How To Rebuild a Pontiac Motor on a Budget – 1967 YT 400 Build Part 1
This is the first video in the series of building a Pontiac 400 motor for my 1967 Pontiac Firebird 400 Hardtop. Follow along as I rebuild an American Muscle Car Iron V8 motor by myself.
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(In This Video: how to rebuild a pontiac motor,how to rebuild a pontiac 400,building a pontiac engine,budget build pontiac motor,pontiac v8 motor rebuild,how hard is it to rebuild a pontiac motor,what is so special about a pontiac motor,rebuilding a firebird motor,rebuilding a gto motor,rebuilding a lemans motor,rebuilding a catalina motor,pontiac 400,pontiac engine,pontiac build,engine build,pontiac v8,pontiac 400 build,pontiac engine build,pontiac 400 camshaft)
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My 67 400 tri-power was the fastest car in my hometown back in the 70s
I don't like the chunk of the block missing on the back wall of the lifter valley.
Lil tip , turn the engine on its side so you can push down and the stand won't roll , cool channel
SHOULD HAVE HELD out for 428 engine. REMEMBER the weak links of the Pontiac v8 are the cast rods and oiling system. PLAN on getting a high capacity oil pan and 80 psi oil pump, and a decent aftermarket cam.
In 1968 GM went to a stronger nodular iron GM had developed for crankshafts, but it may not have made it into Pontiac 400's until late 68, so 69 to 74 400 crankshafts are the best bet for the stronger crankshaft. The 421 and early 428's got Armasteel cranks, which is a different cast iron, with some steel-like properties. It remained for the connecting rods, but didn't have the desired give the forged steel and nodular iron crankshafts have. 428's went to the new nodular iron in mid-68, but some 400's might have been later. The 67 400 cranks are nothing special. The newer nodular iron was specifically developed by GM for crankshafts and does a good job.
I plan on Reuse my Rods and crank, a torque plate to spec is need when cross hone a Pontiac and no ball hones, clean the casing flash everywhere and clean up the heads carefully, get a solid roller cam, 1.6 rockers, hydraulic lifters, and a front fed 750 Quadra jet for a 67 firebird. Line hone the mains and turn the crank and not sure the numbers on rods, I would knock out freeze plug and clean the water passages. And oil galley plugs wow that was a surprise on crank
The piston are low compression 72 up
First motor I ever owned was a 67 400 with Tri Power off a 66 389. Freshly rebuilt $ 400. Of course that was a very long time ago.
200 bucks for a YT block…..man someone must've needed a hit! That's a lucky find! I bought a pretty much top down 68 YT block 400 15 years ago for $450 and thought I got a deal! YT block 400s are around $1500 on Franks's Pontiac parts….if they have them.
Not a good sight, thanks for sharing, all the best to you and your loved ones
Buy once and whine once I always say! Get a forged crank and you will never have a issue ever and those motors are awesome if you stay under the red line of the internals you use. I had a few of the Pontiac 400's and they are torque and power to go I would go with a 400 Turbo Hydramatic and get it beefed up just enough to run what you plan on doing and budget building got me wondering. You can do more than you think with the right budget parts buying.