Pontiac 400ci (1968–1974) Specs: 4.125 x 3.75 in, 225-370 hp

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Pontiac 400ci (1968–1974) specs: 400 ci (6.6L) 8-cylinder, 4.125 x 3.75 in (104.8 x 95.3 mm) bore and stroke. Rated 225-370 hp, 1968–1974.

The Pontiac 400ci (1968–1974) is oversquare — the 4.125" bore exceeds the 3.75" stroke by 10.0% — a layout that favors airflow and RPM over leverage at the crank. The 3.75" stroke puts mean piston speed at 4,000 ft/min around 6,400 RPM, which is where a production bottom end is generally considered at its limit. A rod ratio of 1.767 is long by production standards — less side-load on the cylinder wall and gentler piston acceleration around TDC, the geometry that tolerates high RPM. Each of the 8 cylinders displaces 50.0 ci (819 cc).

It is one of 18 engines in the Pontiac 400ci family, all of them 400 ci — the differences between them are in compression, heads and rating, not displacement. 18 factory variants share these dimensions, rated from 225 to 370 hp across 1968–1974.

Dimensions

Displacement400 ci / 6.6 L
Bore4.125"
Stroke3.75"
Cylinders8
ConfigurationV8
Rod length6.625"
Rod ratio1.767
Bore/stroke ratio1.1

Construction

Block materialcast iron
Head materialcast iron
ValvetrainOHV
Fuel typegas
Advertised HP225–370 hp
Years1968–1974

What these numbers mean

Bore/stroke character1.100 — oversquare — bore exceeds stroke, which favours higher RPM and larger valves
Mean piston speed at 6,000 RPM3,750 ft/min — in the range typical of performance street engines
Rod ratio1.767 — long — less side loading on the cylinder wall, favours high RPM
Displacement per cylinder50.0 ci

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Variants sharing these dimensions (18)

These records share identical bore, stroke, displacement and compression. They differ by model year and factory power rating.

YearAdvertised HPCode
1968265 hp—
1968350 hp—
1968360 hp—
1968366 hp—
1969265 hp—
1969350 hp—
1969366 hp—
1969370 hp—
1970265 hp—
1970330 hp—
1970350 hp—
1970366 hp—
1970370 hp—
1971265 hp—
1971300 hp—
1972250 hp—
1973230 hp—
1974225 hp—

Factory cars with this engine

Similar engines

← All Pontiac 400ci engines