[steiner1821]

I have an '87 Mercury Grand marquis with a 302 and I just wanted to what it has, short or long block, and whats the difference between them? Sorry its not a mustang question but I have not been able to find one I like.

Thank you,
Christian.

[GT50]

Your Grand Marquis has a 302. A long block is a terminalogy to describe how complete an engine is.

Short block consists of the engine block, crankshaft,connecting rods,pistons,camshaft and timing chain.

Long block is all of the above but it also comes with the cylinder heads bolted to the rest of the engine

How this answers your question

[Glen]

If your looking to replace the engine in it, you will want to get a complete long block.

[AirbornePB]

I know those terms confuse a lot of people who don't know better. They think it is the size of the engine. Yes GT50 is right.

[Jeff65]

Originally posted by steiner1821
I have an '87 Mercury Grand marquis with a 302 and I just wanted to what it has, short or long block, and whats the difference between them? Sorry its not a mustang question but I have not been able to find one I like.

Thank you,
Christian.

Either "long block" or "short block" is a replacement assembly of parts for your engine. The difference between these is the amount of parts you get as part of the assembly you buy. A short block consists of: block, crankshaft, bearings, camshaft, lifters, cam gear, pistons, rods, crankshaft gear, timing chain. A long block includes the above stuff but also includes heads, valves, pushrods, rocker arms, valve springs, valve spring keepers, oil pump and sometimes oil pick up tube and pan.

The idea is you get to pick how much of your engine you wish to rebuild when replacing the "engine." Generally, the long block engine is better for a backyard mechanic because it has most everything needed whereas a short block is better for a machine shop since they often have capability to rebuild the heads, valves, etc. A long block is more expensive than a short block but has correspondingly more parts. Neither includes manifolds, fuel system, exhaust system, alternator, air conditioning or power steering accssories. A complete engine includes everything and is quite expensive. A price comparison reveals the extent of what you get.