Author Topic: Stupid Engine Question (Read 4700 times)

Turtle · « **on:** February 26, 2007, 11:58:16 AM »

Hey folks, I'll apologize in advance for this question, but I'm a complete Pontiac noob.

I've always been a Ford and Mopar guy; I've owned a '65 Mustang with a 289/4spd and a '69 Dodge Charger with a 383/727, amongst others. I also currently have a '91 Camaro RS with the 305/700R4, and my little brother has a '78 Nova with a 305/350, which I've helped him work on a lot, so I have some experience with Chevy products.

I've always wanted a '77 - '81 Trans Am, being a HUGE fan of "Smokey and the Bandit". Long story short, a guy at work is giving me a '79 Firebird with a small-displacement V8. He thinks it's a 305. Is this the same engine as the Chevy 305 of similar years?

GK_STAR · « **Reply #1 on:** February 26, 2007, 12:28:45 PM »

If it's a 305 it's a Chevy engine, 301 it's a Pontiac engine.

Rick · « **Reply #2 on:** February 26, 2007, 12:57:58 PM »

Yep -- if it's a 305 and it's a SBC, then it's the same SBC as others of that vintage. But like GK-STAR said, if it looks like a Pontiac engine then it will be the 301.

milly · « **Reply #3 on:** February 27, 2007, 12:42:19 AM »

Is the engine original as far as you know?? If so, post the VIN and we can decode it for you. That will tell you what came from the factory.

Turtle · « **Reply #4 on:** February 27, 2007, 11:56:42 AM »

Quote from: "milly"

Is the engine original as far as you know?? If so, post the VIN and we can decode it for you. That will tell you what came from the factory.

Yeah, pretty sure it's the original engine. Gonna try to get over there today and check out the VIN.

Thing is, I'm not sure what a Pontiac engine looks like. lol All of FoMoCo used pretty much the same engines across the brands, and same with Mopar, and that is what I'm used to. I know that Olds, Pontiac, Buick, and Chevy all had their own engines. . . I just don't know what the differences are. I've read that the late Seventies TransAms had an Olds engine in them, and I wasn't sure at what point GM started sharing engines between brands.

How much do these engines share? Would I, for instance, be able to use headers for a SBC on a Pontiac 301? Like I said, these are stupid questions, but I'm at the ground floor here, so I need to learn everything about Pontiacs as I go.

Can anyone point me in the direction of a good book on Pontiac engines? A place to find a cheap shop manual would be great, too.

GK_STAR · « **Reply #5 on:** February 27, 2007, 12:30:30 PM »

I've got both the Chilton's and Hayne's manuals. Here's one on E-Bay right now that might work for you.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Pontiac-Trans-Am-Firebird-Repair-manual-HAYNES-chiltons_W0QQitemZ130082572441QQihZ003QQcategoryZ34232QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

eroc022 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 27, 2007, 07:10:33 PM »

Quote

Can anyone point me in the direction of a good book on Pontiac engines? A place to find a cheap shop manual would be great, too.

Brett carries the factory service manuals on cd....they are alot more detailed and instruction oriented for the cars....for the price of a manual thats what i would get...

Turtle · « **Reply #7 on:** February 27, 2007, 09:06:16 PM »

Thanks for the info, everybody! I really appreciate it. I actually just ordered the Haynes manual from Advance, and it'll be here tomorrow, but thanks for checking Ebay. And thanks, Evan, I will probably pick up that manual soon.

I'm really gald to see that this isn't one of those "flame-happy" sort of forums; there's one Jeep forum that I'm on where if someone asks a rookie-ish question, EVERYBODY comes on and says what an idiot that person is for asking a simple question. I'm sure I'll be bothering you guys with a bunch of stupid questions over the next several months as the learning curve progresses.

Turtle · « **Reply #8 on:** February 27, 2007, 09:16:12 PM »

Quote from: "Rick"

Yep -- if it's a 305 and it's a SBC, then it's the same SBC as others of that vintage. But like GK-STAR said, if it looks like a Pontiac engine then it will be the 301.

So, I guess the core of my question should be:

Did Pontiac use the Chevy 305 in this vintage of Firebird, or is the dude just wrong and it's a 301?

I'm pretty sure it's the original engine, as it was his girlfriend's car (hasn't been hot-rodded at all) and it still has the original radio with it (the damn thing is BONE STOCK).

And the more I think about it, I'm gonna assume that nothing will interchange between the SBC and a Pontiac engine? Is that right? It would just be too easy.

eroc022 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 27, 2007, 09:19:03 PM »

yep the 305 was offered in 1978 and up, till it basically ruled the car in the third generation, and you are correct, cant interchange anything between the two, if you are just getting the car thats a great deal but if your just looking at the car, and if you want i can come look at it with you and break down all the numbers for you?

Rick · « **Reply #10 on:** February 27, 2007, 09:58:02 PM »

Quote from: "Turtle"

I'm really gald to see that this isn't one of those "flame-happy" sort of forums; there's one Jeep forum that I'm on where if someone asks a rookie-ish question, EVERYBODY comes on and says what an idiot that person is for asking a simple question.

Everybody is a nood when they start, and slapping people who ask a simple question is NOT the way to grow this hobby. Brett's crowd is polite (although a bit irreverent at times) and respectful -- a great group!

:wink:

79 S E W72 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 27, 2007, 10:10:39 PM »

Didn't the 305 come only in a 4 speed trans?

Turtle · « **Reply #12 on:** February 27, 2007, 10:11:18 PM »

Quote from: "eroc022"

yep the 305 was offered in 1978 and up, till it basically ruled the car in the third generation, and you are correct, cant interchange anything between the two, if you are just getting the car thats a great deal but if your just looking at the car, and if you want i can come look at it with you and break down all the numbers for you?

Well, then here's to hoping that it has the SBC in it! Parts for those things are dirt cheap!

I appreciate the offer, but I already told him that I'd take it. However, if you wanna come up and help me wrench on it once I get . . . I certainly won't turn you down!

Turtle · « **Reply #13 on:** February 27, 2007, 10:13:22 PM »

Quote from: "79 S E W72"

Didn't the 305 come only in a 4 speed trans?

I hope not; this is definitely an auto.

Good intro to my next question, though:

Were the trannies shared? Is it likely that I have a TH350 under this thing or are there Pontiac specific trannies too?

79 S E W72 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 27, 2007, 10:18:22 PM »

If I am not mistaken pontiac used TH 350 after 74 exclusively becuse the TH 400 would not fit under the car along with the catalytic converter.