My new 97 Firebird project I got for a 1,000.00

[mrvette]

:stirpot: ONCE again, the man don't need a gun......

:harhar::lol:

 

[JeffP1167]

Wow this crack is huge. Block spit almost length of motor on drivers side. Split from bell housing surface to motor mount and by the motor mount chunck missing large enlightened to stick finger in block and touch crank

 

[mrvette]

Wow this crack is huge. Block spit almost length of motor on drivers side. Split from bell housing surface to motor mount and by the motor mount chunck missing large enlightened to stick finger in block and touch crank

:hissyfit::flash:

YGTBFSM......yet the engine RAN??

:bonkers:

 

[JeffP1167]

Wow this crack is huge. Block spit almost length of motor on drivers side. Split from bell housing surface to motor mount and by the motor mount chunck missing large enlightened to stick finger in block and touch crank

:hissyfit::flash:

YGTBFSM......yet the engine RAN??

:bonkers:

Yep the motor ran like this. It clattered and stuff but ran.

 

[Twin_Turbo]

Run it till it grenades and shoot a vid

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk

 

[mrvette]

Run it till it grenades and shoot a vid

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk

SADIST!!!!!!:evil::hissyfit::banghead:

 

[JeffP1167]

Here is the damage to the old 3.8

Pieces of connecting rod and bearings broken up in oil pan. Looks like one rod bolt snapped and the other threaded itself out.





This is what the crank looked like. I believe the rod nehind this journal was getting ready to leave as well.





here is the piston, it wasn't siezed it just pushed out of the cylinder (surprised it didn't fall down to the crank and disintegrate the engine)



here is the crack, I couldn't get a picture of the rest of the crack but it ran the full length of the block on the drivers side.



chunk missing







when oil pan was deopped this section of the block fell off



it came from here





Yes the motor ran like this, had around 40psi oil pressure and yes I drove it a block like this.

 

[JeffP1167]

I bought a pressure washer and when pulled the transmission looked like a sludge bomb went off by it and it was completely covered in greasy crap.





Also did the front suspension and will do entire bottom of the car.

The replacement 3.8 is all ready to go back in the car now and has every possible part back on the engine.

 

[mrvette]

YGTBFSM!Q!!!!!! NFW!!!


:crap::gurney::hissyfit::drink:

 

[Twin_Turbo]

Pfew, in the beginning of this threa I thought there was something seriously wrong with that engine...... :confused2:

 

[JeffP1167]

Pfew, in the beginning of this threa I thought there was something seriously wrong with that engine...... :confused2:

Cool huh .... on each side of the block there are brackets that attach to the trans. So when everything was bolted up the crack was held closer together, once all that was removed the crack opened up. The start also hid the crack.

 

[JeffP1167]

Today I bought a new clutch kit with slave and everything, new flywheel, strut isolators, and a lit of other things.

Todays bill 462.00

 

[JeffP1167]

Well, I got the motor and transmission back in the car. It is really easier dropping the motor/trans/suspension out the bottom of the car. I still have to hook a bunch of stuff but I have my 97 3.8 camaro to look at for routing stuff.

I expect to have the car running this weekend. Then I need to take it for an alignment.

I might add chrome ZR1 rims to this firebird like my Camaro has.

I wish California wasn't so gung ho on emissions or I would have dropped a grand national engine in this firebird.

Later down the road I am going to put a LT1/4L60E in my 97 Camaro as well.

 

[JeffP1167]

Well got the firebird running again. have a few more things to do before it can be driven but should be driveable tomorrow

 

[JeffP1167]

Well the firebird runs really nice now

 

[Twin_Turbo]

good to hear, glad you got that sorted!

 

[mrvette]

Well the firebird runs really nice now

good to hear, glad you got that sorted!

:bump:

Yeh, gotta love it when a plot comes together right.....:bounce:

 

[JeffP1167]

It was the flywheel causing the bad vibrations. I still have a p0507 unexpected high idle. Aside from that it is a really nice driving car.

 

[mrvette]

It was the flywheel causing the bad vibrations. I still have a p0507 unexpected high idle. Aside from that it is a really nice driving car.

The obvious vacuum leak, OR, when failing to clean the IAM and or the throttle blades, for lo or erratic idle, they just turn up the idle stop like on a carb....so clean the throttle blades and passages with some brake/carb cleaner on a rag, remove and squirt the idle motor, to free it up from trash...and same with the passages....

and then set the idle lower with the stop screw....

after that, if no cure, go after the EGR passages and valve....

:hi::flash:

 

[JeffP1167]

Well I have put about 800 miles on the firebird and so far it tank to tank fill ups it has been averaging 24.6mpg. I still need to figure out its high idle and random misses but so far everything works great on the car and A/C blows ice cold.

Im going to add a high rise trans am spoiler in a few weeks and drivers power seat.

 

[bigbrother]

Glad to read its running. And yes a GN motor would've been neat hahaha

Sent from my dumb 4g motorolly

 

[JeffP1167]

Glad to read its running. And yes a GN motor would've been neat hahaha

Sent from my dumb 4g motorolly

Not if I took it for a smog check.

 

[JeffP1167]

Sorry I never took many pictures of the project. But here are a few I took with my phone.

The easiest way possible to remove a engine from a 4th gen is through the bottom. Basically I just took the front bumper cover off, 5000lb tow strap around my frame rails and used engine hoist to lift whole front of car. This made it possible to remove engine/trans/suspension as a unit. Not very hard to put it back in this way either.

Old engine out





How high the car gets lifted (no it didn't damage the car in any way)



replacement motor being prepared to go back in

 

[mrvette]

I had theorized a couple times about having to remove a drive train that way, but never done it.....good show, you leave the wheels on it so to get it in/out from under there?? :nuts:

 

[JeffP1167]

I had theorized a couple times about having to remove a drive train that way, but never done it.....good show, you leave the wheels on it so to get it in/out from under there?? :nuts:

Yes you leave the smaller space saver wheels on so it can be rolled into place.

 

[MYBAD79]

that tops any of the driveway projects I've ever done :lol:

 

[JeffP1167]

that tops any of the driveway projects I've ever done :lol:

I had my doubts at first doing it like this as well and this was my first time trying it. My girlfriend basically just watched the strut bolts for aligning and on the sub-frame there are two dowels that locate it.

You basically just disconnect various wiring, steering coupler, exhaust etc etc.

You don't even remove the hood this way nor do you have to remove the front bumper cover if your hoist has super long legs. My hoist has short legs so this needed to be done.

The main problem with a 4th gen is even the v-6 sits half way under the base of the windshield and from the base of the windshield to the radiator support is about 28 inches, the V-6 in stripped form is about 23 inches long so can you imagine trying to pull that through with trans still bolted on.

I can only imagine what the V-8 guys have to deal with.

 

[MYBAD79]

The main problem with a 4th gen is even the v-6 sits half way under the base of the windshield and from the base of the windshield to the radiator support is about 28 inches, the V-6 in stripped form is about 23 inches long so can you imagine trying to pull that through with trans still bolted on.

I can only imagine what the V-8 guys have to deal with.

my Z28 had the LS1, there was not a lot of room to work on anything but all the accessories are in the front so at least PS pump, altenator and waterpump was easy to get to.... changing spark plugs took about 5 hrs or so..... the rear ones you have to access from under the car, should be the same on your V6....

 

[JeffP1167]

The main problem with a 4th gen is even the v-6 sits half way under the base of the windshield and from the base of the windshield to the radiator support is about 28 inches, the V-6 in stripped form is about 23 inches long so can you imagine trying to pull that through with trans still bolted on.

I can only imagine what the V-8 guys have to deal with.

my Z28 had the LS1, there was not a lot of room to work on anything but all the accessories are in the front so at least PS pump, altenator and waterpump was easy to get to.... changing spark plugs took about 5 hrs or so..... the rear ones you have to access from under the car, should be the same on your V6....

On the 3.8 you change 3 plugs from the top and 3 from below, the hardest is changing the #4 plug, taking the heat shield off the passenger side exhaust manifold simplifies it. Most everything on a 3.8 is easy to change, I've seen LTx and LSx ones and while I like the power they have working on them isn't worth the additional power.

 

[JeffP1167]

Just wanted to update this, while the car runs awesome I have had random misses detected and evap issues. Today the car was having a good day so I took it for a pretest and it passed with ease and then passed an official test.

So the car is legal for two years !!!!

I have put about 4,000 miles on the car since it's new engine and it has not had any issues. A/C still blows ice cold, no coolant losses, gets from 300-360 miles on every tank with the a/c on blizzard even!

In someways I prefer my 97 camaro over this firebird others not.

Either way it is a great car and I would recommend one to anyone!