1970 Green Machine

Hello all. I know I don't post on here much, but 90% of everything I've learned while having my 1970 Monte I have learned it from reading your guy's posts and topics; so I'm very grateful for you all. I'm a parts guy and I love learning about different car parts and engine components. After doing months of research, I have chosen to, someday years from now, install a 502 bbc gm crate motor in my monte. My 454 currently in the car has been great to me and I have no complaints. However, the intake I want for the 502 is the Ram Jet fuel injection intake. I know the intake stands almost 12 inches tall, so my question is this: Will I be able to keep and run the stock hood? Or will I have to get an aftermarket one with a cowl induction? I'd prefer to keep the flat style hood, but if I had to change it I wouldn't mind a little cowl induction. Any thoughts or ideas? Anybody know anybody who has a 502 Ram Jet engine in a first generation Monte Carlo? Thanks for any thoughts, comments or ideas! You guys are the best! KG

Okay, great. You guys are awesome! Thank you very much!!

Hello everyone. I am planning on having my pinion seal replaced and having the rear end fluid drained and putting new fluid in, since the fluid is from 1970, LOL. Anyways, my question is this; when I go to replace the 12 bolt gasket, do I need to use silicone to help seal it? Or will the cork gasket by itself be enough? Thanks to all that view and comment below. Much appreciated!

Thanks guys. I just checked it all out, and it was the bolt that connects the cable to the horseshoe shifter. It's back to normal now. Thanks again guys! Have a good one!

Hello all. When I first got my Monte Carlo, the horseshoe shifter seemed tight and good to go; proper clicking into gear sounds, the shifter over the correct "gear label" when in that gear. My car sat for 2 & 1/2 months due to me needing to replace everything brake related on the car, but, now I got it back on the road 2 days ago. However, now when I am in drive, the shifter is over the 2nd gear "gear label." And, when I go from drive to neutral, I'd say the shifter moves 5-6 inches before it actually engages into neutral. If anyone has any ideas on what the issue is, how it can be fixed and / or what I will need to fix it or what I will need to do to fix it, please let me know. Side note, when I shift my horseshoe shifter into gears, a round piece on my steering column moves / rotates when you move the shifter from gear to gear.(Hopefully this helps.)Thanks to all that comment on this thread and can help me. Have a good one!

I run the stock fan shroud, I run a full time mechanical pull fan (no clutch), a spal 16 electric pull fan behind the stock fan shroud, I deleted the AC condensor/radiator that sat in front of the engine radiator, and no more thermostat. make sure you have that fan shroud; the fan shroud is for both the radiator and the engine; pulls air through the radiator to help cool the motor. Try running no thermostat and see if that makes a difference; I had the same problem and I removed the thermostat and my problem went away, must've been a broken thermostat. But I run Spal 16 electric pull fans on my hot rods and I swear by them; extremely reliable. Good luck to you and your decision.

Shorty headers are more efficient than long tube headers. Long tube headers were made for full on racing; all the exhaust gasses leave the engine as fast as possible for more horsepower. But since all that engine pressure is leaving the engine so quickly, you lose torque. Here's the basics; if you're running the street, go with shorty headers; they will give you no clearence/hitting the ground issuuse and that back pressure they will have will be good for the motor to increase the torque. Long tube headers will make going over speed bumps a challenge / grinding on the ground on a bad bump. Go with shorty headers, not long tube. Just my suggestion and explanation for what I've learned when it comes to headers. Good luck making a decision.

I hope I'm not too late to comment on this, lol. From my experience (recently) learning about big block chevy's and operating temperatures, 200 degrees is natural, but it depends upon what YOU are comfortable at. My grandfather who used to drive vehicles (old chevy trucks, big chevy work trucks, etc etc) that had 454's in them, it wasn't unnatural to see 200 degrees. 180 degrees seems to be the preferred number nowadays with hot rods and muscle cars. In my opinion and my preference: I use 180 degree thermostat in my 454 Monte Carlo- here's why: it gives the engine "more of a flex point for temperature." let me explain and give an example. when my Monte is running at 180 all day long, I'm ecstatic. I love it. Nice running engine temperature. As for the engine, 180 degrees seems to operate the engine fine. when my Monte is running at 190 all day long, I'm good. I'm not ecstatic about it, but I'm not hating it. As for the engine, 190 degrees seems to operate the engine fine. when my Monte is running at 200 all day long, I'm not happy. Why? Because I PREFER 180. I know I'm not overheating, YET I know that 200 degrees (from my experience and learning) is natural; but I PREFER 180. As for the engine, 200 degrees seems to operate the engine fine. To my point, when you start at 180 degrees, "you have" 20 degrees flex of engine increasing temperature to the point of "yeah the engine will still be just fine running at 200 degrees." Make sense? Flex is what I shoot for. More of a "just in case thermostat" i guess. lol If you've understand what I typed above, it comes down to preference. 180 is a common preference for most hot rod and muscle car enthusiasts nowadays, HOWEVER, don't forget, it's not unnatural to see a big block run more than 180 degrees- meaning it's natural to see that temperature gauge go up to 200 degrees, and the motor will be fine. Again, this is just based off of my personal experience with my car, as well as what I've learned over the past few months with my car and talking with others. Hope this helps or gives you an idea of what to do. Kevin G.

Fast response man! I like it! lol. And okay, sounds good. Thanks for the information. So I'm not alone when it comes to hearing a difference Thanks again! I appreciate it. Kevin G.

Hello all. Me again with another engine related question. Okay so over the past few months I learned all about the differences between flat tappet cams and hydraulic roller cams. I know the differences between each and what each does etc. etc. So my question is this; Is there anyway that i could identify what type of cam i have without doing any engine tear down? I've watched / listened to thousands of videos on YouTube of guys with muscle cars with both small and big block motors, and where some run flat tappet and some run roller cams, flow-master and magnaflow exhaust. And this may sound weird, but I think that I can hear a difference in exhaust tone when it comes to flat tappet vs roller cams. Am I crazy to think that I can hear a difference between the two types of cams? Has anyone else heard a difference before? If there is such a thing of being able to tell a difference in cams between the sound, here's a video below of my car running. If this helps at all, my heads identification number is 336781; oval port heads. Overall, I ask this because I recently learned a few days ago about all this "oil & zinc" stuff for engines and my oil change is right around the corner so if I must add zinc oil or an additive zinc to my oil then I guess i want to know that if I need it, lol. Again, I thank you all very much for any input, advice or suggestions. Kevin G.

Thank you very much Sam and Bruce! Much appreciated!

Hello everyone. In a couple of weeks I am looking at changing the oil in my Monte Carlo for the first time. It's a 454 big block, very stock looking / appearing engine and parts. After doing some research, I keep finding different answers for how many quarts of oil that 454's take. The average I see is answers such as "7 quarts with filter" or "8 quarts with filter." So my question is, how much oil does my 454 take? Engine block shows a letter P, (I'm assuming for meaning that the engine was in a passenger car, not quite sure), followed by the numbers 361959. Attached is an EXAMPLE picture of my oil pan, very similar but not the exact one, that's on my car- if that helps at all. Thanks to everyone who views this. All help is appreciated greatly. Kevin G.