I have an 88 GTA with a 350 TPI motor. It has 115,000 miles on it. It seems to run okay, but gets bad gas mileage for one. It will go about 190 miles on a full tank on the highway with the cruise set at 70mph. And that's pushing it! Also, it burns about three quarts of oil every 1,000 miles! WTF?!? It doesn't have any leaks, it is just burning the oil I guess. Maybe my valve guides are bad. But I have all the tools to remove an engine and I'd buy whatever else I need. I have a hoist and a stand that I bought when I swapped the engine in my Cadillac. That job SUCKED. My GTA motor looks like it would be a lot easier to remove. I also wanted to rebuild it just to freshen it up. I replaced a head gasket back in February after it was leaking antifreeze externally. It was the passenger side too. Not fun. I don't really have an interest in making it more powerful. No new cam or anything. Just want to freshen it up. I was planning on doing it this spring since I don't have a garage, just a carport. I have a large flat driveway too. I hate working in the cold. Cold in Oklahoma sucks. The wind is always blowing in the winter. Anyways, what do you guys think? I was planning on replacing the timing chain, water pump, and anything else that wouldn't hurt to replace while the engine is out. What would you guys recommend as far as a kit and where to get it? Thanks for any info! Matt

 

Oh yeah, my car has an automatic transmission. I hate GM sometimes for only offering an auto with a 350. How hard would it be to put a manual tranny in there? Maybe a T56. Does anybody make an aftermarket 6 speed for our cars? I haven't looked, but I'd imagine there is some plate I'd have to knock out to put the clutch in my car and I'd have to change the console. No big deal really. But my car would be SO much cooler if it were a standard! Thanks for any info! Matt

 

i ithnk only you can decide if you need to rebuild it or not. sounds like it wouldn't hurt anything if you did. i had a truck the used a quart of oil every day, 80 mile round trip to work and back. i rebuilt it and stopped the oil burning and increased preformance and fuel milage. be prepared to spend more than you expect to.

 

It sounds like your engine is next to dead.

Like ede said, only you can decide to rebiuld it, but it sounds like it definitely needs a rebiuld.

 

Well that's the thing. The car runs great. It fires right up every time. I've taken it on lots of road trips. I drove it 600 miles last weekend. It runs great. The gas mileage just sucks and it is burning a lot of oil. When I replaced the head gasket, the cylinder walls looked fine. No rough spots or anything. Not real sure what I would be looking for there. Matt

 

I think all you need is a 'top end rebuild' if you want to freshen it up and stop the gas & oil consumption. You have to drop your pan, take a look and see if there is an excess of metal on the magnet and/or floating around - if it looks decent enough I wouldn't worry. You can do a top end rebuild with some budget aftermarket heads and a summit cam, all new seals & gaskets, timing chain, get the injectors checked out and cleaned/flowmatched if necessary etc. Just getting the injectors checked out alone could solve your gas consumption problem.

Before you jump to conclusions tho, I would advise just doing a true "neurotic" tune up, and seeing if it improves at all.

 

You also want to check the rings, this could be your oil consumption problem, as well. With that much volume of oil going through the engine, I would be concerned. Get a compression gauge and check the cranking compression, do a search, and you may want to do a leakdown test. This will give you a pretty good picture of the internal condition of your engine, but like everyone else has said, to rebuild or not to rebuild is your decision.
:rockon:

 

Can anybody recommend a good top end rebuild kit or somebody that sells them? Thanks! Matt

 

Don't just take my suggestion and spend your hard eaarned money!! Do what JPK said first - it can be awfully revealing to the condition of your engine!

 

Summit sells an engine rebuild kit for about $379 including new pistons, rings, all bearings, gaskets, oil pump etc.
They also have a "complete" engine rebuilt kit, everything above + new cast crankshaft, connecting rods, pistons, piston rings, rod and main bearings, an oil pump and pickup, a roller timing chain set with thrust bearing, and a gasket set.
For $879

http://store.summitracing.com/

Also, when/if you do this, put a new cam in there with all new valve train components (sans factory hyd roller lifters, reuse them)
If you go so far as to rebuild the engine just to "freshen" it up, a new cam will do wonders for it and you can even go a little larger without affecting too much.