Javascript Disabled Detected

You currently have javascript disabled. Several functions may not work. Please re-enable javascript to access full functionality.

Red V Blue

Started by _Cuss-Cuss_ , Jun 10 2008 09:16 PM

Please log in to reply

8 replies to this topic

#1 _Cuss-Cuss_

Guests

Posted 10 June 2008 - 09:16 PM

Hi all , I work with a bloke who is a GMH trained motor mechanic now operating mobile cranes same as me . He's had a couple of SL/R's ( one he bought new ) so he knows his stuff . He once told me that the Holden blue and black motors were rubbish, after Holden introduced the pollution gear they were nothing but trouble and to stick with the red motor in my SL/R . I've had 253 and 308 red's in various cars over the years BUT one that really comes to mind was a Holden WB ute with a standard 253 blue motor that I once had . It was only a couple of years old when I got it and I purchased it for the sole purpose of taking me around our wonderfull country on a working holiday over a 3 year period . FLOGGED it and it loved it , Cracked exhaust manifold once and that was it . Just wondering what other stories our members have regarding Red or Blue ?

Back to top

#2 _bon_scott_

Guests

Posted 11 June 2008 - 12:34 AM

I had a blue 253 with a twin exhaust in a vh commodore, started first time, everytime, ran great and sounded like magic. wasn't lightning fast but it was enough to scare a few ricers

Back to top

#3 FastEHHolden

Steptoe

Members
5,114 posts

Location:Central Coast NSW
Joined: 16-November 05

Posted 11 June 2008 - 09:54 AM

My pop had a brand spankers 308 blue (20000km on it) in a Bedford truck...it was a water tanker with a 6000 litre tank on it....so the truck is about 3 tonnes and the load 6 tonnes but its got the gearing to do it...lets face it the bedford 6 had much less power but managed to do all the same stuff.

Anyway this 308 was a DOG....so he asked for my opinion....I said change the camshaft due to the grind being skewed towards better emissions and not so much towards power....the other thing I suggested was the tried and true (but not necessarily better) flick the rochester and fit a Holley 600.

Well he never changed the cam but did fit the Holley and it was exactly the same...it was a gutless piece of crap..even unloaded.

The truck sold in the clearing sale for $1000....I seriously thought about buying just to fix the engine up and not let it beat me...but in the end I just let it go...not much use for a water tanker in Gosford.

Back to top

#4 fatslr

Forum Fixture

Members
1,247 posts

Name:Garth
Location:Dunsborough W.A.
Joined: 17-July 07

View Garage

Posted 11 June 2008 - 11:17 AM

I had blue 308 in an ex-pursuit VH Commodore it had a Performer manifold and extractors and it went pretty hard thinking about it i have had all colour 308s and they have all gone pretty good.
It all depends on mods they all GO

Back to top

#5 TerrA LX

Fulcrum Fixture

Members
14,241 posts

Location:Sid 'n' knee
Joined: 31-May 06

Posted 11 June 2008 - 01:12 PM

Cam timing is actually in the sprocket it's self and cam be advanced.
The polution gear did suck but if tuned properly made little difference to performance, tho with age they can give you trouble.

Back to top

#6 yel327

Oh My, Don't you post alot

Members
13,719 posts

Joined: 10-February 08

Posted 11 June 2008 - 04:31 PM

There isn't that much difference between pre 304 blue/black motors and red motors. The pollution reds have absolute dogs of inlet manifolds and at least the blue 253's got a Quadrajet plus the post red engines got HEI dizzys. The major differences that would affect power are camshaft (and retardation) plus the drop in compression in the blue engines from the pollution reds. If you change the cam and inlet manifold (on both engines) there would be very little power difference between a red and a blue/black engine. Apart from the HDT and L34 engines the best of them in factory guise of course is a pre ADR27A red engine.

On that Bedford, was it a factory Holden example? Those 308's were a V prefix low compression 308 with a 2 barrel rochester (like a HK 307) and a governer. By V prefix I mean not xR, xS, xT or xU (respectively 253HC, 253LC, 308HC, 350). The prefix was BV. Was it definitely a blue motor? The Bedford 253 (BS) and 308 (BV) engines had HEI dizzys but I haven't been able to figure out for sure if they were red or blue blocks and heads. Been meaning to check out a Bedford E/M/S series parts catalogue but haven't got to it yet.