Engine

The engine that motivates my beast, a 1989 350 with Tuned Port Injection. As you can see I have done a lot of "clutter" removal from under the hood, if it doesn't need to be there, it is removed. I started with removing the air conditioning and emissions eqiupment, that removed a lot of useless clutter, then since the air conditioning was gone, I also bypassed the heater control valve. Another thing I did was to remove the washer fluid and radiator overflow bottles, I replaced them with a single combination unit I pirated from a 1991 Ford Explorer, it is about the size of group 75 battery. I am still trying to find a way to completly remove the bracket on the passenger side of the engine, since I removed the A/C and air pump, all it is there for is the serpintine belt tensioner. Nevermind those crappy fuel lines, i'll get them changed to stock ones eventually. I was going to cover the Jamex strut tower brace on the suspension page but since it is such a visual part under the hood, I added a Jamex strut tower brace I got brand new off ebay for $20.00 it and has made a differance in the way the car handles.



My Formula did not leave the factory with a 350 Tuned Port engine, it actually had a 305 with Throttle Body Injection. One of the previous owners swawpped this motor into the car. I found out it was not the original motor when I ordered some parts for it and just went by the VIN. Back then I didn't know nearly as much about thirdgens as I do now. So anyway I ordered some parts, and they didn't fit, that's when one of the guys I worked with at the Pontiac dealer said that the engine code on my VIN was for a 305 TBI car. so we pulled some numbers off the block and found it was a 89 350.

Here's pictures of what the cluttered engine compartment looked like when I got the car, you can't even see the passenger side valve cover. I think I left it like this until sometime around 2000, before I started my clutter removal obsession.

A close up of the Ford Explorer bottle assembly and A pic of the Exhaust cut-out

As far as modifications made to the motor, it has somewhat of a cam, but since it was installed prior to my owning the car I have no specs. There is also a set of 24 LB P/HR fuel injectors, Edelbrock headers, a Street and Performance 52mm Throttle Body and an ADS "superchip". I have added a TPIS throttle body airfoil ( which I picked up gently used for $10.00 ), a K&N 1000 cfm throttle body mounted cone air filter, I upgraded the Ignition system with Accel shorty "header" plugs and 8.8mm Wires, ( I plan on getting an Accel coil and control module soon ). I also found and replaced the missing distributor cover or plenum extension as GM called it, although I just got the standard Camaro/Firebird plastic version, but plan on upgrading to the Corvette aluminum version. I also swapped the black valve covers for silver ones since they better match the TPI assembly.

FUTURE PLANS: I plan on moving the battery to the trunk to clean up more clutter from under the hood, and to get better weight transfer for when I install my new 3:73 posi rearend. I also have been going back and forth on what to do about the motor, I autocross the car regularly so was thinking of building a 355 engine or I also have wanted to put in a turbo Buick V6. I guess I'll decided once I have the engine out. The other thing I have been wanting to do, is paint the engine bay and the bottom of the hood satin Black, I will be doing this when I have the car apart and repainted Yellow or Green.