What's the difference between a long and short block? What is and is not included in both? Thanks,

BH

 

Short block is just an assembled block, crank, rod's, piston's, cam, chain, etc. A long block is the short block plus the heads...

Dan

 

well, if I recall right, the long block used to contain the cam, head, and valvetrain. Some people talk about it with the intake included on older motors.
A shortblock traditionally does not include the cam, heads, timing gears/chains/lifters, etc.

I dont recall if the oil pan/pump is included in the shortblock. Ive always envisioned the shortblock as the rotating assembly inside the block.

chris

 

Well if you remember the pre-98 Fbodies had a longer nose and an LT1 iron engine; this was the long block. In '98 they shortened the front of the cars past the front wheels, and therefore had to switch over to the LS1, a slightly shorter, aluminum-block engine. This is called the "short block."