Do you Replace or Rebuild a 1979 FireBird engine. I have not a clue on what to do about this.

 

You can rebuild or replace the engine, your choice. Only if it's completely popped or bored to the limit or cracked is it unrebuildable.

What engine do you have? If it's a low perf, you might want to replace it with a better one.

 

There were no 455's after '76, and I don't remember if they had 400's. It all depends on the engine.. if it's not a 400 or a 455 replace it with one! It's not hard... I swapped a 350 for a 400, took two days
What engine do you got? If you don't know, just post the VIN number.

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Cherry Black '76 Firebird,400,COMPXE268 ADV 2*,6X-4'S (8.4:1),PERF-RPM INTAKE,2.46's,1,5/8"headers, 2.5" duals, TH350...
2002 Cavalier, daily driver, no mods. 17.337@79.80mph@3500'

 

There were a few Pontiac 400's in the 1979 models, but most were Olds 403's........If you have an olds 403, maybe consider getting a different engine to put in there....

I myself was considering getting a 350 chevy for an engine when I learned that mine was shot because I can't afford to rebuild a Pontiac 400 motor and get some performance out of it at this point. However, the transmission will not fit the chevy motors.....If I had an extra $750 or so I'd buy a rebuilt chevy tranny and put the 350 in there just because parts are so much cheaper and plentiful on those things. It's sacrelige, but I have considered it at one point....I didn't in the end though.

HEY OP! Do you have any times or estimated power for your '76? My engine is being rebuilt, and I should have 9:1 compression out of my 6x heads, I might get the XE268H cam like you have, I have an edelbrock intake/carb and hooker headers and dual exhaust as well (only 2.25" though, because at the time I didn't think I would add much to the motor later on ). I will also have a B&M holeshot 2000 Torque converter and maybe shift kit. I have stock gears. I'm wondering what I can run and what HP I can make with this combo.

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1978 Trans Am, will be alive soon, engine being rebuilt.....I'll get out of the 15's someday...http://community.webshots.com/user/aj1978ta

[This message has been edited by AJ1978TA (edited July 24, 2002).]

 

AJ, I never ran the car at the track, just because I was still running stock gears and converter. However a guy at classicalpontiac.com ran almost the exact same combo as mine in the mid 13's with 3.08 gears and a 2000stall converter. I've asked the same question as you there about how much power I'd be making. I was told that I am making between 330-340hp with my combo, but if I up'd the compression and did a little more to the heads I should be making around 370HP. That's what I'm doing right now I actually ended up spinning a bearing, so the whole engine needs to be taken apart... and balanced this time. So we should have almost identical combos by next summer!!!
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Cherry Black '76 Firebird,400,COMPXE268 ADV 2*,6X-4'S (8.4:1),PERF-RPM INTAKE,2.46's,1,5/8"headers, 2.5" duals, TH350...
2002 Cavalier, daily driver, no mods. 17.337@79.80mph@3500'

[This message has been edited by OP (edited July 24, 2002).]

 

I have a 400 short block forsale! $500 total delivered to any major airport in the US. I am in Houston. This is of the 1968 vintage.....years of the GTO. It came out of a factory 350 horse 68 GTO. Was running when pulled.....only reason it was pulled was to put the correct engine in the 67 GTO it was in. This would be a GREAT performer wiht your heads, intake, distributor, and carb! It comes with timing cover, water pump, windage tray, and oils pan already assembled.

 

There ya go MYPEARL!
My engine is already coming along, slow as it may be, so I don't need it thank you....Sounds like a fair price...

 

If you have the Olds 403 in it and want to keep it somewhat original during the rebuild, check out www.mondellotwister.com He is an Olds engine specialist and can get serious horsepower out of the 403. I'm looking at ordering a ProStreet turnkey 403 from him that is street legal, emissions compliant, runs on pump gas, and makes over 400 hp. Gives me a way to make good power and still have the factory correct engine in it even if it isn't numbers matching any more.

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Tom

79 TA Suspension rebuilt... tranny and rear end are next....
2001 Silverado 2500HD, Duramax, Allison, 4wd... big ol' beast of a truck...
2002 SS Convertible #675 Kenny Brown SFCs

 

ive got a 79 TA. and if it was originally an automatic, its a 403. if its a 4 speed manual, its the pontiac 400.

the olds is supposedly 185 HP, and the pontiac (6X) is supposed to be like 200 hp. however, the olds was rated @ 330 lb/ft. cool.

anyhow, i rebuilt my 403 @ 107k miles, and it was pristene inside. the only reason i built it, is cuz i thought i floated a valve, and couldnt start the car after heating the tires at the track.

i had the short block reconditioned, stock comp (7.8), added a Crane Powermax (216/228, .484/.512@ 0.050" lift) Rhoades lifters, comp cams roller rocker conversion kit, gasket matched and ported intake ports, ported exhaust port roofs, Edlebrock performer, Qjet 795cfm, and melling HV oil pump. im estimating 340 HP@5000 rpm, and 430 lb/ft @ 3000 rpm. these Olds 403's make torque like you wouldnt beleive. just from fiddling w/ Dyno2000, it showed me the Torque starting at 398@ 2000, 425@ 2500, 428@3000, 425@3500, 417@4000, 397@4500, 358@5000... thats an insane torque curve...more like a torque plateau.

btw, im using 1 3/4" primaries, 3" exhaust, H pipe, and Dynomax Bullets, or similar.

if i plug that motor into Drag2000, it says a 77 camaro @ 3600 lbs, TH350 1800rpm Stall, 3.23 gears, 26x8.5" street tires, and shifting at 5250rpm, itll run 12.8's, not bad for a full weight car, 7.8 compression, and 86 octane.

im expecting real-world 13.0's w/ a good launch. im sure i can break 12s w/ some weight loss.

i say build the olds, make it sleeper, and whoop on the unsuspecting folks.

good luck
chris

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1979 Trans Am WS-4
Cold air shaker/750 Qjet
NO ENGINE OR TRANS (6.6 TA buildup in prog, RA IV derivative= 600+ HP/600+ Lb/ft w/ NOS!! WHEeeeee!!!)
HD coolingil, trans, 4row rad.
15x8 WS-6 snowflakes/ 245/60/R15 Daytona S/R
Walker/ dynomax headers/ gutted cats/ Flowmaster 80 series/ FLAMEthrowers
Gen IV Dark caribe flip-flop paint/ tan velour int.
Clarion audio

86 Trans Am LG4
88 Mazda RX7 (www.rx7club.com ID:flubyux2)
01 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS (www.i-club.com ID:FLUBYUx2)
85 K5 Blazer

 

Chris,
Just out of curiousity, what did this rebuild cost for the engine work and parts? I'm looking at replacing mine with a turnkey crate 403 from Mondello rated at 410hp and 425ft/lbs of torgue. They're asking $6k plus shipping. Since you got similar numbers out of your build, I'm curious about the price comparison between the options.
Thanks


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Tom

79 TA Suspension rebuilt... tranny and rear end are next....
2001 Silverado 2500HD, Duramax, Allison, 4wd... big ol' beast of a truck...
2002 SS Convertible #675 Kenny Brown SFCs