Pontiac restoration

[Gator]

good work what is it a 400 ?

[Ponti]

It say's it's a 455, but I was told that it had been breathed on. I've not seen any signs of boring yet, but still have to lift the heads.  If it has then it is meat to be 461ish.  Will see.

[Gator]

i will give you a shout if i have any bits n bobs

the heads are kin heavy btw

[Ponti]

Ta, Haven't stripped a Pontiac engine for a while.

[Ponti]

Took the valley pan off, and the top looks ok, so I've decided not to remove the heads (fingers crossed). Just cleaning s different valley pan to fit as the 1 that came off was bent and battered.  Just need to clean the intake, and then refit it into the car.  I hate headers and stupid bolt placement, well actually I think it's more the way the tubes are bent. The middle 1's are a right (insert word)

[Gator]

yeah mine are like that you jut cant get a spanner on a couple of them how the hell you are supposed to torque them is anyones guess

[Ponti]

Yeah, can only just get an open ended spanner on them

[Gator]

Quoting: Ponti

Yeah, can only just get an open ended spanner on them

even then you cant tighten them coz they start rounding and that would be bad  

i think i have a valley pan gasket spare here i will have a look its not included in the kit for some stupid reason and quite hard to find

[Jamieg285]

Quoting: Gator

Quoting: Ponti
Yeah, can only just get an open ended spanner on them


even then you cant tighten them coz they start rounding and that would be bad

I was just abut to say, just wait until one of those rounds off when you're trying to remove it!

I had to cut through the header tube to make room for a socket.  Luckily the headers were scrap and I was removing replace.

[Ponti]

My headers have been on and off twice today

 I have had a very bad fitting engine day.

Fitted engine back in with gearbox already in car, would it line up, would it h***,  managed to get a couple of bolts to hold and straped it to the engine and pulled the lot.
Took me 2minutes once it was out the car to line it all up.

Also found you can't fit the oil filter housing before fitting header

Now all i need to do is clean under the car as i spilt a LITTLE bit of trans fluid

[Gator]

im gonna do engine and box in one go or am i

got me thinking now

[Jamieg285]

I would recommend engine and box together.  Make the whole job a lot easier.  No trying to align it, no squeezing into tight spaces to tighten the bolts.

[Gator]

yeah yer right jamie its just the 400 is a hell of a weight but all in one is gonna be best

[Ponti]

Took my engine crane back to the hire centre today, was a good bit of kit lifted the 455 and box ok.

And I'd agree with Jamie, take both out, so much easier lining them up out on the flat.

[Gator]

it came out in one piece and i have my own crane so plenty of time to play with

[Ponti]

Lucky you, wish I had the space to keep my own, Hopefully I won't need 1 again for ages

[Jamieg285]

It can't be that much more than the 400 SBC + box.  What rating is your crane?

[Gator]

crane is a ton but i was more concerned about it dangling off an ally intake

i have some 10 ton truck slings and am gonna lift that way sorted


sorry for stealing your thread a bit there ponti

[Ponti]

No probs mate.

 As for lifting I fitted 2 bolts into the front and rear faces of both heads and lifted off there.  If that makes sense to you.

[Cunning Plan]

[Ponti]

OK will try and take some later now it's back in.

[Ponti]

OK Car fans. BIG news........








She's Alive.....


Fuel and battery are rigged up, BUT who cares. This is the first time that the engine has been run in at least 5 years, I've had it 4 years and was told it had been standing for a year before I bought it.
I have a couple of oil leaks off the rocker covers to sort and a few minor tweeks to do but I am SO glad that it's running.

[Incursus]

 Private Video or something

Congrats though

[Roadkill]

Quoting: Incursus

Private Video

Must be the season - I got my Camaro fired for the first time in years on saturday, too !!

[Ponti]

Ta. Video now public.