11 replies to this topic

[xu2308]

The Block's for the F5000 Repco 308 V8
were they 308H Blocks from the 1969/1970 HT-HG Monaro, as some of them 308H Blocks were ment to have steel-cranks
Any one know what type of Block that the F5000 Repco 308 V8 used ?????

[dattoman]

Think you will find they were custom cast blocks done by Repco
And not much Holden anywhere to be seen

[xu2308]

Thanks Datto
i wasent sure, as the 308H Engine was Holden's first 308 V8, I thought Repco might of used them blocks

[xu2308]

Yeah
you would think the L34 Block would be close to the F5000 Repco V8 Block, due to Repco playing apart with the L34 Engine, did the L34 Engine use the F5000 Flat Top Pistons ??

[dattoman]

About page 4

http://www.aussiev8....8-hp-block.html

[xu2308]

Thanks Datto and LX Torry Freak

[yel327]

As far as I am aware the F5000 blocks were just early versions of the re-designed HJ block. The ones I have known of were cast early in 1973 (like 3/73 or 5/73 or thereabouts). Most of these appear to have an X on them. The same design was used in L34. They were GMH cast blocks, at least they were GMH castings afaik.

Alan, the 308H blocks were mainly in HT and HG Brougham, and they are not really any different to HQ blocks. Apart from the timing chain cover mounted oil filler, sump/pickup and heads they are just about identical. The early blocks (almost exclusively HT Brougham) had HP cast into the side. Some of these made their way into Belmont, Kingswood, Monaro, Monaro GTS and Premier once 307's ran out but not long after the castings changed to 308 on one side just like they stayed until around VK introduction. The reason some forged crankshafts have turned up will be because these engines were under development prior to GMH's new nodular iron foundry opening in 1967, so naturally some of the early cranks will be forged just like all red motor cranks were prior to around 4/67. As GMH were a business they never wasted anything, so any development stuff left laying around that was good to use went into production engines. The fact that the early 253's are blank on the side and 308's had HP gives you a timeframe as to when these castings were finalised. Just look at the EH-HD era engines: 149 were blank and 179 had HP until it was replaced with 179 at some stage. Later 161's in HR were also blank afaik. Just remember that 308 was only available in Brougham from release until late in 1969 so it was a low volume engine until it was made available across the HT series range. This possibly explains the apparant protracted changeover period from HP to 308 as new castings were introduced to cope with the increased demand for the 308 engine.

[TerrA LX]

As far as I am aware the F5000 blocks were just early versions of the re-designed HJ block. The ones I have known of were cast early in 1973 (like 3/73 or 5/73 or thereabouts). Most of these appear to have an X on them. The same design was used in L34. They were GMH cast blocks, at least they were GMH castings afaik.

Alan, the 308H blocks were mainly in HT and HG Brougham, and they are not really any different to HQ blocks. Apart from the timing chain cover mounted oil filler, sump/pickup and heads they are just about identical. The early blocks (almost exclusively HT Brougham) had HP cast into the side.

So all the blocks upto and including HQ would have been neo seal/crank and HJ and on, including L34 and 5000 blocks would have been rope seal and crank.

[yel327]

I'm not sure if F5000 and L34 used neoprene or rope. That is only a minor machining change anyway. The L34 parts catalogue supplement dated 8/74 list the neoprene seal part number, so my guess is the rope seals were in use by that time in engine production anyway hence the need to show the different part number for the L34 engine. I don't think the changeover was exactly on the change from HQ to HJ on V8's, but it will be close to but before that (possibly months earlier). Remember engines were all made at Fisherman's bend and sent out to assembly plants to be used at seemingly random times. My guess is HJ style V8 engines started into production at some time prior to the end of HQ, and those engines just got used in the very last of the HQ's. HJ's were supposed to have the new higher performance 308 (253 didn't change) so I guess it makes sense no full production HJ's got the lower comp HQ 308. I guess V8 LH SLR owners will have a good handle on what oil seals are in their engines from cars close to the changeover date from HQ-HJ (9/74).