For our 40th wedding anniversary, wife and I bought our first ever Pontiac...
Seems to run good and strong. 350 engine has some added muscle (another 1st for us). Claims to have a Muncie 4-spd. We like it, but it does have a few issues.
Rear end rumble, seems to be U joints, makes the shifter rattle more than I prefer. Shifter rattle goes away if I hold it.
Nasty idle, which may be related to the added muscle, may be the Edelbrock carb needs a tweak. I have paperwork on the engine build. I need to research.
Stop-n-go traffic in hot weather, aftermarket temp gauge shows 240F, once as high as 260F. It normally runs in the 190-210F range.
Where do I locate the stamped engine numbers on the block?
Is there a way to figure out the original options, standard features, when this car was new?
Congrats on your purchase. Let me see...rumble could be an out of balance driveshaft, Ujoints, axle bearings. Depends on when it rumbles. Try a different gauge to confirm temps. 240 is too high. 260 is engine damage. You can send your VIN to Pontiac Historical Services and about $75 and they will provide you with documentation about what your car was when it was built.
Welcome. You may also be interested in our Midwest Firebirds which is a 1st Gen group. I believe there are about 80 members now and a lot of cruises and events with great people. http://midwestfirebirds.org/
I'm sure the rumble is due to that added snow plow. I'd get that off there ASAP!
You won't need it in IL anyways.
I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not sure. I feel like I am diagonally parked in a parallel universe. 1968 400 convertible (Scarlet) 1976 T/A - 455 LE (No Burt) 1976 T/A New baby, starting full restoration. 1968 350 - 4 speed 'vert - 400 clone (the Beast!) 1968 350 convertible - Wife's car now- 400 clone (Aleutian Blue) (Blue Angel) 2008 Durango - DD 2008 GXP - New one from NH is AWESOME! 2017 Durango Citadel - Modern is nice! HEMI is amazing! 1998 Silverado Z71 - Father-daughter project 1968 400 coupe - R/A clone (Blue Pearl) (sold) 1967 326 convertible - Sold 1980 T/A SE Bandit - Sold
Welcome... In regard to the high coolant temps, search the forums for "waterpump", there's a lot of info. Unfortunately many rebuilt water pumps are not set to the correct internal clearances for optimal circulation. Also there's an issue with the divider plate in the pump; if corroded it may not seal correctly.
re: idle; suggest checking all the spark-plugs for proper coloration, [light tan]. If the plugs look good then it may just need carb & timing tuning.
