5.7L, 350 Olds Diesel

There is an enormous misconception that the 350 Olds is based on GM's 350 gas engine. While the designs share cylinder bore/stroke dimensions, the notion that the 350 Oldsmobile diesel is a converted 350 gas V-8 is completely false. Not only would such a ludicrous design be engineering suicide, but the 350 gas engine would never have survived the cylinder pressures created by the diesel's 22.5 : 1 compression ratio. In fact, GM's official statement regarding these rumors was that "All of the major parts: block, crankshaft, rods, pistons, and lifters have been strengthened to handle the higher compression ratio." The rumor that the engines are related likely stems from a combination of the following:

• Because of the engine's identical bore and stroke, the Olds diesel could be manufactured using pre-existing tooling.

• Not only is it easy to assume the 350 diesel is based on the 350 gas engine, but owners and outsiders alike needed to place the engine's problems on something.

Regardless, the 350 Olds was capable of up to 30 miles per gallon in the right car and with the right driver. GM continuously tried to sell buyers on its Olds diesel by identifying it with "prestige" and "status". Unfortunately, by the time most of the kinks were worked out, their customers had fled.

5.7L, 350 Olds Diesel Specs

Common 350 Olds Diesel Problems

• Torque to yield (TTY) head bolts provide poor mounting of the cylinder heads. As a result, head gaskets can wear & fail. Head bolts were even known to sheer under the extreme cylinder pressures (the Olds diesel had a very high compression ratio, which didn't help).

• The fuel system lacks a fuel-water separator. Any water that enters the injection pump can cause parts to corrode & fail. This can result in extensive engine damage.

• Main bolts were too short, often resulting in bottom end failure & crankshaft damage. Crankshafts were not dynamically balanced, further contributing to crankshaft failures.

• GM was in a rush to offer their diesel and be the automaker to "pioneer" the industry. As a result, production of the engine blocks for the 5.7L Olds were rushed. After casting, the "green" (green is a term used to describe a casting that has not had proper time to cure) engine blocks were rushed into assembly before the internal stresses could be relieved. This caused problems with the engines once they were operated as the desired material properties of the engine blocks were not obtained. This often led to misalignment of the main bores, contributing to crankshaft failures.