[Rmanklein]

Hey all I have a 1976 Pontiac Sunbird I need to either rebuild the engine in or find a donor. Its got the 2.3 I in it and I can't find parts anywhere for it. Ames suggested I try the forums haha

Sent from my LM-X210VPP using Tapatalk

[Sirrotica]

Rock Auto lists rings and bearings for it, rings seem to be in short supply so there may be limited availability. It lists gasket sets too.


You do know the 2.5 Liter Iron Duke could be swapped into it too right? Pontiac resurrected the old Chevy II 4 cylinder ( just a 6 cylinder chevy engine with 2 cylinders loped off) and did some revisions on it just so they didn't have to deal with the crappy vega engine in their compact line.

[unruhjonny]

Sorry for the derail - but to me this reads like it's time for an engine swap!!

lol!

honestly, you could go as mild or wild as you want;
I love the power that the 88-94 2.3l Quad4 makes (150/160hp std trim; 175-190hp in HO trim);
I also love the idea of swapping a P350 in the likes of a Chevette, Sunbird, or Astre... that could be a pita for servicing, but with even a very mild build, it would make any of those cars a rocket ship!!

I have really wanted to find a Chevette or 70-74 inline six Firebird and do a Quad4HO swap... my cousin thinks the latter is blasphemy, but I think it would make a better balanced, funner car than what was built...

[Rmanklein]

So with the iron duke would that bolt right up to the 5 spd?

Sent from my LM-X210VPP using Tapatalk

[Rmanklein]

Someday it'll get a small block v8 but for now I just want it running

Sent from my LM-X210VPP using Tapatalk

[Sirrotica]

Originally Posted by Rmanklein

So with the iron duke would that bolt right up to the 5 spd?

Sent from my LM-X210VPP using Tapatalk

From what I remember reading, the engine has to be out of a RWD car or truck (S 10, F body etc.) from what I understand. FWD 2.5 has a different bell housing pattern. I can't say for sure because I've never attempted the swap, but I remember reading the RWD engines have a different pattern, I think due to starter mounting.

[Rmanklein]

Originally Posted by Sirrotica

From what I remember reading, the engine has to be out of a RWD car or truck (S 10, F body etc.) from what I understand. FWD 2.5 has a different bell housing pattern. I can't say for sure because I've never attempted the swap, but I remember reading the RWD engines have a different pattern, I think due to starter mounting.

Hmmmm okay I'll look into it I thought about just v8 swapping it too

Sent from my LM-X210VPP using Tapatalk

[Rmanklein]

Originally Posted by Rmanklein

Hmmmm okay I'll look into it I thought about just v8 swapping it too

Sent from my LM-X210VPP using Tapatalk

The crazy thing is nobody ever seems to put stuff about sunbirds online there is very few videos about anything on YouTube especially the early models

Sent from my LM-X210VPP using Tapatalk

[Sirrotica]

V8 swap might be fine as long as you don't put your foot in it too hard, and the 5 speed will attach to a V8. Google V8 into a chevy Monza because they are essentially the same car. The Monza did come from the factory with a 262 SBC so the factory did the swap later on.

Here ya go link to V8 monza: http://www.v8monza.com/faq-v8cv.htm

[camerjeff]

The Iron Duke will not be a direct swap, the bell housing is different than the 2.3 SOHC engine.

You are aware that the 2.3 is the Chevy Vega engine I hope. Most parts should be available for it. Your 76 would be the Dura Built version used in the 76-77 Vega's, Astre's, Sunbirds, Monza's & Olds Starfire's (all Buick Skyhawks had a Buick V6 stock) Most parts should still be available if you just want to repair your original engine. There is a small but active H-body community on line, I can post some links, and theyre is a more active face book page but I am not a facebook member so I can't help you there.

It looks like with the exeption of Camshafts almost everything else should be available just not at JEGS or Summit

[Rmanklein]

Originally Posted by camerjeff

The Iron Duke will not be a direct swap, the bell housing is different than the 2.3 SOHC engine.

You are aware that the 2.3 is the Chevy Vega engine I hope. Most parts should be available for it. Your 76 would be the Dura Built version used in the 76-77 Vega's, Astre's, Sunbirds, Monza's & Olds Starfire's (all Buick Skyhawks had a Buick V6 stock) Most parts should still be available if you just want to repair your original engine. There is a small but active H-body community on line, I can post some links, and theyre is a more active face book page but I am not a facebook member so I can't help you there.

It looks like with the exeption of Camshafts almost everything else should be available just not at JEGS or Summit

What are the links to the parts cuz I want to get the thing running first then v8 swap it when I have more money

Sent from my LM-X210VPP using Tapatalk

[Harry The Hammer]

My 2 Sunbirds that have been sitting dormant the last few years.The red car is a 79 original V-8 305 4 speed,the gray car is a 76 with a Buick 3.6 or 3.8 ??V-6 4 speed.

Join up here http://forums.h-body.org/ and they should be able to help you out.

[camerjeff]

Depending on what you need, rock auto has a lot of parts, here is the link for a 76 Sunbird with the 2.3, but if you can't find what your looking for, look for 76 Vega parts

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...cid+l4,1260379

The H-Body link posted by Harry the Hammer is about the best site for those cars with a lot of know how.

[ROCKETMAN269V]

I have a couple of stock, used cylinder heads if the need arises. Thanks, Bob.

[Rmanklein]

Originally Posted by ROCKETMAN269V

I have a couple of stock, used cylinder heads if the need arises. Thanks, Bob.

I will definitely let you know if i need them

Sent from my LM-X210VPP using Tapatalk

[Rmanklein]

Anybody know the rear end width of the sunbird?

Sent from my LM-X210VPP using Tapatalk

[Rmanklein]

Or what rear end it is just in general

Sent from my LM-X210VPP using Tapatalk

[camerjeff]

It should be a 7.5 inch GM 10 Bolt, if it is you can use late 80's early 90's S-10 Axles And Posi unit to beef it up some, yours will have 26 spline axles, the later S-10's have 28 Spline axles and are a bit stronger.

[ROCKETMAN269V]

Originally Posted by camerjeff

It should be a 7.5 inch GM 10 Bolt, if it is you can use late 80's early 90's S-10 Axles And Posi unit to beef it up some, yours will have 26 spline axles, the later S-10's have 28 Spline axles and are a bit stronger.

I also have a few 1st gen S-10 rears/axles. Thanks, Bob.

[camerjeff]

Just FYI on the S-10 Axle swap, the I did just bolted in with no interference issue's but other people have said they had to grind about 2mm off the backing plates to get them to not rub on the drums. The S-10 axles are about 1mm shorter than the H-Body axles.

If you get a chance post some pictures of the center section were the torque arm attaches to the rear axle, there is a slight possibility that you could have a 6.5" rear axle as they did put them in a few 2.3 powered 76 Sunbirds. The easiest way to tell the difference is the attachment point for the Torque arm, the 7.5" uses 2 long bolts with nuts that pass thru the torque arm top to bottom, the 6.5 axle used 4 short bolts that thread into the axle housing, so if you do not see any bolts with nuts securing the torque arm you have a 6.5 and it is the weakest axle GM made in the 70's, makes a 7.5" look like a quality part. Fingers crossed you have a 7.5" axle.

The 6.5's were only installed on Automatic 2.3 powered cars, and only thru the 1st half of the 76 model year. Even the 76 Astre's mostly have the better 7.5" axle.