I was looking at buying a newer 1996-2000 4 bolt main Shortblock to replace in my nova. Will my current Dart Platinum 200cc heads work on this motor? along with oil pump, pan and intake? i know the cam is roller, so i would need to use roller lifters and different pushrods?
SBC generations...
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If you don't get an answer here, call Dart....Sagacious said:
http://www.dartheads.com/advantages.aspx
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You'll need pushrods and spring's and retainers if your head is set up with flat tappet stuff.
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Chevy 96-98 will be ok...but from 99 on its a whole different engine.
Well, not to be picky, but the first-get SBC is still in production. Its available in medium duty trucks, vans, and in many other countries, not to mention all of the industrial and marine applications. I have an Gen1 Vortec intake that was pulled from a 2002 Chevy Van.
But the generations typically go like this
Gen1 is traditional SBC. 2-piece rear main seal until 85 with a flat tappet cam, 1-piece rear and roller carm 86-present with exceptions to the roller cam rule in trucks. Perimeter valve cover bolts until 86, centerbolt covers 87-present. Along with the 1-piece rear change came an intake manifold bolt change through 95. 96-present is the vortec style which is a whole different intake bolt pattern.
Gen2 is LT1, LT4, and L99 engines. They share some things in common with the older Gen1. Rotation parts are pretty interchangeable with Gen1 with slight differences in cam drive. You can always tell these motors apart because of the long intake plenum, and the water pump has no pulley since its internaly driven. These motors were 92 (a few showed up in 91) through 1997.
Gen3 is LS1, LS2, LS6, and the LS-based truck engines starting in 1998. They didn't make their way into trucks until 99 or 00 but I'm a little hazy there.
But the generations typically go like this
Gen1 is traditional SBC. 2-piece rear main seal until 85 with a flat tappet cam, 1-piece rear and roller carm 86-present with exceptions to the roller cam rule in trucks. Perimeter valve cover bolts until 86, centerbolt covers 87-present. Along with the 1-piece rear change came an intake manifold bolt change through 95. 96-present is the vortec style which is a whole different intake bolt pattern.
Gen2 is LT1, LT4, and L99 engines. They share some things in common with the older Gen1. Rotation parts are pretty interchangeable with Gen1 with slight differences in cam drive. You can always tell these motors apart because of the long intake plenum, and the water pump has no pulley since its internaly driven. These motors were 92 (a few showed up in 91) through 1997.
Gen3 is LS1, LS2, LS6, and the LS-based truck engines starting in 1998. They didn't make their way into trucks until 99 or 00 but I'm a little hazy there.
OK, you can chalk this up to me being a crochety old fart, 
but I don't consider any of the LS engines to be Small block motors..
In the 50's when the 265 & 283 came about they were called just that...A 265 or a 283. When the 327 came around it was just called a 327. 348's & 409's were just 348's & 409's.. I never heard the term Big block or small block till the 396 showed up.
So, big block was a 396,427 or 454. And the earlier engines were small blocks by default. Of course, after the terms big block & small block became common, people applied them to Fords & Mopar.
In my opinion, a small block Chevy is any engine that sprang from the original 265 crankcase and whose external parts will interchange.
I'm off my soap box now.
JA
but I don't consider any of the LS engines to be Small block motors..In the 50's when the 265 & 283 came about they were called just that...A 265 or a 283. When the 327 came around it was just called a 327. 348's & 409's were just 348's & 409's.. I never heard the term Big block or small block till the 396 showed up.
So, big block was a 396,427 or 454. And the earlier engines were small blocks by default. Of course, after the terms big block & small block became common, people applied them to Fords & Mopar.
In my opinion, a small block Chevy is any engine that sprang from the original 265 crankcase and whose external parts will interchange.
I'm off my soap box now.
JA
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