Difference between chevy & pontiac 350 v8

[Comrade_Charlie]

I know they are both made by GM, and GM owns chevy and pontiac. But I dont know if there are any differences... like a 1978 pontiac 350 vs 1970 nova 350... difference in mounting. size of block, ect......?

[gearheadstik]

They are different all together...not a expert on pontiac though...

[poortecher]

totally different indeed. i have a 69 firebird, so i know. as for size, the pontiac motor is larger than a sbc, and about the same as a bbc. however, pontiac didn't have a small or big block. the 326 through the 455 had the same external dimensions. the engine mount is different. the intake on a pontiace is separated from the lifter valley by a metal cover. i think a poncho v8 would be a little heavy for a z (i think they're around 550 lbs), but it would definitely be different! any questions in particular about a pontiac motor?

[Comrade_Charlie]

I was just wondering about the difference to see if a Weiand blower would work for a pontiac 350... Chevy it is! LOL more info about chevy much easier

[grumpyvette]

personally I like PONTIACS a good deal, youll need to understand a few things that differ fron the chevy engine but 400hp from a 350-400 pontiac is FAR from difficult to reach.

if your SERIOUS youll want better connecting rods and aftermarket cylinder heads

 

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/98359/

 

http://www.dapa.org/jhpages/pontiac-cams.htm

 

http://www.boyleworks.com/ta400/psp/blockID.html

 

http://www.teufert.net/pontiac/cranks.htm

 

http://www.pontiacs.org/

 

 

 

http://www.krepower.com/

 

http://www.nunzi-pontiac-expert.com/

 

http://www.highperformancepontiac.com/

 

http://www.classicfirebird.com/hand/hand.html

 

look over all the info and youll have a good base to start from... I generally use EDELBROCK heads #60599 (2) thier single plane Victor Pontiac #2957

intake and a cam in the 235-240 intake durration range http://www.cranecams.com/?show=browsePar...rtType=camshaft

 

with about 10.5:1 cpr, yes youll need the rear gear (3.5:1-4.11:1)and tq converter to match (3000rpm) or a manual trans

 

 

 

P.S. >>>> Here is some Pontiac reference data you may find useful......

 

http://www.pontiacstreetperformance.com/psp/v8displace..html

 

http://www.pontiacstreetperformance.com/psp/camselect.html

 

http://www.pontiacstreetperformance.com/psp/rockers.html

 

http://www.pontiacstreetperformance.com/psp/camquickref.html

 

http://www.yearone.com/updatedsinglepages/Id_info/pontiacengineid/pontengid1.html

 

http://www.bassettracing.cz28.com/custom3.html

 

http://www.teufert.net/pontiac/bloccast.htm

 

http://www.pontiacpower.com/Crank4250.htm

 

http://www.pontiacstreetperformance.com/psp/heads.html

 

http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive/headpont.html

 

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/72278/index10.html

 

http://www.popularhotrodding.com/enginemasters/articles/pontiac/0209PHREMPontiac/

 

http://www.classicalpontiac.com/restoration/2.html

 

http://www.classicalpontiac.com/restoration/3.html

 

http://www.classicalpontiac.com/restoration/4.html

 

http://www.classicalpontiac.com/restoration/5.html

 

http://www.classicalpontiac.com/restoration/6.html

 

http://www.classicalpontiac.com/restoration/10.html

 

http://www.pontiacstreetperformance.com/psp/camquickref.html

 

http://www.nunzi-pontiac-expert.com/camshafts.htm

 

http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive/cams_pontiac.html

 

http://www.thepontiactransampage.com/carb2.html

 

http://www.teufert.net/pontiac/carbs.htm

 

http://www.pontiactripower.com/

 

http://www.highperformancepontiac.com/tech/0302_SRTriII/

 

http://www.ramairrestoration.com/

 

http://gallery.bcentral.com/GID4716958DD198651-Headers-Accy.aspx

 

http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive/man_pont.html

[grumpyvette]

if your carefull you can get decent results out of a set of PORTED cast stock pontiac heads , youll need to do the typical mods like opening up the ports to the gaskets and blending the combustion chamber edges to the head gaskets and narrowing the valve stem boss,ETC.

 

http://www.pontiacpower.org/ultimateflow.htm

 

 

 

http://www.pontiacs.org/modules.php?name=headchart

 

(they won,t work nearly as well as the edelbrocks)

BUT YOU CAN REACH THAT 400HP LEVEL.

THE INTAKE AND BETTER CONNECTING RODS ARE JUST ABOUT MANDATORY, THE STOCK INTAKE IS RESTRICTIVE AND THE STOCK RODS ARE WEAK

 

good replacement rods are cheap and easily twice as strong as stock rods

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/455-400-3...sspagenameZWDVW

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/4340-Pont...sspagenameZWDVW

 

this intake is very noticably less restrictive

 

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=EDL%2D2957&N=115&autoview=sku

 

getting the compression up to 10.0-10.5:1 and useing the better rods cam and intake makes a VERY noticable improvement, pontiac respond to high compression,good intakes and the combo of headers and cam matched to that higher cpr...they generally WON,T MAKE good power over about 6000rpm-6500rpm and pushing stock rods over 5800rpm is a good way to have a large oil leak where the block failed to stop the rods exit trajectory

[383 240z]

I had to chime in her Grumpy, but at this hour of the morning I find your comment on the oil leak caused by the blocks failure to stop the rods exit trajectory VERY amusing, I just woke the wife with my laughter. Gotta go!! Keith

[twoeightythreez]

I did that with a buick 350 once...but the block actually DID stop the rod's trajectory (the oil had to seep out through a crack instead)

Btw if anyone asks yes the Buick 350 was totally different from a Chevy, olds, or pontiac 350. I actually like them, too bad the aftermarket didn't like them as much. (They were hampered by weak oiling systems but had angle plugs, heart-shaped combustion chambers, deep skirt blocks and were lightweight...well for all iron engine anyway)

I might experiment with a buick 350 in a Z someday (my buddy is "borrowing" one I had laying around.....he pisses off chevy guys daily because it's motivating his '86 monte carlo!)

[dr_hunt]

Pontiac rods are junk, must go with eagle forged h beams if you want it to live and keep the rpm's down. I have a pontiac 400 sitting in the floor, great HP producers!

[Guest Mike]

In my youth, I owned several Pontiac 400's and 455's. The 400's worked better in my cars but that's because the '70-'72 Firebirds were poorly designed... way too front-heavy. The 455's would just burn the rubber off the tires and could slide the car sideways at any speed below about 40 MPH. Anyway... I liked mine and never had any problems with them.