The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 250 induction on 292

I have locally sourced a low-mileage 292 for a measly $200. The 250 in my '63 C30 runs great but it doesn't like hills.

The engine doesn't come with the intake or exhaust manifolds. Would I run into any problems using mine?

Also the 292 is an '84. The smog era motors have a reputation for being slugs could anyone give me some insight as to why and how to remedy it? I will be using my carb and distributor so we can rule those out right from the get go.

Thanks in advance and happy 'Bolting!

The head on the 292 most likely has the intake cast into it, if so, your manifolds will not fit. If in fact it has the non-intigral head, then your manifolds will bolt right up. The 292's used a bigger cfm carburetor and bigger outlet exhaust manifold. The intakes may have been bigger as well. You will be able to do the swap with out problems, it just may not run as well due to the small carb.

Over the counter replacement carbs are usually just pieces of many carbs put together to make one. If you order a 292 carb, its a crap shoot on what you will get, you could get part 230, part 292 carb. Find a original carb and rebuild it yourself to be sure you get what you want.

There is nothing wrong with the 292 smog era engines, they run really well for what they are. You can remove all of the "smog" added devices or just leave them. Swapping the heads will get rid of all the attachments. Camshafts were all about the same, so was compression, some where around 8.0:1. The cast head/intake combination work just as well as the older intakes, the problem was with the exhaust cracking from heat. All inline six heads were the same, you can not add compression or air flow with a head swap. The real early 194 ci head has smaller chambers and will raise compression a point or so, but the ports are real crappy and need a ton of work to flow as much as a stock later head, plus the exhaust had siamese ports just like the intakes do. This engine should have a HEI distributor, if it does use it.

Joe

Did the 292 engines have the integral manifold on them?? I know the 250 engines did.

John

The 292 never used the intregal head. The manifolds are the same on the 250 & 292 light duty (30 series & smaller). The large trucks used an ex. manifold with a larger outlet.
Like Joe says the 250 carb is smaller bore but now most 292 have had the carb replaced with a 250 carb. The exhaust system was the weak spot on 292,s. If used for heavy duty work they will burn out pipes & crack/warp manifolds. If I was going to do any hauling I would put headers & dual exhaust on it. That engine is practilly indestructible. We used to drive them with the throttle to the floor for hundreds of miles.

My 250 and the 292 I'm buying both have separate manifolds. Also I recently rebuilt my Rochester B. My truck was originally equipped with a 292 and based on what I've read the numbers point to it being the 292 carb.

I've heard of the exhaust manifold issues but I kind of want to stay away from headers. Anybody out there know WHY the 292 heads ran hot?

And yes the motor will be worked very, very hard haha

There is one thing not mentioned. The passenger side motor mount tower off the frame will have to be changed for a 292. That mount is particular to the 292 staggered mounts.

Larry

The mount is the same you just move it to the front set of holes in the frame

The 292 head doesn't run any hotter then a 250 since the heads are the same. Its just the engine itself, I guess they were just worked really hard which makes heat.

Joe

That would make sense they would get that reputation since the 292 was a truck only engine. I've been sleeping on it the past few nights and was thinking it could also have to do with leaning them out to pass the emissions regulations imposed in the early 70s

That could be some of the heating problem, but people also mistakenly put 250 water pumps on the 292 thinking they are interchangeable, and their not.

Swampyankee; unless you're building a work truck that will have to run wide open under HEAVY loads day in, day out, use the intake and exhaust as they are. All the worry about "ports this" and "ports that" means very little unless you're racing. The work required and the lack of dependability on the street of "racing modified" parts makes almost no difference, unless it is to lower your usable RPMs and burn more gas. Do what you want, but I believe that the stock parts and a Carter YF from a 300 CID L6 F**D will give you the best bang for your buck.

Best wishes,

Les

Thanks Les, and I'd say about 50% of the time the truck is fully loaded. I was thinking about clamping the intake manifold in the Bridgeport and milling it to accept a small base Rochester 2G. After a few days searching the internet it would appear the intakes are the same

Mercruiser Marine used to use 230/250/292 engines with some of their bigger outdrive units, and those engines ran a Rochester 2-bbl. carb. Do a little shopping around boat repair shops, and you can probably find one of those manifolds. They also used a nice-looking cast aluminum valve cover.
Jerry

Several guys over on Inliners have done that. You end up milling into the heat crossover passage and wind up with a real problem trying to seal it up again. Stick with the intake in stock form or get and Offy 4 bbl intake and put a 2 bbl adapter on it. Modifying the stock intake is a dead end.

With that in mind I still wouldn't mind giving a try to modifying the intake because I have another one laying around. Nothing ventured nothing gained! Also 12 Port I'm glad you brought up the difference in water pumps, I wouldn't have known that otherwise.