Why do Pontiac engines suck ??

Back when I was in high school my steady girl had a 71 350 lemans and I had a 72 400 lemans. I used to eat those monty carlo ss for breakfast! My dad had a 65 f85 wouldnt let me touch it.

 

Thanks. I wish I could afford to run it more often. If so, would be much quicker and faster. If we do OK next week, will post some video now that a buddy has his camera set up. Maybe in a few years when some bills are paid will run her more often again. Have HEMI set up for the digger too going together.

 

Pontiac engines DON'T suck. It just costs more to rebuild them and buy hotrod parts for them. The people who say that they don't use Pontiacs because they suck are people who never owned one. They just hear other people say it. A SBC, which I really like, is easier and cheaper to build. And most of them have shorter strokes and it's easier and cheaper to turn them 8,000 rpms. Pontiac's longer strokes also caused traction problems in the early days because tires were very narrow and it was hard to get traction; the long strokes simply overpowered the tires in many cases--- especially with street tires. My first car was a '64 GTO. I loved the car and the engine. The car has a 348 horse 389, tri-power with P.S., P.B., A.C., Muncie 4 speed, bucket seats and a console. I hope to start restoring it soon.

 

Had a friend many years ago that bought a '66 Tempest. The guy he bought it from said it had a burnt valve. We were going to yank it and overhaul it, but got to checking things out first.
1. The previous owner had crossed a couple of plug wires. We fixed it and that engine ran great!
2. After checking the numbers it actually came up as a '68 or '69 455. Now we knew why it ran so good!
The best part was, this car had been through a few people and everyone apparently thought it was a 326. After my buddy & I got it running good, that "326" whipped some serious ass on a lotta sbc guys, who were shocked to say the least. I still laugh when I think about it.
I'm a diehard Ford guy, but have a lot of respect for the old Ponchos.

 

First year Pontiac 455 was 1970.

 

Is this what you mean by suck?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTkDMPJRiKs
Newer commercial but it fit back in the day also. Been beating up on alot of cars since I got into Pontiacs in 1980.
Just my stock built 400 with a different intake and carb and Headers nets me 0-60 in 3.7 to low 3.8 seconds 0-60 mph. Look back at the videos I posted. Not much power over 110 but very fast up to that.

 

Parts cost and availability aside, which do think is stronger/more durable?

Stock sbc block or a stock pontiac block?

Forget about reciprocating parts, i'm just talking about the block. As far as durability i don't nessesarily mean how many miles you can get out of it. i mean how much power can then take it stock form----how thick are the cylinder walls etc?


2) Also, don't forget, the sbc has the pontiac rocker arm design.

 

IIRC, the Chevy small block was designed for Pontiac and GM turned it over to Chevy and sent them back to the drawing board. Where they came up with a block that started at 287 CI and with only relatively minor changes went all the way up to a 455. So odds are the Pontiac is going to be the stronger block. Rods and crank tend to be the weak spot in them.

 

To really be able to answer that question, one would need extensive knowledge of both designs. I have studied the chevs in all forms. Pontiac blocks are are not al the same so some are stronger than others. The strongest production Pontiac blocks for sure are the '58 to '6O models. They have reinforcing ribs, very beefy caps and blukheads. They were definately over engineered. So much so that Pontiac starting taking materail out of the blocks and lightening them starting in '61. Their ads even say so.
Here are some wonderful design features of the Pontiac V8. As you asked, I will discuss blocks only, not related parts. Pontiac blocks use 1/2" studs on mains and to mount the heads. Most #5 main caps use 9/16" bolts! Some argue that the chev has more head bolts, true but, they are smaller with less clamping force, plus they go into water, plus they are cast into the side of the cylinders.
Pontiac V8s have their 4 1/2" head bolt pattern and is very balanced plus the head bolt castings are cast into the side of the block, not the cylinders. the advantage of this is less cylinder wall distortion when torquing compared to chev. The use of torque plates is negligible in my own testing.
I would say the one advantage the chev has is a more solid lifter area. This issue can also be overcome if needed.

I have had my 1959 Pontiac engine block in my digger in the 6's and just over 2OOmph so far and have confidence with it holding up. It is reinforced but, still a very, very tough block.
A few other virtues of the Pontiac block over a chev design not related to strength is it uses a cam thrust plate, starter is located on the left side, uses a windage tray, has a separate valley cover that separates the intake from hot oil in the block, dist mounting is far, far better desiged that the chev. No need for goofy offset sockets or wrenches to reach the clamp bolt, no need to pull the dist either to swap the intake or even to pull the heads. How nice that is. Plus, the shorter Pontiac distributor makes pulling it easier and can potentially give moe clearance for larger blowers.

 

Hmmm, just googled it and you're right. I guess we were as confused as the others . lol

 

I'd have no problem stuffin' one in a early Firebird.... With all the good pieces..

 

former father-inlaw has a 72 catalina land yaught with a 400 2bbl and it would blow the western auto snow tires off with no problem. of course at the time i was dating his daughter and would have never driven his car like that...............

 

I put Chevrolet motors in Pontiacs to piss off Pontiac owners. It works real good too.

 

I don't know that they suck at all. I'm not a big Poncho expert by no means but I have had a couple of the bigger old motors and don't recall anything I didn't like about them.

Let me ask you this question if Pontiac engines are so poor why do you see modern small block chevys running Pontiac heads?

As far as you got to have a Pontiac in a Pontiac etc. Thats a big load of muscle car era crap. You put in the strongest engine you can afford in the lightest body you can find and drive it like you stole it.

I do know where there is a Chevelle with a 400" MOPAR under the hood BTW. Well all of its under the hood but the carbs.

 

PONTIAC engines were great and made a lot of low end torque and good horsepower. Had a stock 68 gto 400 4speed all bone stock. this car idled like a family car and made great power up to 5200 or so rpm. ran much better than most 396 chevelles that were stock or lightly modified. bottom line is the cheap factor. sbc is way cheaper and easier to find parts for.

 

I am not pissed at all, you are just showing how stupid you are.

Too bad you are so far away. If you want to roll that bow tie power peice of junk to Arizona, I have a TA with a Real Pontiac, it is a street car, we can drive it to the track, has run a 8.13 so far, be in the 7s soon. If that isn't enough, my race car with 196O 389 engine block, will run low 6s. I challenge YOU big mouth, not your friends or your friends friends. Everybody knows somebody, how about you, yourself?

Run what you brung and hope you brung enough.

Bring your junk out big mouth. I have Speedworld rented April 1 2 and 3. I can set up any match race. Get used to the back end of these Pontiacs.

Chevs make great low riders. Chebby, bottom of the line GM.

 

Ya know KC is about half way. Why don't you both put your money where your mouth is?

It'll only cost you 30 bucks a pop to get into grudge nite and I'll supply the cheese burgers.

Of course I would like to see you both bring something trad.

Gawd the testoserone is flowing like the mississippi today isn't it.

 

I hear ya. Then you could tell people its a 326 and have fun spanking the "know it all" guys. Notice I did not say Chevy, nor would I ever infer that...okay maybe.

 

it comes down to dollars&cents.a chevy its cheaper.how ever pontiac its torquier and you can make a 1979 301 pontiac engine look like a 1955 326.

 

I think both the Pontiac and the Chevy are good motors. In fact I have Chevys, Pontiacs, and Fords. I got a 68 Firebird a few years ago that I still have. The old owner had a 383 small block in it and when I bought it I pulled the engine and gave it to him and took the car without the motor and put a Pontiac back in it. I know what you mean though. At the local shows here its pretty rare to see a Firebird with a Pontiac engine still in it.

 

I had a 77 transam with the 400 pontiac big block it was a joy to drive any where several trips over the seara navadas from bay area to Tahoe it never knew there was a mountan in the way. then camerio owners woud come up and say 'I have a 400 also, most never understood the differance,and proply never will

 

Send me the Pontiacs you remove. I'm not pissed

 

I go the other way and put nothing but PONTIAC motors in my Fords...


By the way I knew eventually, someone was going to piss off applekrate and he was going to have to put the smack down...

-Abone.

 

Not ticked, just defending what I believe in. I see people doing all kinds of stupid things and sure you all do to.
www.pontiacheaven.org

 

See how angry my comment made this Pontiac owner? You seriously need to chill out.

 

I scrap them.. especially if they have round port exhaust cylinder heads, factory aluminum intakes, or were factory tri power engines.

 

Well now, either you're being facetious or are just plain ignorant. Why would you junk a factory tri power engine?

 

I am obviously joking.

 

I believe they are great engines. Last engine I ran 10ys present engine 4rys 350 runs best of 9.40 @ 147.mph.

 

Beebing, i've rode in that '32 and it pulls like a teenage boy with no date. Pretty sure its a little bigger than a 421, Dan Whitmore built it (engine)