What Happened to the Chevy Vega 2300? The Engine That Ruined Detroit’s Trust

Comments · 83

• RE

  @recoveringnewyorker2243 · 4 weeks ago

  The Chevrolet Vega was the best advertising for Toyota , Datsun (Nissan) , Honda , and Volkswagen.

  3

• RO

  @robhildebrandt2656 · 4 weeks ago

  High school kids of the late 70's had a solution to the failed engines. They pulled out those aluminum paper weights and dropped 350's into them. Problem solved!

  7

• PS

  @Psycho9263 · 4 weeks ago (edited)

  I once replaced a timing belt in a Vega many years ago. I knocked on some guys door and told him of my dilemma.  I wanted to phone the parts store for a timing light loaner. The man said "I have a ti.ing light you can use and a distributor wrench. I disconnected the vacuum advance until it ran and reconnected before adjusting the timing. The previous owner kept a spare timing belt with the spare tire. Once the ignition timing was set. It ran real good with plenty of response. Ill never forget that man. Many  Vega owners would change the motor .ounts and drop in a small block 350. That's the best way to go. The only problem with that is you're very limited to what transmission you can use.

  2

• 10

  @105C09 · 4 weeks ago

  I imagine I have been blessed.  I've had nine Vegas with no engine or body rust issues and I live in the footnills of SW PA>

  1

• TO

  @townhall05446 · 4 weeks ago

  Like him or not, John DeLorean's book 'On A Clear Day You Can See General Motors', has a whole chapter on how the VEga came about and how bad he knew it was before it was ever released. The first one broke in half at the firewall on the test track.

  1

• AN

  @anvilsvs · 1 month ago

  Read the Car&amp;Driver love piece on it. &nbsp;Went to dealer for test drive. &nbsp;Nice 60 degree day. &nbsp;First one won&apos;t start, too cold for it. &nbsp;Salesman goes back gets keys for the second one. &nbsp;Won&apos;t start. &nbsp; Gets keys for third one. &nbsp;Won&apos;t start. &nbsp;Heads back for forth and I stop him. &nbsp;Get back in my 10 year old Dodge Dart and leave. &nbsp;Dart still running 10 years later.<br>Radiator too small. &nbsp;Porsche and Mercedes picked up the same aluminum blocks later.<br>In 1973 I buy a new Valiant with slant 6. &nbsp;It runs 408,000 miles before we get tired of sedans and switch to minivans.

  4

• JO

  @JohnStichweh · 3 weeks ago

  The Cosworth Vegas had sleeves in the block. &nbsp;Towards the end GM offered rebuilt shortblocks for the standard engine with sleeves. I believe Cole was the one with the push for cast iron head which meant cheaper to make.

• FA

  @fasst5511 · 4 weeks ago

  That guy stand there under all those cars at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hASEz6lMotU&amp;t=684">11:24</a> is very trusting of the operator pushing the cars up. I&apos;m surprised OSHA allowed that unless that was before it was formed in December 1970.

• GD

  @gdawg-j9d · 1 month ago

  My friend had a Vega. I would give him my used motor oil from my oil changes out of my 1979 Toyota Corolla, and he would use that in his Vega, it burned so much oil.😂😮

  2

• CH

  @chrismoerlein · 4 weeks ago

  The threads did not strip. The cooling was marginal and people did not keep the coolant level full. There was also a problem with the etching process for the cylinder bores. Also not enough iron plating on the pistons.

  1

• AD

  @advjoe2 · 4 weeks ago

  I bought and sold a lot of them. With the help from a friend or my brother we could pull the engine out by hand and replace it. It never dawned on me then to start putting in a Iron Duke&apos;s. Yes the rusted badly here in the Detroit suburbs. I had a GT Wagon i really liked and it had Air Conditioning. I couldn&apos;t turn it on until we were at cruising speed. There was absolutely NO acceleration what-so-ever with it on with the wife and 2 kids in it.

• TR

  @TruckDriverSteven · 1 month ago

  They didn&apos;t learn. They did the same iron/aluminum thing with the DT4100 Caddy engine. It literally had all the same issues as this one.