The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 250 to 292 swap ?????

I am looking into a 292 and pulling the 250 out. I am concerned about the balancer and pulley system. Does the 292 have a pulley built into the balance like the 250 does? or is it a bolt on pulley like the small blocks? The engine I am looking at is missing the balancer and rods, it's a core motor from my local machine shop. They started the project years ago and quit, The crank is turned and block is ready to bore. They are looking for the missing parts. I checked out the parts catologs for a replacement and found a Fluid Dampner that will fit, but it has bolt on pulley. I don't think I have room for that, the fan is already to close to radiator. Any one have any picture or ideas where turn or what to look for?

I have to do something, my 250 started to seep coolant from the left front headgasket area. After pulling the head, I found the block cracked at the first head bolt. It showed no sign of trouble, just started seeping one day last winter. Must of been all that horsepower

Joe

The 292 has the pulley grooves cast into the balancer, either 2 or 3 grooves, don't remember which. It's considerably larger and heavier than the 250, as I remember, so don't try to use your 250 balancer. You'll also need to reposition the right motor mount bracket on the frame, as the 292 uses a right mount in a different position than the 250. The extra power is worth the effort of making the swap, however!
Jerry

Here's one I did...this is a 1959 1 ton - I got langdon's universal 292 motor mounts and modified them to work....in this pix you can also see the 3 groove pulley on my balancer - however - my engine did reportedly come out of a 1969 C50 dump truck

Cut N Weld of Motor Mounts

and here is the fan pulley as I finished with it I had room with it in and space to spare....and later put in a 1 inch spacer and the original fan....

Fan Spacing

hope that is helpful.

Arnswine...
In your first picture I see the balancer, thats what I hoped they would be. With that I could make it work. What about the hose coming off the drivers side of the water pump?? Is that a big truck item, or just a 292 thing? I thought the water pumps were the same, or should I say hoping they were the same.

Also, I fould a company selling long and short block 292's for a fair price, but it was for a 30 thru 60 series truck with 3 bolt starters. Will these adapt to a turbo 350? I believe they were '79 thru '90 motors.

Thanks for the responces, Joe H

Can't say that I know about the automatic, other than I don't believe anything ever changed on that engine and the th350s have been around a long time - so I can't think why it wouldn't mount up.

The odd hose has a lot of us guessing - but we believe its a by-pass so when the thermostat is closed the water just circulates back - its an easy to get part - but we think its a big truck thing.

mebe....

Who's selling 292s for a fair price? I want to do the same 250 to 292 swap and having trouble finding one. I'm in NE Okla.

The by-pass is a 292 thing. You will have to switch to a bolt "up" starter. One hole is already there. You have to drill and thread the other. There is a template and instructions in a book called "Chevrolet Inline Six" by Leo Santucci. This will answer all your questions and more. The block cracking on the first bolt hole is a "250 thing" and is mentioned in his book.
My two-groove pulley looks very much like a two-groove 250 pulley but the timing mark location is different. The 3-groove are from big trucks with pumps for air brakes.

Correction
I was thinking only about my block.
You only have to drill and tap if you will be using a offset mounted starter and large (168 tooth) flywheel. Santuccis' book says 1973 and later blocks are drilled for both starters.

Check these guys out, Blains . I don't know anything about them. A relative in Dallas sent it to me. Joe

I got my motor from an inliner (another web page thingy) who brought it to me. Bargin too - $400 ready to rock and roll. Didn't smoke or blow oil neither - he sent me an avi of it running in the old truck!

That Blaine's outfit looks good. I wish they were closer.