Pontiac Bit Me....

I know that I have not been a member here very long and had a very limited number of posts. I have been very very busy with so many things lately that I haven't had time to get on here and participate as much as I would like, so please, if I may eat up a bit of your time to vent?

You may have seen pics of my Grand Prix in the introduction section. In the past it has sat for extended periods of time due to strange work schedule, but since my lay off in July, I have been catching up on a lot of low to zero dollar things that I have meant to do for so long. That and coupled with the fact that about 6 weeks ago, my wife and I learned that one of the twins that she is pregnant with had died. We still have our little boy, and he is scheduled for September 7th, but the loss of our little girl was devastating. So, like many of you, I turned to my car to help me escape from the world...it's not that I didn't want to think about our loss, it's just a way to cope...when I am wrenching, I feel a little bit better about life and I can focus. So needless to say, I have spent many, many hours in the garage these last few months. So a few weeks ago, I was able to sell off a part here and there and scrounge enough bread to buy a mild cam for the Poncho, I had been spending a lot of time messing with timing and advance curves and got about all I could get out of the stock smogger cam. I figured that this would be the last hurrah for a while, before the boy got here. I was excited to see the FEDEX truck and the Summit box in his hand. I immediately headed out to disassemble the old Pontiac 350. I was so happy that everything was going good... I mean better than I expected...the bolts I expected to break, didn't. The coolant I expected to get all over the floor made it to the bucket, and the intake didn't break my back coming out..heavy sucker. The only thing that fought me a little bit, was getting the cam gear off and the lifters didn't want to come out of the bores too easily...but nothing too crazy. So, as I was happily disassembling I finally made it to pulling the old cam out...no problem. Came right out gave me to hassle. I checked the lobes...nothing out of the ordinary for 30+ years of service. Bearing journals were showing they're age , but nothing that stood out as problematic. Turned to the cam bearings to inspect them and felt the pit of my stomach drop out...the bearings were horrible. I mean, not a scuff or two here and there..they were freakin' disintegrating! Pieces of bearing came off in my hand as I felt them...not like the cam was riding on the journal of the block...but the top layer of bearing material was flaking and peeling away. So, here I sit...engine torn down to the long block, destroyed cam bearings, very little bread left and my baby boy coming in two weeks. So, all of this whining is not all for naught , I have a decision to make here. Pull the motor, install cam bearings, while I am at it put mains, rod bearings and rings (provided I don't have a too bad of a ridge), kind of patch it up until I can find a 400 or 455...or just let it sit and start hunting now...400s are getting harder to find...and 455s are like hen's teeth. And honestly, no offense to anyone, I know small block chevies are so cheap and easy...but not interested in putting one in right now....I really like Pontiac engines Either way, my summer cruising days are done.

Thanks for listening...if I am in the wrong section please let me know.

Thanks,

Jesse

Put the parts in it and put it back together and drive it . If you start procrastinating and the next thing you know years will go buy, that you could be enjoying that car.

ant7377 wrote:Put the parts in it and put it back together and drive it . If you start procrastinating and the next thing you know years will go buy, that you could be enjoying that car.

X2 - At least then you can enjoy driving around in the Poncho while looking for the 400 or 455.

That's the way I am leaning, i can tear it down and re-ring it and have cam bearings installed with a reasonable investment, provided I don't have any other surprises waiting inside the bores or crank journals. It has good compression, doesn't smoke and makes good power, so hopefully I can get lucky

I have fallen victim to the "leave it tore down until I...." syndrome before. ant7377 is right...time goes by, next thing you know..someone is hauling your "basket case" off on a trailer.

This just came at a really bad time, and I was thinking that since it was going to be down for a while..might as well find the bigger motor. But, I really should get this motor back together it while I am motivated, and enjoy the car, until that "perfect" deal comes through


Thanks,

Jesse

Sorry to hear about your little one.

Keep your head up and keep at it- sometimes you get a curve ball when the engine is concerned (believe me I know).

It seems the Pontiac Gods have smiled upon me. Picked up a real clean 400 yesterday, gonna tear it down and check it out. All the numbers come back to a 1976 400 Manual Trans car..block VIN comes back as Norwood Ohio plant. As far as I can research the only Pontiacs built at Norwood were firebirds. Since this is a 185 HP block (anemic...it was '76 after all), it is the highest HP 400 of that year...so I am inclined to think it may have come from a T/A, but it's impossible to say for sure 99.999% sure it's a firebird at least. I got my 350 patched up for now so I can take a little time on the 400.

Baby boy coming next Friday!

congrats on lil one

congrats on the baby..........keep in mind,they grow quick.

Congrats on the little slugger.

Thanks guys, it's been a rough pregnancy for my wife...we will be glad to have it over with and get our boy home.