[goatwgn]

That was a great video of the run. Amazing what Nunzi can do with Pontiacs. He's making "half" of a 389 run better than a lot of people do with the whole engine. He know what "works" in an engine. Used to enjoy reading Nunzi's tech articles in old HPP magazines.

[Rad Randy]

Originally Posted by mechanickeith

The pictures I posted were from some time ago. Looks like the SD valve cover has been changed & also now has a T/S crossover housing on it. A stock bell housing will bolt up to the Tempest 4 cylinder but will only use 4 bolts instead of 6.

Here is a pic of Dave Johnsons (RIP) White Warrier starter mounted to his 4 cyl. Pic is very small & hard to see but you get the idea. Use a stock Pontiac bell housing with stock flywheel, clutch etc, etc. Then fabricate an adapter plate to the bottom of the block & mount a mini starter to it. Should not be hard to do. Stock Pontiac flywheel has a larger diameter than the Tempest flywheel. Eliminate the stock starter & mount one on the bottom of the block.

I had a 4 banger crank handy and also had a flywheel from a 67-70 range 400 and the flywheel fits on the crank perfect so that should work unless someone can tell me why not? I also have a Lakewood scatter shield bellhousing and block plate so that should work also. Since the bellhousing has a started bulge and two holes for a starter I am presuming that a starter from a older Pontiac that mounts the same way may also work. Going to look at those pictures you sent me real close. Thanks!

[mechanickeith]

If its setup for a bell housing starter, then you are ready to go! Most people run the newer bell housings & need to adapt a block mount for a starter. Crank & flywheel should match fine.

[Rusty4cyl]

Hey Keith, How's it going ? I don't want to step on anybodies toes, but when I ran the 4 speed in my Jeep, the back of the crank isn't machined out like a V8 is, so the first one we did we shortened the input shaft, because the trans wouldn't go all the way in. The second one I had an adapter made that went between the trans and the throwout bearing sleeve, so the input shaft could be used at regular length. I think the flywheel sit's a little farther back than the V8 does, so when you put the block mount on for the starter, you can put it were it fit's the best. Just my 2 cent's worth. Hope this help's Thanks Rusty

[Rad Randy]

Originally Posted by Rusty4cyl

Hey Keith, How's it going ? I don't want to step on anybodies toes, but when I ran the 4 speed in my Jeep, the back of the crank isn't machined out like a V8 is, so the first one we did we shortened the input shaft, because the trans wouldn't go all the way in. The second one I had an adapter made that went between the trans and the throwout bearing sleeve, so the input shaft could be used at regular length. I think the flywheel sit's a little farther back than the V8 does, so when you put the block mount on for the starter, you can put it were it fit's the best. Just my 2 cent's worth. Hope this help's Thanks Rusty

Rusty, thanks for the extra info and concerns. I personally really appreciate the heads up. I have sent Tommy a PM to see if he can get more info and pictures from Nunzi's car to spell this all out for us/me. Thats a bad a$$ looking Jeep you have there.

[Rad Randy]

Originally Posted by Rad Randy

There seems to be a difference in the pics that GaryK and MechanicKeith posted of the engine in regards to the upper radiator hose and thermostat location. Keiths pics show it moved down onto the cylinder head area and Garys show up on top. Also Gary's pics show some clearish hoses coming off the water pump valve cover area and into a canister behind the right headlight (Crank Vent?). Can anyone confirm what and why the changes are/were? Its making my eyes squint
Thanks!

From Tommy>>>Okay here are some answers originally the car was gonna be a show street car but as dad got into it things that changed real quick ! And now its a track car only we had a standard crank case Evacuation threw the valve cover into the header with one clear tube when we had 1st built the car no one had a pump for a 4 cylinder ( no one has anything for a 4cylinder) so my dad worked with
company of his choice and had the pump and tank made up which is why you see 3 clear tubes on the newer picture. As far as the water neck goes dad was trying a different ways of cooling the engine and started with the head 1st but the adapter plate we made kept leaking so we put it back on the top of the head and it became one of those okay we will make a new plate when we have a chance ! This car has been about 4 years in the making as far as the flywheel and starter and bell housing that you will have to speak to dad on that ( again no parts for a 4 we had to make it work)

THANK YOU TOMMY FOR THE ADDITIONAL INFO!!!!
Randy

[mechanickeith]

Thanks Rusty for your input. Your comments are allways welcome. There are very few people who have been faithfull to the Tempest 4 cylinder motor & the amount of people who have ran them as a performance motor can probably be counted on one hand. You are one of those guy's right up there with Nunzi, Mickey Thompson & Roger Manson!!

As with anything not put together from the factory, fabrication is necesary. Pontiac really helped us (Tempest owners) out quite a bit by basing the 4 cyl motors off of the V8. Being on the same production line as the V8, lots of stuff will bolt together. As I said, a stock Pontiac bell housing will bolt to the back of the 4 cyl motors with 4 of the 6 bolts. In the pictures you can see a plate bolted in where the stock starter was. This plate bolts in & provides another bell housing mount point. Everything else will need some type of modification/ fabrication to make work. Very few people have done this with a 4 cyl. motor. Most just step up to a V8. As Nunzi has shown, the 4 cyl motor can really perform well when set up correctly.

For my 61 wagon project I am going with a 200R on the back of the 4 cylinder. I think this will be a much better gear ratio option for the 4 cylinders power & torque curv & think I can top 30 MPG with it. I do have some concerns about vibration from the 4 cyl causing issues with the trans & will work those out as I go along.