Pontiac Tempest Engines by Year

The first Tempest of 1961–1963 was a compact with a rear transaxle and a four-cylinder made from half of a Pontiac V8. From 1964 it was an intermediate, with the overhead-cam six from 1966. The GTO and LeMans have their own pages. Ratings are gross through 1971 and SAE net from 1972.

Pick a year to see every engine offered that model year, with its code, rated horsepower and the trims it came in. Each engine links to its full specs.

Jump to a year

gen1 Y-body compact (1961–1963): 1961 · 1962 · 1963

gen2 A-body (1964–1967): 1964 · 1965 · 1966 · 1967

gen3 A-body (1968–1970): 1968 · 1969 · 1970

gen1 Y-body compact (1961–1963)

1961 Tempest engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
195 inline-four	110 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
195 inline-four	120 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
195 inline-four	130 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
195 inline-four	140 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
195 inline-four	155 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
215 V8	155 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon

1962 Tempest engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
195 inline-four	110 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
195 inline-four	115 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
195 inline-four	120 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
195 inline-four	140 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
195 inline-four	166 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
215 V8	185 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon

1963 Tempest engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
195 inline-four	115 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
195 inline-four	120 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
195 inline-four	140 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
195 inline-four	166 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
326 V8	250 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
326 V8	260 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
326 V8	280 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon

gen2 A-body (1964–1967)

1964 Tempest engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
215 inline-six OHV I6 1-bbl	140 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
326 V8 326 V8 2-bbl	250 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
326 V8 326 V8 4-bbl	280 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon

1965 Tempest engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
215 inline-six OHV I6 1-bbl	140 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
326 V8 326 V8 2-bbl	250 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
326 V8 326 HO 4-bbl	285 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon

1966 Tempest engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
230 OHC inline-six OHC-6 1-bbl	165 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
230 OHC inline-six OHC-6 4-bbl	207 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
326 V8 326 V8 2-bbl	250 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
326 V8 326 HO 4-bbl	285 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon

1967 Tempest engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
230 OHC inline-six OHC-6 1-bbl	165 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
230 OHC inline-six OHC-6 4-bbl Quadrajet	215 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
326 V8 326 V8 2-bbl	250 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
326 V8 326 HO 4-bbl	285 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon

gen3 A-body (1968–1970)

1968 Tempest engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
250 inline-six	175 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
250 inline-six	215 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
350 V8	265 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon
350 V8	320 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom, Safari wagon

1969 Tempest engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
250 inline-six	175 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom S, Safari wagon
250 inline-six	215 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom S, Safari wagon
250 inline-six	230 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom S, Safari wagon
350 V8	265 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom S, Safari wagon
350 V8	330 hp gross	Tempest, Tempest Custom S, Safari wagon

1970 Tempest engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
250 inline-six	155 hp gross	Tempest, T-37 (mid-year)
350 V8	255 hp gross	Tempest, T-37 (mid-year)
400 V8	265 hp gross	Tempest, T-37 (mid-year)
400 V8	330 hp gross	Tempest, T-37 (mid-year)

Working on one of these engines?

• Engine displacement from bore and stroke
• Static and dynamic compression ratio
• Which camshaft for your build
• What size carburetor
• Horsepower to torque at any RPM
• Torque converter stall speed

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