400 small block- ideas, advice?

Eggzngritz, there should be a 3 digit nuber on the side of the block, what pray tell is it?

I would bore it, if it needs it (only as much as it needs) since you have it that far appart. But that's me.

 

all i see are the numbers 330817 are there more numbers on the block

 

Save your money and go with a turbo. More bang for the buck and its always there. Ive seen 400hp mild small blocks make 675+ with only 6-8psi and no intercooler, 900hp+ w/15 psi and race gas, and they us exh pressure (a by product of the engine operating anyway) to do their thing. With a blower you gotta use power to make power.

Sorry I got "revved up" about N20 and stock engines, but been there
and done. Its a waste of time and would more than likely kill a good 400 core engine

 

So what does a good turbo setup cost? I read on a forum somewhere-- a guy used one of those late model GM Vortec Turbodiesel units. Sounds kind of hoaky to me, but I'm sure it would work. He was running really low boost pressure also.

I swear, the more of this stuff I hear, the more I want to just pull this motor and save it for a killer street motor, instead of a low-end torque mill for the truck.

 

OK here's my take on the 400's. Simple motor to hot-rod. A set of KB-125's, bore cylinders the least amount,torque plate hone a must,5.7 rods resized with arp bolts,careful on the rod bolt to cam clearance they can hit,Comp XE268-10 cam,blue print a set of 882's with Z-28 springs,Performer rpm manifold,street avenger series holley,hot ignition. Presto you have s street engine that will make tons of torque,run a 135mph,and run on shit water pump gas. We build this combo alot>>>>.

 

now thats what i'm talkin' bout!!!.. you metioned that you build this combo alot..do you have a website? you lost me with kb-125's what is that??

 

KB-125's are Keith Black signature series pistons. Flat top pistons with a nice looking valve trench for tons of piston to valve clearance. The best part is that they look like a racing piston but they take a stock low budget ring. I started building these for the dirt track dudes. Tons of power and no trick parts. Very easy to go fast>>>>.

 

Hey eggnzgritz I don't have a web adress I HATE COMPUTERS!!!!>>>>.

 

should i stay away from stroking it??

 

Man you are a Fucking New Guy!!!!! I can't believe you asked that question!!!! Hell yes Stroke it just remember to lock the bathroom door>>>>.

 

Frighteningly enough, yup. Stock bottom end in a 817 block out of a van. It has a set of sportsman II's, but the rest is just cam, intake, headers. Its right around 8:1 compression with those cast soup bowls and the 72cc chambers with uncut decks. Cranking pressure is pathetic - like 110psi in all the holes because of the low compression and big cam. I think this is the only reason it lives.

I personally wouldn't go over 150hp on a cast piston engine however. 12psi seems to be about the limit also if its not intercooled. You end up the top ring land dissappearing on you.

BTW - this 400 was the junk motor to get the car up and running while the "good" motor was built. So far this thing has been way too reliable and runs mid 10's in a light bracket car.

I agree with you on the turbo. My camaro is hiding a hair dryer in it.

 

Those 427 guys have a big grudge against all us 426 club guys. Can't imagine why they are so hostile!

 

how much would i bore it out.. what is a good bore??

 

As I stated in a previuos post"the least amount" that means the first size over,normally .030. Now quit stroking it,they say it'll make you go blind>>>>.

 

58Fridge100-- did you bore your engine out??

 

what type of crank should be used,,., original or new crank??

 

Mine still has the stock bore-- miles unknown....

 

same here..are you planning on going HEI or points??

 

If you just want a low end grunt truck engine you could put the 400 stuff in a 350 block for a 383+ and save the 400 block for down the
road

 

More great advise for a budget rebuild

 

Sometimes you get away with it, sometimes you don't. I was testing a NA pump gas 400 with Edelbrock Victor Jr heads, a tunnel ram, and old magnum 306S cam that crested 600hp. Surprised the hell out of us.

Then a few dyno runs later the bottom end blew in spectacular way. Half a connecting rod and a piston were embedded in the dyno room wall.

 

Stay with the HEI. The secret is voltage. An HEI will take all you can give it. This is where to old wives tale comes from that an HEI won't rev. If you put one in an early points equipped car, there is ballast built into the factory wire that will nock the voltage down into 9-10v range. If you want a simple effective hookup, run a #10 wire from the pos. altenator post to a 30 amp toggle and back to the HEI. Then you get 14v+ (what ever the alt. will make) and it'll rev as high the engine wants to go. The factory coils and modules are very good. Stay away from the .29 cent offshore stuff. Oh and on the switch, if you want, you can hide it under the dash or seat or in the ashtray etc. for a halfass kill switch/security deal. For a cheapo set or plug wires go to Pepboys for spiral wound Borg Warners, about $30.00 set. Get them for a '74 (first year for HEI) or later van or corvette.
They had the longest wires a give you more freedom to run the wires
anyway you want.

 

How much compression? By the way somebody asked earlier on about 2bolt blocks stronger than 4bolt. I agree because the outer bolts on a 4 bolt are drill right in the weakest part of the main web.
If you want to help the 2bolt out, use splayed caps, or better yet save yer money and get Dart Little M/Bowtie etc. There are still alot
of guys that want the 4bolts, let em have em. Better yet trade them
for 2bolts. A couple years ago a guy traded me two 2bolt both std.
with a set of splayed caps for one 4bolt. I love that guy!

 

Awesome advice. i bought one of those ebay HEI's-- is it full of Chinese electrical components?

 

Just grab a swapmeet/junkyard factory dist. and change out the coil & Module. Don't forget the dialectric grease under the module and their is a felt "washer" under the the assembly that the rotor bolts to.
There is a cavity under the washer that is supposed to be packed with grease and on the jippo dist.'s they normally don't have it. If you don't grease it, it'll kill the upper shaft bushing pronto. You have to remove the roll pin/dist. gear, then pull the entire shaft assm. out.
Then remove the washer and pack it will grease, I like the moly stuff.
If you wan't you can still find the graphite spray in a can. Spray the shaft and the advance weights etc. and your good to go. My pop is a
Q-jet/HEI/Ign. guru. If you want you can send the stuff to him, or do
yourself.

 

PS. I forgot to mention earlier, the outer main bolt hole on factory blocks (and that includes Big Blocks) is one of if not the most common place where the cracks start before the main webs start exiting the block.

 

yup....i know that one....i had a killer nickle block done up by cornett's down in somerset...(big time dirt motor place...old school stroker place as well)...this thing was studded, splayed caps, screened etc... traded it with a friend, who proceeds to build a killer 377....brodix 10's , 6" rods , steel crank , etc....it lasted 1 season before the mains started crackin' up....he caught it on the freshen up....if ya want a extreme 400 setup.... throw in a 4.125 stroke crank and a small over bore.... i had a 443 last spring , and for when it was built, it must have been pretty exotic.... dry sump , bow tie block, 15 degree brodix heads, jesel setup, etc....made 796 @ 6800 and 680ish on the torque at 5500....i ended up with it after the cam broke (850 base circle to clear the big stroke) had 7 passes on it....crazy stuff...block was goofed with cracks in the middle bolt holes ...it got a block swap into a raised cam little m.....and is currently running 5.0's / 4.90's in a dragster....it went 7.60's in a 220" red that i bought before cracking up... as for me....i'll stick the 350 based stuff.....alot easier to find... brandon