Chevy SBC Firing Order and other engine specs

Find the firing order for your small block Chevy along with torque specs

The small block V-8 Chevy engines (SBC) are legendary among car enthusiasts. These powerful V8 engines has been a favorite among gearheads for decades, and for good reasons. I’ll give you a little bit of history on the small block Chevy engines along with the firing order and some torque specs.

What is a Chevy SBC engine?

The SBC is a series of V8 engines produced by Chevrolet between 1955 and 2003. These engines were installed in various GM vehicles and had displacements ranging from 262 cubic inches (4.3 liters) to 400 cubic inches (6.6 liters). The Chevy SBC engines are known for its durability and dependability, making it a trustworthy choice for street and racing applications.

The older Chevy SBC engine blocks are cast iron and weigh approximately 200 lbs, about twice the weight of a comparable aluminum engine that weighs 110- 140 lbs.

Chevy SBC engines include the 265,283, 302, 327, 350, and 400 C.I.D. offerings.

Chevy SBC Firing Order

Chevy SBC firing order and engine layout

The firing order for Chevy SBC engines is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2

The cylinder numbering is 2, 4, 6, 8 on the left bank when viewed from the front (harmonic balancer) end, and 1, 3, 5, 7 on the right bank.

The distributor rotor turns clockwise when viewed from above and is the same layout in a breaker points or High Energy Ignition (HEI) distributor.

How to Identify a Small Block Chevy Engine by the Casting Number

The casting number on an SBC engine is typically found on the top back ledge of the block, usually on the driver’s side, where the transmission bellhousing bolts to the engine. This number will begin with a 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6, and it holds the key to unlocking important details about your engine.

There are 115 casting numbers in the table below, but only 10 appear to speed up load time. Search the table by clicking on the down arrow in the SHOW ENTRIES box to expand the number of entries showing. You can also enter the casting number in the SEARCH box or click the NEXT button at the bottom of the table.

SBC engine specifications by year, size, VIN and RPO

Find the engine size in cubic inches or liters by VIN or RPO, along with horsepower, torque, compression ratio, and bore and stroke, using this table. There are 33 entries in the chart but only 10 show to speed up loading time. Search the table by clicking on the down arrow in the SHOW ENTRIES box to expand the number of entries showing. You can also enter the casting number in the SEARCH box or click the NEXT button at the bottom of the table.

©, 2024 Rick Muscoplat