[steve]

lots of guys dont have a pontiac guru in the back yard. can we list 10 things or so that you might need to check the chevy guy on ?

1. oil galley plugs
2.
3.

[JoeF]

Something tells me this list will be a lot longer than 10.

[Brian Baker]

Pontiac = CCW distributor rotation

[A.W.Dille]

We have a shop here where the machinest said there is no difference between a Chevy and a Pontiac I flat out told him he wasn't touching anything of mine and walked out.

[Mr. P-Body]

Steve,

Just a "nit"... (:- "oil galley plug"... A "galley" is the kitchen aboard ship... There are no kitchens in an engine, they are oil "galleries" (like a shooting gallery or photo gallery).

Agreed, the gallery plugs. Tapping the front two (which any good Chevy guy does to the small block) for "pipe" plugs. Drilling the one behind the distributor to provide positive lube to the gears, a KNOWN wear point.

Rod orientation - one of the MOST "repeated" errors we see in assembly is the rods are installed backwards, ala Chevy.

Where does the thrust main go? We've seen them on #3, #5 and even #1. In a few cases, the engine came to us because every time they torqued the mains, the crank would "lock up". Wonder why...

Non-adjustable valve train - For stockers. We've seen several over the years where the stop-nuts were trying to be used as "adjuster nuts", simply because they didn't read the book... They come in clacking like crazy...

"Pinning" studs- VERY difficult with '67-newer heads. It's done too often. Makes them nearlyy impossible to "fix" for screw-in studs.

How to install a rope seal...

Makes GREAT power UNDER 6,000 RPM.

I'm sure there are more, but these should get some folks talking!

Jim

[Overkillphil]

Factory "Air gap" intake, (not found on Cheapy).

No need to pull distributer to change intake

No need to pull oil pan to change timing chain, cam, etc.

No "big block" or "small block".

[steve]

1. oil gallerie plugs
2. CCW distributor rotation
3. rod orientation
4. pressed in stud with adj valvetrain
5. rope seal install
6.

[OINK 1]

Pontiac:
1-Long rod motor.
2-Machined combustion chambers.
3-Torque monster

Chevy:
1-Superior head flow
2-Forged rods
3-Can rebuild with pipe wrench
4-Incorrect rebuilding techniques passed down generation to generation.

There's some 4 you all
Pontiac Gregg

[PONTIAC LARRY]

1. Distributer Rotation
2. Stock Valve Adjustment
3. Interchangeability of Parts
4. Correct Lifter Oil band
5 Hi-Performance Engine Combination (under 6000 shifts)
6. Headbolts - not a coolant path
7. Oil Gallery Plugs
8. Headers are a B*TCH
9. Stock Intake is better !
10.Stock Cams are hard to beat versus "Modern" lobes .LOL

[Hammertime Mike]

These are good points for you to know that the person that your trusting to build your motor knows the differences.We've boughten"rebuilt motors with rods in wrong and the same with the thrust bearing being placed in the wrong place.This is more common than most would think.Make sure you have a Pontiac guy to do this work,it doesn't cost any more money and it can actually save you alot of heart ache!

[steve]

a lot of guys wont admit to not building a bunch of poncho motors. a few shops near me swear they "do it all" and "follow the book". they arent going to turn down a build ! i like to ask them a few questions about these sort of things to hear what they say. act dumb and tell them you dont know a thrust bearing from a rod bearing and see what they say. you can usually tell if they know what they are doing pretty quick. cant be too many builders out there who are successful enough to do ONLY pontiacs !!!!

[triathlonx13]

Originally Posted by Mr. P-Body

Rod orientation - one of the MOST "repeated" errors we see in assembly is the rods are installed backwards, ala Chevy.

Can you explain this more ??

[i82much]

Originally Posted by triathlonx13

Can you explain this more ??

Chevies have huge wristpins and really small rod journals.

[TIN TIGR]

i have seen oldsmobiles with the rods oriented both ways from the factory..good hi-mileage cores..if you understand how to look at any engine you can build it..you may not get every trick in the book on it, but it will sure as hell run..

i took a 35 year old 350p apart yesterday..its all standard and completely cherry..pontiac built some great engines....new rings and bearings and its going back in..i could have re-used every bearing in it, except the cams..that stuff excites me now days..lol


i have built amc, buicks, cadillacs,chevys,dodges,fords,olds,pontiacs,and even a studebaker with a blower...i wont count the import stuff..they all have little design quirks but if you have more than a 2 digit I.Q. you will be alright..the guys that have trouble should have never picked up a wrench..

[steve25]

When the builder has not taken the motor apart themselves they forget to install the cam thrust plate that the chebby does not have stock!

[PONTIAC LARRY]

I should have included that....good point.

Although with the threaded holes on either side..it would be dumb not to notice...LOL

[Ben M.]

Originally Posted by triathlonx13

Can you explain this more ??

Not to mention the #2 piston is first on the crank.

[GTOLou]

Yeah, more on the rod info. I bought a 455 76 TA w/ a rebuilt motor (???done by a chevy guy?? in georgia) that had KB pistons, Hroller cam/lifters and CAT rods. Thing has been run for several years (not too hard).

I am taking it apart again (second time) for leaking rear main.



I have noticed that the casting #'s that help w/ getting caps and rods together w/o switching wrong cap/with rod are hard to READ. The opposite side of the rod that DOESN'T have any numbers would be easy to see and read IF...the numbers had been punched on that side. (the stampings on the rods and caps are facing inward - not outward, where they'd be easy to read)

Were these installed backwards?? If so, it has been run for a few years..will it hurt?

[Mr. P-Body]

Rod orientation. This seems to be an area of confusion, even among the "faithful". As Ben said, #2 cylinder is further forward in the block than #1. In reality, it's "laid out" like a Ford V8, but "numbered" like most other GMs. As a result, the bearing tangs face INWARD toward the camshaft, like a Ford. SOME Olds and Buick engines are like this (bearing tangs), most are not. The arch-type "Chevy builder" will invariably install the rods "tangs out" and then say the rods were "hung backwards". They will usually learn from this and not repeat the mistake, but one never knows...

Lou,

More than likely, yours are NOT installed backwards. If you find an inordinate amount of "peelings" (slices of babbet or aluminum) in your oil filter, maybe. But failure is usually pretty close behind assembly, as the oil get "trapped" in the bearings and burns, in turn burning the bearing. The "chamfer" on the side of the rod that meets the crank surface is where the oil drains from the bearing. If it's backwards, the oil can't drain. Getting the oil OUT of the bearing is every bit as important as getting it IN to it.

If there is still confusion around this, let me know and I'll try to "prepare" a paper on it.

Steve,

Right you are! We don't care WHAT color you paint it, we'll build it! We (CVMS) simply have an affinity for the ol' Injun. But if you do some serious research, you will find, with only one or two exceptions, the FASTEST and QUICKEST Pontiac-powered cars get their engines from shops that DO build more than JUST Pontiacs. Scott Rex, John Langer, Scott Roberts, Jay DeLaigle, all deal with shops that are not Pontiac "specific". I'm sure you recognize most of those names. All of them are about the most powerful cars in their respective "class".

Jim

[66Mutt]

Jim mentioned the thrust bearings. I am not an engine builder but I was told there was a difference between the Chevy & Pontiac. When I pulled my transmission I noticed my crank had 100 thous of longitudinal movement. Reminded me of a foosball game with the crank running back and forth in the block. I called Len Williams and he asked me where the thrust bearing were. I found one of the caps on the front of the engine pointing to the outside of the block. Anyway, is there a difference between Chevy and Pontiac such that the previous builder built it Chevy style? In reality, I suspect it was built Bubba Style.
Doug