Short, long, big, small? WHAT?

[Geonovast]

This has been annoying me for awhile now.

 

What the hell is the difference between a short block and a long block?

 

I've heard of the 4.0 refered to as both, and when I search either term I get a bunch of V8s, as well as I6s.

 

So, to me anyway, it seems like all motors have been called all of those terms.

 

Do V6s have anything like that?

[Kenosha Warrior]

short block is just that. A short block with no trimmings. No head or belted accessories.

 

 

Long block comes fully trimmed with head and all belted accessories.

[BLHTAZ]

A short block is just the block...no head/heads.

 

A long block is the block with the head/heads bolted on it.

 

Neither one comes with any accessories on them, but a "Crate motor" is a long block with accessories attached. :cheers:

[WahooSteeler]

Geo, it took me awhile to figure that also LOL. What threw me off was the "long" block. I might have made more sense if it was a short block and a "tall" block IMO.

[Twisty]

This has been bugging me too. I had no idea what long/short was. I thought that the block was physically larger in a long block motor :roll:

 

I r smart!

[Bansheemanche]

I didnt know either till I read enough summit racing and jegs magizines. lol

[JeepcoMJ]

wow.

 

you're kidding right?

 

 

 

lol...glad my dad's a mechanic...

[jaekl]

Life is a long road of learning. Some useful, some not, some important, some not. You have no idea what you don't know. You also have no idea what you think you know but are wrong. Questions are great but when you know you don't know something. Sometimes you need a whack on the head. (This is why you have tests in school)

This forum has a wide cross section of talent and knowledge and it is fun reading the youngsters learn bit by bit. I never had any professional training and have no idea what they teach now, so I ask do they teach you how to think? There are a lot of diagnostic/disassembly tricks that aren't in the books. You need experience to come up behind you and whack you on the head 'why are you doing it that way' Of course when you're alone you remember that after your done (or it's broken)

[CWLONGSHOT]

A short block is just the block...no head/heads.

 

A long block is the block with the head/heads bolted on it.

 

Neither one comes with any accessories on them, but a "Crate motor" is a long block with accessories attached. :cheers:

 

BINGO!!

 

There are NO stupid questions asked here. Your only stupid if you don't ask, assume you know, and that causes a problem or damage!! Simply put, you don't know until you know. ;) :brows:

 

Some of us have the advantage of being around this world a bit longer, others work daily with this stuff, some BOTH!!!

 

CW

[johnj92131]

Life is a long road of learning. Some useful, some not, some important, some not. You have no idea what you don't know. You also have no idea what you think you know but are wrong. Questions are great but when you know you don't know something. Sometimes you need a whack on the head. (This is why you have tests in school)

This forum has a wide cross section of talent and knowledge and it is fun reading the youngsters learn bit by bit. I never had any professional training and have no idea what they teach now, so I ask do they teach you how to think? There are a lot of diagnostic/disassembly tricks that aren't in the books. You need experience to come up behind you and whack you on the head 'why are you doing it that way' Of course when you're alone you remember that after your done (or it's broken)

 

You are right about a long road of learning!

 

I remember the first time I pulled the head on my 1963 Rambler 6 cylinder engine. As we struggled to lift the head off the block, we wondered where all the water came from. You see, we never drained the radiator.

 

Funny what 17 year olds think they know.

 

And here I am today, still messing with the same basic 1963 engine! You might think I should have made some progress in the last 40 years or so...