I've got a '68 400 YT car with all the original items on it as far as I can tell. A couple things I'm curious about though. 1) the 1111270 distributor has a single port vacuum advance, is that correct or should it have the two port unit? 2) I've got a PK code air cleaner without the chrome lid (the rocker covers are chrome)...my build sheet tells me the car came with option 731 the Heavy Duty air cleaner, do I have the correct unit or should I have the PR code chrome lid unit?

Heavy Duty air cleaner was an oiled foam prefilter that wrapped around the paper element.

I'm not certain about '68, but the '69 YT 400 did come with the chrome air cleaner lid and rocker covers.

1111270 appears to be correct for '68 400 with auto trans. All those I've seen have been the dual port vacuum advance; vacuum advance on the front of the canister, vacuum retard on the rear of the canister.

Vikki,

Yeah, the '68 400 came with the chrome air cleaner lid for the standard element, but if you ordered the Heavy Duty air cleaner(731) option (the "PR" stencil on the front of the air cleaner base)was the entire unit still the same or did the factory put a different base and black lid on it? The reason I'm asking is because the air cleaner I have is a "PK" stencil with a black lid and narrower air horn than the "PR". Of course, not being the original owner I don't know if this is original to this car or if it has been changed for some reason over the years. Although I can't imagine why someone would want to get rid of a chromed lid unit.

My 68 WQ 400 with MT has vacuum ports in the front and back of the cannister on the distributor. When you buy the vacuum hose kit from Year One, it includes a diagram. Mine is long gone, but perhaps someone else has one...

I had always thought that every 400 had chrome air cleaners- thats what the Michael Lamm book said. I think a lot of people trashed their tops when they became faded and pitted, or when they put that "must have" Moroso air cleaner on...

My '69 had the chrome lid as part of the Firebird 400 package. At some point yours might have been replaced with an aftermarket air cleaner, as mine was, and simply buying a stray factory air cleaner might have been an attempt at "restoration".

Here's a pic of a "PR" with the chrome lid (factory photo for dealer brochure).


As another note, the dual vacuum advance was functionally disabled by a TSB. It is possible that yours may have been replaced prior to the TSB in an attempt to fix the issue the TSB addressed. Vacuum diagrams are included in the documents below.
http://firstgenfirebird.org/dtb/docs/68-T-2.pdf
http://firstgenfirebird.org/dtb/docs/68-T-2A.pdf
http://firstgenfirebird.org/dtb/docs/68-I-85.pdf

Vikki, in the picture above, the black vacuum line right behind the gas line and the radiator hose that goes into the manifold. Does that line run to the air cleaner? I was trying to figure out what line that went to since all my vacuum lines were incorrectly run originally.

Also, I am not sure if you ever got a good picture of a 67 400 motor with a chrome air cleaner, if not, here is one I came across recently:

It provides vacuum to the valve in the air cleaner. The loose hose in this picture:

That's what I was thinking Jim, thanks. Now mine will be correct!

Jim beat me to it!

That nearly hidden line you mention goes to the nipple like the one shown capped in your '67 photo above. From the factory, the vacuum line connected there fed the air cleaner's flapper door vacuum control. Make sure your flapper actually opens and closes with vacuum and temperature; it's a common failure. Fail open is okay as long as there is no vacuum leak; fail closed will cause a constant rich condition.

The vacuum lines and TVS are incorrect for that engine and the valley pan is on backwards; it is a nice pic of the air cleaner, though!

Actually, it's an early-style valley pan with the PCV valve grommet at the back of the block. Valley pans are not ambidextrous.

What year did the valley pan change to front-right grommet?

Mid-1967, but I think it's listed as a 1968 part number change.

I was going to say that I didn't think the 67's had the TVS (68 and up) and that the valley pan was an early style... and that the air cleaner is I believe the Non-California Air Cleaner only, as the California cars were already getting smog stuff... But that is a very nice and clean looking motor!

Wow, PMI is still around and checking in on us now and then! Good to see you my friend!

Brett!

Here is a link to the car listing that had the picture:

http://ww2.collectorcartraderonline.com/morephotos.php?adId=84308966

That is a pretty car. At $65,900 they are really proud of it too.

I still have the original heavy duty air package the type of filter mine has is a wire screen with oiledfoam element around it. the foam rotted away anybody know where I can get the foam?


H.O 4oo hardtop

Mark, I looked for the foam for quite a while then discovered that it came with the AC A279C filter. Bought the filter at a local parts store. It is ironic that GM charged $7 for the HD airfilter option and the AC A279C cost me $6.11, including the filter and foam when I last bought it 3 years ago. I don't know of anything additional the option got you but the foam around the A279C. :rolleyes:
If I remember my, long ago discarded foam, (they now call it polywrap) it may have been light colored where the stuff now is dark.