whats a turbo fire 350?

[vetteKID]

i saw an engine decal today that said 350 turbo-fire 300 horsepower. how does a turbo fire engine differ from anyother?

 

[Eric]

"Turbo-Fire" was on all small blocks (327 and 350 cubes) from 67 through sometime in the mid-70's. By the same token, Big blocks, except L-88 and ZL-1 said "Turbo-Jet" from 65 through 74. Neither term really meant much other than that they sounded cool and probably were dreamed up by some marketing guy.

 

[Ken]

I tried to find a more definitive answer...

I wanted to find something from GM or somebody stating exactly who came up with the marketing ploy for naming the engines, but came up pretty much empty-handed. I did find the following information at a Monte Carlo site (I can't provide a link because I could only open the cache). It concerns itself mainly with the 400ci engine, but you get the idea; Eric called it when he said it was probably dreamed up by some marketing guy.

Time for the semi-annual clarification on the "400" engine issue:

The 402 engine was, in reality, the 396 BB with a .030 overbore. Chevrolet started the production of the overbore engine during mid-'69 production. The TRUE 400 engine was produced during 1970; it was considered a SBC (option code LF6).

This is where it really gets confusing, compliments of the Chevrolet marketing gurus during the late 60's-early '70's:

If the 402 (option code LS3) was installed in a SS Camaro, Malibu, or Nova, it was known as a 396 (SS 396 apparently sounded better than SS 402). However, if, for example, it was installed in a non-Super Sport Malibu, then it was known as a "Turbo-Jet 400", and was identified as such by a "400" emblem on the front fender. If the Malibu had a SBC 400, it was known as a "Turbo-Fire 400", with no external identification.

Now, to apply the above confusing information to the first gen Monte's:

For 1970, if you ordered the SBC "400" (option code LF6), you received a "265 hp Turbo-Fire 400 V-8 engine (regular fuel)". If you ordered the BB 402 (option code LS3, and known as a "396" in any Chevy SS except for the Montes), you received a "330 hp Turbo-Jet 400 V-8 engine". For 1971 and 1972, there was no SBC 400 (the "Turbo-Fire"), so the confusion was reduced somewhat.

NOTE the difference in the engine names (Turbo-Fire vs. Turbo-Jet); this is where most folks really get confused, and with good reason! Took me quite a while to sort it out.

Now, why is it very important to "call a spade a spade" (ie., a 402 a 402) here? 'Cause, you go wandering into a parts store, and tell the parts guy you want a water pump for a "400" (for example), and well, you may not get what you expected. There's quite a bit of difference between the two engines, and some of the parts jockeys definitely aren't real smart (found that out by experience!). That's why it's important to clarify to folks the difference, and to specifically identify the engine. I've never had any significant problems ordering parts for my 402 as long as I SAY it's a 402; I'd never identify it as a "400".

If anybody needs additional info on sorting out the differences between the two "400" engines, there are several good books and magazines out there that can do it. Among the best is Motorbook's International "Chevrolet SS Muscle Car Red Book", and "Muscle Car Magazine". The Red Book, by far, does an outstanding job on explaining the differences.

Did I just add to the confusion? :crazy

 

[Eric]

Re: I tried to find a more definitive answer...

Did I just add to the confusion? :crazy

Nope, that's the job of the marketing guys.

-Eric