How Much Do You Know About Chevy Engines?

By: Steven Symes
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
How Much Do You Know About Chevy Engines?
Image: youtube

About This Quiz

Are you well-versed in the history of Chevy's engine? Find out!

Chevy has been around as a brand since the early part of the 20th century. It wasn't even a part of GM at first, that came later, and was pushing the boundaries of engine design. If you think that Americans are behind when it comes to engineering, you don't know much about Chevy engines.

While Chevy isn't well-known for its four-cylinder engines, it has made some that are highly influential. It's also made some six-cylinder engines that have impacted the auto industry for decades. But let's be honest, everyone knows that Chevy is really famous for its thunderous V-8s. Big-block, small block, both have a legendary status even casual car fans have heard something about. If you're a true Chevy fan, you know more than just a little bit about these engine lines.

In modern times, Chevy has really pushed engine technology, adding all kinds of innovative designs to cut down fuel consumption and reduce emissions, even creating new ways to extract more power out of engines. In fact, Chevy has become a master of balancing green tech with American muscle, helping to please many people.

Find out just how much you know about Chevy engines, both new and old, by taking this quiz right now.

What was the first Chevy to use an LS series motor?
1984 Camaro IROC Z
1997 C5 Corvette
The C5 Corvette helped launch an epic time for Chevy, using the LS1 V-8 engine for performance that elevated the sports car to the next level. GM called the engine the Gen III small-block V-8, and started using it in place of the LT1 in Camaros and Firebirds, starting in 1998.
2005 COPO Camaro
2017 Corvette ZO6

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In what Chevy did the LS6 make its first appearance?
2005 COPO Camaro
2015 Spark
2011 Volt
1999 Corvette ZO6
To make a truly high-flying Corvette, Chevrolet cooked up the LS6, which boasted a significant power increase over the LS1, matching the other performance enhancements used by the new ZO6.

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What fuel-saving technology was featured in the Gen IV LS engines?
Cylinder deactivation
As pressure mounted from government and consumers, Chevrolet developed a cylinder deactivation feature for the Gen IV LS engines. As the vehicle cruise at speed, half the cylinders shut down, in theory cutting the fuel consumption by ​half, but can turn back on when the driver presses hard on the accelerator.
Electric motor assist
Integrated turbocharger
Onboard nitrous oxide

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Why does Chevy call some of its V-8s "small-block engines"?
They're as small as most 4-cylinder engines
The crankshaft is shorter than normal
They're smaller than the big-block V-8s
The small-block V-8s had a long production run from 1955 to 2003. They all used the same basic block layout, which is a testament to the genius of its design, and boasted excellent performance. At 6.6 liters for the largest displacement, these were smaller than the Chevy big-blocks.
They were made as small models first

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What did Chevrolet call its first big-block V-8 engines?
Adam
W-series
The first big-block V-8 hit the market in 1958. Since then, these engines have been found in Chevrolet passenger vehicles and light trucks. The W-series featured an overhead valve layout, where the valves were offset and the rocker covers are scalloped, which makes for a unique look.
Eve
The Big Ones

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The L71 was from what family of Chevy engines?
Farm Bureau
Chevy Racing
Mark IV big-block
Not only was the L71 a Mark IV a big-block V-8, it was one of the legendary 427s. Most notably, Chevy offered these in 1967 to 1969 Corvettes, providing acceleration that for its time was exceptionally quick for a passenger vehicle.
Adams Line

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What does the engine on a Chevy Volt do?
Acts as a power generator
The Volt is a revolutionary Chevy that moves forward using only electric motors. Those, of course, get their energy from a battery. When that battery gets low on charge, the 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine turns on, working as a generator to recharge the battery.
Drives the front wheels only
Drives the rear wheels only
Nothing

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What is the point of Chevy's E-Rod crate engine?
To get around CARB
To pass emissions standards
Based on the LS3, the E-Rod was built with the stringent CARB regulations in California in mind. It's a way for enthusiasts to do a powerful, fun build that will still pass emissions tests without any hassle, so everyone's happy.
To electrify old muscle cars
To introduce fuel injection to old trucks

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What kind of displacement does the Chevy LS3 have?
6.2 liters
Chevy engineers revised the cylinder heads when they made the LS3, adding rectangular ports, among other changes. As a result, this performance V-8 throttles out 430 horsepower and 424 lb.-ft. of torque for plenty of thrills.
9 liters
1.4 liters
4.0 liters

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What is the smallest engine you can get in a 2018 Chevy Camaro?
3.6-liter V-6
1.0-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder
2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder
To help with fuel economy standards, and give people a more practical everyday performance vehicle, Chevrolet introduced this 2.0-liter turbocharged engine to the Camaro lineup. It's no weakling, boasting a peak 275 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of torque.
4.0-liter supercharged V-6

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What feature do all Gen V LT engines share?
Turbocharging
Supercharging
Variable valve timing
The camshafts on Gen V LT engines accommodate more than 60 degrees of swing over the regular camshaft position. The result is better torque at lower speeds and improved high-end horsepower. That's a good thing for all-around better drivability.
Nitrous injection

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What size engine do you find in the Chevy SS Sedan?
3.5-liter V-6
6.2-liter V-8
Imported from Australia, the SS Sedan is actually a rebadged Holden Commodore. It pumps out 415 horsepower from the 6.2-liter V-8, plus boasts Brembo brakes and the Magnetic Ride Control suspension for all-around amazing performance.
8.0-liter V-12
turbo 3.0-liter V-6

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What series of engines are the successors to the small-block V-8s?
LT
LS
Introduced in 1996, the LS small-block engines pretty much were a completely new design. GM only kept the rod bearings and bore spacing from the small-block V-8s, creating a completely new layout for the LS, which is still in production today.
LUV
LOL

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Which of the following fuel-saving technologies is not featured in the 2018 Chevy Suburban's engine?
Variable valve timing
Turbocharging
The 5.3-liter EcoTec3 V-8 in the Suburban has been designed to boost fuel economy, although many environmentalists think it doesn't go as far. It still provides 355 horsepower and 383 lb.-ft. of torque for solid all-around performance.
Active Fuel Management
Direct injection

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When Chevrolet merged with GM, it didn't use a flathead four-cylinder engine, but instead was famous for what engine design?
Upside down head
Boxer
Valve-in-head
The valve-in-head was an overhead valve design, where the pushrods were exposed. They moved the valves in the cylinder head, which had a crossflow layout and was detachable, a concept that was pretty radical when it debuted in 1913.
Wrestler

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What kind of engine was a Chevrolet 153?
2.5-liter 4-cylinder
Chevrolet used the 153 for the Chevy Ii and the Chevy Nova, which were entry-level, budget-friendly models. As you can imagine, this engine not only was cheaper to make, it consumed less gas, making it friendly for younger shoppers.
Turbo 3.0-liter V-6
3.5-liter V-6
5.7-liter V-8

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What kind of engine can be found in the 2018 Chevy Spark?
1.0-liter 3-cylinder
1.4-liter 4-cylinder
The budget-oriented Spark micro car comes with a smaller engine than most other modern Chevrolets. As a result, the Spark gets an estimated 38 mpg on the highway, or 33 mpg combined, making it pretty economical to own.
1.2-liter 3-cylinder
1.1-liter 3-cylinder

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How many cylinders did a Chevrolet Series D engine have?
Four
Six
Eight
Another carryover from Chevrolet that was created before the merger with GM, the Series D was made only in 1917 and 1918. It was important as the first V-8 engine Chevrolet ever made. It actually took a few decades before Chevy made another.
12

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If you don't want a gasoline engine in a 2018 Chevy Silverado 3500 HD, what is your other option?
3.5-liter hybrid electric
Duraxmax 3.0-liter turbo V-6
Duramax 6.6-liter turbo diesel V-8
If you need something with plenty of hauling and towing power, the Silverado 3500 HD with the Duramax engine is a good option to consider. It boasts an amazing 910 lb.-ft. of torque, plus an Allison 1000 6-speed automatic transmission made for big jobs.
Cummins 8.6-liter turbo V-12

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From 1929 to 1954, Chevrolet only made one kind of engine. What was it?
Inline four-cylinder
Straight six-cylinder
Chevrolet rolled out three separate generations of its inline six-cylinder engine. When the small-block V-8 was added to the mix, this engine served as the entry-level offering. Even with a four-cylinder in the lineup again, this engine went through updates and was finally retired in the North American market in 1990.
V-6
V-8

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If you don't want a 1.4-liter Ecotec turbo 4-cylinder engine on the 2018 Chevy Cruze, what's your other option?
3.6-liter V-6
2.0-liter Ecotec turbo 4-cylinder
3.0-liter Ecotec V-6
1.6-liter Ecotec turbo diesel 4-cylinder
Many people don't even realize that Chevrolet offers a turbo diesel engine for a passenger car. As you can probably guess, the Cruze Diesel packs an impressive amount of torque , 240 lb.-ft. to be exact, while horsepower is decent at 137.

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What legendary engine did the C4 Corvette ZR-1 use exclusively?
LZ1
LT5
Lotus Engineering designed the LT5, which was a radical version of the small-block V-8. Instead of being assembled in Bowling Green, Kentucky, these highly advanced engines were produced at a facility in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Big-block V-8
Ecotec 9.0-liter V-12

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What engine was used in the C6 Corvette ZR-1?
LS9
The LS9 at the time was the most powerful engine ever put into production not only by Chevrolet, but by GM as a whole. The 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 boasted 638 horsepower, thanks in large part to the 2.3-liter roots-type supercharger you could see through a "window" in the hood.
LT11
LTZ
LUV

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How many engine choices do you have for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox?
One
Three
Chevrolet wants to cover its bases with the Equinox, an SUV that's supposed to have wide appeal. Perhaps that's why you can get it with a 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder, a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder, or a 1.6-liter turbo diesel 4-cylinder.
Two
Four

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What kind of engine was the L18?
Chevy small-block
Chevy big-block
As the Generation VII Chevy big-block V-8, the Vortec 8100 L18 was used in full-size pickup truck models starting in the 2001 model year. The last one was manufactured at the end of 2009, when GM was in the midst of financial crisis.
Ecotec 2
Ecotec 1

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In what two cars did the Chevy 350 debut?
Corvette and Impala
57 Coupe and Bel Air
Corvette and Bel Air
This small-block V-8 has become legendary, with plenty of people using it for their own builds. Not only is it renowned for being powerful and relatively reliable, there's such a wide array of parts for the 350, you won't have trouble getting whatever you need for your setup.
Bel Air and Eldorado

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What type of "economical" engine was used in the Chevy Vega?
405
135
231
The 231 was part of the "Buick V-6" engine family, which GM sold to Kaiser during the muscle car era. The company was forced to buy the design back when the oil crisis hit, and used it in a number of vehicles, including the Chevy Vega, to keep fuel consumption down.
322

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What was the hottest engine offered on the first-generation Chevy El Camino?
454
448
Turbo-Thrust 348
The Turbo-Thrust 348 had a four-barrel or triple two-barrel carb, and that setup allowed for a maximum 335 horsepower, making it the most potent engine option for the truck-car hybrid. That lasted for the 1959 to 1960 model years, with the muscle car horsepower wars raging, so Chevy could push performance even higher.
Ramjet 283

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What was the hottest engine offered for the Chevelle SS before 1965?
283
327
Halfway through the first production year of the Chevelle SS, which was the first muscle car to wear a bow tie badge, the car was offered with a more potent 327 V-8. Buyers could get it with either 250 or 300 horsepower, with both versions using a four-barrel carb.
221
135

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What kind of block does the Chevy LS engine have?
Y block
When creating the LS engine, Chevy engineers really worked on making the strongest foundation possible, so they could really squeeze power out of it later. The Y-block layout boosts rigidity in the main cap, something small-block engines lacked in the past, giving the LS an advantage.
Z block
Beta block
Alpha block

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How many engine choices do shoppers have for the 2018 Chevy Colorado?
Two
Three
Chevrolet is able to offer more engine choices than competitors for the Colorado: a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder, a 3.6-liter V-6, and a 2.8-liter Duramax turbo diesel 4-cylinder. It's a way for Chevy to address different budgets, needs, and preferences with one truck.
One
Four

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What two engines can you get on a Chevy Low Cab Forward?
5.2-liter diesel and a 6.7-liter diesel
6.0-liter V-8 and 5.2-liter diesel V-8
Most people don't know about this commercial truck ​because they aren't shopping for something to haul around supplies or products for their business. It caters to larger organizations, and so the truck is only offered with larger engines that can haul bigger and heavier loads.
5.6-liter V-8 and 6.7-liter V-8
2.4-liter turbo 4-cylinder and 5.3-liter V-6

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What kind of engine does Chevy use in the City Express cargo van?
3.6-liter V-6
4.6-liter V-8
2.0-liter 4-cylinder
Because this is a small cargo van aimed at small businesses, Chevy uses a highly economical option to keep the price down and fuel expenses low. As a result, peak output isn't phenomenal at 131 horsepower and 139 lb.-ft. of torque, but it's good enough for the intended users.
5.7-liter V-8

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With what kind of drive configurations can you use the Chevy LTG crate engine?
Front-wheel and rear-wheel
This is the same engine you find in General Motors performance sedans these days, but it will only work with a two-wheel-drive setup. Turbocharging does push output to a healthy 272 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of torque.
All-wheel only
Four-wheel and rear-wheel
Front-wheel and all-wheel

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What advantage does the Chevy HT502 crate engine have over factory-installed big-block engines?
Better damping
Fancier valve covers
More power
Chevy positions the HT502 as an affordable way to access tons of power for a build. Considering this engine boasts 541 lb.-ft. of torque, it's a great option for any truck or SUV you want to use for heavy-duty towing.
Greater heat resistance

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