Pontiac used the same codes on different year blocks.To differentiate them it will have to be determined what year the block is.Next to the distributor hole there is a casting number that has a letter with 2 or 3 numbers. The letter is the month of manufacture- A=Jan. B=Feb,etc.
The next number or two is the day, but sometimes the factory left the first part off, i.e. 5 could mean 5,15,25.The most important is the last number,it is the year of Manufacture it is not always the model year,as most blocks are cast a few months before the car is made. In addition 1966 and earlier blocks had 2 freeze plugs on each side of the block. 1967 and newer had 3 freeze plugs per side.
These blocks had 2 motor mount holes per side.Starting in 1970, most blocks were cast with 5 motor mount holes with the mounts using 2 bolts in line with 1 higher up in the middle.Some 1977 and later blocks only had 3 holes that used the newer mounts. This means you can put a 455 in about any Pontiac car with that car's motor mounts, but if you want to use a 428 block in your 1970- Firebird you'll have to modify the frame mounts or make an adapter.
Starting around 1969 Pontiac cast a 2 digit year number next to the distributor also. They also cast the engine size on the sides of the block,usually in front of the motor mounts or between the freeze plugs.
Around 1968 Pontiac also stamped the VIN numbers next to the timing cover about even with the timing marks on cover.These are usually covered with oil and crud, and probably hard to see.This will tell you if this is an original motor.
Pontiac Engine Codes
Bold Type is for manual transmissionStarting in '73,2nd HP # is for Dual Exhaust
| 1964 |
326 |
250 HP |
92x,96-0 |
| 326 |
280 HP |
94x,97-0 |
| 389 |
230 HP |
04L,05L,08R,09R |
| 389 |
235 HP |
22B |
| 389 |
267 HP |
11H,12H |
| 389 |
283 HP |
10A |
| 389 |
303 HP |
25K,26K,27P,28P |
| 389 |
306 |
23B,29N |
| 389 |
325 |
78X,79J |
| 389 |
330 |
32B,34N,33-6 |
| 389 |
348 |
76X,77J |
| 421 |
320 |
35B,38S,43N |
| 421 |
350 |
44B,47S,49N |
| 1965 |
326 |
250 |
WP,ZN |
| 326 |
285 |
WR,YP |
| 389 |
256 |
WA,WB,YA,YB |
| 389 |
290 |
WC,YC,YD |
| 389 |
325 |
YE,YF |
| 389 |
333 |
WE |
| 389 |
335 |
WT,YS |
| 389 |
338 |
WF,YG |
| 389 |
360 |
WS,YR |
| 421 |
338 HP |
WG,YH |
| 421 |
356 |
WH,YJ |
| 421 |
376 |
WJ,YK |
| 1966 |
326 |
250 |
WP,WX,YN,XF |
| 326 |
285 |
WR,YP,XG |
| 389 |
256 |
WA,WB,YA |
| 389 |
290 |
WC,YV,YU,YC,YD |
| 389 |
325 |
YX,YL,YW,YF,YE |
| 389 |
333 |
WE |
| 389 |
335 |
WW,WT,YS,XE |
| 389 |
360 |
WV,WS,XS,YR |
| 1967 |
326 |
250 HP |
WP,WX,WC,WH |
| 326 |
250 HP |
YO,YN,XF,YJ,XI |
| 326 |
285 HP |
WR,XR,WK,WD |
| 326 |
285 HP |
YP,XG,YM,XO |
| 400 |
255 HP |
XL,XM |
| 400 |
260 HP |
XB |
| 400 |
265 HP |
WA,WB |
| 400 |
265 HP |
YA,YB,YC,YD |
| 400 |
290 HP |
XV,XU |
| 400 |
293 HP |
XC |
| 400 |
325 HP |
WU,WZ,WQ,WI |
| 400 |
325 HP |
YE,YF,YT,XE,XN,XW,XX |
| 400 |
333 HP |
WD,WE,WY,XT |
| 400 |
335 HP |
WT,WW,YS |
| 400 |
350 HP |
XZ,XY,XH,XJ |
| 400 |
360 HP |
WS,WV,WR,XS,YZ,XP |
| 428 |
360 HP |
WG,Y2,YY |
| 428 |
376 HP |
WJ,XK,Y3,YH,Yk |
| 1968 |
350 |
265 HP |
WD,WC,YN,YJ |
| 350 |
320 HP |
WR,WK,YP,YM |
| 400 |
265 HP |
XM,YA |
| 400 |
290 HP |
WA,WB,YC |
| 400 |
330 HP |
YT,YW |
| 400 |
335 HP |
WQ,WZ,WI,XN |
| 400 |
340 HP |
WU,XT |
| 400 |
350 HP |
XZ,XH,YS,YZ |
| 400 |
360 HP |
WT,WS,XS,XP |
| 400 |
366 HP |
WY,XW |
| 428 |
375 HP |
WG,YH |
| 428 |
390 HP |
WJ,YK |
| 1969 |
350 |
265 HP |
WC,WP,WM,WU |
| 350 |
265 HP |
XL,YJ,XR,YN,XB,YE,YU,XS |
| 350 |
325 HP |
WK,WN,XC,XD |
| 350 |
330 HP |
WR,WV,XT,XU,YP |
| 400 |
265 HP |
XM,YZ,XX,YB,YF |
| 400 |
290 HP |
WA,WB,WD,WE,YC,YD |
| 400 |
330 HP |
WZ,YT |
| 400 |
335 HP |
WQ,YW |
| 400 |
340 HP |
XZ |
| 400 |
345 HP |
WH,XN |
| 400 |
350 HP |
WT,WX,YS,XH |
| 400 |
366 HP |
WS,YZ |
| 400 |
370 HP |
WW,XP |
| 400 |
375 HP |
WI,WY,XY,XW |
| 428 |
360 HP |
WG,YL,YH,XE,XJ |
| 428 |
370 HP |
WF,XF |
| 428 |
390 HP |
WJ,WL,YK,XG |
| 1970 |
350 |
255 HP |
W7,WU,X7,YU |
| 400 |
265 HP |
XX,YB |
| 400 |
290 HP |
WE,YD |
| 400 |
330 HP |
XZ,XV |
| 400 |
350 HP |
WX,WT,XH,YS |
| 400 |
366 |
WS,YZ |
| 400 |
370 |
WW,WH,XP,XN |
| 455 |
360 HP |
WA,YC,YH |
| 455 |
370 HP |
WG,XF |
| 1971 |
350 |
250 HP |
WR,WU,WN,WP |
| 350 |
250 HP |
XR,YU,YN,YP |
| 400 |
265 HP |
WS,WX,XX,YX |
| 400 |
300 HP |
WK,WT,YS |
| 455 |
280 HP |
WG,YG |
| 455 |
325 HP |
WJ,YC |
| 455 |
335 HP |
WL,WC,YE |
| 1972 |
350 |
160 HP |
WR,YU,YV,YR |
| 400 |
200 HP |
YX,YZ,ZR,ZV,ZX |
| 400 |
250 HP |
WK,WS,YS,YT,ZS |
| 455 |
185 |
YH,YW |
| 455 |
200 HP |
ZH |
| 455 |
220 HP |
YA,YC,Y4 |
| 455 |
250 |
YD,YK |
| 455 |
300 |
WD,WM,YB,YE |
| 1973 |
350 |
150,175 HP |
XR,WV,ZB,ZD |
| 350 |
150,175 HP |
Y2,Y7,YR,YV,ZR,ZV |
| 350 |
150,175 HP |
WA,WC,WD,WF,WL,WN,XZ |
| 400 |
170,185 HP |
W5,XH,XI,X3,X4 |
| 400 |
170,185 HP |
YI,YP,YX,YZ,Y4,ZK,ZX |
| 400 |
200,230 HP |
WK,WS,WP,YN,YX,YT |
| 400 |
200,230 HP |
Y3,ZN,ZS,XK,XN,XX |
| 400 |
200,230 HP |
XZ,X5,YF,YG,Y6 |
| 455 |
215,250 HP |
WT,WW,ZZ,ZE,YA,YC |
| 455 |
215,250 HP |
YD,YK,ZA,AC,XA,XE,XJ |
| 455 |
215,250 HP |
XL,XY,XT,X7,XO,YE |
| 455 |
290 |
ZJ,XD |
| 455 |
310 |
Z8,X8 |
| 1974 |
350 |
155,170 HP |
WA,WB,AA,YA,ZA |
| 350 |
155,170 HP |
YB,YC,ZB,YN,YP,YS |
| 350 |
170,200 HP |
WN,WP,ZP,YN,YP,YS |
| 400 |
175,190 HP |
AH,YH,YJ,ZH,ZJ |
| 400 |
175,190 HP |
AD,YF,YK,ZD,ZK |
| 400 |
200,225 HP |
WT,WR,Y3,AT,YT |
| 400 |
200,225 HP |
YZ,ZT,AD,YL,YM,ZS |
| 455 |
215,250 HP |
AU,YR,YU,YW,YX |
| 455 |
215,250 HP |
YY,ZU,ZW,ZX,A4 |
| 455 |
215,250 HP |
Y4,Y6,Y9,Z4,Z6 |
| 455 |
290 HP |
W8,Y8 |
| 1975 |
350 |
155 HP |
YB,YA |
| 350 |
175 HP |
WN,YN,ZP |
| 400 |
170 HP |
YH |
| 400 |
185 HP |
WT,YS,YT,ZT,YM |
| 455 |
200 HP |
WX,YU,ZU,ZW |
| 1976 |
350 |
160 HP (Early) |
YB,YA,YP,YR,ZX |
| 350 |
160 HP (Late) |
XM,XP,XU,XR,XW,XX,X3,ZF,ZH |
| 350 |
165 HP |
ZX,ZF |
| 400 |
170 HP (Early) |
YJ,YC |
| 400 |
170 HP (Late) |
X9,X4,XT,XY,XS,XZ,X8 |
| 400 |
185 HP (Early) |
WT,Y6,Y7,YS,YT,YY,YZ,ZA,ZK |
| 400 |
185 HP (Late) |
WY,X7,ZJ,ZL,X6 |
| 455 |
200 HP |
WX,Y3,Y4,Z3,Z4,Y8,ZB |
| 1977 |
301 |
135 HP |
WB,YW,YX,YH,YK |
| 350 |
170 HP |
YA,YB,XB,XC,Y9 |
| 400 |
180 HP |
XH,XJ,XD,XF |
| 400 |
180 HP |
YU,Y4,XA,Y7,XK |
| 400 |
200 HP |
WA,Y6 |
| 1978 |
301 |
140 HP |
XA,XC,XL,YM |
| 301 |
140 HP |
XD,XB,YL,YP |
| 301 |
150 HP |
XF,XH,XU,XW |
| 400 |
180 HP |
XJ,XK,X9,YK,YH,YS |
| 400 |
180 HP |
YT,YJ,YR,YW,YA,YU |
| 400 |
220 HP |
WC,X7 |
| 1979 |
301 |
135 HP |
PX7,PX9,PXF |
| 301 |
135 HP |
PXH,PXP,PXR |
| 301 |
150 HP |
PWA,PWB |
| 301 |
150 HP |
PX4,PX6,PXL,PXN |
| 301 |
150 HP |
PXS,PXT,PXU,PXW |
| 400 |
220 HP |
PWH,LAST 400 |
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