?

 

A shortblock is a block without the head(s) and a long block is the whole block plus head(s).

 

i believe a short block is a complete block, rods, pistons,cam but no heads or intake. long block has heads, and maybe intake.

 

I believe a short block is just the block, crank, and cam. Where as a long block is that, plus the pistons and heads. But I'm not 100% sure on that.

Edit: danm got instatposted

 

so all the engines in our cars are considered long blocks right now??
so if someone were to say they had a shortblock in there car with heads on it they'd be incorrect?

 

The engines in your car now are considered to be turn key engines.

 

A short block is the basic rotating assembly and is considered the 'lower' portion of your engine. A long block is a short block with heads (and valve train) and sometimes valve covers. This terminology is used when buying/selling engines. Also note that there are also small and large blocks which refer to displacement. Hope this helps.

 

ok now we got a 3rd kind of engine ohh no

 

ive always known the difference between the big blocks and the small blocks in general..

Thanks for clearing up the short/long block dicussion.

But when does a small block become a big block? What are the requirements?

 

I think the barrier between small and big block is with a small, usually it is a certain size casting that is bored to meet displacement requirements, like how a 327ci can be bored to say 350, and a 350 to 383. I think when the cast of the block needs to be larger to meet these displacement requirements, it becomes a big block, like with a 454 or 426. They actually need to create a new, larger cast for the block itself.