Got a club mate who has access to a Pontiac 400 but he was told there may be a crack in the water pump housing. How is the water pump setup on this one? Is it a bolt to the front like a SBC or is it part of the intake kinda like a BBC?
the water pump bolts to the aluminum timing cover on the Poncho...not at all like a Chevy. also the timing covers get holes in them, so that's most likely the problem.
Completely different engine! The 400 Chevy is a small block, just like a 327 or 350 in every external domension, with a few minor diffences like 3 frost plugs per side, Tha Poncho is a big block Pontiac motor with B/O/P tranny bolt pattern etc.
the dizzy spins in the opposite direction! and it only gets more and moree different from there. Curious, give me a call this week. I have enough parts to build up probably 4 poncho 400 blocks. If you can get the block at a great price, I'm sure it would not cost much to get her back upand running. 918-629-0433 Bentley
The 400 SBC can be had with either 3 frost plugs (4 Bolt Mains) or 2 frost plugs (2 Bolt Mains). 2 frost plug block being the later 1974/ 75.
Oh yeah, it's free. There's water in the oil or oil in the water and the heads have been fluxed and are good. The gaskets showed no signs of leakage. The word I got is they thinl it is a crack in the water pump. Is this possible? I should have been more specific in my first post. Seems more likely to have a crack in the water jacket, in which case I'll definitely be looking at what t-town-track-t has.
The timing cover is aluminum, and the water pump bolts to it. The timing cover makes up the back half of the water pump housing, essentially. So when they get a hole in the timing cover (from corrosion from water being used as coolant instead of antifreeze), then it will leak water into the engine's oil pan area. The problem is most likley a hole in the timing cover....it's worth looking into.
Here's a pic of a setup. There are differences in the 389 housings, one being the water pump holes are fewer on the older. Older have 9, newer have 11 mounting holes. Plus there's differences at the timing mark. Just thought I'd add that for when you start looking for one. This is a pic of the newer style. http://i10.ebayimg.com/01/i/06/38/df/86_1.JPG
squirrel is most likely telling you what`s up! This is a very common problem on Pontiac & Olds motors. The timing cover aluminum eroads[SP] at the gasket surface and contaminates the oil with coolant. Very nice engine other that that & major speed components avalible!
That's good info and exactly what we need to know. He can get the thing for free but it's a ways away and we were debating whether the trip was worth it or not. I've had some parts offered up for it by PM so I don't see how we can go wrong. Unless someone wants to donate or trade a good running SBC for this thing? It's going in a 50 Pontiac though so I think he's pretty set on it.
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