I know they're past the year cut off, but, I have been givin a 1967 PMD 230 ci OHC 6 cyl. It looks really cool. Turns over, no metal in the pan, just sludge. I hadn't ever heard of these before, but I think it would be cool in my 53 project (http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=481059 ) Is it worth my time, what are the pros, cons? Are most importantly, how much is interchangable with a standard 6 from the same era? I plan on drivin the wheels off this car, is it going to be difficult to get parts in a pinch and leave me stranded? Thanks in advance Cory
They are nice 6's. Buddy ran one in a oval track car, really pulled off corner. I ran one in a 62 chevy nova with a straight axle under it. I used to have a book on them will take a look and see if I can locate it. If my memory serves the only thing different will be the engine internals. Water pump might be the only thing that could leave one stranded. As am not sure if that was specific to that engine. And if your a spare parts kinda guy and travel distances to shows and such, cary a spare pump and timing belt. Different engine. They used one in the Red Barron, I think Tom Daniels used an aircraft engine in the model. And it's not a SBC.
I used to race a friend with one in a firebird in the 70s,the only problem I knew of was something with the water pump.....love to build a car with one,his had a Holley 4brl on a factory manifold I think......SOB was a runner
Not much is interchangeable between the Pontiac 230 & 250 OHC sixes and their conventional cam-in-block 230 & 250 Chevy counterparts other than the crank and rods. Cams and cam followers are prone to failure, probably mainly due to poor maintenance 'back in the day' and the so-so motor oils that were available. Once the oil passages get clogged up it spells a quick death for the camshaft. Unfortunately these engines were commonly yanked in favor of the easy to find and repair Chevy sixes, or the OHC six cars simply went to the junkyard after too many trips to the mechanic for camshaft replacement. New camshafts are not available, only regrinds. Neat engines with poor availability of new repair parts.
OHC Six Forum: http://sohcsix.yuku.com/ Not a very active forum as the folks who covet these unusual engines are a small group. Very cool engine for sure, but really not the one you want under the hood when you need to find parts when you're stuck out in the boonies. Pontiac only offered them for 4 model years from '66 -'69, most likely due to warranty issues and simply the high cost of building them. The 230s were the base engines (the one-barrel carb versions) for the '66 -'67 Tempest and Lemans and the '67 Firebirds, the 250s were used in the '68 -'69 Tempest/Lemans & Firebirds. In 1970 the tried-and-true 250 Chevy replaced the 250 OHC six as the base engine for these Pontiacs.
worked on several most were good problems were self induced lack of oil changes ect the sprint 6 had a factory Q Jet 4 bl ran good for what it is i would build it T Belt get a Gates they are the best now change it at 50000mi or 5 years as a pm
Thanks for all the info gang. And to Draggin GTO, thanks for the camshaft info. That may make or break it for me. Am I mistaken or were some of these factory with split manifolds on two 4bbls?
No, just one Q-Jet and factory cast-iron split exhaust manifolds back then. pdq67 PS., hunt up "OHCScott" on the boards.
dlotraf I did some searchin and found a Pontiac OHC site. Lots of good info there. and I found out that you were indeed correct, the water pump is different, but not obsolete. You suggested to have a spare at all time, for the price of $33.49, I think I'll carry 2
I don't believe there are cam bearings in the aluminum head...the cam runs on oil between it and the aluminum.Gm did the last buy on cams in the late 70's-early 80's and the patterns were pulled from the foundry. Cam cores haven't been available to my knowledge for close to 30 years. Rebuildable heads got to be getting rare too. Charlie
Watch the results for the Bonneville Nationals this year, I understand that Dennis Varni has a new streamliner with a Pontiac OHC six in it with a hair dryer that is supposed to be making over 1100 hp. I think the car runs in the E blown gas class. Rex
Back in the day I had the Sprint version. Bought it new, changed oil every 2000 miles filter at 4000. Ran 4:56s with cheater slicks shifted @ 6300. Not an once of trouble. Pontiac Slim
Another DeLorean idea, I think. They are based off the 230-250 Chev 6 I believe, they share the same pan, bellhousing, intake and exhaust deminsions, I say this because I used an Algon Injector and Vertex mag from an OHC Pontiac, in my 40 chev w/ a 292 chev motor. There terrific motors. Good luck w/ yours... Bowtie40
This is Part 1 of a 15 part in-depth build of an OHC Poncho 6. Good info. http://webrodder.com/article.php?AID=335&SID=60&CID=
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