[Jeff Walker]

Originally Posted by pontiac1981

WHY IS EVERYONE SO CLOSED MINED WHEN COMES TO THE 301? I'M WILLING TO GUESS THAT THEIR OPINION IS ONLY BASED ON BAD HEAR SAY. I HAD A 79 TA AND I HAD A UNKNOWN MECHANIC IN NORTH RIDGEVILLE OHIO WORK HIS MAGIC ON MY TA BACK IN THE MID 80'S AND HE PUT THIS LITTLE 301 NON TURBO INTO THE MID TO UPPER 13'S FOR JUST UNDER $2500.00 AND THE CAR RAN GREAT UP TO THE TIME I SOLD IT WITH OVER 130,000 MILES ON IT AND I NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE CRANK OR ANYTHING ELSE. THE CHANGES WERE SIMPLE, HOTTER CAM, REJETTED THE SECONDARYS, 3:73 GEARS, B&M STAGE 2 SHIFT KIT, TRUE DUAL FLOWMASTER EXHAUST, AND THERE WAS 2 OR 3 OTHER SMALL THINGS HE DONE THAT I CAN'T REMEMBER OFF HAND. I CURRENTLY HAVE A 81 TA WITH A 301 NON TURBO THAT DISCONNECTED THE COMPUTER BY REPLACING THE CARB, METRIC TRANS WITH A TH350 WITH A STAGE 2 SHIFT KIT, DISTRIBUTOR AND I PUT A TRUE DUAL EXHAUST ON IT, I'VE OWNED THIS CAR FOR 17 YEARS AND I DO NOT BABY IT AND I'VE NEVER BEEN INSIDE THE ENGINE AND NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS. IT IS VERY CAPABLE OF OUT RUNNING GT RUSTANGS AND 350 CAMAROS.

Well consider yourself one of the lucky ones then...

Back in the 80's I used to work at my dads salvage yard and repair shop. I can recall doing 3-4 engine swaps in 301 powered cars where we took out the 301 and put in either a 350 or 400 Pontiac.

And alot of the times when I took took the old engine apart guess what I seen wrong...a broken crank! And most of these were in cars that weren't ran or used that hard. So not everybodys opinion on the 301 is heresay.

Of course then there's the example of a 79 Bonneville with a 301 that ran over 200K with only a timing chain replacement.....

JMHO