6-cylinder gurus,... 292 or 250?

[lolife99]

I went a looked at a '69 Custom 10 tonight that had 292 emblems on the fenders. The engine looked to be all original. The engine did have an HEI Distributor installed,... but I know nothing about 6 bangers.
How do I tell if it's a 292 or a 250? (What year did they switch to the 250's) Which is better? Also it has no power steering. How hard is that to find, and will the 292 and 250 accessories interchange? (Specifically P/S)
All the experts please speak up. Thanks.

[67_C-30]

250's and 292's were produced in the same years. Both engines can be swapped over to HEI. The best way to tell is the passenger side motor mount. If the mount is in front of the fuel pump it will be a 292 and if its behind the fuel pump it will be a 250. The side covers are about 2" taller as is the deck height. They use the same the head, intake, and similar looking carbs, so at a glance they look very similiar. 292 power steering set-ups are harder to find than 250's, but they are out there. The 292's are unbelievably torquey (much moreso than the 250) but are rather hog-ish on fuel. The 250's are decent on power, and get fairly decent fuel mileage. Both are very reliable engines.


250



292

[kookykrispy]

What he said in the above post. Also, from what I understand, the passenger side motor mount is in a different location from the 250 and the 292... The motor mount on the pass side of the 292 is in a more forward location compared to the 250. (at least, from everything I have seen, anyways)
292:

Note the pass side motor mount in front of the fuel pump and taller block... characterized by the taller pushrod gallery covers.

250:

Note the fuel pump location in front of the motor mount. Also this shows the difference in height of pushrod gallery covers. The 250 has shorter side covers.

The inline sixes are very reliable and will seemingly run forever. I had a 250 in a '66 chevy van that I drove for over 10 years. It was reliable, but not very powerful.

The 292 has a monster 4.120 inch stroke and that is why it makes a sh*tload of bottom end torque and can pull like an ox! The stroke on a 292 is bigger than that of a 454 or even a 502 BBC! The 292 is an awesome engine.

[PanelDeland]

the 292 does make awesome torque.I would think the engine is a 292 because it's a 69 and most that would swap would go to a V-8.Besides it's a 69 that's onnly 39 years and a 292 is probably just getting broken in good.J/K but they do seem to last forever.

[factorystock]

The first Chevy 6 was built in 1929, 26 years before there first V8. They are simple and reliable. The best thing about them over V8's is they have timing gears and not chains.292's are harder to find because they were never installed in cars and ignored by the general buying public of the late 60's and 70's. City goverments, utilities and cost consious businesses (plumbers, electricians and UPS) loved them.

[lolife99]

You guys are the best!
That's exactly what I needed to know. I believe it is a 292. Nothing much has been changed on this truck. (HEI looked new-er)
Also the pictures were a big help!
Thanks.

[Tx Firefighter]

A 292 also has a large coolant bypass hose that connects the water pump and the thermostat housing, that the 250 lacks.

[chevy29267truck]

look at the side covers or side plates on the engine the 292 is taller than the 250 the engine and frame mounts for the 292 are diffent from the 250 the 292 came out in 1963 the 250 came out in 1966 the 292 is a truck engine the 250 engine was put in ever thing

[lolife99]

OK guys,... I bought this truck and it is definetly a 292.
Now the big question,... how hard is power steering to find for these 6 bangers?
Are the 250 brackets, pulleys and pumps the same? Will a V8 P/S box work? Is a V8 pump the same?

Somebody "school me" on these 6 cylinders.

[john]

P.S. and A/C brackets for 292's are kind of hard to find. Heres some P.S.on the parts board ,it doesn't look like they sold yet. The 292-250 brackets will not interchange.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=319061

[lolife99]

Thanks John!

[chevy29267truck]

also look in the junkyards and on ebay and on craigslist

[DirtyLarry]

Good info thread on 6 cylinders.

Hey lolife, I wish I would have seen this before I went to the boneyard New Year’s Eve. I happen to take this picture of a 1978 G-van with a 3 on the tree while I was there. Is this a 250 or 292? I am thinking 292 by TX Firefighters comment on the coolant bypass hose that connects the water pump and the thermostat housing. It looks like a bypass hose unhooked. On this van the PS bracket was also alternator bracket. This van had HEI to boot. I might be able to swing by there yet this weekend and grab it.

Yes, a power steering gear and pump should fit both I6 and V8.

There were 3 other G-vans there with straight 6’s but the only one with PS brackets and HEI.

[brendonak]

I've got a 67 with a 250, will that ps system an hei system fit?

[German_AC]

Yes, this HEI fits perfect in the 250. In fact, I have one installed in my Nova. Grate distributor!

[lolife99]

Dirtylarry,... I don't know when they stopped making the 292's. 1978 seems kinda new.
I need one of the "gurus" to speak up.
If that is 292 stuff in that van,... I might be interested.
I need pulley and everything. That picture helps, thanks.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by lolife99

Dirtylarry,... I don't know when they stopped making the 292's. 1978 seems kinda new.
I need one of the "gurus" to speak up.
If that is 292 stuff in that van,... I might be interested.
I need pulley and everything. That picture helps, thanks.

GM was still selling the 292 as a "4.8L Goodwrench" crate engine into the '90s. The 4200 Vortec L6 ended that. Too bad they never made a 4800 Vortec.

[100%Chevy]

I have a 79,P-30 aluminum bread van I use in my A/C electrical business.
Won't go real fast,65 tops and screaming!But,it will pull!
It's a 292 and I love it!
I also need A/C,power steering brackets,as well as the correct pulleys.
Mine is the heavy duty version,so my crank pulleys may work.
Mike.

[lucjensen38]

I know I'm kinda late on this, but I was a V8 fan untilled my buddy had a 292 in his 80' shortbox stepside C1500. It came out of a dead ups truck. That thing sounded cool,and would lay a block long set of stripes with super wide 10 or 12 wide tires. He later dropped a 350 with way less miles and a good 4 barrel Carb and it would only do about a 1/3 of the burnout. I currently have one with P/S and I'm wanting to know 2 things if anyone knows about them. One is can I find a A/C bracket, and I would like to find an intake manifold that would adapt GM TBI to this great engine. Any help would be great
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[manimal]

yes those are 292 brackets. If you can,grab them.

[German_AC]

Here's additional info about sixs:

http://www.6066gmcguy.org/Inline6.htm

['68OrangeSunshine]

To mount a TBI, can a 4 barrel carb mount work? If so you want the Offenhauser intake or the Clifford intake. The Offy is shaped like the factory cast iron intake, so you can still use stock exhaust manifolds. [If you really want to.] The Offy has better low end torque and the Clifford is better for high end revs.
Brackets are hard to find. You just have to get lucky.

[Junkpyl]

Since installing a TBI was mentioned, how hard would it be to retrofit fuel injection from a wrecked vehicle that had an inline 6 to one of these old 292's? I'm thinking just drill and tap the clifford intake for the injectors then just make sure you get the right wire to the correct injector depending on the firing order of the donor vehicle and running it to the corresponding cylinder on the 292. And of course the O2 sensor and computer from the donor also.

Am I off base here or is this feasable? Any input from someone with more experience would be greatly appreciated.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Some of the later Clifford intakes are plumbed with water jackets for cooling/temperature stabilization. One would have to be careful where the ports for injectors and O-2 sensors, etc, were tapped.
The "Forced Induction" forum on www.inliners.org may provide a lot more info. I have no direct experience except with normally aspirated [carburated] 292s.
[EDIT]
Inliners International changed their forum titles. It's now called "Blown and Injected".

['68OrangeSunshine]

ok