ok just read a post about the cfm rating on the q-jet on the 403 and some one said it was 800cfm if that is right why only 185hp ??? what is slowing this motor down

ok just read a post about the cfm rating on the q-jet on the 403 and some one said it was 800cfm if that is right why only 185hp ??? what is slowing this motor down

Everything underneath that 800cfm carb (LOL).

The 403 was a smog motor with poor flowing heads.

79,t/a403,
For starters the cam within the Olds 403 & base Pontiac 400 weren't very aggressive.... They were very low compression motors due to the 6x-8 heads (mid 7 CR). The Cat converter & lack of dual exhaust didn't help matters either. I belive there were some differences in the distributor/ignition & low performance carb versus the higher HP (220) 400 engine models.
I'm sure others can think of more

db

[ May 22, 2002, 11:39 PM: Message edited by: dyingbreed ]

Was the 403 offered in any other car? Maybe a station wagon? :D

I did manage to get approx. 380+ HP out of a 403 using the stock heads. I recently found my list of engine components if any one is interesed.

Ah discussion on the 403, my favorite engine, more torque than a 460 ford. Forgot where I heard that from. What else did I hear, the pistons are the same size as a 454 pistons but that is chev. Who knows if those were true but they say sound good! LOL

I drove a lot of miles on a 403 engine. They did come in a 1978/1979 buick lesabre station wagon's. I've owned two of them.

They are serious torque engines, low stroke, wide pistons, I believe 4400 rpm is when those things should really be shifted.

My friend bought a 78 trans am from the states all rebuilt, it had 273 in the back and was fun on the highway, when he took out those gears and put in 323 life was much better thats for sure. Needless to say he found an olds 350 that had a lot of machining work done to it and did a trade deal for the 403.

So it was permission granted for blowing up the engine, start it up, drive down the road, float the valves then shift.

Nothing better than giving yourself permission to blow an engine up. it's like driving a car with a bad body, who cares what you accidently back up into.

I sold the station wagon on ebay for $400 US.
Unreal.
:rolleyes: