Pontiac 400 Firebird Trans Am Reassembly Begins!... and then

Рет қаралды 5,100

8 ай бұрын

After a head gasket failure and overheating issues popped up on our customers awesome 1979 Pontiac Trans Am the heads have been refreshed, and ready to go back on the original 400 Pontiac block. This isn't a full engine rebuild, just a refresh with a new Comp Cams Camshaft after we noticed some concerning issues on the teardown.
Unfortunately as seems to almost always be the case we run into another snag that stops the project in it's tracks.

Пікірлер: 28

@clintonsmith9931 8 ай бұрын

Any one that can make a AMC run can do a bird blindfolded and with one hand behind his back! Watched these guys for a while, they do a very good job.

@DonCatherman 8 ай бұрын

I built a 400 Pontiac motor over 20 year's ago.. solid flat tapit cam.. 6x heads. 30 over Forged pistons.. still runs great today.. countless 200 shots of nitrous.... 👍👍😎💯

@WiSeNhEiMeR-1369 8 ай бұрын

HOWdy LUCORE Thanks COOP the WiSeNhEiMeR from Richmond, INDIANA ...

@Harry455. 7 ай бұрын

You are special

@ivycycles 8 ай бұрын

Like going back in time for me seeing that motor. Pontiac 455 was the first engine I rebuilt back in the late 70's. I only wish I knew back then what I know now, lol! Nice job Rich 🙂

@jeffjankiewicz5100 8 ай бұрын

I`m not a fan of green cars, but that Firebird is downright gorgeous. You guys are keeping it real with oem parts for the T/A. Awesome job Rich, thanks for sharing Austin. Damn I wish I lived closer, if I did I would never turn another wrench on my own older junk. My 96 Blazer needs an engine, but I have never worked on 4wd. Had it been 2wd, the 4.3 would be on a stand torn down to find out what happened. I`m thinking a spun bearing due to the racket it makes when running. Bought it used last year for 500 bucks after it sat for a year. Old owner kicked her bf out and kept the Blazer. I love that thing. Ran great till it didn`t😁. I want to twin turbo it🤣. Stay safe all, God Bless.🙏

@terryeustice5399 8 ай бұрын

Yes Rich that firebird was so clean. Nice car. And the TransAm has turned out not good. With the timing chain cover. Thanks guys for sharing. 💯👍👊

@user-hi2ev7ug4l 8 ай бұрын

Very nice 67' bird

@vhp454 8 ай бұрын

We use aftermarket timing covers from Kaufman. We use blocks from All Pontiac and again Kaufman heads and intakes

@dennisoliver9120 8 ай бұрын

Hey Rich, If I remember correctly , you removed the Distributer. 180 degrees off. That will make a difference in your Timing chain set.

@jct300m 8 ай бұрын

The OEM Poncho timing cover are also known to pit pretty bad & cause small pin hole water leaks.....

@hydroy1 8 ай бұрын

Butler Pontiac has new repops

@LucoreAuto 8 ай бұрын

You can certainly see a LOT of pitting on this one, not sure it had a leak but it's not something we really want to put back together and chance.

@LucoreAuto 8 ай бұрын

@hydroy1 have looked at those, as well as the ones from Pro Form but don't know anyone with first hand experience of the covers. Do you?

@jct300m 8 ай бұрын

The OEM covers are now pushing 50 yrs old..I think if I were in your situation, I'd try a Repop from like Butler Performance. The newest OEM's would be from 1979..There just getting to old..When "Pin holes" were my problem...TWICE--Repops were not even produced yet..So its was just keep trying to find ANOTHER OEM & hope for best..Back then...@@LucoreAuto

@joshkjohnson 8 ай бұрын

Pontiac guys seem to talk about Butler Performance as their go to for parts. Fast Monty's Garage channel might be useful for you.

@IronChief 8 ай бұрын

Always use o.e.m. cover if possible. The others don't fit as well as you'd like them to.

@pockets5628 8 ай бұрын

Get a new timing cover from Butler Performance. I wouldn’t trust comp cams valvetrain. At least the lifters, get US made Isky or Melling.

@davidgough1161 8 ай бұрын

Nice 1st gen bird, BTW I hate green!

@hydroy1 8 ай бұрын

To bad it's LS powered. would be much more interesting with a real Ram Air II Pontiac motor. Veeeeeeeery rare !.

@LucoreAuto 8 ай бұрын

Green is tough to pull off but this car is GORGEOUS. Would certainly not kick it out of the stable.

@zerocontent3171 8 ай бұрын

It happens fast it's usually done wrong.

@philb5858 8 ай бұрын

What's the cam specs?

@hydroy1 8 ай бұрын

The green 68 Bird is a mutt, that's not a Pontiac motor, just another boring LS. 🙃😵☹🤬

@LucoreAuto 8 ай бұрын

As Pontiac purists we get it but that thing is a BEAUTIFUL mutt and there's no denying for a fact capable drag and drive style there's no beating a twin turbo LS.

@andyb9072 8 ай бұрын

I bet 100 that cam goes flat in 10 minutes or less

@vhp454 8 ай бұрын

Lucore are intelligent techs, they understand that the oil needs zinc, they know it has to be broken in correctly. Younger generations have no common sense about flat tappet cams.

@apachebill 8 ай бұрын

No. It will work. And with a bunch of preload the lifters won’t pump up and blow the staple-like keepers all through the motor like mine did. First set I ever used. And last. I run Rhoads Lifters exclusively and they have never failed me in over 40 years. They have snap ring keepers. See Comps keepers retrieved from my oil pan on my Community page. First 6k blast that is where they’ll be.