This summer I am going to buy a 78-81 Trans Am, I was just wondering, which engine is stonger(more hp) the 400ci or the 301 turbo?? Any help would be nice.

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91 RS Camaro
3.1L
Cat Back System, K&N filter, Fastchip Stage 2, 160 thermo, Rapidfires and Bosch Wires, soon to come: Homemade Ram Air, and maybe headers and power pulleys

 

the 301 was just a crumby motor.. get one with a 400!

Steve

 

Isnt the 427 just the 400 bored out? And was there anyother engines avaiable around in those years??

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91 RS Camaro
3.1L
Cat Back System, K&N filter, Fastchip Stage 2, 160 thermo, Rapidfires and Bosch Wires, soon to come: Homemade Ram Air, and maybe headers and power pulleys

 

i would have to disagree with the 301 a crummy moter (had one few years back)
if your looking for 1/4mi 0-60 or off the line go with the 400 but if you want to be able to step on the gass at 45 or so (after the turbo is spooled) youl take off like a bat out of hell. its a 301 with i believe 8lbs of boost, 7.6:1 compression and i think it was a 600cfm 4barrel


now if i had to pick , id go with the 400 for all around fun

-Stell

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1988 IROC 305TPI MINT!!
Mods= Accell SuperCoil, MSD 6A, Ported Plenum, No MAF Screans , K & N, 160 Thermostat+ Temp Switch
And Always Trying To Go Faster

 

I'd take the olds 400 engine over the 301. All the turbo 4.9 cars I've driven pretty much sucked, and finding one with the turbo still functional can be difficult some times, not too mention expensive. As always theres nor replacement for displacement.

 

Personally I would look for one of the 400 Pontiac engined cars, which would limit you to a 78 or 79. The 403 Olds offered in 78 and 79 didnt have as much HP as the 400, and theres less out there in the way of performance stuff for it if thats a concern (assuming it is). The 301... well... running a turbo and a carb isnt exactly an optimal way to do things. Couple that with the low compression and the somewhat unusual 301 that shares little parts with its bigger Pontiac brothers, and you have an abortion. Cant think of how many times I have seen the 301 turbo on the top of the 10 worst engines lists. If you want one, I guess more power to you. I wouldnt get one unless I was planning on saving the turbo and ditching the block

[This message has been edited by madmax (edited September 29, 2000).]

 

Ok looks like I will be going w/ the 400! Now what mods should I do, money is not an issue. And any others that like or dislike the 301 turbo.

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91 RS Camaro
3.1L
Cat Back System, K&N filter, Fastchip Stage 2, 160 thermo, Rapidfires and Bosch Wires, soon to come: Homemade Ram Air, and maybe headers and power pulleys

 

Swap the 400 for a 455. Seriously.

 

Was that ever stock in a trans am? or is it the one from the Olds?

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91 RS Camaro
3.1L
Cat Back System, K&N filter, Fastchip Stage 2, 160 thermo, Rapidfires and Bosch Wires, soon to come: Homemade Ram Air, and maybe headers and power pulleys

 

You could get the 455 in a TA from like 70 up to 76. Its a Pontiac engine as well.

 

Gamer,

The Pontiac 400 (and all other Poncho V-8s) have a lot more performance parts available off the shelf than the Olds engine, although there is no limit to the options for either if you do some research, and are willing to spend the cash. Cam grinds, timing sets, pistons, rods, valves, etc. are more common for Pontiac blocks than Olds. in ready-to-eat packages.

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Later,
Vader
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"Make Me Bad"
Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0

 

Vader thanks alot for the info. Just wondering isnt a 427 just a 400 bored over? Thanks for the help!

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91 RS Camaro
3.1L
Cat Back System, K&N filter, Fastchip Stage 2, 160 thermo, Rapidfires and Bosch Wires, soon to come: Homemade Ram Air, and maybe power pulleys

 

A 427 was a Chevy motor (and Ford had a couple too), but other than displacement, they were wildly different.

In the Pontiac family they had a 301, 326, 350, 389, 400, 421, 428 and 455. I am not positive about the 301, but all the rest are from the same "block family", and many of the parts are indeed interchangeable.

The 421 was Pontiac's biggest motor in the early 60's, followed by the 428 in the mid to late 60's, followed by the 455 in the early-mid 70s.

The two engines of note from Pontiac is the 400 (which is a stroked 389 IIRC) and a 455 (which is a stroked 400). They all use the same 4.125" bore, just like a SBC 400.

From a bore/stroke perspective, the Pontiac 400 is identical to the SBC 400. But because of the larger block and taller deck height, it has much longer connecting rods than a SBC 400. Conversely, a SBC 400 is a more compact and lighter engine than the Poncho.

AND if you have a 400 Pontiac, you might as well swap it for a 455 as the engines are identical, except for the stroke, so you may as well grab the extra 55 cubic inches.

I will agree with Vader and say that there are more performance goodies for the Pontiac 455 than the Olds (at a more reasonable price), but there are now a reasonable number of aftermarket parts for the Olds 455 also. The advantage Pontiac had is they DID do a lot of racing in the late 50s and early 60s, until GM pulled the plug on them. During those days Pontiac was a major force to contend with an you could buy those Super Duty parts at your local Pontiac dealer.

The reason Pontiacs were often "snubbed" was because, until recently, there was not a lot of aftermarket parts, especially heads (like Edelbrock now has). Prior to that, you were a scavenger, looking for a specific head from a specific Pontiac and having to work with those. Edelbrock a few years back, realized there were only so many Ram Air Heads out there and STILL a lot of Poncho fans, so (thank god for the Poncho boys), they started producing an aluminum head for the Pontiacs that is every bit as good as the best head ever installed on a Pontiac motor.

And Edelbrock has also done the same for the Olds. It is possible today to build a 455 BOP(or even a 403 Olds/400 Pontiac) thank to Edelbrock heads and other aftermarket parts, that can hang (and even embarass) with anybody. It just costs more to do it. But some guys like to be different and not a crowd follower AND prove that you don't have to have a Chevy, Ford or Mopar under the hood to get performance.

 

Get a pontiac 6.6 for sure!!!

I bought a '78 T/A and the thing is bone stock (w/93K miles) and hauls major *** !!! The thing goes from 55-100 before you can finish saying "turbo 301."

I've driven olds 6.6 (403) t/a's and wasn't as impressed. Somethin not right about an old's engine bein' in my T/A! Anyways, you can choose from several V8's:

Pontiac: 301 (turbo and non), 350, 400, 455
Olds: 403
Chevy: 305

If you still want a later T/A, look for a pontiac 400 (evident by the "T/A 6.6" emblem on the shaker--the olds engine says "6.6 Litre.")

Also, if you are interested in a manual, the 4-spd was only available w/ the pontiac 400.
Personally, I couldn't stand the 4-spd (I've been pampered by overdrive in 5 and 6 spds).

These cars respond great to mods. Put headers and a nice exhaust system on your 400 car and it should keep you happy for quite a while (until you get your 500HP 455 done)

[This message has been edited by MILT (edited September 30, 2000).]

 

Thanks for all the help! I think that I will go w/ the 455! How much money would it take to make 500hp out of it. (w/o using nitro or a supercharger.)

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91 RS Camaro
3.1L
Cat Back System, K&N filter, Fastchip Stage 2, 160 thermo, Rapidfires and Bosch Wires, soon to come: Homemade Ram Air, and maybe power pulleys

 

And when looking at the engine to figure out which one you have. A Pontaic engine will have the engine size stamped on it. It is on the bottom front of the engine. I can count how many times when looking for a car the seller would tell me it a 455sd. Then look and it is a 350. How can you tell pontiac from chevy, olds? On a pontiac under the manofold there is a air valley between it and the engine. Chevy and olds do not have this. How can you tell the 301 and I believe 265? The intake is real thin. I can not remember if that series got ID stamped like other pontiacs.

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89 GTA
K&N air filter
Gutted MAF
Flowmaster muffler

 

Those 301 cars suck. Even with the turbo they are dogs. The pontiac 400 is a great engine, but the 455 would obviously be better. As far as the olds engine, it does make more torque stock than pontiac. If you want 500+ foot pounds stock, go with the buick 455. I dont know if i would put a buick motor in a firebird. I saw this once in a third gen and the car ran 11's. Just something to think about.

 

If memory serves in 78 and 79 the pontiac 400 only came with the manual tranny. But damn man if you can get one go with the 455 you wont be disappointed. More torque than you could ever harness on the street

 

Mark A 91Formula, should I want an auto or manual for the 455?


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91 RS Camaro
3.1L
Cat Back System, K&N filter, Fastchip Stage 2, 160 thermo, Rapidfires and Bosch Wires, soon to come: Homemade Ram Air, and maybe power pulleys

 

The 301 Turbo has got to be the biggest POS ever made. I had one.... for about a month.. It is by far the worst motor I have ever seen. That turbo is worthless on those cars... A slug would be fasrter than that heavy boat with that horrible engine..