389 smokin'...help...

holy crap i didn't expect this to say 29 posts when i got back on here! I appreciate everyone's help, I'll see about that compression test. If I can borrow something to do it with how the hell do you do it? It makes me happy to get so many replies to this, sometimes it seems like all the off topic or otherwise retarded posts get everyones attention. Thanks!

 

60'S STYLE.....Switch-hitter said in his first post that the valve cover blowby tube soaked his air filter with oil. He's already got a blow-by tube going to his intake, at the air cleaner.
I think a pcv may help but if you have THAT much blow-by, uhhhhhhhhh........you have compression ring/cylinder bore problems that will prolly need to be addressed soon.
At work, we hadda old econoline van with a 240 ford 6 banger. This thing had about 5 million miles on it and wouldn't idle. After I did a basic tune up on it, it would idle alright with the pcv hose off but would gass you out with blow-by fumes. Hooking up the hose again would stall the engine with blow-by fumes, which don't burn very well. We junked the truck rather than put rebuild money in it.

 

no no, theres no blow by tube coming from the valve cover, just a breather on each one and the brether hose hanging out the back of the intake. haven't noticed any oil coming out since i burned the build up out of the hose. Would running a pcv from the valve cover back to the air cleaner do any good? I had that rigged up before so it didn't blow oil so bad when the breather hose was clogged.

 

Hey switch.

Just browsing the treads when this caught my eye. I had (and recently parted with) a sweetheart '64 GP with a 389. Smoked much like you describe, and the compression check definitely told me the news... rebuild! No time for a project like that, so she had to go. Gonna be kicking myself for some time, but just couldn't keep her...

That said, for a time I was thinking about doing some parts swapping, and I suggest you search the net for more info on your situation. Lot's of 389 info can be found searching the Q&A at Classical Poniac
lot's of info in these posts. There are some key differences between early (pre '65) poncho motors I discovered which likely apply to you as well...
Intake bolt patterns were changed in 1965, so intakes from these years will not bolt to early Pontiac heads. Swapping to late heads is no sweat though, they bolt right up. Pontiac also changed their starter mount that year, so unfortunately a late model motor will not work on your early tranny. Adapter plates are scarce, so you'd better plan on swapping a tranny from you donor if you've decide to go that route. While this info applied to my 64, I think this stuff applies to you too. It certainly explains why alot of the speed parts you see are for '65 and up motors...

Hope this helps,
Jerry

 

Northern has your kit. I just got a new catalog the other day.60-66 389 will cost you $595.89. If you just want a rering kit $194.14.