Inliners International Forums General Discussion Engines 292 for my '41 Pontiac

I'm going to check out a Chevy six that is for sale. The seller thinks it is a '66 292. I hope so. It was removed to put in a V8. I would like to put in my '41 Pontiac 4-door sedan. The Pontiac was originally a six. There is plenty of room for the 292.I will probably use an automatic trans.

Lots of work to do that change,I'm sure you figured,but it will be a neat ride when it's done. Good luck with it.

Is the rest of the car going to remain fairly stock? What transmission are you considering? What will the car be used for? A 292 will bring it to life.

I didn't get the original engine or transmission with the car. I would like to be able to drive the car anywhere I decide to go so I will "update" it .I like inline sixes so that's why I want a 292. I will probably use a 350 turbo or 400 transmission. I have one of each stashed away. I want the car to look as original as possible after the update. I want to do as little welding as I can.I plan to make motor and transmission mounts that bolt in. I will use the original column shift lever to control the automatic trans.The front suspension and steering seem to have little wear so I will rebuild the front brakes.A dual system master cylinder will be adapted and operated by the original pedal. I will swap the rearend for one with higher gears and retain the "big 5" bolt pattern. The original wheels and hubcaps will be reused.I do have the original air cleaner and will adapt it to the new carburator.I have a '40 Chevy 2 door sedan with a '54 235 six that is dependable enough that we drive it anywhere, even long trips. I hope the Pontiac will be another like it.

I have one suggestion. 292s are not famous for fuel economy, partly because they came in trucks with low gears. I would consider an overdrive trans.

I've heard people with trucks with 292s talk about getting 10 mpg or less. I've always figured it was due to the low low gearing. Do you suppose a 292 would do much better with some good, high open road gears like something in the low 3s? It appears that I can get the 292 for a very low price. The owner says "whatever you think it's worth". He has checked the numbers and is sure it's a '66 292. I might do something that I've never done before...paint a Chevy engine something besides orange , or gray, like my '54 235. I think the original six in the Pontiac was green. Just thinking.

I have also wondered if the a lack of compression hurts too, at least in stock form. Jay 6155

I am sure the low compression hurts mileage.
Pistons being down the hole too far.
Anyone ever check the actual compression ratio on a stock 292?
How far down the bores were the pistons?

I never tested how rick or lean a factory carb is jetting by using a wide band O2 reader.

I got better mileage with a semi built 250 10:1 compression, 4bbl, headers, mild cam yada yada. 21 -25 MPG range 5 speed w/OD

Best my Moms 73 stock Nova 250 6 cyl & PG trans w/3:08 gears was 16-17 MPG

MBHD

I have learned something that might keep me from using the 292 after all. The GM parts book lists the flywheel for a 292 different from all other engines. I thought that they used the same common flywheel/ flexplate as a v8, like a 230-250 six. The catalog does list a 292 automatic trans flywheel , so they do exist, but I have never seen a 292 with an automatic,so they might be rare. Anybody know what the difference is? Something that can be changed , like drilling out bolt holes? Thanks.

Yes you can re-drill the Flywheel holes.

I think the 292 specific listing is for the ones that have 1/2" bolts. All of them don't.

Check out a NAPA #600-5150
This is what I used.

Will Willis

63-66 292 used the same size bolts as standard SBC and are fully interchangeable with flywheels and flexplates.
67 and newer 292 used 1/2" bolts with the same bolt pattern and 3 dowels. The smaller bolt hole flywheels and flexplate could be drilled to match hole diameters.

Will6er's part # is probably the 67 and newer style 292 flywheel.

Tom, I also heard that the 292 can be thirsty for fuel. I had a 454 in my truck that went south so I bought a used good runner. I was not expecting much but I went from 9 mpg to 13 right from the get go. I added a new HEI ignition and dumped the points. MPG went up. Replaced the cracked exhaust with a replacement manifold that had the large outlet and run a 2 1/2 exhaust with universal Borla muffler. MPG went up. Tried to get the factory carb to run smooth without a off idle bog, but failed.
It started leaking so I swapped on a 2 barrel autolite 2100 carb with an adapter from a 66 mustang. At that point my mileage jumped 2 mpg and power increased a fair amount by my butt dyno.
I now click 18 mpg on the nose after jetting with mostly highway driving. My truck tips the scale at 5200 pounds is 4x4 lifted 2 inches with 33 inch tall tires running threw a 4 speed. I have checked my figures several times with gps vs. gallons used so its not blowing smoke. Most unexpected, but I would not take "bad gas mileage" as written in stone.

If your after better economy there are ways to get there.

A 292 is thirsty, best I ever got was 14 mpg with a well built engine. When I went the stock 4200 - mileage jumped to over 24 MPG + an extra 75HP to boot.

Razor 68 what gears are in the truck? A four mpg jump is better than I would have expected going from a 454. 18 mpg is wonderful! The best that I got out of my 79 250 pickup was 21 that was with 3.40 gears two wheel drive blocked egr valve. Also a recurved dist and open element air cleaner. Jay,6155

I have 4:10 gears in the truck and Im running about 3000 rpm at freeway speeds (65-70). Most of my driving is back road highway and I cruise along at 55. The faster I go that needle will drop. Strictly freeway speeds it drops down to around 15, and towing my travel trailer drops to around 12. I am currently researching a re curve for the distributor and future plans for a 5 speed. Im not saying this mileage is the norm as I am still surprised. I think with proper tuning and gearing, a 292 could be made into a great runner for Toms 41. The point I was trying to make was that because a lot of people have said 292 are gas hogs, its not always the case if you search for a better combo. Your mileage may vary

Tlowe gets in the 20's (MPG) w/his 292 Elky I believe.

Having dividing the intake ports should improve mileage.

MBHD

Tlowe gets in the 20's (MPG) w/his 292 Elky I believe.

Having dividing the intake ports should improve mileage.

MBHD

My '65 pickup is 292 powered with a S10 5 spd. I have a HEI distributor, Dynomax headers and an Edelbrock intake with a quadrajet 4 bbl on a bone stock motor with over 100,000 on it and I get 16-18 MPG with it. Rearend is 3.73 and a 235/75R15 tire so not overly hard on fuel.....

It looks like I might not get the 292 for a while longer. I have got a 250 out of a'72 Chevy pickup with 72,000 miles on it. I suppose I will use it in the Pontiac. I have a late model electronic distributor that I will probably install. I hope to get the car running and driving before Summers end and give it to my son and daughter-in-law.