The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 216 - 292 swap

Has anyone ever sucessfully swaped a 292 into a ad to replace their 216, and what modifications must be made?

The biggest issues you're going to find are getting the transmission to mount to the engine, and installing custom side motor mounts.

There is a guy down the street from me whose father did it with a farm truck a long time ago (necessity rather than anything else). He shortened a 67-72 3/4 ton 4 speed crossmember and used that bellhousing and a set of home made side mounts, didn't look any more difficult than the same way of doing a v8 except no steering clearance problems with the L6.

Chris

Thanks for the replies, I was more concerned that the length of the block and the fact that the 292 has a cluth fan on the front of it. as the other doesn't have meaning more space needed, thought I may have to move radiator forward and make more space in there?

I'm not sure about the clutch fan (although you could either install a non-clutch fan or just go electric and get rid of the engine-drive fan and free up a few horsepower. The actual length of the 292 should be a touch shorter than the old Stovebolt engine. Pick up a copy of the "Chevrolet Inline 6 Power Manual" - great book about the L22s.

Thanks gmcpannel sounds like I may have to remeasure the length again and check it for sure. I probably misread the tape measure when I was looking and may have gotten the two motors backwards., had seen this book mentioned before but not been able to find it up here where I live.

Hello,
I just bought a 1963 chevy stepside shortbed and it has a strait 6 in it. I am trying to find out what kind of motor it is. The block casting number is 3994257. I have been all over the web and if it was a V8 I would know what it is but because its a 6 I cant find it. Anyway if you can help please let me know.

Thanks

Oldtruck, the closest I found was #3994258 which is a 292 block. Where are the motor mounts and fuel pump? 230/250 mounts are center of the engine with the fuel pump under the distributor. The 292 has right side mount and fuel pump switched.

Old Chevy Guy, according to the 6 cylinder power manual, "The 1963 292 CID is approximately the same hight as the 235-261 and 19% lighter. Length is the same as the 194-250 CID." I had to move the firewall back a few inches for my 250 to clear when replacing a 216. You can move the radiator forwards. The fan will be lower, so watch the hight of the radiator as well. Joe

Joe this is a later model 80's-90's motor though I think, I will have to pull some #'s to be sure though.

OCTG
I'm doing that now w/ my 51- 3100
The 292 block is the same length just 1.75'' taller. You'll need side motor mounts like gmcpanel says. The 292 usually have 3 grove belts so the radiator will get moved forward. I have no clutch fan mount the engine as far back as you can. I'm using a T5 trans. I'm using biscuit type side motor mounts and a stock T5 rubber mount. the tranny crossbar is 2x3'' and bolted to the frame.


http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=579990-R1-036-16A.jpg

http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=579990-R1-020-8A.jpg

http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=579990-R1-024-10A.jpg

http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=579990-R1-012-4A.jpg

http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=DSC00367.jpg

http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=DSC00313.jpg

:p

Is there a generic non-clutch fan I can use? I don't wanna move my radiator unless I absolutely have to, and I really don't wanna do an electric pusher fan, either. I'm looking at the large spacer from my 292, and I think the fan got discarded by the wife by mistake, but I don't remember it being clutch...

Thanks as always,

Jason

A guy on here that goes by Arnswine put a 292 into his truck (59 I believe). What year truck are you trying to put this into?

What tranny are you gonna use? I've heard the later versions of the 4 speed (57 and on I believe) with cross member can accept the bellhousing of the 292. You will need to get some 292 motor mounts, and depending on what model you put them into it may require minor custom fab to connect to the frame. You will likely have to build a new fan shroud.

I'm putting a TH350 behind it. The engine and trans are already in, I just haven't put together any of the other bits yet

I hope this will help some out there with identifying a 230/250 from a 292. The pushrod covers or sometimes called side covers are about 4 1/8th inches tall on the 194/230/250 engines. The 292s are about 6 inches in height. They had to cast a taller block to make room for the 4 1/8th inch stroke. Or 4.125. The bore is the same as they 230/250 but with longer piston skirts for the long piston travel. Its the easiest way to ID those engines. Head castings frequently help Id-ing the smaller ones. Just a bit of helpful info to help. There is someone about 50 miles north of me in Wolf Creek Oregon I talked to and he has a 400hp racing version of the 292. Thats major power for one of those. He's a lifetime Inliners member. Henry

The 292 seems to me like a good swap, naturally, since I'm planning to replace the 1954 235.5 in my 1951 4400 with one. The motor mount offset is a little intimidating, but the engine size is a plus. Remember that the 292 was designed as a thin wall casting. It is supposed to be smaller than a 235, and I think the 216 was the same size as the 235.

I've heard a lot of people have concerns about cooling, especially fan heights. I'm not sure why. An electric fan, or two, thermostatically operated, should provide more cooling than an unshrouded and belt driven fan. Someone mentioned that he didn't want to run a pusher fan. If you turn it around, it is a puller fan, and should work better even when stopped.

Another consideration is an oil cooler. I plan to use a 7-9 quart system with a stock oil pan, one or two Wix 2 quart full flow filters and a good cooler. Even with the a 180 dF cooler bypass thermostat I suspect that the radiator thermostat will stay closed a lot.

I don't want the hassle of running wiring for an electric fan. I do realize it would be ideal. I'm just trying to find a belt fan which will fit between the motor and the radiator at this point, without moving the radiator forward.

Thanks again,

Jason