Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to Frequently Asked Questions for First Generation Firebirds that have been asked and answered on FGF. Special thanks needs to be given to all the FGF members who took the time to respond to other member's questions.
Engine - General Info
Short answer: Despite what the Anchor catalog says, the 1969 350 does not use two different motor mounts — both sides use the same mount, and it’s the same one used on 400s (Anchor PN 2254).
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: That number near the distributor is the block casting number — the full number is 9786133, which denotes a 1967 400 cid block (it’s like a part number, not the sequential build/serial number, which is on the front passenger side). Source: Pontiac Muscle Car Performance 1955–1979 by Pete McCarthy.
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Short answer: Built properly, a Pontiac 400 will make 450+ hp with commonly available parts. The big-picture rules: use a competent machine shop (don’t scrimp on the block), match the cam to the heads, and clean everything obsessively. Component-by-component specifics are below. (This is a built street/strip engine; for a stock rebuild, see the milder rebuild FAQs.)
Block: Bore .060 over (413 cubes), hone to a #625 Sunnen finish with .003 piston clearance, minimum deck. Unshroud the valves at the bore, confirm main saddle alignment within .001, remove casting flash, re-tap/deburr, tap oil galleries for threaded plugs, drill an .042 hole in the right-rear plug for distributor-gear cooling, chamfer the oil-filter and oil-pump holes, and elongate the front oil-return hole for fast drainage. Clean with hot water and dish soap (rifle rod for galleries, 12-ga brush for lifter galleries, 9mm for the rest), then WD-40, re-clean, blow dry, and oil the cylinders immediately.
Crank: Use an early 350 crank (lighter, thinner throws), magnaflux, heat-treat (case harden), shot-peen, straighten. Grind .010 mains, offset-grind the rods .015 for more stroke (.020 undersize to get the offset), cross-drill, chamfer the oil holes, micro-polish; run .002 main clearance. A late 400 crank also works (avoid very late ones — different flange).
Pistons: Lighten the forged 400 pistons (machine the back of the dome or the pin-boss area; thin-wall tool-steel pins help). Moly rings only with the #625 finish; end gap .014 top, .018 second.
Rods: Upgrade to at least ’73–74 SD rods or Carrillo (you’ll rev past 7000). Run .002–.0025 clearance, racing bearings, grooved uppers; torque rods by stretch to +.005–.008.
Oil pump: Milodon 455 H.O. pump, tack-weld the pickup; Loctite the cover screws.
Windage tray: Stock ’65–73 4/5 tray (full-length if possible), modified with cut openings + perforated metal welded in to fling oil into the pan (worth 10–15 hp).
Cam: Call Bob Cook at Competition Cams (800-999-0853) and spec it to your combo — he won’t let you over-cam it.
Heads: Any big-valve early Pontiac head with 2.11″ intake / 1.77″ exhaust valves and screwed-in studs. Good D-port castings: 16, 12, 13, 62, 48 (72cc chambers → ~9.7–10:1). On a street engine don’t fully port — just open the bowl under the valve and blend; gasket-match the ports. New bronze guides, hardened exhaust seats, multi-angle valve job, spring dampers, a late baffled valve cover. Don’t use factory (thick) head gaskets; use head studs.
Intake: A Torker or (preferably) a Doug Nash, with a 750 Holley and the thickest carb spacer your hood allows. Third choice: a gasket-matched early stock manifold with the #7 runner relieved.
Ignition: MSD #8563 distributor, 6AL box #6420, Blaster coil #8202, and a Soft Touch Rev Control #8738 (or 2-Step #8739). Big plug wires, stock-heat-range AC plugs gapped .035. Keep total timing 34–38°, all in around 4000 RPM (not 1800 — that just rattles and pings).
Headers: 4-tube if they install cleanly, but 3-tube “Tri-Y” headers are easier and make great low-end torque; use a crossover and a slightly smaller tube at the muffler.
Flywheel/balancing: For a 4-speed, a neutral aluminum flywheel with the engine internally balanced gives a softer launch and quicker revs. The stock damper is fine — torque it to 160 ft-lbs.
Nitrous: Build a strong engine and add mild nitrous rather than over-spraying a mediocre one.
Done right (with the chassis, gears of 4.33–4.88, slicks, and a race-prepped TH350), this is an 11-second — potentially low-10-second — combination.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: A 455 swap is simple — all Pontiac V8s since 1967 share the same external dimensions (except the 301). Move your timing cover, water pump, pulleys, accessory brackets, and exhaust manifolds onto the 455 and it bolts right in. (Car Craft, Feb. 2001, covers a 326→455 swap with good photos.)
Watch these:
- Flywheel/flexplate: Pontiac used several crank-flange diameters — measure and confirm your flywheel/flexplate bolts on, or use the 455’s.
- Intake sealing: intake ports changed around 1972, so a later engine needs correct gaskets; block the heat crossover (thin metal) to prevent leaks if using a 1972-or-earlier intake.
- Weight: a 455 is heavier than a 326 — you may need new front springs if the suspension bottoms.
- Front dress: 1967–68 used an 8-bolt timing cover/pump; 1969 went to an 11-bolt with two pump heights (different pulleys/brackets). Source the cover, pump, pulleys, and brackets all from one engine to avoid pulley misalignment and thrown belts.
- Mount bosses: 1969-and-earlier blocks have two mount bosses; 1970+ blocks were cast with five (to fit early or late chassis) but may not be drilled/tapped — drill/tap as needed using a correct bracket as a guide, or use engine-change brackets (Year One, Performance Years, AMES).
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: The 670 heads are a late closed-chamber design with shrouded valves — but they’re a prized junkyard find. Per Pete McCarthy’s “Pontiac Racer’s & High Performance Handbook,” the 670 is unique:
- The only late closed-chamber design.
- The best-flowing intake port of any production head, including the Ram Air IV.
- The only big-valve head with exhaust-port air-injection holes (some Eastern cars lacked them).
- First of the high-performance heads with screw-in studs and stamped-steel pushrod guide plates.
Opened up (chambers enlarged like the 1968-and-later 400/428 heads) with good valve springs, they make an excellent high-compression head — dropping compression to roughly 9.5–9.75:1. As a stock head at a good price they’re worth buying; modified, they’re outstanding.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: That small coffee-can-shaped canister mounted to the firewall under the driver’s-side fender is the A/C reserve vacuum tank.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: Two ways: move the A/C compressor (more work but less frustration), or reach the #2 plug through the inner-fender seal (mud flap) — easiest with the front jacked up and the wheel removed.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: There are two ways to adjust hydraulic lifters — a running method and the poly-lock method.
Running method: with the engine running and valve covers off (messy — lay cardboard to catch oil), back each rocker off until the valve ticks, tighten until the ticking stops, then tighten further: 1 full turn for new lifters, 3/4 turn if not too old, 1/2 turn if old.
Poly-lock method (hydraulic cams, from Rock & Roll Engineering):
- Install the poly-lock hex-end up; thread the set screw in a few turns (hollow hex up).
- Make sure the lifter is on the heel of the cam.
- Push the pushrod into the lifter by hand to feel its spring tension; tighten the poly-lock slowly while moving the pushrod up and down, stopping just as the pushrod touches the lifter cup and the free play is gone.
- Turn the poly-lock one more flat (1/6 turn). Hold it with a box wrench and turn the inside Allen set screw down to the rocker stud; snug by hand only.
- Holding the box wrench, turn both together to ~25–30 ft-lbs — tight, but don’t overdo it.
Warning: you can’t properly tighten poly-locks by turning the Allen set screw alone.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: Cold-start backfiring usually points to the choke (sticking or not closing fully, causing a lean condition) and/or timing.
Figure out where it backfires:
- Through the carb = likely lean / choke not closing fully (which fits the “goes away when warm” symptom). Before starting cold, remove the breather and check that the choke snaps fully closed (a slight 1/8–1/4″ gap is normal); if it doesn’t, hose the linkage with carb cleaner.
- Through the exhaust = more likely ignition timing or a sticky exhaust valve.
Also confirm a recent tune-up and correct timing.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: The A.I.R. (Air Injection Reactor) system came only on California Firebirds and is fairly rare. You can remove it and run without it: take off the pump and all its plumbing, screw threaded plugs into the head holes (all 1967 Pontiac heads have these holes — non-A.I.R. cars just used plugs), and plug the inlet on the underside of the air cleaner.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: The stock 1968 400 cam options were:
| Cam | Application |
|---|---|
| 067 | 400 standard (auto and manual) |
| 068 | RA-I auto; 400 HO manual |
| 744 | RA-I 4-speed |
| 041 | RA-II (auto and manual) |
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: A Chevy engine isn’t a direct bolt-in — Chevy uses a different bellhousing pattern from the Buick-Olds-Pontiac (BOP) family. You’ll need an adapter to mate it to the Pontiac transmission (~$65 from Summit/Jegs/PAW — ask, it’s not always cataloged), Camaro motor mounts and frame brackets (the subframe holes already exist), Chevy accessory brackets, and you’ll reroute the fuel line to the passenger side.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
NOTE: Updated by Dealer Service Information Bulletin 68-I-48
Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: A dipstick that shoots out or clicks against the cam/crankshaft means the lower (inner) tube is bent or missing — replacing it requires pulling the oil pan (you may be able to remove the distributor and jack the engine, otherwise pull it).
Also confirm you don’t have an A/C-vs-non-A/C mismatch — A/C cars use a different dipstick and tube, so a short tube with a long stick (or vice versa) will read wrong. On level ground, 5 quarts should read about 1/2 quart low on the stick.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: The Distributor Vacuum Advance Valve Assembly (#9773623) was used on all 1968/69 Pontiacs with manual transmission and on 1967 manual-trans A.I.R. engines. It mounts on the right-rear of the intake manifold, and its plastic end cover is black (green, #9794257, on RA II engines). Don’t confuse it with the distributor vacuum control that attaches to the distributor itself.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: 1968 was the only year for a dual-diaphragm (advance/retard) distributor, which retarded timing under certain conditions for emissions. Owners complained of a slight backfire while coasting downhill or decelerating, and a service bulletin had dealers disconnect the retard side. Yours likely already has it disconnected — check for a separate vacuum nipple on the advance/retard unit and make sure that vacuum source is plugged.
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[pdfjs-viewer url=/dtb/docs/68-I-45.pdf viewer_height=800px fullscreen=true download=false print=true]
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: The 1968 dual-port unit is actually a combined advance/retard device for early emissions (paired with the redesigned 1968 heads). It isn’t strictly necessary — owners complained of popping in the exhaust from the retard function, and dealers frequently just disconnected the retard side.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: For a 1969, the way to confirm a numbers-matching engine is that the VIN on the dash matches the partial VIN stamped on the front right-hand face of the block (the partial VIN was also stamped on manual transmission cases and hidden on the body shell). The Engine Unit Number is a separate sequencing number — found on the Protecto-Plate and Chassis Broadcast Copy — with no tie to the VIN, so without the original Protecto-Plate it can’t be verified.
Background:
- 1969 documentation, in order: Chassis Broadcast Copy, Body Broadcast Copy, Car Billing Invoice, Window Sticker, Owner Protecto-Plate.
- The Fisher Body Unit Number is NOT purely sequential — cars were built in batches by many scheduling factors, not order received. It’s on the Broadcast Copies, Protecto-Plate, and Window Sticker. (For 1969, the Body Unit Number and Identification Number were the same.)
- A 3-digit Sequence Number on the Broadcast Copies was used for batch scheduling, with no sequential tie to other numbers.
- The trim-tag date code is the Fisher Body scheduled build date for the bare shell (“Body in White”), not the finished car — the closest finished date is on the invoice.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: The clue is the partial VIN stamp (20P105982): the leading 0 means a 1970 car, and the P means it was built at the Pontiac assembly plant (which was building full-size cars like Catalina/Bonneville that year). For 1970, “YD” indicates a 2-barrel 400, ~290 gross hp from a full-size Pontiac — so this engine isn’t a 1967 Firebird 400.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: The engine build-date code is on the top surface around the distributor hole — a letter plus three digits: the letter is the month (A = Jan, B = Feb, …), the next two digits are the day, and the last digit is the year. Example: B157 = Feb 15, 1967.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: Quick answers to common rebuild questions, then a sample mild street build.
Common questions:
- Will a Chevy engine bolt in? No — the Pontiac 400 uses the BOP (Buick-Olds-Pontiac) bellhousing bolt pattern; Chevy is different. The Pontiac 400 is also Pontiac-specific — only Pontiac parts fit.
- Rebuild parts? Use Pontiac parts, not a Chevy kit. Sources include PAW and Summit, plus the hot-rod suppliers.
- Reaming vs. new pistons? Just removing the ridge at the top of the cylinder needs no new pistons; honing or overboring does.
- Oversize valves / cam parts? Depends on the cam — follow each cam maker’s recommendations; stock valvetrain is usually fine for a streetable grind.
- Is it still “stock”? Factory-original means stock; for drag classes the sanctioning body’s rules define what counts (NHRA Stock allows some aftermarket cams; lightweight pistons usually aren’t). On the street, it’s whatever you say it is.
Planning a mild, near-stock rebuild (example: a 326 H.O. with stock intake, exhaust manifolds, and points) — focus on breathing within those limits:
- Cam: a grind making power from idle to ~4000 RPM (a high-rpm cam will hurt with those restrictions); match it to the head work.
- Heads: mild pocket-port the intake bowls; plane to ~9.5–10:1 (run premium, don’t over-advance); add hardened exhaust seats for unleaded.
- Pistons: .030 over, flat tops; calculate cylinder + chamber volume to hit target compression.
- Block: decking is another way to raise compression — decide decking vs. planing with a builder.
- Balancing: small benefit at low rpm; weight-matching pistons and rods (heaviest piston on lightest rod) is a reasonable middle ground.
- Cadillac rear main seal: a popular upgrade (see the Dec. 1998 High Performance Pontiac article).
- Tuning: after assembly, experiment with jetting — a bigger cam and better heads may want a couple sizes up.
If budget allows and you’ll give up the stock look, aftermarket Edelbrock heads flow far more (close to 300 cfm out of the box vs. ~240 for ported stock) and keep gaining past .600″ lift — one member made 570 hp with them. Expect fitment work (mill the intake to match, round-port exhaust manifolds or headers, valvetrain clearance for high-ratio rockers), and don’t use copper head gaskets with them.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: Prime it before the first start. Procedure:
- Remove all the spark plugs.
- Squirt 2–3 shots of HD 30 oil into each cylinder (an oil can with tubing works).
- With the plugs out, crank in short bursts (no more than a minute, 5 minutes between to cool the starter) and watch for oil pressure on the gauge — or pull a valve cover and confirm oil flows from the rockers.
- Once oil is flowing, reinstall the plugs and wires. With a correctly installed distributor and good points, it should fire and run.
- Listen for lifter clatter to quiet as it warms and the lifters pump up, then do the final timing and dwell.
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Short answer: A one-digit difference like 205848 vs. 205818 is almost certainly the same number — a weak or partial stamping, not a wrong engine. The Engine Unit Number and partial VIN were hand-stamped (shallower than the code stamp), and the gang-stamp tool could slip during the strike, leaving a “4” looking like a “1.” Given how close they are, it’s the original engine — nothing to lose sleep over.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: The engine-compartment filler panels came on A/C cars and 400s — including Sprints with A/C (the 3.8-liter cars in 1967) and the base 1968–69 OHC-6 4.1-liter one-barrel cars with A/C.
Source: real GM sheet-metal panels (not fiberglass) have been available from Fabulous Firebirds in Missouri — ask for Charlie, 573-783-5702.
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Short answer: The correct 1968/69 Firebird throttle cables by application are below — watch out for NOS cables being sold as something they’re not.
| Part # | Application | Tag | Length (overall / case) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9792222 | 1968/69 F-6 1-bbl, F-8 2-bbl | Yellow | 19.5″ / 13.5″ |
| 9792223 | 1968/69 F-6 4-bbl | Blue | — |
| 9792224 | 1968/69 F-8 4-bbl | White | 18.0″ / 12.5″ |
The 9792222 (yellow tag) was apparently still available from GM for around $25.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: The firewall holes are different sizes — the A/C opening is about 6″ wide × 11″ tall (narrow and tall), while the heater-only opening is about 14″ wide × 5″ tall (short and wide). So a non-A/C heater box won’t simply bolt onto a former A/C car.
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Short answer: The 1967 061 heads are an open-chamber head (~72cc chambers) with 2.11″ intake / 1.77″ exhaust valves — giving roughly 9.8–10.1:1 compression with stock pistons. The downside is press-in rocker studs (which can be converted relatively cheaply).
From George Hanks, who has worked with these heads: “The #061, used on grocery-getter 400s in 1967… I’m convinced this head was the prototype for the later production open-chamber heads… While the 061 still has the A.I.R. bosses in the exhaust ports, the chamber is the most open of any production head. There is almost no ridge across the chamber… and the spark-plug hole is located in the highest possible portion of the chamber. The rear or squish wall is laid back to a 60-degree angle, producing a true polyspherical chamber with minimal squish area. These heads have been ignored for years, primarily because they didn’t fit any NHRA performance engines and had pressed-in rocker studs… but with some porting and screw-in studs, this head will knock your socks off. It doesn’t flow any better than any other D-port head, but the conversion of fuel to cylinder pressure is just as good as the RA-IV heads.”
References: Pontiac Musclecar Performance 1955–1979 (McCarthy) and the H.O. Specialties book “Pontiac High Performance Engine Design and Blueprint Assembly.”
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: For a 350 2-bbl converted to 4-bbl that you want streetable with low-end torque and decent mileage, use a mild cam — the Pontiac 067 grind or a Summit 204/214, and go no bigger than the 204/214.
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Short answer: A common kickdown switch is the B&M unit (Summit part #BMM-20297). It’s intended to use an existing TH350 bracket when you swap in a TH400 — if you have a TH400 and no bracket, you’ll fabricate a small mounting bracket and a piece to attach it to the throttle. The linkage is adjustable and forgiving of mounting differences.
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Short answer: On a fresh engine, low pressure with a couple of lifters that won’t pump up usually comes down to one of three things: lifters that weren’t primed, a cam bearing scratched during install, or a missing oil-gallery plug.
- Pre-oil non-pumping lifters: loosen the rocker, use a pump can to fill the pushrod with oil, reassemble and adjust lash (don’t torque yet), start it, then tighten each clattering rocker 1/4 turn at a time until quiet, then torque.
- Check the oil-gallery plugs (sometimes removed during cleaning): two behind the timing cover at the ends of the lifter galleries, and a screw-in plug at the rear of the block (behind an expansion plug). A missing rear plug leaves the last two lifters unable to pump up.
- A cam bearing scratched on installation can cause very low pressure (e.g., ~5 psi) for the first few hundred miles, then recover after break-in.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: There’s no “small-block” vs. “big-block” distinction for Pontiac motor mounts — unlike Chevy, all Pontiac V8s (1955–79) share the same basic block size (with minor variants like the short-deck 303 and low-deck 301), so there’s no separate small-/big-block mount.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: Break a fresh engine in gently — the first miles largely determine its life, so no full-throttle blasts.
- Run the engine 30 minutes at a high, steady idle to break in the cam.
- Drain the oil and change the filter.
- Run ~500 miles using new-car break-in rules — the first few miles light throttle, then coast, then light throttle, repeating (this helps the rings seat).
- Change the oil and filter again.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: The 1968 400 dipstick uses three tubes:
| Tube | Description | GM # |
|---|---|---|
| Block-to-baffle (in pan) | Short curved ~5″ copper-colored piece | 546281 |
| Middle | ~9″ slightly curved (GM calls it “straight”) | 9795830 |
| Upper | Runs up to just above the rocker cover; holds the dipstick (bracket on the front outside rocker-cover bolt) | 480843 |
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: Use an AC PF-24 oil filter.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: First rule out the gauge — air in a new mechanical gauge’s line can make it read low until the air compresses, so bleed the line. Once you’ve confirmed real pressure at idle, if lifters aren’t pumping, pre-oil them (loosen the rocker, fill the pushrod with a pump oil can, reassemble and adjust without torquing, start it, tighten 1/4 turn at a time until the clatter stops, then torque).
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: Per the 1968 owner’s manual (non-detergent oils are specifically not recommended), the SAE viscosities are:
| Temperature | Viscosity |
|---|---|
| Above 32°F | 20W or 10W-30 |
| 32°F down to 0°F | 10W or 10W-30 |
| Below 0°F | 5W or 5W-20 |
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: Oil thrown out of the dipstick tube at high rpm is usually either excessive blow-by (worn or broken rings — run a compression test before tearing into it) or a blocked crankcase vent. First make sure there’s a clean, unblocked breather on a valve cover (or a working PCV) — a capped-off cover builds back-pressure that pushes oil out the dipstick.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: The AC PF-23 was an early 1967 V8 filter, superseded by the PF-24 (which the parts catalogs list). For a factory-correct look, the filter was painted PMD metallic blue (which obscured the AC logo) — so the practical advice is to buy a current AC filter and paint it PMD metallic blue rather than run a 30-year-old NOS filter on a fresh engine.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: Yes — keep the PCV; a vented breather alone isn’t enough. The PCV uses intake vacuum to pull blow-by gases out of the crankcase, preventing positive pressure that blows oil past the seals and out the dipstick, and reducing oil breakdown, internal varnishing, and fumes/odor inside the car.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: It’s easiest to pull the engine and transmission together — remove the trans crossmember, radiator, and distributor, and it’ll come out (the fan makes it tight but usually clears).
- Mark the distributor rotor position before removing it, and don’t turn the engine afterward (or you’ll have to re-find TDC on #1). Or just reinstall the distributor after the engine is out.
- Use an intake-manifold lifting plate, or chains bolted front and rear with a load-leveler bar so you can shift the balance point.
- Lay blankets over the fenders to protect them.
- Many find it easier with the front clip off — it comes off in about an hour (unplug the lights; remove the radiator-to-fender gussets, the hood-latch-to-radiator bolts, the four bumper-support bolts, and the four core-support bolts).
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: Instead of replacing parts by guess, diagnose it the moment it dies — check for spark and fuel while it’s dead. If it’s fuel: suspect vapor lock in the steel line, a weak fuel pump, or a tank that isn’t venting (a vacuum forms in the tank and starves the pump). If it’s ignition: look for a loose wire or an intermittent component in the ignition circuit.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: A miss that’s worst when cold and clears as the engine warms is most often plug wires breaking down (they need more voltage when cold) — replace them with a good set of Delco wires.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: Missing or surging at a steady cruise (but fine under acceleration) usually comes down to ignition advance, a lean cruise mixture, or the distributor.
- Test the advance: disconnect and plug the vacuum-advance hose and drive. If the surge clears, check the initial, centrifugal, and vacuum advance — a broken internal stop in the vacuum advance can let the rod travel far too much.
- Lean cruise can surge too; a crude check is to lightly restrict the air horn at 2000–2500 RPM (warm, choke off) — if RPM picks up sharply and smooths out, it’s running lean.
- On a Quadrajet, a sticking throttle-slide (the brass metering-rod cylinder) can cause it — buff it with a Scotch-Brite pad.
- In this case the cause was a dangling wire on the distributor’s vacuum-advance module; swapping in an HEI distributor (a cheap junkyard find that fits without modifying the firewall) cured it.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: A small-block Chevy goes into a 1968 fairly easily (the Firebird shares its chassis with the Camaro). You’ll need:
- Camaro engine frame mounts plus the rubber/steel engine mounts (Classic Industries, NPD, Year One, etc.).
- Chevy accessory brackets for power steering, alternator, and A/C (if equipped).
- Throttle linkage: 1968–69 Firebirds used a cable, while Camaros and 1967 Firebirds used a rod — switch to the Camaro rod linkage (it uses the existing firewall holes), possibly with a Camaro or 1967 Firebird pedal, plus the correct throttle/kickdown brackets for your carb.
- Fuel line: the Firebird hard line crosses to the driver’s side; the Camaro line ends on the right — cut yours or fit the Camaro piece (cutting makes going back to a Pontiac engine harder).
Worth considering: a good reman or used Pontiac 400/428/455 is often available reasonably — many feel the car is “too cool to wear a bowtie.”
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: The #8 plug on an A/C 1968 is just cramped (not necessarily an engine-mount problem). The best approach is to remove the right-front wheel and go in through the wheel well: break the plug loose with a wrench on a short plug socket, then back it out with a compact ratchet (a Snap-On 3/8″-drive in a 1/4″ body works well). Some do it from underneath instead.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: Pull the inner cable out from the top, behind the instrument cluster (leave the casing in place) — and feed a new cable in the same way, from the cluster down to the transmission. Grease the cable for smooth gauge readings.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: A jumpy, nervous speedo needle is usually a dry cable — pull the inner cable, lube it with a quality speedometer lube, and reinstall. (It also prevents the dry cable from breaking.)
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: This one is an open research question. It’s claimed (per Jim Mattison) that the 1968 Ram Air used a unique speedo cable, but no factory documentation has surfaced — the parts book only shows that automatics used a special cable. Also unresolved: which Firebirds used the two-piece speedo cable, and exactly what the optional speedo-gear adaptor (sales code 591) was for. If you have documentation, the site welcomes contributions.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: “400 Sport Option” is a label seen in the parts and accessory catalogs. The “400” option included more than the engine — it added appearance and performance items: chrome grille moldings, the front-bumper Pontiac Crest emblem, “400” emblems on the hood and deck lid, redline tires, chrome engine trim, dual exhaust, the 4-barrel carb, and firmer shocks/springs.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: The thermostatic vacuum switch (TVS, GM #3016754) sits at the front of the intake in the coolant passage and is a safety device against overheating. Normally it feeds ported vacuum to the distributor advance; when coolant rises above ~230°F it switches the advance to full manifold vacuum, advancing timing about 20° at idle to help the engine cool, then returns to ported vacuum once cooled. It was used on all 1968 V8s and 1969 V8 automatics (plus some early-1969 Ram Air III manuals and the 1971 455 HO).
- 1968 cars use a 5-hose vacuum harness (the two extra hoses are the idle-speed retard — the dual-port advance retards idle timing 10° for emissions); 1969 V8s and the ’71 455 HO use the 3-hose type.
- Hose color codes (supply lines to the TVS): red-striped = manifold vacuum; ported vacuum runs through a small steel pipe forward of the carb; the yellow hose (1968 only) is the idle-retard supply.
- Service Bulletins 68-T-2 (10/16/67) and 68-T-2A (1/4/68) addressed poor idle / harsh 2-1 downshift on 1968 2-barrel automatics (and full-size 4-barrel automatics): remove the two idle-retard hoses, loop the two switch holes with a shortened hose to keep dirt out, and readjust idle.
5-port switch hookup:
________ / | (1) | | (4) | | | | (2) | | | | (5) | | / | (3) / \_________ /
- To the vacuum port on the front of the carb (steel routed line)
- To the “Tee” at the rear of the carb
- To the distributor advance
- (4 and 5) looped together at the switch
From the 1968 Diagnostic Manual:
Fig 6D-9 — Components of the Controlled Combustion System
[pdfjs-viewer url=/files/FAQ/docs/6D-9.pdf viewer_height=800px fullscreen=true download=false print=true]
Fig 6D-10 — Distributor Vacuum Layout, V-8 2-Bbl.
[pdfjs-viewer url=/files/FAQ/docs/6D-10.pdf viewer_height=800px fullscreen=true download=false print=true]
Fig 6D-11 — Distributor Vacuum Layout, V-8 4-Bbl.
[pdfjs-viewer url=/files/FAQ/docs/6D-11.pdf viewer_height=800px fullscreen=true download=false print=true]
Fig 6D-12 — Vacuum Routing Chart
[pdfjs-viewer url=/files/FAQ/docs/6D-12.pdf viewer_height=800px fullscreen=true download=false print=true]
Fig 6D-13 — Vacuum Routing Chart
[pdfjs-viewer url=/files/FAQ/docs/6D-13.pdf viewer_height=800px fullscreen=true download=false print=true]
Fig 6D-14 — Vacuum Routing Chart
[pdfjs-viewer url=/files/FAQ/docs/6D-14.pdf viewer_height=800px fullscreen=true download=false print=true]
A list member’s compiled research comparing the available documents:
[pdfjs-viewer url=/files/FAQ/docs/TVS/68VacuumDialog.pdf viewer_height=800px fullscreen=true download=false print=true]
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: The TH350 kickdown cable snaps into a square hole on the carburetor side of the throttle bracket. You need the correct 4-bbl bracket with that square hole — a 2-bbl bracket leaves the cable about 3/4″ short, and the ~$80 reproduction brackets are for 1968 and don’t have the TH350 square hole. (If you find a 4-bbl cable-mount bracket with the TH350 hole, grab it.)
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: An “F2”-stamped bracket is for a 2-bbl. The correct 1969 Firebird 4-bbl throttle-cable bracket is 9797415, stamped “F4.” There’s no difference between automatic and manual.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: With an Edelbrock Performer intake and 600 carb on a 1968, the stock bracket is too short. Edelbrock’s #8015 “Pontiac” bracket is really just instructions to drill/bend your original bracket — awkward, and it assumes you have the original (which runs ~$75 at Ames).
A cleaner solution: a Lokar 24″ braided throttle cable plus a Lokar throttle-cable bracket (sold separately) — stainless, with dual return springs; it installs easily and looks good. Available at Summit Racing.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: The GM part number for the kickdown switch (1968 400/TH400, “M-40”) is #9785545 — the same part used on 1965–66 full-size and 1967–69 Firebird M-40 applications.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: A pedal that only opens the throttle halfway usually means bent inner carb linkage (from a too-strong return spring, or someone stomping the pedal into the old horsepower-limiting throttle stop) — or, as the original poster discovered, a cracked accelerator-pedal mounting bracket. Check the pedal bracket and the carb’s inner linkage.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: To rule out timing as an overheating cause: disconnect and plug the vacuum advance (its only purpose is gas mileage), then set the initial timing to 8–14° BTDC and see if it cools.
How the advance stacks up: initial timing (~8–12°) is what you set at idle; mechanical advance adds ~20–25° as RPM rises for ~32–38° total; and vacuum advance adds more at cruise (up to ~55–60° on a ported source, which has no vacuum at idle).
The trap: if the vacuum advance is hooked to a manifold source, it adds ~15° at idle. So if you set “12°” with manifold vacuum connected, your real initial is about 3° after TDC — far too retarded, which overheats. (Note: most first-gen Firebirds used a temperature-activated switch that changed the vacuum-advance source to help keep the engine cool at long idle.)
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: Two ways to set timing — by the numbers with a timing light, or by ear. Either way, start with the vacuum advance disconnected and plugged.
By the numbers (proven method): set the mechanical advance to 32° BTDC at ~2600 RPM (timing tape helps — far more accurate than the cast marks). Then reconnect the vacuum advance and tune total advance to about 50° at cruise vacuum. To dial the vacuum advance: with a gauge in the car, note max vacuum at a steady 2500/3000/3500/4000 RPM on flat road; then at ~2600 RPM apply that vacuum to the advance and check for ~50° total (adjustable-advance distributors tune to it). If it spark-knocks, back off — knock usually means too much vacuum advance, too lean at max advance, or too-high compression for your fuel (don’t run more than ~9.5:1 on 93 octane).
By ear: advance the distributor until the engine just starts to miss, back off a little, then rev and listen for ping and retard slightly until the ping is gone or minimal. One caveat: timing set for the best idle is often too advanced to start easily — better to set the initial timing to what starts easily, then tune the distributor weights and springs so total advance comes in around 700–800 RPM. Verify with a timing light and write it down so you can reset it after pulling the distributor.
See also: Timing Adjustment to Fix Overheating Problems for how a manifold-vs-ported vacuum source affects timing (and cooling).
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: 1968-and-earlier engines use an 8-bolt water pump and matching timing cover; 1969-and-later use an 11-bolt pump (two versions) and an 11-bolt cover (#482893 or 9796345). All Pontiac V8 timing covers physically fit all Pontiac V8s.
- To convert to the later 11-bolt cover, you must also use an 11-bolt pump and matching pulleys — easiest is a 1970-or-later pump with 1970+ pulleys and brackets so the belts line up.
- Or just find a 1968 cover (#9790346); the 1967 is different (#978129), differing mainly in the timing-marker location/appearance.
- Sources include Frank’s Pontiac Parts (Ramona, CA) for clean used covers, and Jim Butler Pontiac (jbp-pontiac.com) for good pricing (new covers run ~$125+). Don’t file a pitted cover down — the pulleys won’t line up afterward.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: Using all the bracketry from the 326, a 400 bolts right in — no extra brackets needed (the 326, 389, 400, 428, and 455 all interchange). The only possible hangup is a 1975-or-later block, where some engines don’t have all the motor-mount holes tapped (or present) — 1970+ blocks were cast with five holes per side for early or late chassis. New motor mounts are a good idea after 30+ years, and don’t mix your 1967 accessories/brackets with later parts (pulley-alignment problems).
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: For a 1968 with the dual vacuum-advance setup, there’s a thermostatic control switch on the passenger side of the intake with five ports:
- DA — distributor advance
- DR — distributor retard
- CA — carb advance (likely the ported vacuum source)
- CR — carb retard
- Manifold vacuum (from the bottom rear of the carb)
On automatics, the vacuum modulator also connects to manifold vacuum. AMES sells the control switch (~$35) and color-correct vacuum hose kits (~$54) with a diagram.
See also the “Vacuum Hose Diagrams for 1968” FAQ for the actual diagrams.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: The correct 1968 400 vacuum-routing diagrams are below. (A common overheating cause is the distributor vacuum advance hooked to manifold vacuum instead of ported — and previous owners often cap off ports that should be connected.)
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: On a stock Pontiac, valve adjustment is easy — just tighten the rocker lock nuts to 20 ft-lbs and you’re done. (This even worked fine with an aftermarket cam for one member over 10 years of driving.)
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
Short answer: The 1967 voltage regulator mounts to three ~1/2″ holes high on the radiator support — the one with the rubber grommet, plus two others nearby (one is tucked under the front lip when viewed from the front). The rubber grommets (“well nuts”) have a built-in threaded insert that the screws thread into and compress (like a pop rivet); replacements are available at parts stores.
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