Little More Chevy Trivia

[76ChevyTrucker]

In what year did the dipstick on Chevy truck and car engines move to the passenger side?

Also in what year did the valve cover bolts on the Chevy truck and car engines move from the perimeter to the center?

[NeonLX]

In what year did the dipstick on Chevy truck and car engines move to the passenger side?

Also in what year did the valve cover bolts on the Chevy truck and car engines move from the perimeter to the center?

OK, I'm making a wild guess here. I know they redesigned the six-banger engine for 1937 so I'm gonna go with that for the answer to at least one of the above.

My '52 Chevy had the 216 CID six which was also used in trucks. The dipstick was on the passenger side and it had the center-mounted valve cover bolts. And I think the 216 dated back to 1937. Not sure of the configuration of the six-bangers before 1937...

[Camino LS6]

I think it depends on which vehicle and which engine.

For the smallblocks a major re-vamp took place in 1986 that gave us a one-piece rear main seal and central hold screws on the valve covers. The '85 Vette and Camaro had these changes on the TPI engines I think. All '86 and up smallblocks had these features.

the dipstick depends on model and the castings have provisions for a dipstick on both sides. Generally,I think most of the smallblocks moved from driver's to passenger's sides during the 1980s.

[76ChevyTrucker]

Camino you're right, I should have been a little more specific on the questions.

I was referring to the V8s, and in 1979 Chevy moved the dipstick on the small blocks (big blocks were already in the passenger side if I recall) to the passenger's side of the block.

And again you're right, in 1986 (as an '87 model) the valve cover bolts were moved to the center and the rear main seal was made a one piece unit to work with the TBI engines.

[NeonLX]

Just goes to show you what a codger I am--I immediately thought of the old six banger engines from the 1930s.

I know the 1937 through the early 1950s sixes had the valve cover bolts mounted up on the top. My '55 Chevy six had the bolts on the perimeter though. Not sure what they valve covers looked like pre-1937 though.

On edit: here's a Chevy six from 1950:

Edited January 30, 2006 by NeonLX