I got my 87 Firebird about two weeks ago. Ran like a dream. Today, coming home, boom. Dead. Overheated or something. Smoking like a mad man. It's start up and idle, but once it goes into Drive it stalls. And the engine is knocking horribly.

How come I can't get one of those old people cars that runs forever with parts falling off it? Mine go from "runs like a dream" to "3 ton paperweight" with no inbetween.

I wanted a third-gen for as long as I can remember. Had one for 2 weeks. Now I have no money to fix it, and no money to replace it. Horay.

 

I would use this opertunity to do an engine upgrade (if you're set on keeping a 2.8/3.1 or to do a swap. You would be amazed how cheaply you can get a t-5 and a carbed 350 for (by far the cheapest combo).

 

Check your oil and see if it looks like chocolate milk that would be a blown head gasket. What color was the smoke comeing out of the engine or was it comeing out the exhaust? Before you bought it had it been sitting a while? Did you change the oil after you got it?

 

On the bright side at least it's only about 1 1/2 tons...

 

I do plan on keeping it and swapping something in there. The problem is, that was my driver. I have no car at the moment.

That's exactly what I want though, a carbed 350 (keeping auto....I just don't like driving manual.)

This is going to end up being my first project car. I actually don't know much about HOW to things (I know what things to do, lol), but this is a good opportunity to learn. If I break something....it doesn't matter. It's already broken.

I can't be too upset. The car cost me $800. The body alone was worth it. It just sucks because up the creek without a paddle with no car. Heh, you're looking at (probably) a Kia driver!

 

if youre looking for quick, easy, cheap, and simple. get a 3.4 and swap that in. not only is it all of the above, but it gets you more power as well. look into KED85s swap boogie and do a search on this swap and do a search, itll answer a lot. its worth it!!

 

That might be an idea, too. It'll come down to if I think I have the patience to do a V8 swap or not. At this point, i've written off the car as a driver for the moment, so now I have all the time in the world to do whatever to it.

 

Baaah, you people always complainin...just top off the oil and coolant, start her up, put a spacer behind the throttle blade or drill out and adjust the stop-screw to raise the idle to like 1500....and drive with 1 foot hovering the brake and 1 foot over the gas pedal. You'd be amazed at what you can actually drive if you really try