Inliners International Forums General Discussion Engines difference between 230 and 250

I have a 28,000 mile 230 in my 67 Malibu and a line on a 30,000 mile 230 ($150) to put in my '46 chevy pickup. The 230 for the truck is from a '67 Malibu that was changed into a 396 clone.
Besides 15 hp and 20 ci are there any other differences between these engines?

Edit your post to show which is the 250, you show them both as 230s. For swapping purposes there should be no difference.

Baldy

I apologize for my post not being clear. The 230 in my Malibu is irrelevant to the question, it was only included as background info.
My ’46 has a 216 babbit pounder and I want to replace it with a later model I6. Normally I would have looked for a 250 but I found a low mileage 230 for $150. I already have the other required parts for this swap.
I am curious as to what the differences are between the 230 and the 250.

Wheelnut unless you plan on digging inside a 230 and a 250 and randomly swapping parts everything that bolts onto the block is the same. Internally for the same production year they share the same bearings, timing gears, gaskets, oil pump and screen, push rods,lifters, and rocker arms, and connecting rods. After the base short block is together with the correct parts inside it, everything else that has to be attached to complete the engine can be changed from a 230 to a 250 including gaskets. There were a few different chamber sizes on the heads but that was only to adjust compression ratios slightly for emissions and so on. The one big exception is the 194 head with the small chambers and that bolts right on too; but since you don't have one don't worry about it.

Mike G

If you would like to see a 230 in a '41 Chebby pickup, come on by, I'm in Vernon, CT address and # in the officers section. The only real difference between the two is the crankshaft and the pistons. At the current prices of gas, I'm sticking with my 230. This is not an easy swap! Pending on what trans you're running, it's hard or harder. Let me know what you're overall plans are. All the best, Armond

The two engines have different pistons (and as a result different compression ratios) and I believe they have different crankshafts (which account for the 20 cubic inch difference - 3.25 inch stroke for the 230 vs. 3.53 for the 250). Other than that I believe the engines are exactly the same.

-magic mike-

Armond - I would like to see pictures if you have any.
The 230 I hope to buy comes with a powerglide but I already have a rebuilt th350 that I will use instead. I had a '79 Camaro (305, th350) donor car from which I salvaged the rearend, and driveshaft. I have bought small block chevy V8 motormounts (same as I6 right?) from Chassis Engineering and also a trans X-member from Chassis Engineering.

Wheelnut. The Chassis Engineering SBC mounts for your frame are only 1/2 correct. The lower half that bolts ( or you can weld as I did ) onto the frame rails will be fine but you either need their upper mounts for the Late Chevy inline or make your own which is what I did. There is no practical way to mate the factory upper mounts for the 230 to the CE frame mount kit or to mount the CE SBC upper mounts to the 230.


Mike G

Unfortunately, all it took was one cross country ride on a motorcycle and a Florida hurricane to do my camera in. What part of New England are you in? How will you mount the brake pedal and master cylinder? Arm

I am in Rhode Island.
I bought a manual master cylinder / pedal assembly. It's not installed yet. I have been accumulating parts for a few years while driving the truck occasionally locally but right now the brakes arent working so it sits.
Mike G - that's good to know - thanks for the info.