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32321 messages,  Last post on May 18, 2013 at 10:13 PM

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Messages Page 2945 of 3232

#29441 of 32321 Re: more oddities [oldfarmer50] by andre1969

Jan 21, 2013 (6:59 am)

Replying to: oldfarmer50 (Jan 21, 2013 6:13 am)
For some reason, Pontiac never seemed to put much effort into performance for their 350 engines. Usually it was the 400 or 455 (or in later years the 301 turbo) where they put the most effort.
 
Pontiac's 350 came out in 1968, with either 265 or 320 hp. I'm guessing one was a 2-bbl and the other was a fairly hot 4-bbl. In '69 it had 265, 325, or 330 hp. In '70 it was just a 2-bbl 255 hp version. By the time they went to net hp, it was down to 160 hp in '72.
 
There was a 200 hp 350 in 1974, which I guess could be called somewhat "hot", as the 2-bbl only had 155 hp, and the base 4-bbl had 170. I think this was the engine they used in the Nova/Ventura-based GTO.
 
At some point, the 350-4bbl was only offered in California/high altitude areas. Not sure when that started, but my '76 LeMans is one of those. I'm not sure how much hp my car has, though. My Consumer Guide auto encyclopedia lists it at 165 hp, but the big blue "Motor's" repair manual lists it at 175. The 2-bbl 49 state engine was 160.
 
As for 1975, that year's 350-2bbl put out 155 hp. The 4-bbl was 175. Pathetic by today's standards, but pretty par for the course in the mid 70's

#29442 of 32321 Re: more oddities [oldfarmer50] by corvette

Jan 21, 2013 (7:24 am)

Replying to: oldfarmer50 (Jan 21, 2013 6:13 am)
"Either the 75 or the 76 only had 165hp. That's shockingly bad from a 5.7L."
 
As Jeremy Clarkson would say, "how do they get so little power from an engine?"

#29443 of 32321 Re: Punched our card [anonymousposts] by ateixeira

Jan 21, 2013 (7:30 am)

Replying to: anonymousposts (Jan 21, 2013 5:58 am)
Congrats on the new Lotus Evora wagon.

#29444 of 32321 Re: more oddities [corvette] by dieselone

Jan 21, 2013 (8:05 am)

Replying to: corvette (Jan 21, 2013 7:24 am)
"Either the 75 or the 76 only had 165hp. That's shockingly bad from a 5.7L."
  
As Jeremy Clarkson would say, "how do they get so little power from an engine?"
 
Probably because SMOG controls probably resulted in a 350 that could only spin 4k rpm. I'm sure the torque output was good for the time. But since HP is just a calculation based off torque output, if you limit the RPM or if the torque output drops off quickly at higher rpm, you will severely limit HP.
 
The 350 is one of my favorite GM engines. It's a strong, reliable, and flexible engine overall.
 
I'm impressed with the 300hp 350 in my boat. It has good torque, and doesn't seem to mind being pushed. It feels like it can run 4k rpm all day. Though it does start to sound a bit strained around 5k rpm, but it will run 5,200 rpm.

#29445 of 32321 Re: 2013 punches [stickguy] by breld

Jan 21, 2013 (11:26 am)

Replying to: stickguy (Jan 20, 2013 9:15 pm)
I am still in awe of Breld. 2 nice BMWs in 1 week? I nearly lost my mind (and wallet..) with 3 punches in 2012, and one of those was only $2,500, and another was only about $800 net OOP!
 
We're kinda in awe ourselves that these vehicles came available in such a close timeframe to each other, much less locally.
 
I'm not suggesting that we didn't lose out economically by trading in the A5 and X3 after short ownerships, but since they were such nice cars, it was essentially a net $0 OOP to get out of those "ordinary" cars and into our "dream" BMWs. Nice deal.

#29446 of 32321 Re: more oddities [andre1969] by oldfarmer50

Jan 21, 2013 (12:53 pm)

Replying to: andre1969 (Jan 21, 2013 6:59 am)
"...much effort into performance..."
 
Didn't Pontiac have a 6cyl. In the late 60s that put out 215hp? I think they put it in the firebird. Not bad for a 6.
 
The mid to late 70s was dismal all around.

#29447 of 32321 Re: more oddities [oldfarmer50] by roadburner

Jan 21, 2013 (1:14 pm)

Replying to: oldfarmer50 (Jan 21, 2013 12:53 pm)
Didn't Pontiac have a 6cyl. In the late 60s that put out 215hp? I think they put it in the firebird. Not bad for a 6.
 
That would be the OHC Sprint motor. A really nice engine, but unjustly overshadowed by the mega-horsepower V8s of the period. Read more here.

#29448 of 32321 Re: more oddities [roadburner] by rayainsw

Jan 21, 2013 (1:58 pm)

Replying to: roadburner (Jan 21, 2013 1:14 pm)
C+D actually put one of those in an E-Type Jag.
- Ray
Oddity, indeed.....

#29449 of 32321 Re: more oddities [oldfarmer50] by andre1969

Jan 21, 2013 (1:59 pm)

Replying to: oldfarmer50 (Jan 21, 2013 12:53 pm)
Yeah, it started life in 1966 as a 230 CID engine, offered in the Tempest/LeMans, with 207 hp. For 1967, it went to 215 hp and was offered in the Firebird as well. For '68 it was stroked to 250 CID, but still with 215 hp. For 1969, it peaked out at 230 hp.
 
Those were very good numbers, for a 6-cyl. Most of them only put out around 140-155 hp.
 
And, while those were gross numbers, that 215-230 hp probably translates to around 140-160 net. So, still in range of what some ~350 CID engines were putting out in the mid-70's.
 
I've heard that the OHC-6 tended to go through timing belts every 20-30,000 miles. But other than that, I haven't heard anything bad about it. I'd imagine it's an interference engine though, so that could throw a wrench into things, if you're not religious about changing those belts!
 
And, I wonder if the problem with the belts was that, simply, the material wasn't as good in those days? If you had one of those engines today, I wonder if the improved materials would yield a longer lasting belt? Or, was it just something about the engine that was hard on them?

#29450 of 32321 Re: more oddities [dieselone] by stickguy

Jan 21, 2013 (2:29 pm)

Replying to: dieselone (Jan 21, 2013 8:05 am)
1975 was not the high water mark.
 
but compared to the L6 Gremlin and Toyota Corolla I had (both '75s) I am sure the Vette still sounded and felt like a rocket ship.

Messages Page 2945 of 3232

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