Opinions please 250 or 292

[shawno72]

I am still new to owning a six cylinder and I was wondering which do you guys prefer a 250 or what I heard one guy refer to as a "big block" 292? What are the pros and cons of both and if you had a choice which would you run?
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[mbgmike]

i voted for 292 just cause they can pull but they will use more fuel

[shawno72]

Originally Posted by mbgmike

i voted for 292 just cause they can pull but they will use more fuel

I hear that the 292's are great for towing with a lot of low end torque. My truck will never tow anything except a load in the bed to the dump once in a great while. This truck is my daily driver so will a 250 be better suited for that or will a 292 be just fine. I heard a board member refer to the 250 as a more "sportier" engine, that's why I ask.
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[Indyuke]

I voted 292 only because they can pull so much more, but a 250 is pretty good for fuel economy and general tooling around. It can be sporty... it revs a little quicker. It just depends on what you want to use your truck for. Is it strictly a work truck, or a DD that only hauls stuff occasionally?

[68gmsee]

I've owned from 194's to 350's and the V8's have always been my preference but if these were the only two engines I had to choose from I'd probably would go with the 292.

As for gas mileage, neither one of them are great on economy. Back in the 60's when these engines came out, gas was app 30 cents a gallon so the difference between 13 mpg and 15 mpg on the highway wasn't that much.

[C/10 King]

Shawn I love them both so I'm not voting, if I was you I would use which one crossed my path first being the best deal, I have a 250 with a split manifold and loud pipes in my 67 GMC (Sancho) it burns a little oil but it runs great and has plenty of power plus it gets 13-14 mpg so I'm very happy with this 6 banger. Good luck with your decision.

[47thriftmaster]

The 250 is more common so would be a little cheaper and easier to find. Both can be built to have power and both if done right look really good, you don't see them much. Places like Cliffords has plenty of after market stuff for both, they can give you all kinds of info on them, and their in your neck of the woods. Also another place in Arizona, will have to find their info and get back to you.

[47thriftmaster]

Also with the 250, you have to watch what year you get. Can't remember off the top of my head but some have the intake and exhaust as one piece, those you don't want to build.

[C10 - C90 Bill]

I'm a big 292 Fan, but they are more suited for 3/4 Ton and larger trucks. There is nothing wrong with a 250 in a 1/2 Ton. They are good engines.

Bill

[shawno72]

Thanks guys for all your comments. I currently have a 292 that I plan to replace with a 250. I am just trying to decide whether to rebuild the 292 or sell it to fund a future v8 possibility.

[texnician01]

The block for the 292 and 250 are almost the same size, but because of the longer stroke of the 292 the block is taller. The easiest way to identify a 292 quickly is the height of the lifter covers, the 250 is about 4 inches tall the 292 is about 6 inches. Valve covers will fit either, stay away from the ~74 on heads as they had integral manifolds and were not very good. I originally had a 292 in my truck and had the head rebuilt as it was worn out (lots of oil past the guides). When the shop did the head they opened up the valve seats and installed 1.94 intake valves. It had a lot more top end but didn't seem to affect the bottom end. You only get about 4500 rpm out of a 292 but they are great for torque. One of the biggest hurdles with the 292 is finding the engine mount as it is different on the passenger's side. One good thing about the 250 is it uses 350 pistons, so they are easy to obtain. 292's are harder to find parts for. I don't think you could go wrong with either, good luck.

[Palf70Step]

As mentioned a 250 is more plentiful. so getting parts and accessories( like pwr steering & AC) brackets are a lot easier. Both will run well in the truck, but neither will be super gas misers. I miss my 250.

[WAAF]

I'd do the 292 and if a daily, mpefi and get 25mph all day long

[GASoline71]

Plus... he already has the 292 in the truck.

I had a 292 in a '67 C10 and loved it.

Gary

[shawno72]

Originally Posted by GASoline71

Plus... he already has the 292 in the truck.

I had a 292 in a '67 C10 and loved it.

Gary

The problem with the 292 is it has a knock so it has to come out either way. The 250 will keep me going while I either rebuild the 292 or sell it and work on a V8.

[Palf70Step]

Originally Posted by shawno72

The problem with the 292 is it has a knock so it has to come out either way. The 250 will keep me going while I either rebuild the 292 or sell it and work on a V8.

Keep the 6- rebuild the 292 while you drive a 250/

[pritch]

I couldn't really vote one over the other, either. I have a 250 in my green '68, 4 speed and a 3.73 posi. It gets 16 mpg OR keeps up with freeway traffic (it won't do both) I love it, and now that I have PS & PB's, it's fun to drive.

But I am building a 292 to put in my '68 Panel. It's cammed up a little and will have the cast iron headers. I'm still deciding between carbed or injected, but I'm starting to lean toward injection.

Oh yeah-I have a 230, also, that ran great when I pulled it out of my Panel. It was the motor that was in it when I bought it.

[68gmsee]

Recommendation now that I learned a little more... If the 250 is compelte with all the accessories (linkages, towers, etc) and runs good then swap it out and rebuild the 292. A knock is easy enough to fix.


Who knows, you may decide you like the 250 and then you can sell the 292.

[shawno72]

Thanks guys for all the comments. I think I will run the 250 and rebuild the 292 myself. I havent rebuilt a motor in about 20 years but I want to do this. Besides I have a machine shop that will help me in any way. I wiil have an opportunity to buy an original 350 out of my friends 72 that runs good so a v8 swap may still be possible down the road.
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[70c-10]

Originally Posted by shawno72

Thanks guys for all the comments. I think I will run the 250 and rebuild the 292 myself. I havent rebuilt a motor in about 20 years but I want to do this. Besides I have a machine shop that will help me in any way. I wiil have an opportunity to buy an original 350 out of my friends 72 that runs good so a v8 swap may still be possible down the road.
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Sounds like a good idea.

I pulled a 292 out of my 70 C-10 and put it in my 63 Chevy II. Here are some pics: 292 - Six in a row, makes it go!

Originally Posted by texnician01

The block for the 292 and 250 are almost the same size, but because of the longer stroke of the 292 the block is taller. The easiest way to identify a 292 quickly is the height of the lifter covers, the 250 is about 4 inches tall the 292 is about 6 inches.

on the 292 the fuel pump is behind the motor mount (towards the firewall). on the 194/230/250, the fuel pump is in front of the motor mount (towards the fan).

Originally Posted by 47thriftmaster

Also with the 250, you have to watch what year you get. Can't remember off the top of my head but some have the intake and exhaust as one piece, those you don't want to build.

I think they started the integrated intake and exhaust in 73 or 74. If you buy one of these, you can just bolt up the intake and exhaust from the 292.

[earlthegoat2]

The 250 in the truck I just bought got almost 18 mpg on a 200 mile drive. Just a little more info on 250s. I have no basis of comparison with a 292 since I have never driven one.

[68C10HotRod]

My 68 had it's original 292 with over 132k when I got it. Rebuilt the carb put an HEI in & drove it everywhere till the motor finally stopped one day. The biggest thing about that motor was the power & it was eating oil almost as bad as gas but it fired right up every single day. I abused that poor little 292 cuz she had almost no compression on #2 but it still ran like a champ. Figured it had a broke ring. So, I voted for the 292. Efi & overdrive would have been great cuz my 4spd granny low & 3.73 posi only got about 8mpg around town.

[trac209]

If fuel consuption is of most importance go with the 250. But the cool factor has to be with the 292 because of the rareness and power of the engine over the the 250. I have one currently in my 68 step and if I didn't have a multitude of v8s laying around I would use the 292 but they drink like gas like heck for a 6.

[shawno72]

Originally Posted by trac209

If fuel consuption is of most importance go with the 250. But the cool factor has to be with the 292 because of the rareness and power of the engine over the the 250. I have one currently in my 68 step and if I didn't have a multitude of v8s laying around I would use the 292 but they drink like gas like heck for a 6.

Yes they do!! Mine is about the same on gas as my 350.

[Achevytruck]

i have to say 292 but did drive 2 trucks of 292 and 250 .From what i hear that the 292 came out as a truck engine only never was in cars and the 250 engine was in pretty much ever thing