I just talked to a guy who has a 331 for sale. It all sounds good until we get to the bore size! The guy used some calipers and came up with a bore size of 3.87. I know a stock bore is 3.8125. and a stock 354 bore is 3.9375 My question is how much more can this block be bored, and still be a usable block? I'm sure it will need it when i rebuild it!
This is where a sonic measuring device comes in handy. Although many 331 have been bored to 354 std it is best to check the holes and see if any thin spots are lurking...these engines have core shift problems. Survey each hole and see what the numbers say. .
The engine is a NE55 with 1556157 heads! I will need to drive about 3 1/2 hours to see it! The price is right but, just don't know if its really worth the drive! I can get it for $300.00! but if the block is worthless then I spent all day driving + lost cash in the process! I don't really have a way of truly check all the cylinders with a proper bore measuring tool! What do ya think?
Unless there are obvious freeze cracks around the core plugs then I would not hesitate to hand over $300. At 0.060 it is big, but another 0.020 should not be unreasonable. BUT, you won't know what the bore is until you measure it properly. At this point you are not even certain that the other guy was measuring correctly. If nothing else, you could part it out on ebay and make money. .
I posted this before ! Every 331 I have ever ran was bored to 3 15/16 or 354 std. I have personally bored at least 20 with no issues ever. I have never lost a wall in a 331 or a 354. Anyone could easily sleeve a 331 back to std in a heartbeat if needed. My offer still stands If you are going to p*** on it. And if it will help you sleep at night I will make this offer ! I will trade you a std bore 55 block for this one, this will just save me some time boring. I already posted my Ph# for you. Van
Cool!! Van, I will consider the offer and let you know if I p***! He also has a long bell 1953 331 for sale if interested!? Another question! Can a 354 be over bored much? If the 331 and the 354 have the same block casting, then shouldn't both have the same cylinder wall thickness (pre-boring)?
Long bell 331's are not for me. I did receive one way back when that had been cut and a plate welded on to make the block the same as the 54 and later block. I ran the thing in my dragster, worked great. I would use the early motors for parts motors, as lots of parts are the same. I would go $250 on the early 331. Van No the blocks are cast the same on the outside but the cylinder wall is made for larger bore on the 354. But there are exceptions ! Sonic test tells all
OK! I was originally looking for a 354! Just haven't seen alot for sale at a good price! I don't want to make a race engine but i do want to take it up some! I Would like to get 400+HP and around the same TQ out of it.
All of this is in the hemi tech section, if people would use search. In the mean time 354s usually can go to 392 standard bore, but a sonic check is suggested.
I was thinking that, but Scooter had a 331, Stefan started with a 354 so he has a better chance of getting by with it.
My 354 has been used since 2001 so it works i begin on my desoto 1941 in 1988 and i have the enginge bored in 89 and the only new piston i could find then was ross high comp to 392 with over bore +.030 My hemi is over bored .095 /Stefan
I have two 55 331 blocks right now that I would not take to std 354 bore size after sonic checking. Would they bore? Sure. And probably last. But with the availability of pistons in any size desired it is foolish to take a chance. I would rather have thicker cylinder walls than a few more cubic inches. My $.02
Good point. It has never made much sense to me why folks go crazy with the bore. There is so little to gain and so much to loose, especially with EarlyHemi blocks. As long as a ring set is available in the next best bore size, who care if the bore is +030 or +047 ?? .
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