Tech & Auto
What’s The Difference Between Pontiac 350 & Chevy 350 Engines
By RON KING
Pontiac and Chevrolet were General Motors' sportier makes, leading each brand to develop unique, performance-oriented, 350-cubic-inch small block engines.
Pontiac introduced its new 350-cubic-inch small block in 1968, placing the powerplant into its Firebird, Tempest, LeMans, and Parisienne models.
Chevy’s 350-cubic-inch engine was known as the 350 SBC and the 1967 Camaro was the first model to receive the 295-horsepower engine.
While smaller displacement and lower horsepower are marked differences between the 350 SBC and the Pontiac 350, visual differences simplify the identification process.
The 350 SBC uses the same rear-mounted distributor location. However, in this case, the distributor shaft goes into the block through a hole in the intake manifold.
Also, there's no visible gap underneath the intake, and cranking the engine with the distributor cap off reveals a clockwise distributor rotor rotation, opposite of the Pontiac 350.
Finally, the fuel pump and starter mount to the passenger side of the 350 SBC, according to the MotorTrend guide.