Guess whos back with a boatload of new questions!!!

Good to see you back.

Yes, you can buy engine rebuilding kits from a boatload of sources out there. Most "kits" are pieces and parts from various vendors. Perhaps Sealed Power timing parts, Victor Reinz gaskets, rings from this guy, rods from that guy, etc, etc, etc.

Depending on what you want to do with it would determine what kit you need. I would say the major stock kits are fine from someone like Sealed Power, for instance.

As for swapping a 400 into a third gen, do you really want to do that? Your FI engine is light years ahead of a carbed one in many aspects (coming from a guy with three carbed F bodies!!), so why would you go in reverse and put a carbed engine on it? Go for a 350 crate motor from GM, you'll be happy you did.

Don't "rip out" anything. The computer and emission controls can be optimized with the engine and platform you choose so the car is street legal, gets decent fuel mileage AND runs better than any hack job you'd do by swapping in something that didn't belong there in the first place :). Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director '80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 27k orig. '79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig '84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 143k and still going.... '91 S10 Blazer 4.3Z

Also a GM dealer should stock your pulley, if not they can easily determine what it should have from the OEM standpoint.

As for stripping a car, Refinish King is your man here, but I would say PROPER chemical stripping or media blasting is the best way to go to get the body prepped right. Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director '80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 27k orig. '79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig '84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 143k and still going.... '91 S10 Blazer 4.3Z

Thanks...

Well, I got the 400 with the th400 trans for $200.. figure I couldn't beat that... and the 305 looks like s*it, there are some parts broke in it, and it wasn't treated well at all and I wanted a Pontiac engine. So I guess thats why I want to do it.. plus there can't be too many of them in 3rd gens.. :) And it would be a good project for me.. anyone can put in an engine that is SUPPOSED to go in the car.. lol

So don't go the bakingssoda route? Went fast annd looked easy.. not sure whats involved with chemical stripping, etc.. only saw this work and with my limited experience, looked like it would work for me. Got any more info on it? About the pulley, I went to Carqquest AND Napa, both said thaat they come with different sizes, that I would need to know the size for them to get it to me.... So just go to a dealer? Like I said, the one on there isn't right, so I can't go by ythose specs.. and the car is 200 miles away right now.

The dealer's parts book may readily describe the pulley needed in a way that the aftermarket catalogs don't so easily. So, yes, I would call a dealer and ask them. Any GM dealer will do.

As for engines in cars, ya anyone can do a swap, but not everyone can make it LOOK like it belongs/came in there. That's the trick.

I always laugh at guys with non original motors and all that other jazz who brag about this and that when half of the accessories don't work or lights are glowing on the dash from someone's "mastery" at installing an engine.

It should look, run, emit, and operate like the engine it came with. Otherwise the conversion is worthless.

What good is it to have all that "power" and half the nice things about the car (A/C, power options) are disconnected? LOL. Might as well drive a fast go-kart!

Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director '80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 27k orig. '79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig '84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 143k and still going.... '91 S10 Blazer 4.3Z

I'm in... they should have put a pontiac engine in it at the factory. I guess the 305's are economical, but if someone wants an economy car that a different category. You can also add fuel injection to the Pontiac 400. Either way I believe you will get better perfomance out of the Pontiac Engine if its done right. As far as making it a 455, I believe somebody does make an aftermarket or modified crank & kit to do that. The original 455 has larger journals than a 400 & will not fit.

Exactly, I feel the same way.. and I've been looking for a good project for some time now. I know I am still a litttle "wet behind the ears" when it comes to some of this stuff, but I am learning a lot.. and really the only way to learn is by doiing. if it turns out that it won't work right, well then I will have learned what I can't do and try something else. We actually have a GM dealer in town (college town of 5gs) so I will find out today. Thanks.

Refinisher King.. Joe recommended you to talk to about the stripping of the pain on the car... I saw a baking soda blasting process on TLC on a 67 Shelby GT500 last week and seemed to go fast and easy. Not sure how expenssive it is though. Joe said that I should skip that and go a chemical way. For an inexperienced person as myself, what would you suggest I do to completely strip all the paint off the car?

Well.. just talked to the person I am getting the engine from.. and she talked to a guy that knew omething about it... Tuurns out it came out of a '78T/A and he rebuilt it over the course of a year and put it in his '87 T/A. So by my book, it should be either the 180hp 400, 220hp 400, or the

Joe, we don't need no stinking computer controls and emission equipment! Didn't have them in 1970, don't need them now :-) Damn tree huggers!

An old fashioned Pontiac 400 coupled to a 700R4 will get 24MPG all day long. Better than the old worthless Chebby 305 that was installed by misguided GM.

There used to be a '82 Trans Am back in 1984 that had a SD-455 installed, it was no hack job. It looked like it was installed by the factory.

Yeah, I think I actually talked to him.. well.. it was an 82 with a 455SD anyway not sure if it was the same one... looked real good.. but that was the main push I wanted a 455 in mine... partiallly to do it.. partiaally cause it isn't seen very often.. and the whole 5.0L thing.. ek.. LOL Whats the quote.. "Theres no replacement for displacement" ?? Lol

'78 TA 400 was 220hp for a standard. Add 20hp for WS6. Good Engine! Does it still have the 6X heads?

Ok, you've got scrambled eggs here :).

A couple of things:

2) There were two 400's in 1978. The T/A could have either. The 180 hp is the low performance one. The 220 hp motor is a T/A 6.6 which is a better version of that 180 motor. High Performance Pontiac just did a series on this motor about an issue or two ago. You might want to read it.

4) The TH400 is not the original 1978 Trans Am tranny, it would have been a TH350. The THM400 would have been paired with another motor.

Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director '80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 27k orig. '79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig '84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 143k and still going.... '91 S10 Blazer 4.3Z

Ok, well, I am just going by what the chick has told me.. and by the ad online. It said good running Pontiac 400 with Turbo 400 transmission $200 or trade for 305. Then I icalled and she talked to a guy there and said it came out of a 78 T/A and he put it in his '86 T/A. I looked in my "Pontiac We build Excitement" book and those were the three engines for that year, and I knew the 403 was the Olds motor.. and I am hoping its not it.. I haven't seen it yet. Should be able to in a week or two though.. he has to take it out of the car first. But when I see it, I will post the numbers. Thanks.

Ummm, no :).

...Yea.... I'm gonna have to.... go ahead and.. disagree with you on that one. I will give you the benefit of the doubt & pull the books. I agree Pontiac had the 180 hp 400 in 78, but I haven't ever seen or heard of this one installed in a '78 TA. I have seen the 220 hp in all '78 TA's. Also shows the WS6 to add 20 hp being 240 hp.

That would be great.. thanks a lot Milton... LOL Sorry.. couldn't resist.

I own a W72 1979 400 4 speed 10th Anniversary.

Trust me, it's 220 HP out of the box :). I know this about 10 different ways, from Pontiac documentation all way through published reports.

The base 400 in 1977 made 180 hp, +20 for a W72, makes it 200 for 1977. 1978 and 1979 are the same exact motors to the letter, hence they are 220 hp motors.

Hint:I own a confidential GM document that outlines the whole 10th Anniversary series BEFORE it was released to the public.

I'm betting no one in this group owns this document. I do :).

So, I know 220 is right for 78 and 79 W72 400's. What book are you using?

As for 180 versus 220 in a 1978 T/A, well the W72 is an option :). Yea, I'd agree, most '78 T/As are W72, but not all.

ALL 1979 400's are W72's. No doubt, no mistake, no issue, no discussion. And they are all 220 hp stock :).

Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director '80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 27k orig. '79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig '84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 143k and still going.... '91 S10 Blazer 4.3Z

Shoot... if only it was out of a '79.. there would be a lot less confusion and discusssion.. 220 period.lol

Its COMMON KNOWLEDGE that the base 77-78 Pontiac 400 was 180HP and the 1977 W72 Pontiac 400 was rated at 200HP and the 1978-1979 W72 Pontiac 400 was rated at 220HP. Whatever book you're reading, throw it out because its worthless.

There are actually quite a few base 180HP Pontiac 400/automatic 77-78 Trans Ams around. Just look for the painted valve covers. I have yet to see a 403 equipped 77-78 T/A but they were made and more common in California and high altitude regions.