combustion
chamber design and the fact that they are aluminum and a very good heat sink.
I first saw the heads in an article in Engine masters in the 1998 annual
special collectors issue. Joe Mondello had written and article about them
and the dyno results were spectacular. At 3600 RPM the aluminum heads and
mondello cam produced 348HP versus the stock 455 engine 215HP. The torque
was 370ftlbs/2400RPM for stock and 480FTLBS/2500 for the aluminum heads.
Hope this helps. I like the aluminum heads and will probably put them on my
new engine.
>Tom wrote some time ago about the 350 engine and the aluminum heads from
>Mondello. I think that I posted this previously but may have missed your
>responses Tom.
>
>My queries are :
>
>In regards to other engines than the 455, Tom wrote had good things to say
>about the 350 diesel block. Assuming that it is converted to gasoline, how
>does the 350 diesel block match the torque of the much larger 455?
>
>In regards to your comment about no pinging on the Mondello 455 heads, what
>is the factor in the design that allows this? Do you think that the engine
>will run comfortably on 87 octane gas with these heads? Is this true of
>aluminum heads on most engines or is it this particular design? Is there
>any downside to running aluminum heads?
>
>Vic Marks
>Vancouver, BC
>
>
>
>
