Inliners International Forums General Discussion Engines 292 question

1st of all, it is great to find this forum. I've worked on lots of V-8's this will be my first I6. My question is; I've heard that the 292 block sometimes crack where the front two head bolts bolt in. Has anybody had this problem? If so, would a better option be using studs? Also the block I'm using is the later model that was made in Mexico if that makes any difference.... Thanks!

The 250 will crack there, but the 292 will not. The 292 is an 1 3/4 taller. The Mexico blocks are said to have better support webbing. You have to watch all of them for possible core shift. Do you Leo's book?

Larry

Hi and welcome to Inliners. The mexican blocks are the most desirable, as they tend to be a little thicker than those cast in the US. As for the block cracking issue you have described, I have only been aware of the shorter deck engine blocks like the 230's and 250's cracking into the deck around the water pump area if they are decked too much. That seems to be in the same area you mentioned, so maybe thats what you heard was actually meaning. But I haven't heard of that being a problem with the 292 blocks.

Thanks for the help.. I'm trying to get Leo's book.. The warehouses are out and a new edition won't be in till Feb, 2010. What is core shift?

Milling the deck Really don't have much to due with the Low deck blocks cracking,Because they are still prone to cracking Even if the deck hasn't been milled. And most cracking I have seen is on the Driver side of the block right over the water pump.
As for a copy of Leo's book you can get yourself a Free copy with
a purchase of a Lump port kit on Ebay.

Core shift means when they cast the block the sand core moved and the cylinder walls can be thin on one side. Something to worry about when boring out cylinders. Hopefully others will chime in with more detail.

Wasn't there a GM tech. supplement years ago to install water pump first and torque before torquing the cyl. head ???

my 2 cents. since there is very little material in that location on the front of the LD 230/250 block; it would make sence in my mind to install 5/16 studs in the top two holes for the water pump. Make sure to chase the threads first so the stud goes all the way to the bottom of the hole and also fill the threads with loctite or expoxy or something like that to fill all the air gaps. This way the block will behave more like a solid piece when it is pulled on by the head bolt being torqued

although if the studs ever get damaged you will have to throw some heat on it to reduce the adheavsive properties of the loctite to get the stud out.
Michael