Toronado Diesel

[walter m. drew]

Hey,
I saw an Olds Tornado going down the road yesterday. It was smoking a
little bit so I crossed it off my mental list of I have to stop this
driver and talk to him. Caught up at a light. Chrome nameplate said
Diesel. Would this engine fit in our coaches? Also found and Olds
Station wagon 1974 model in a junk yard with a 455. Would this engine
fit?

Walter 78 Royale

 

[thomas g. warner]

Yes to both questions. Only difference between the 455's is the amount of
nickel in the block.

Want a really bullet proof gas engine for the GMc even stronger than the
455? Change the 350DX diesel block to a gas one. Can't be blown up for all
practical purposes. Highest nickel content block that GM built.

>Hey,
>I saw an Olds Tornado going down the road yesterday. It was smoking a
>little bit so I crossed it off my mental list of I have to stop this
>driver and talk to him. Caught up at a light. Chrome nameplate said
>Diesel. Would this engine fit in our coaches? Also found and Olds
>Station wagon 1974 model in a junk yard with a 455. Would this engine
>fit?
>
>Walter 78 Royale
>
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach

 

[thomas g. warner]

Nothing wrong with this diesel if it is a 350DX block. They did not stop
making them because there was anything wrong with them. Auto makers started
making gas engines that got better mileage and no smell. There are many of
them with 3-400,000 miles on them. I had 2 toronados with the diesel and one
Cadillac. They were all fine cars and ran very good. Lots of torque and
fantastic mileage.

>I was told by a friend that this particular GMC Diesel engine was NG, was a
>real, real dog and that's why GMC discontinued making this engine. Don't put
>it in a good coach.
>
>Ed Lubo
>elubo
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach

 

[donald w. miller]

Hi Walter,

A fellow who checks into this list from time to time told me he drove a
GMCMH with GM diesel installed. His opinion was a bit short on power. I
forget which GM diesel. Maybe someone else is familiar with this coach?

I wonder what the story would be if you installed a turbo charged GM diesel.

I am thinking of the impressive difference adding a turbo made to the same
engine in those Mercedes 300d automobiles.

A turbo GM 6.5 might have enough kick if it would bolt up OK.

Don Miller
75 Glennbrook
Shenandoah Valley of Virginia

>Hey,
>I saw an Olds Tornado going down the road yesterday. It was smoking a
>little bit so I crossed it off my mental list of I have to stop this
>driver and talk to him. Caught up at a light. Chrome nameplate said
>Diesel. Would this engine fit in our coaches? Also found and Olds
>Station wagon 1974 model in a junk yard with a 455. Would this engine
>fit?
>
>Walter 78 Royale

 

[dr. terry a. wallace]

>
> Hey,
> I saw an Olds Tornado going down the road yesterday. It was smoking a
> little bit so I crossed it off my mental list of I have to stop this
> driver and talk to him. Caught up at a light. Chrome nameplate said
> Diesel. Would this engine fit in our coaches? Also found and Olds
> Station wagon 1974 model in a junk yard with a 455. Would this engine
> fit?
>
> Walter 78 Royale
The Olds diesel you saw will fit. That's the good news. The bad news
is that it is a converted 5.7 liter (350 cubic inch) GM gas engine.
They were and are not only fragile, but make very little power, ie.,
less than half the 455 in GMC coaches. Attempts to increase power
output only exacerbate the fragility. The 455 in the Olds will fit.

Terry Wallace

 

[david l greenberg]

On Sun, 7 Mar 1999 20:51:18 -0000 "Donald W. Miller"
writes:
>Hi Walter,
>
>A fellow who checks into this list from time to time told me he drove
>a
>GMCMH with GM diesel installed. His opinion was a bit short on power.
> I
>forget which GM diesel. Maybe someone else is familiar with this
>coach?
>

There is one or two coaches in the Registry with diesels. When I get back
home Thursday I'll check the Registry to see who has it and what it is.

>I wonder what the story would be if you installed a turbo charged GM
>diesel.
>
>
>I am thinking of the impressive difference adding a turbo made to the
>same
>engine in those Mercedes 300d automobiles.
>
>A turbo GM 6.5 might have enough kick if it would bolt up OK.
>
>Don Miller
>75 Glennbrook
>Shenandoah Valley of Virginia
>
>
>>Hey,
>>I saw an Olds Tornado going down the road yesterday. It was smoking
>a
>>little bit so I crossed it off my mental list of I have to stop this
>>driver and talk to him. Caught up at a light. Chrome nameplate
>said
>>Diesel. Would this engine fit in our coaches? Also found and Olds
>>Station wagon 1974 model in a junk yard with a 455. Would this
>engine
>>fit?
>>
>>Walter 78 Royale
>
>
>
>
>
>

David Lee Greenberg
Boston Homes, Inc
1220 US Highway 1, Suite B
North Palm Beach, FL 33408
www.bostonhomes.net

 

[dr. terry a. wallace]

>
> On Sun, 7 Mar 1999 20:51:18 -0000 "Donald W. Miller"

> >Hi Walter,
> >
> >A fellow who checks into this list from time to time told me he drove
> >a
> >GMCMH with GM diesel installed. His opinion was a bit short on power.
> > I
> >forget which GM diesel. Maybe someone else is familiar with this
> >coach?
> >
>
> There is one or two coaches in the Registry with diesels. When I get back
> home Thursday I'll check the Registry to see who has it and what it is.
>
> >I wonder what the story would be if you installed a turbo charged GM
> >diesel.
> >
> >
> >I am thinking of the impressive difference adding a turbo made to the
> >same
> >engine in those Mercedes 300d automobiles.
> >
> >A turbo GM 6.5 might have enough kick if it would bolt up OK.
> >
> >Don Miller
> >75 Glennbrook
> >Shenandoah Valley of Virginia
> >
> >
> >>Hey,
> >>I saw an Olds Tornado going down the road yesterday. It was smoking
> >a
> >>little bit so I crossed it off my mental list of I have to stop this
> >>driver and talk to him. Caught up at a light. Chrome nameplate
> >said
> >>Diesel. Would this engine fit in our coaches? Also found and Olds
> >>Station wagon 1974 model in a junk yard with a 455. Would this
> >engine
> >>fit?
> >>
> >>Walter 78 Royale
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
> David Lee Greenberg
> Boston Homes, Inc
> 1220 US Highway 1, Suite B
> North Palm Beach, FL 33408
> www.bostonhomes.net
The 6.5 is not a bolt-in fit. The 5.7 is.

Terry Wallace

 

[bartz paul]

I have two diesel powered Pontiac's, an 80 and an 81. On the 80, the
original engine went out @ 89K miles. It was a valve or possibly a =
ring
problem I assume, because when you took off the oil filler cap, air was
exhausted out the filler tube with the engine running. When I changed =
the
engine, I tried with a =BD" drive breaker bar to remove the head bolts =
to
check out the damage, but couldn't budge them. Gave up any further =
effort
and had to return the engine to the dealer as a core. Replaced it with =
a GM
Target engine in 1986, and still drive it, Have 232K miles on it.

I'm not sure there was any difference in the basic block from Olds
introduction in 1978. Most of the problems with the engine stemmed =
from
other components problems. For example, there was a time when head =
bolts
stretched due to insufficient tensile strength and many head gaskets =
blew.
There were various other similar examples. Valve train was gradually
improved as problems arose until 1981 when they used a roller tappet =
system.
The glow plug system used to take a long time to heat up and that was
improved to a very short duration subsequently.

I was a member of a class action suit against GM from a group (GM Duds =
(GM
diesel users demand satisfaction)) originating in the Chicago area and
ultimately received quite a large cash settlement from GM. It more =
than
covered my cost in replacing the engine.

As described by several individuals, although the basic block design is
alleged to originate from a gas engine, it was beefed up substantially
internally and is considered fairly bullet proof. Last I new, many =
racers
over the last ten years or so, have sought out the block and crank to =
use in
their vehicles.

Paul Bartz

From: CHill113 [mailto:CHill113]
Sent: Monday, March 08, 1999 8:35 PM
Subject: Re: GMC: Toronado Diesel

I have had two Olds diesels. A 79 and a 82 Toronado. I enjoyed them, =
but
they were short on power and I don't think would do well in a coach. =
Don't
consider the Olds diesel before 79. It was basically a gasoline engine
converted to diesel and was lots of trouble. Later models were true =
diesels.