# Found why my 455 didn't have any power



## 70455goat (Nov 5, 2007)

Hi everyone,

My Goat is running 100 times better and it didn't cost me a penny!!!

I bought my 70 with original 455 in October. It starts and seems to run okay, but when I would stomp on the gas, it would downshift and seem to be revving high, but really wouldn't be doing much. In fact, it seemed to have less power after I punched it enough to make it downshift. The car seems really low geared too, like its still in second at 50 to 60. I wasn't going to worry too much about it until I get it converted over to electronic ingition with an MSD box and have the carb gone through.

I drove my Goat to work for the first time Friday, about 75 miles round trip. Before that, all I've done is cruise it around a few times, and since it doesn't seem to have any power when I punch it, I really didn't want to be doing that too much. I never thought about it, but the Goat I bought hasn't been driven much for the last 4 or 5 years.

When I got off of the freeway on the way home, I punched the goat and holy sh--! It laid rubber for about 40 feet and came unglued when it shifted to second! I couldn't believe it. All it needed was to be driven and get the cobwebs blown out!

I'm going to get the spray can of carb cleaner out tomorrow and put some down the carb with the car running. That should help get the 455 running a little better. It still has those 70 sounding mufflers that I need to get swapped out with some Flowmasters.

Just thought I'd share my good news.


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## raspantienator (Nov 20, 2007)

Absolutely-the cars do need to be driven.

I put flowmasters on my 455 and with headmen headers and a cam, I can tell you that just as many people loved the sound of the car as the looks of the car. 
I was the official alarm clock of the neighborhood!
The mufflers will wake up the sound of your your 455.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

I had a `76 Pontiac Ventura with an Olds 260 v-8, and that car would feel like it`s gunna stop @ 60mph if you hit passing gear. It was great in the winter though, it didn`t have enough power to spin the wheels.


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## likethat (Oct 5, 2007)

Use to roll around in my friends 78 cutlas with the 260. He had a set of eale GT's that looks as new as the day he bought them all most 3 years after he bought them. I think the old VW bug my mom drove would whoop that cutlas' butt up hill in a head wind.


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## Tri-Power (Jan 10, 2008)

congrats. I remember the first time we got the tri-power tuned in, I had been just driving it places w/ the center carb, man it was amazing hitting those 6 barrels, well i guess it still is though


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## 70455goat (Nov 5, 2007)

Tri Power,
You mean it ran better with 6 barrels that with 2!!!!

Yeah, I was really surprised when I first took it for a test drive and it really didn't get up and go. I figured with a tune up and some tinkering around on it, I'd get it running better. I sure felt a lot better, when I got off of the freeway and it came unglued when I stomped on the gas. It felt like it had been running on 4 out of 8 cylinders, only it wasn't running rough.


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## Tri-Power (Jan 10, 2008)

70455goat said:


> Tri Power,
> You mean it ran better with 6 barrels that with 2!!!!


Yah, who woulda thought?


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## 646904GTO (Feb 10, 2008)

70455goat said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> My Goat is running 100 times better and it didn't cost me a penny!!!
> 
> ...


Just a suggestion on muffler choice...Do your research flowmasters aren't really 'masters of flow' the Flow-Tech Terminator is a better flowing muffler and has a different sound, more of a crack when your on the pedal than the flowmaster thud. When I go to car shows with my '64 roadracer my car sounds much different than the drone that everyother muscle car sounds like. I'll admit that my '69 has FM's on it though. My wife told me that the '64 just didn't sound like all my other racecars. So I bought the flow-tech's because that is what we used short track racing. Instant HP gain. their site says 15%. seems pretty acurate. you can find them at Summit Racing - High Performance Car and Truck Parts | 800-230-3030 Just my 2cents


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## 70455goat (Nov 5, 2007)

Great thread.....too late! I installed a set of 40 Series Flowmaster the other night.

I have them on my son's 69 chevelle and really like how they sound on the 350 chevy. I will admit, I wasn't as thrilled as I thought I'd be with the sound on my 455 pontiac. It's loud, but didn't sound like I expected.

When I let off of the gas, the exhaust still goes pop pop pop. I thought is was just the cheap mufflers that was on it, but it still makes the same noise. Could it be the engine is running to rich or something? Its not backfiring or anything, just making that anoying sound when you let off of the gas and coast.

Dale,


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## raspantienator (Nov 20, 2007)

I felt the same with my 455's installed headers. I really got pissed off when beater trucks went by with headers with that sound I was hoping for with the 455.

I love the sound of the 05 GTO which is why I'm hesitant to mess with it for power gains.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

70455goat said:


> Great thread.....too late! I installed a set of 40 Series Flowmaster the other night.
> 
> I have them on my son's 69 chevelle and really like how they sound on the 350 chevy. I will admit, I wasn't as thrilled as I thought I'd be with the sound on my 455 pontiac. It's loud, but didn't sound like I expected.
> 
> ...


Check for any kind of exhaust leaks at the manifolds or were the pipes attach to the manifolds all the way back to the mufflers. Any kind of a leak can cause that backfireing.


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## Tri-Power (Jan 10, 2008)

you might be able to remedy the sound with a very slight timing adjustment.


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## 70455goat (Nov 5, 2007)

You know, I do have exhaust leaks at the manifold. I got the gasket replaced on the passenger's side, but broke 2 bolts off in the head on the driver's side. I think I am going to have to pull the engine to get the driver's side manifold off. I am also going to convert to electronic and all new tune up parts. Hopefully, all that will help the sound.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

The exhaust leak will cause that backfiring. The manifolds will come off without pulling the motor. Worse case you may have to pull that head off to get the broken bolts out, but you shouldn`t have to pull the whole motor. If you`re considering going electronic ignition, consider keeping the original distributor and using it to fire an MSD (Multiple spark discharge) unit. That way you get the benefits of a electronic ignition but the looks of a stock engine. If you do a forums search for MSD there are a couple threads were I show how to hide the unit out of sight.


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## 70455goat (Nov 5, 2007)

Rukee,

Yeah, I was doing some thinking about what you said previously and I seem to remember hearing that exhaust manifold leaks will cause that backfire popping sound.

If I pull the head, I will have to replace the head gasket more than likely, right?

Do you think I should pull the other head too? If it comes to that, It might be nearly as easy to pull the engine wouldn't it?????

Its been a long.....long time since I've pulled an engine. Since I was 18 and it was a 340 out of a 71 Demon.

Dale


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

Yes you`ll have to replace that head gasket if you take the head off. I would only replace the other head gasket if the one you take off looks really deteriorated(sp?). You want to do as little work as possible, if you pull the motor and can`t get the broken bolts out yourself, then you`ll have to remove the head anyway to take it to a machine shop to have them remove the bolts, so why not just remove it first and save all the work of removing the engine? Unless you think the car may need a clutch, or you would like to clean and detail the motor while it`s out, then you may want to pull the whole thing. You may find once the manifold is off you might have enough of the bolts sticking out of the head to remove them without removing the head too. If you need to drill them, check at your local parts store for some left hand drill bits, I`ve found sometimes they will grab the bolt halfway through and they will spin right out. Make sure your drill is able to go backwards too, a left hand drill bit in a right hand drill does nothing.


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## 70455goat (Nov 5, 2007)

Rukee,
I would like to pull the engine and reseal the pan gaskets, rear main, tranny seal, and clean up the engine compartment, but that is a lot of work and I have a lot going on. I think I will just pull the one head.

Good idea about checking the head gasket on the head in question first, then making the call whether to pull the other one.

I am going to weld a nut on the broken bolt. then it should come right out with a socket. If it breaks again, then I will drill it. Last time I tried drilling out a bolt and using an easy out, I snapped 2 easy outs off inside the bolt, then broke the flange on the exhaust manifold...down where the exhaust pipe bolts up. The other exhaust manifold unbolted off of the head, but the exhaust pipe bolt broke. Now I have to jury rig the exhaust pipe bolt by putting it in from the top with a washer and then putting a nut on the bottom. I don't think I can weld on the manifold.

Dale,


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## macgto7004 (Jul 22, 2007)

Rukee said:


> I had a `76 Pontiac Ventura with an Olds 260 v-8, and that car would feel like it`s gunna stop @ 60mph if you hit passing gear. It was great in the winter though, it didn`t have enough power to spin the wheels.





likethat said:


> Use to roll around in my friends 78 cutlas with the 260. He had a set of eale GT's that looks as new as the day he bought them all most 3 years after he bought them. I think the old VW bug my mom drove would whoop that cutlas' butt up hill in a head wind.


Hey Dale,
Glad you got the cob webs blown out. These are the kind of fixes we can all relate to!

On a side note, refering to the quoted posts above, I too had a Cutlass with a 260 2V - V8. However, mine was a 77 Supreme, with a *5 spd manual*!
Yep, you heard right. 260 V8 w/5 spd manual tranny. My father ordered the car in late 1976 and drove it until he gave it to me in 88. The 260 was no match for the 4000+ lb Cutlass, but I can tell you, that in 77, there wasn't a car out there with a V8 that could pull 29mpg on the highway! 
I wish I was not living in an apartment when I had that car, because I would have loved to restore it. Through research, I found that there were less than 50 examples of that drivetrain combination ever built. A true factory freak if I ever saw one.
It was a beautiful car too. White w/Firethorn red interior and landau top, and white Super Stock III wheels.

Russ


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

70455goat said:


> Rukee,
> I would like to pull the engine and reseal the pan gaskets, rear main, tranny seal, and clean up the engine compartment, but that is a lot of work and I have a lot going on. I think I will just pull the one head.
> 
> Good idea about checking the head gasket on the head in question first, then making the call whether to pull the other one.
> ...


The ears breaking off the manifolds is a common problem. Mine broke off too, but I was able to weld the broken piece back on. I inserted a bolt, clamped on the broken piece, Vee`d out the cracks, heated then welded the piece back on. Cleaned up the threads on the bolt then backed it out.
When you attempt to remove the broken bolt from the head, be sure to heat the head up around the bolt with a tourch if you can. Sometimes a couple of heat soaks with penetrating oil between can help a ton.
GLHF.


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## 70455goat (Nov 5, 2007)

Rukee,

I was looking for the piece that broke off this evening. I put it up where I would be able to find it later, and now I can't find it!!!! I hate when I do that!!!

How did you weld the piece back on? With a MIG or torch?


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

I`m not sure it it was the correct way to do it but, I used tourch to preheat and then an AC/DC stick welder.


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## usmarines4u2002 (Feb 28, 2008)

hello all i just became a member today ... i have a ???? maybe someone can give a a answer ....... i have a 71 lemans sport " poor mans GTO " with endura front end ... well its a gto clone basically .. i have a 455 bored .30 over .. heads forged pistons .. lets just say the works..... but my engine man said i need a rear end ... i believe he said i have a 273 open carrier ...yea deff a highway gear .... anyone have or know some one that has a 10 bolt *8.2* posi carrier and gear for sale ????? or any ideas on what i could put in it .... i have so much torque i cant even gass it cause the rear wheel will spin like in on a patch of ice .... some help!!!!!


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