short, long, big, small block??

[Toy4x4]

Could someone clear up what these terms mean please. I'm not exactly sure. I've seen an add for a car that has a 406 small block, but 396s are big blocks.

I >think< its the actual size of the block and not a cubic inch issue but...? And how is it accomplished if its a smaller block? I know that strokers have cranks that lengthen the stroke to obtain more cubic inches, ie: 350 to 383.
And short vs long...something to do with the amount of parts that are attached to the block?

Thanks.

 

[tom slick]

small and big blocks are a discription of the physical size of the engine block. generally only refers to ford and GM v-8's but i'm sure some folks describe mopar engines with that term. it has nothing to do with the cubic inches. in general any engine built with the same basic design as a chevy 350 is a "small block chevy". any engine built with the same basic design as a chevy 454 is a "big block chevy". same goes for fords and any of the 289/302/5.0l series refered to as small blocks. if you see a big block and a small block next to each other you will see where the terms come from

a short block refers to any rebuilt engine without the head. a long block is a short block with the head. it is reguardless of size or make.

a 383 chevy is a 350 with a crank from a 400, both are small blocks.

[ May 13, 2005, 08:34 PM: Message edited by: tom slick ]

 

[wulimaster]

I used to have a 400 smallblock chevy impala. I believe a 1st overbore would yield 406 ci. Drop in a forged 350 crank and special bearings and you had a higher winding 383. 388 inch with 1st overbore.

Maximum torque was at 1600 or 1800 rpms If I could remember correctly. there are a lot of articles on the monster mouse buildup.

Currently there are alternative smallblock out there that are running 427 and 454 ci but they are not a factory block.

Fun little motor. Made an loud sucking sound when fed by the stock 2 barrel carb.

A lot of people put the built 400's into cars that were badged 283 or 307 and made you think twice when they opened the hood and there was a smallblock. Wspecially in a heavy car.

 

[Drew99GT]

Long block: usually an engine with the cylinder heads/all the major components attached.

Short block: engine with no heads and major components attached.

These terms are usually used when you purchase an engine. If you already have good cylinder heads etc. but have say, a well worn out bottom end (bearings, cylinders etc.), you can buy a short block and slap the heads and all other components on.

 

[Chris142]

Speaking of Chevies.

Remember around 1970 if you ordered a 400 with a 2bbl carb you got a small block 400.

If you ordered a 400 with a 4bbl carb you got a 396 or a 402 big block.

A small block Chevy is generally a 262,265,267, 283,302,305,307,327,350 or 400. You can mix and match cranks and special pistons to get some strange engine sizes if you want to.

A Big block Chevy is a 366,396,402,427 or 454. Reciently they added a 496 and a 502 but I don't know much about them.

A 260,289,302 or 351W is a small block ford.

351M, 351C and 400 are mid size Ford blocks.

352,360,390,427,428 are "FE" Ford blocks.

370, 429 and 460's are "lima" or big block fords.

273,318 and 360 are Small block Chryslers.

361,383,400 are "B" block chryslers.

426W and 440's are "RB" Chrysler blocks.I forget where the 413 lies in this mess

 

[medic]

I was under the impression that "small bock" and "big block" were 100% chevrolet terms. It was based on the two basic blocks that all chevy V8's started out as.

Unfounatly, Ford never caught on to this concept, basing their engine designs on the factory where they were built. For example: 351 cleveland, 351 windsor, 4.6 romeo, 4.6 windsor, etc... I'm sure most people here are familiar with the multiple dfferent 351 engines that Ford designed. Well, they are carrying on this idiotic tradition with the current 4.6L engine. The initial idea was that the truck 4.6 was going to be built in the windsor plant while the car 4.6 was built in the romeo plant. Somewhere along the way, Ford ran out of truck engines and started interchanging them.

 

[Toy4x4]

Cool! Great info!

So with the big blocks: do the 396s, 427s, and 454s all use the same block and just use different cranks to get the different cubic inches?

 

[Bob Woods]

Back in the late fifties Chevrolet had a 348, I remember the valve covers not having straight flanges. What class did it fall in?

 

[tom slick]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bob Woods:
Back in the late fifties Chevrolet had a 348, I remember the valve covers not having straight flanges. What class did it fall in?

---

I belive it's considered a big block. but it's not a "real" big block.

 

[TooManyWheels]

quote:

---

396s, 427s, and 454s

---

A 427 has the same stroke as a 396 but a larger bore. Taking that larger bore and lengthening the stroke gives you the 454.

When comparing a 400-ish big block to a 400 small block the small block will have very little space between the cylinders, the bore centerlines are much closer together.

By the way, once you have actually seen or lifted both a small and big block, or the comparative parts, you will understand the designations.

[ May 13, 2005, 11:56 PM: Message edited by: TooManyWheels ]

 

[Calvin]

There were also quite a few slang terms for various engines throughout the years.

The 348 / 409 's are commonly known as " W " engines due to their unuseual " W " shaped valve covers that looked sort of like a " W ".... kinda.

Small block Chevys were known as " Mouse Motors ".

Big Block Chevys were known as " Rat Motors " also were once known as " Porqupine " engines due to their rocker studs sticking up out at weird angles...and at one time incorrectly called " Semi Hemi's " due to their combustion chamber shape.

Mopar 392 Hemi's were known as " Whale Motors "

Mopar 426 Hemi's were known as " Elephant Motors"

Pontiacs were known as " Ponchos " and also known as " Indian " motors.

Old Buick V8's such as the 401 and 425 were known as " Nail Head " motors.

The old style Ford 272 , 292 , 312 V8's were known as Y Block Motors.

The early 273 , 303 , 318 Chryslers were known as
" Polysphere " engines due to their " Polysphere " combustion chambers...



BTW the Mopar 413 was an " RB "

 

[Ugly3]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Calvin:
There were also quite a few slang terms for various engines throughout the years.

The 348 / 409 's are commonly known as " W " engines due to their unuseual " W " shaped valve covers that looked sort of like a " W ".... kinda.

Small block Chevys were known as " Mouse Motors ".

Big Block Chevys were known as " Rat Motors " also were once known as " Porqupine " engines due to their rocker studs sticking up out at weird angles...and at one time incorrectly called " Semi Hemi's " due to their combustion chamber shape.

Mopar 392 Hemi's were known as " Whale Motors "

Mopar 426 Hemi's were known as " Elephant Motors"

Pontiacs were known as " Ponchos " and also known as " Indian " motors.

Old Buick V8's such as the 401 and 425 were known as " Nail Head " motors.

The old style Ford 272 , 292 , 312 V8's were known as Y Block Motors.

The early 273 , 303 , 318 Chryslers were known as
" Polysphere " engines due to their " Polysphere " combustion chambers...



BTW the Mopar 413 was an " RB "

---

Wow, these are terms I haven't heard in a long, long time.

 

[XS650]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Calvin:

Old Buick V8's such as the 401 and 425 were known as " Nail Head " motors.

---

Buicks were the nail heads starting in the mid 1950s.

 

[Gary Allan]

Take a bunch of 327 blocks ...and throw 283 cranks in them ...you get a 302

which leaves you with a bunch of 283 blocks ..and 327 cranks...so you figure out what to do with them ...and you get a 307.

[ May 14, 2005, 07:39 AM: Message edited by: Gary Allan ]

 

[Chris142]

quote:

---

Originally posted by tom slick:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bob Woods:
Back in the late fifties Chevrolet had a 348, I remember the valve covers not having straight flanges. What class did it fall in?

---

I belive it's considered a big block. but it's not a "real" big block.

---

The 348 and 409 were "W" engines due to the shape of the valve covers.

EDIT:OOOPs! I need to finish reading the whole thread before I post!

 

[eljefino]

When do people start arguing chevy vs olds small blocks? I'll start with something I scrounged:

Olds 350 bore x stroke: 4.057 x 3.385
chevy 350: 4.000 x 3.580

plus tons of other differences....

There was a bru-ha-ha in the 70's when bowtie motors started showing up in buick/olds/pontiacs....

 

[T-Keith]

Big block and small block were terms to differentiate the two engines a company produced. There is no cutoff limit, just one engine is made bigger. Often some companies had more then two blocks so other names are used.

Most of the time people are talking Chevy. Which generally made two blocks, with a could generation of each.

Buick Also made two distinct blocks. They also had an two older V8 designs the aluminum 215 and Nailhead(which was made in several deck heights as well). Olds and Pontiac had one engine design with a taller deck height on the "big" block that allowed a longer stroke.

-T