Welcome to Just Commodores, a site specifically designed for all people who share the same passion as yourself.

New Posts Contact us

Just Commodores Forum Community

It takes just a moment to join our fantastic community

Register

304 355" build thread

Deuce

Super Stock
Joined
Feb 5, 2012
Messages
4,808
Reaction score
5,436
Points
113
Location
Snobs Rock (or so the locals say)
Members Ride
'94 VR SS V8
That's a name I've not heard in a long time.

20+psi drop over the Z160 filter. I run the Z30 regardless :)
Being that my remote mount is on the RH rail at the front facing vertically, I don't think I want to risk a taller filter sitting lower to the ground.
And I wonder how much the long remote oil lines negate the effect (or not, being braided - they won't flex, but more capacity of oil in the lines may spread the compression effect further, maybe)
 

Immortality

Can't live without smoky bacon!
Staff member
Joined
Apr 15, 2006
Messages
23,861
Reaction score
24,121
Points
113
Location
Sth Auck, NZ
Members Ride
HSV VS Senator, VT s2 Exec, VX Calais II L67
I wouldn't mind running the Z30 on my next oil change, I was worried about it hitting the VR/S sway bar as that sits in front of the oil pump.

Heaps of room. @Deuce should have something for you
 

creesy

Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Messages
47
Reaction score
0
Points
6
Age
38
Whats a tame 355 build costing these days im talking about not lifting a spanner yourself. Take the car to have engine done and pick it up finished.

Also who would be the person you'd choose to do that in Melbourne.
 

someguy360

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2011
Messages
4,285
Reaction score
7,386
Points
113
Location
The Shed
Members Ride
Various
You won't get change from $20k for a basic build these days. Especially adding in the labour of pulling the engine and reinstalling etc.

Bear in mind most engine builders/machinists don't do general mechanical work (most wouldn't even have a hoist). So they aren't going to be interested in pulling the engine and reinstalling and I'd steer clear of going to a mechanic that "can build engines" Engines are a speciality (especially non standard builds like a stroker) and not a job to be done in a general workshop around other cars being serviced/worked on etc. Also most standard workshops would still need to outsource all the machinining as it requires a workshop full of milling machines, honing/boring machines etc.
 
Last edited:

vc commodore

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2014
Messages
11,408
Reaction score
16,046
Points
113
Location
Like the Leyland Brothers
Members Ride
VC, VH and VY
About 7 years ago, I spoke to a fella that got a 355 stroker built for his VL group A..

Motor out built and in, set him back $30K
 

RevNev

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2020
Messages
3,453
Reaction score
5,080
Points
113
Location
Adelaide
Members Ride
VF II SSV Redline Ute VF II SV6 Wagon
IIRC the relief valve reference mod was done in conjunction with blocking the internal oil bypass forcing 100% of the oil through the filter all the time.
Do you mean the "Harry Firth" oil pump mod that HDT used in the Brock days with the L34 Torana? The mod was later known as the "Larry Perkins" mod but it was actually Firth who designed it and was later perfected by Ian Tate with additional porting and a 0.140" shim under the pressure relief valve. It does force 100% of the oil through the filter but also stops pump cavitation at high rpm and the oil spinning around the pump showing gauge pressure that isn't reaching the crankshaft.

Without the mod done, many engines would spin big end bearings particularly with solid camshafts despite showing high gauge pressure! Whilst in Melbourne 1996, I bought a modified oil pump from Ian Tate, and it was alloy body Mellings semi high-volume pump. Ian Tate is great bloke and arguably one of the best Holden race engine builders in the country. He pulled the pump apart and showed me the mod and explained why it's done!
 
Last edited:

Deuce

Super Stock
Joined
Feb 5, 2012
Messages
4,808
Reaction score
5,436
Points
113
Location
Snobs Rock (or so the locals say)
Members Ride
'94 VR SS V8
Do you mean the "Harry Firth" oil pump mod that HDT used in the Brock days with the L34 Torana? The mod was later known as the "Larry Perkins" mod but it was actually Firth who designed it and was later perfected by Ian Tate with additional porting and a 0.140" shim under the pressure relief valve. It does force 100% of the oil through the filter but also stops pump cavitation at high rpm and the oil spinning around the pump showing gauge pressure that isn't reaching the crankshaft.

Without the mod done, many engines would spin big end bearings particularly with solid camshafts despite showing high gauge pressure! Whilst in Melbourne 1996, I bought a modified oil pump from Ian Tate, and it was alloy body Mellings semi high-volume pump. Ian Tate is great bloke and arguably one of the best Holden race engine builders in the country. He pulled the pump apart and showed me the mod and explained why it's done!
What sort of high rpm are you talking? My new motor should see 7k very occasionally.

Also, with your Tait pump were you recommended to use the stock filter (tall or short?) or switch to an internally bypassed filter of stock sizing?
 

Immortality

Can't live without smoky bacon!
Staff member
Joined
Apr 15, 2006
Messages
23,861
Reaction score
24,121
Points
113
Location
Sth Auck, NZ
Members Ride
HSV VS Senator, VT s2 Exec, VX Calais II L67
Do you mean the "Harry Firth" oil pump mod that HDT used in the Brock days with the L34 Torana? The mod was later known as the "Larry Perkins" mod but it was actually Firth who designed it and was later perfected by Ian Tate with additional porting and a 0.140" shim under the pressure relief valve. It does force 100% of the oil through the filter but also stops pump cavitation at high rpm and the oil spinning around the pump showing gauge pressure that isn't reaching the crankshaft.

Without the mod done, many engines would spin big end bearings particularly with solid camshafts despite showing high gauge pressure! Whilst in Melbourne 1996, I bought a modified oil pump from Ian Tate, and it was alloy body Mellings semi high-volume pump. Ian Tate is great bloke and arguably one of the best Holden race engine builders in the country. He pulled the pump apart and showed me the mod and explained why it's done!

No idea TBH. It's something that was posted on the old AV8 forum and mods performed by TK and ZOK and others.

If you could post any info you have it would be greatly appreciated as all that was lost when the AV8 forum shut down.
 

RevNev

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2020
Messages
3,453
Reaction score
5,080
Points
113
Location
Adelaide
Members Ride
VF II SSV Redline Ute VF II SV6 Wagon
What sort of high rpm are you talking? My new motor should see 7k very occasionally.

Also, with your Tait pump were you recommended to use the stock filter (tall or short?) or switch to an internally bypassed filter of stock sizing?
High RPM 7000+ persistently.

We used Purolator filters in the day, large Z30 equivalent.
 

Shaneo 355

New Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2025
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Age
41
Location
Busselton
Members Ride
Vp calais
talking oiling and oil feeds...... I do the 'feed No4 'internal mod

pic does not have the joining feed pipe installed yet... but you get the idea

View attachment 267304
Forgive my ignorance, but what's the point of this mod if you already have crossover at no.1 cam bearing?
Does it supply more oil to the main bearing? I have done the no.1 bearing crossover, plugged the cam bolt and timing chain oiler, but haven't plugged or reduced flow at 4 where most people tap and bolt up.
 
Top