# Help! need new crate engine



## rayray3 (Jan 7, 2009)

Hello all.
I have no time to mess with my new 1968 GTO Clone with a 350. Just found out tonight at the local mechanics place that the cooling system is all rusted, radiator too. The car wasnt running right to begin with and it needed carb work. Long story short it seems better all the way around to just replace the engine with a crate engine.

Ive been looking at Edelbrock, Jegs, etc. I have no experience in choosing engines, matching or installing one.

What would be the best place to get an engine. My criteria is as follows:
1. Decent hp. Doesnt have to be more that 300. Maybe more depending
2. Reliablility. I would like to drive it daily or on weekends.
3. Dont plan on racing it or hot rodding it but I would like alittle pep.
4. Good looking. Chrome and tough looking..ish. Like Edelbrock one.
5. Budget. No more than $6-7K unless its a hellavadeal. (thats a word?)
6. Time line. Soon. Im ready to purchase tonight. tommorow!
7. I would like to get a turn key or close to it. Not sure if thats in my price range but if i need to raise the budget then so be it.

8. How do i know what will fit in the tempest/lemans? Will all GM engines work?

Any recommendations, Im in the San Francisco bay area and somewhere nearby would help but not neccessary.


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## GM4life (Mar 18, 2007)

You can try: GMPerformace Parts, and Scoggin Dickey Parts Center: GM Performance Parts, GM Crate Engines, GM Goodwrench Crate Motors and Performance Crate Engines .


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

Ship me your original engine, I'll rebuild it and ship it back for less then you posted. :cheers


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## rayray3 (Jan 7, 2009)

Thanks for the help. Apparently Pontiac transmissions do not work with Chevy engines. They do have this adaptor below. Anyone use something like this?

http://www.coanracing.com/PDFS/InstallInstructions/COA-980074.pdf

or this:

JEGS Engine to Trans Adapter Plates - JEGS

Hoping to find an engine today~


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

Those adapters may work just to bolt the engine to the tranny, but.... A chevy engine will be different in many other ways too with the fuel pump on the wrong side, the starter is on the other side, and all the brackets for the power steering, alternator, A/C, crank pulley and water pump will be different. The motor mounts, exhaust and throttle cables all connect differently. It may end up with more labor and cost then what you are first expecting.
I'd check with some local parts stores that also have machine shops, you can take them your whole motor and they can give it back to you all assembled. Tell them you want a basic rebuild with a mild cam. The cost should be far below those crate engines. Then everything under the hood will match right up on the reinstall.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

You could call Butler Performance, they specialize in Pontiac engines and they offer crate engines. They come with a hefty price tag. At least twice what they should if you ask me.
Butler Performance - Pontiac Crate Engine


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

I saw a YS400 GTO engine rebuilt on E-bay $5975 +450 to ship.....Rukee's proposition sounds good also......


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Junking a running Pontiac motor because you're in a hurry , the cooling system has rust and it needs a carb rebuild seems a little dramatic to me. If you're in a hurry, I would recommend getting rid of the car and buying one that is mint, or, buy a new car. Old cars are all about wrenchng and learning. The bigger the hurry, the more $$$ spent, the more damage done, and the less fun you'll have. This is all just my opinion, so no offense is intended here! recommend re-evaluating the situation, slowing down, and going from there. Sounds to me that your car needs maybe $500 to 1000 worth of work to get it running correctly. If you're sold on replacing the Pontiac motor with a 350 Chevy crate motor, you're on your own. Good luck.


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## rayray3 (Jan 7, 2009)

No offense taken here. This is what forums are for. I like hearing everyone's opinion.

The plan WAS for me to wrench on it. I started wrenching and my job got extremely busier. Too busy to finish one project.

I got through the basic wrenching but with no documentation on this engine and the previous owner not around to ask questions and get receipts and what exactly was done to it, its like a crapshoot getting parts and figuring out what is what.

I figured for what it would cost me to repair and replace every part on the engine I could come close to a new one which is what i did.

A place in San Jose is hooking me up. They have a 400 block that came out of a GTO that they are starting up next week for me. Deposit is down. 

I like the idea im getting a 400 for a clone. Makes it that much more...clonish! lol I also feel better putting the 6.5 litrel badges on with one actually under the hood!

Will post pics soon

Thanks again!


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## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

Given your local, you shouldn't have ANY trouble finding a REPUTABLE engine builder that can assemble what you want for less than most crates plus shipping. I know you stated the deposit is made.....I hope you got references for this place beforehand. I've read MANY horror stories about rebuilders on all the forums I am on. I'm assuming it will retain a hydraulic, flat tappet cam and if so, have the builder break it in on their dyno to prevent premature failure of the cam. These engines need special oil that is NOT readily available on the market anymore due to EPA specs. Most of the zinc and other metals have been removed from modern oil and the cam needs them to survive. Most builder warranties DO NOT cover incorrect break or oil resulting in a cam failure. Ask your builder about this and their recommendation. This has become a very hot topic over the last couple years since most oil is now formulated for factory roller cam engines.
Good Luck and have fun.........


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## rayray3 (Jan 7, 2009)

Good advice TPM! 

They came with some great references and well as past projects. They are pretty much the pontiac experts in this area. I will definitely ask.

This is some good info for future readers on this thread. Any more? Keep em coming!!


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## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

Sounds like you're in good hands and they should be well aware of the oil and break-in issues...:cool


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

TMP said it: use oil with ZDDP like Delo or Shell Rotella, PLUS a ZDDP additive. The 400 Poncho upgrade is definitely the way to go. Good luck with it.
Jeff


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## Face (Dec 22, 2008)

What is this poncho ya'll speak of? Mine has a tarp?

Oh, and a 400 is a 6.6 right? Not a 6.5. Correct me if I'm wrong.


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## Ranger01 (Nov 14, 2008)

If you weren't being sarcastic (hard to tell):
Poncho= Pontiac ppl/ Hotrodder name for Pontiac.
Poncho is to Pontiac as Chevy is to Chevrolet


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## Montreux (Mar 8, 2009)

STOP! Your description says you have a clone with a rusty radiator, possibly messed up carburetor, and that "doesn't run right". If your radiator is plugged, a new engine won't help. Ditto a messed up carburetor.
Find a local chapter of GTOAA, or another good car club. There will be at least one motorhead willing to help you diagnose your problems. Since they're not trying to sell you anything, they are immediately more credible than the corner "oil change and tires" garage. 
And other club members can recommend a good, qualified, ethical mechanic who knows how to work on 50 year old cars. And warn you who to stay away from.
"Not running right" can be a symptom of 40 different problems that DON'T require engine replacement! Have you run a compression check? Has it been tuned up by someone who knows what they're doing? Has the carburetor been rebuilt and tuned? Has the gas tank been cleaned or replaced? Have you run a compression check? 
You can "do-it-yourself" on the cooling problem. The corner parts house has radiator flush. Just follow the directions on the bottle. If that's not sufficient to clean the radiator, aluminum radiators are getting cheaper, and are more efficient than (50 year old) copper radiators. RockAuto has good prices on fanbelts and hoses (buy two, keep a spare).


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## Montreux (Mar 8, 2009)

You probably should spend some time to figure out what engine you currently have. Many (most?) 60's Pontiacs have had engine swaps or major modifications. You can go to Wallaceracing.com (or other sites) to trace the engine casting number (near the distributor) and the engine code (front of the block under the passenger cylinder head) to find out what the engine specs were when it left the factory 50 years ago. There were 2 barrel 326's that made 250 HP, and 4 barrel 455's that made less than 200 HP!

Most engines have been modified in the search for more power. "Cam-itis" is a serious problem, where someone plugs in a too-big cam that doesn't match the rest of the engine. This can cause a car that "doesn't run right". And with any engine, the more highly modified it is, the more temperamental it gets. A lot of vintage cars can be made to run MUCH better just by removing the "improvements".


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## Montreux (Mar 8, 2009)

Jeez! "Trending topics in the GTO Forum". This thread is 11 years old! 
Wonder where rayray3 is today?


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

Montreux said:


> Jeez! "Trending topics in the GTO Forum". This thread is 11 years old!
> Wonder where rayray3 is today?


Glad you caught yourself. Each topic has a date that it was created. Then each reply will also have a date so you know when it was answered.

The forum used to be a little better in the past and you could keep up more, now they only post a few of the most recent posts and if you do not go through all the topics, you can easily miss one that is newer.


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