8 Under The Roof
Nothing makes a car last longer than being parked indoors on dry pavement when not in use. Many don't realize that dirt or gravel is the worse environment on which to park since the moisture in the ground attacks the underside of the car, rusting everything. If you are forced to park outside on dirt, an inexpensive plastic tarp on the ground in the parking spot will do a great deal as a vapor barrier. Better tarps are offered in black and green instead of the traditional blue, so it is possible to make it more eye appealing. Hold the tarp to the ground with some bricks or rocks and it should stay put under windy conditions.
When parking the car outside, employ a windshield sunshade in the summer and leave a window cracked open to let some of the heat out. This will not only make the car more comfortable when you enter, but will save the plastic interior parts from drying out.
9 Righty Tighty
Schedule a time to go around your Pontiac once or twice a year to tighten all the fasteners that are easily accessible. This should be done for the interior and the rest of the car. Keeping everything tight will also alert you to an impending problem while your ride remains squeak and rattle free.
10 Cold Running
Many Pontiac hobbyists falsely believe they are doing well by allowing the engine in their car to warm up, especially on a cold winter day. This cannot be further from the truth. During cold operation, an engine has approximately 1,000 percent more piston ring wear than at normal operating temperature. This is due to the bores being cold and the required rich mixture (air/fuel ratio), along with excessive restriction to cold oil flow.
In addition, the rich mixture tends to wash the oil from the cylinder walls and leaves no lubrication for the piston rings. Carbon deposits on the intake valves and in the combustion chambers form at an exponential rate when the engine is cold. Therefore, it's best for any engine to run cold for as short a time as possible. This can be accomplished by driving the Pontiac away as soon as the oil pressure is up, which is confirmed when the dash light goes out or it registers on a gauge. But the vehicle must be driven moderately until both the coolant and oil are up to operating temperature.
Since many Pontiacs don't have a coolant gauge or oil temperature reading, the heater output is usually a good indicator. Once warm air is exiting the heater, the engine will require a few more miles to build oil temperature. The engine oil always takes longer to warm than the coolant.
By driving the vehicle, the engine coolant may reach 160 degrees F in a few minutes in comparison to the 10 or more minutes it may take idling on a cold winter morning. Thus, instead of 10 minutes of excessive wear, the parts will only be exposed to a few minutes of extreme operation.
Not only does this procedure decrease engine wear, but it also builds heat uniformly throughout the entire drivetrain. When an engine is left idling to warm up, the transmission, differential, and wheel bearings are still at or near ambient temperature.
If your Pontiac is too balky to drive when it's cold, then adjust the carburetor and choke properly and it will no longer be an issue. A misadjusted choke circuit is no excuse for idling an engine to warm up.
11 Rub Me The Right Way
An inexpensive can of clear spray silicone lubricant can go a very long way in keeping any rubber molding, seal, or boot in service. Treat the door and trunk seals this way, along with the boots on the constant velocity (CV) axle joints on a front-wheel-drive application.
12 Slam Dunk
If you love your Pontiac, don't slam the doors when you close them. This beats up the hinges and lock mechanism, and causes the window track to eventually loosen up, sound tinny, and rattle. The same holds true for the hood, glovebox, and trunk lid. Be gentle and body integrity will stay like new.