Jump to content
Forums Gone... but not forgotten!
Pontiac of the Month

JayByrd's 1986 Grand Prix

2024 December
of the Month

  • Rev up your passion for Pontiacs and join our vibrant community of enthusiasts!

    Whether you're a die-hard fan of classic muscle cars or you've got a soft spot for sleek modern models, you've found your home here at Forever Pontiac. Our community is dedicated to celebrating everything Pontiac, from the iconic GTO to the legendary Firebird and everything in between.

    Unlock access to expert advice, stunning photo galleries, engaging discussions, exclusive events, and more!

    Start your Pontiac journey with us today!

    Sign up now! 🏁

Recommended Posts

Tired of these Ads? Register Today!

Posted

My dad said its for emissions and lets heat into the gooseneck to force turn on the thermostat. He could not remember what the part is call. We also think that its not hooked up anymore since the rod on the bottom cam be moved freely.

Posted
My dad said its for emissions and lets heat into the gooseneck to force turn on the thermostat. He could not remember what the part is call. We also think that its not hooked up anymore since the rod on the bottom cam be moved freely.

So what you are saying is that I do not even need this part? I mean Ive never see it before, My girlfriends 67' Camaro has a 327 and I've never see it on that either. Her dad's 40's Chevy has a 4bbl 350 bored to 388 and it doesn't have it either.

Posted

If the car runs fine leave it alone! :)

Posted
If the car runs fine leave it alone! :)

Well I'd rather have a cleaner more spacious engine bay. That particular part makes changing spark-plugs a pain in the ass. Plus the fact that it is apparently disconnected and rattles around is annoying.

Posted

Is this on your Phoenix? A Chevy 305 powerplant?

Posted

yea at that point GM started sharing motors. My 1981 Monty had the buick/pontiac 3.8L motor and the block, valve covers and water pump was pontiac blue not chevy red.

Posted

its a 78 its for emissions....you can thank the carter administration for it...take it off u might gain some hp.....but its doubtful

Posted
Is this on your Phoenix? A Chevy 305 powerplant?

Yep Chevrolet 305 small block. 2 bbl carb.

yea at that point GM started sharing motors. My 1981 Monty had the buick/pontiac 3.8L motor and the block, valve covers and water pump was pontiac blue not chevy red.

Correct. Actually lol, this engine was Pontiac blue and then someone repainted it.

its a 78 its for emissions....you can thank the carter administration for it...take it off u might gain some hp.....but its doubtful

I could care less about HP. I'd rather take it off to create more space around the block. I want to do the same with my A/C pump because the lines are dry, the pump might have a bad bearing, the electromagnetic clamp doesn't seem to work/be powered, and it doesn't even have a belt on.

  • Founders
Posted

If you want it out, test it with it out and see if it runs fine but don't damage it :D

Posted

I am fairly certain it has something to do with emissions. I recognize the thermo-vacuum connection. Essentially the connection between the bellows to the top of the thermostat housing is a heat-activiated vacuum source - which GM usually set for about 104 degrees or more. GM has used those for years. If you can post more close up pictures of the device and what it goes to in the back of the motor, that would help.

Have you gotten any Pontiac Historical Services documentation on this car? www.phs-online.com

I am curious to know what emissions it was built with - California, high-altitude, or 49 state compliant?

I am wondering of this is possible California car or perhaps delivered to a high-altitude state. The 305 was often installed in a lot of Pontiacs (not just the Phoenix) destined for California to meet stricter CA-smog emissions, or to high-altitude states like Colorado because of the thin air required different tuning for performance and emissions reasons.

One trick that a lot of the car companys, like GM, did was to install an air pump that would inject fresh air directly into the exhaust manifold to reduce the PPM of NOX or CO to meet emissions laws. I suspect this is might be what this is for, but I need to see more detail to be sure. A lot of guys removed these pumps to save weight and improve performance. Now days, if you are doing a concours restoration, this stuff is worth it's weight in gold since most of this stuff hit the junk pile 30+ years ago.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Tired of these Ads? Purchase Enhanced Membership today to remove them!
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.