I got my hands on an old 292 block. I'd like to save it for a future project - what do I need to save at a minimum (I have very limited space). Can I pull the pistons and crank out and just save the block?

The crank, rods, and pistons are all unique to the 292 so you'd lose the "292" part of the 292 by ditching these.
I'd sure try to save them, it doesn't take much more room for the short block than the bare block, why not keep it all?

Just keep it all together Less space taken.But at the very least
KEEP THE CRANK & the block. But depending on your plains Block crank & rods. Again take up less space keeping it together.

Make sure you oil the bores and if it is free rotate the crank every few months. You don't want it frozen up when you try to use it.

You can store it at my house.

point taken... I'll keep it all.

Would it be hard to modify one of these to work with a L6?

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=SUM-900057&autoview=sku


On a related note, when I decide to get this thing rebuilt, at a minimum, what should I count on spending? Not going to do anything crazy. The block will need to be overbored and I would probably just be rebuilding a 194 head to stock specs initially, then maybe porting/polishing & Larry's bolt in lumps later.




I'm also not sure if the block is frozen up as it sits. It was sitting outside on it's side with a piece of plastic over it. The head was on it, but no intake or exhaust manifolds. 3 of the cylinders had some water/rusting gunk in them when I pulled the head off. No flywheel/flexplate/balancer to try and turn the engine. Any ideas?

You can buy a tool that goes over the Nose of the crank and turn the motor over.(but the keyway does need to be in place)Or you can install some bolts in the Flywheel end and use a bar to try and turn it over. AND I am sure that stand will work with a few small mods made to it.But You could build you one out of some 2x6
& plywood and Set the Motor on the Oil Pan Rail. and them just
add some casters to be able to roll it around.

I have built several roling stands like what Larry described. Here is a dolly from the stovebolt tech tips, complete with plans.

I have a 292 on one of those stands now. You have to use the engine side of the front mounts. The back and the left side line up fine, but I was only able to get one bolt in the stand because the motor mount on that side is moved forward. It would fir a 250 fine. It's nose heavy and will tend to tip. Funny thing is that the bolts that came with it are metric.

I don't know if you have a Harbor Freight store where you live, but I bought an engine stand from the local one here and after replacing the Chinese hardware with Grade 8 bolts, it works great, and I have a Chevy inline 194 mounted on it as I'm typing this. The motor has been on the stand for 2 or 3 years now, and everything is holding up fine.

I just put together that dolly for the 261 I'm working on.I was surprised how stable it is and how easily it rolls. You can also buy a crank rotating plate that mounts on the damper.I think I got mine from Eastwood. And finally, in a back issue of 12PN,at least a year, a tech article was published on making an adapter to side mount the block on an engine stand.

Thanks for the help/suggestions everyone.

Can anyone tell me what size the flexplate bolts are? What about the bolt that you can use to turn the harmonic balancer? I found my old one and am thinking of putting that on.


What is the tool called? I'm not having much luck finding it online.


I clean up the engine a little and there is some pitting in cylinder #3 from the water/junk sitting in it. I am wondering if that stuff will be cleared out if the cylinders are bored out. I will try to post a picture later.

You're right. I couldn't find it either on Eastwood or Harbor Freight.It's pretty simple really. Maybe you can make one.It's 1/8" plate and the mounting bolts I am using are 3/8"-16x 1 1/2"

Here's an image of how it's mounted( on my 261). That's a 1/2" extension bar I'm using for leverage.


http://pic19.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1061/3611363/20102173/332085807.jpg

How about using that Stovebolt design as a run stand? seems like it would be fine as long as it was high enough.

Check these at powerhouse
http://www.compperformancegroupstores.com/store/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=PH
http://www.compperformancegroupstores.com/store/graphics/00000004/100-POW101525.jpg
http://www.compperformancegroupstores.com/store/graphics/00000004/100-POW102132.jpg
Second link is the crank tool third link is for the engine storage stand.

Thomas,That's exactly what I am going to "try".I used a similar set-up copied from a Don Coatney pic, but the 235 motor then was closer to the floor and I had mounted regular engine mount brackets.I'm hoping for stability that I'll only have to mount some sort of outrigger system. I'm just worried about what vibrations may do. So it might be a real quick test.
The fuel,cooling,gauges and and starting system is the easy stuff.
Larry,Powerhouse has great stuff,don't they. I droll over the catalog trying to find a reasonable excuse for wifey as to why I should buy this or that.

Well I have the crank tool Works Great and you dont need to have the dampener on the crank.

Thanks for the links Larry.

Here are some pics of the rust damage to the cylinders:

Cylinder #2:


Cylinder #3 (two pics):



Cylinders #1, #4, #5, #6, look like this:



Do you guys think this engine can be saved? If the block is bored .060 over, should it get rid of the pitting?

Wow, that is rusted. if it were mine I'd pull the pistons,have a machine shop check the block to see if it's worth keeping or at the very least, clean it really well yourself and see if you can do a preliminary honing in the hopes that it might clean up.Anything you remove, tag and bag.

What size brush hone do I need?

Can someone tell what size bolt I need for the harmonic balancer? Since I found the old balancer, I'll put that on and use the bolt to turn the engine.

You will probably shear the damper bolt w/that much rust.
Turn it w/a flexplate installed.


MBHD

Cylinder Hones and brushes are expandable to size. If you're not sure measure the cylinder bore.

Buy the right tool for the Job and save your self the grief.
http://www.compperformancegroupstores.com/store/graphics/00000004/100-POW101525.jpg

You asked what it would cost to rebuild a 292. Here's a remanufactured on that auction site. Sorry about the link but it does have a pretty comprehensive list of what was done.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/GM-4-8-L-...1QQcmdZViewItem

I wonder where they got the graphite coated pistons?

Larry

Speed Pro most liekly (std now from what I understand).

That is a MEX. block. all black I think it needs a better looking paint job