I just picked up a '72 455 for my Cutlass, I was told it came out of an Olds 98. The block numbers check out with the typical large F atop the timing chain, the heads were Ga's, matching the '72. I pulled the timing cover to find the gears are set at 12 o'clock for both cam & crank when at #1TDC. My manual shows them at 6 & 12, for cam and crank respectively. Having just done a Ford, its also the same, but I checked the Pontiac manual which shows them at 12 & 12. If they are supposed to be at 6 & 12, I can only figure the distributor was taken out and re-installed at 180 degrees, since the 6 and 1 are symetrical. Putting the marks at 6 & 12, the distributor rotor is pointing to #6. Anyone run into this before rebuilding an Olds 455. Should I just pull the gears and replace them as they were taken off ? Thanks in advance for the help.

They are fine..............with them at 12 and 12, it is on the #6 compression stroke, so the rotor should be aimed at #6..........Is that the way it is?

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hey 71 cutlass, i'm also from york pa. i also run big block olds motors. in fact i race with them. i'm a glutton for punishment. lol. ive never actually noticed how the stock timing set is installed. i just take them off and toss em. i'd have to look on the big blocks i have laying around. the new timing set, which i highly recomend, will have installation instructions. the Ga heads, i believe are the ones with rotators on only half the valves. so some head milling will be needed for the new springs if you go with a non stock cam set. i have tons of big block olds stuff. dont be shy to ask if you need parts.

thanks for the reply, I've never heard that about the Ga heads ?? I was planning on a new timing set to replace the original plastic cam gear, new cam, new lifters, and a new intake. I've asked around, seems like Mondello's JM18-20 or 20-22 is a good choice, matches to compcams XE268H, duration is 224/230 at 0.05" lift, with 110 degree lobe separation. The Edelbrock 2152 is a bit milder at 214/224 with 112 LS. I don't know who makes EDL. Think I want to stay away from that, (the sales guys didn't know either). The Summit site has slightly differenct comp cam configurations, at 219/233 with 110LS, or the more sporty upgrade at 230/236. Have you run any of these cams ? Looking to run it street only, mild cam recommended. Any suggestions.

well its easy to tell about the heads by simply looking at the top of the valves. if theres rotators on them you'll see the difference. the heads could have been redone already at some point. you can't go wrong with a comp cam. i wouldn't buy anything from mondello. ever since joe no longer owns the company service and quality has hit the toilet. no one i know in the olds community will buy from them. the motor in my race car has a crane solid in it thats a 512/533 238/248@50 and it runs smooth and idles at 800 rpm. of course on the street you will want a hydraulic cam. my motor has a little over 10 to 1 compression. i used KB277 pistons. theyre the keith black hyperautectic D dish pistons with stock C heads. most big block heads have similar chamber size. my favorite cam for a mild street motor is the crane 804551 it has 480/496 lift and 222/230 @ .50 if you have no hood clearance issues i'd run a torker intake. it works much better than a performer. let me know if i can help you in any way, pete. heres a pic of my race car

that pic was at mason dixon dragway. this one is at numidia

I looked at the Torkers, the performers have a lower profile, and a lot of guys are notching or cutting out the middle plates, to effectively make it a single plane. I have a standard hood on the cutlass, not the 442 scooped hood.

I'm also getting some mixed feedback on the motor mount issue. The 455 is 1" taller and 1.5" wider than a stock 350, which is what's in it now. Various articles suggest that you can use 350 mounts on a 455, or 455 mounts engine mounts with 350 frame mounts. But some confusion over where it will sit. The problem is not in the motor centerline, its in the fan hitting the radiator shroud. More research needed, or I guess I'll put it in and see if it lines up, I was trying to avoid this.

Thanks for the input on Mondello. I called Comp Cams yesterday, tech tells me to replace it with a 206/212 or maybe a 212/218, which is just a bit better than stock from what I can tell. So he wasn't much help there.