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454 vs. 400

babyburb

babyburb

1/2 ton status
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1H North of Dallas
I know that more Cubic inch means more horsepower. My question is is there ANY reason I should stick with my stock 400. I was told when I purchased my truck that my 400 is an excellent motor for torque and big tires, something to do with a longer stroke. Both 454 and 400 are stock, which would be the best to build?
 
If you have the 400 just build that. It does have a bigger stroke (3.75) but also a bigger bore (4.125 ). If you have both then go 454 but it'll cost more. Just depends on what your goal is I guess.
 
If you are ever going to tow anything besides a small trailer go 454. If you are mainly going to 4wheel offroad the 400 is fine. IMHO
 
I own both as of now so I really don't have to decide on BUYING the 454 just trying to figure out which on to slowly start to build.

Final goal is to run 44" boggers and to throw mud 200ft:D

The 454 is mated up with a t400 tranny
my 400 is mated up with a t350

I just want to go with the one that would be the best for MUD and towing.
 
454 - don't even consider anything else. If you go 400, you WILL at some point, regret not choosing the 454. I LOVE my 454. It's basically stock with a hi-torque RV cam and great torque, regular gas, reliable - great torque is what you want. You won't regret the 454.
 
babyburb, go 454 and don't look back. The SBC 400 is prone to cracking blocks in the lifter valley due to simiesed cylinder walls.

jtrux said:
If you have the 400 just build that. It does have a bigger stroke (3.75) but also a bigger bore (4.125 ). If you have both then go 454 but it'll cost more. Just depends on what your goal is I guess.
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Just for your info jtrux, a 400 has a 3.75" stroke with a 4.125" bore. A 454 has a 4.00" stroke with a 4.25" bore. And if you are meaning a BBC 400 (402) it has a 3.76" stroke and a 4.124" bore.
 
I've got both a 406 and multiple 454 trucks.

454 has more torque at a lower RPM, 400's like to rev much better and make lots of torque also, but at a higher RPM. Both are great motors, both would work well. I'd go big block if you have 44" boggers planned.
 
Tominator II said:
If you are ever going to tow anything besides a small trailer go 454.
Click to expand...
So you are saying a 400 is no good for big trailers?? Funny... I don't know how many times I pulled the crap out of an 8K trailer with my k5 and mild 406. Even pulled 45K once.

One thing was for sure, it would flat outrun any of my 454 rigs with 8K behind it, and my K5 has terrible towing gears/tire combo vs. my 454's with 4.10's and 31's.
 
Stock for stock:

(both heavy duty emissions)
1979 400 180HP@3500 310tq@2400
1979 454 210@3800 340@2800

(federal emissions)
1981 454 210@3800 340@2800

(both not specified as to emissions, R/V trucks)
1988 454 230@3600 385@1600

I'm not buying that smaller displacement beats larger. Stock for stock, it's not true. All figures straight out of the GM lit. for those years. Mods and tuning are critical to engine performance, but numbers don't lie.

Not saying a 400 is a bad motor, but the 454 wins hands down every year.
 
babyburb said:
I own both as of now so I really don't have to decide on BUYING the 454 just trying to figure out which on to slowly start to build.

Final goal is to run 44" boggers and to throw mud 200ft:D

The 454 is mated up with a t400 tranny
my 400 is mated up with a t350

I just want to go with the one that would be the best for MUD and towing.
Click to expand...
I would go with the 454 also, but wouldn't be towing with 44's
 
hhey let me know what you end up doing I'll pick up what ever set up you dont use I'm over in Shreveport my 6.2 diesel is pretty worn out I just need a motor thanks
 
dyeager535 said:
Stock for stock:

(both heavy duty emissions)
1979 400 180HP@3500 310tq@2400
1979 454 210@3800 340@2800

(federal emissions)
1981 454 210@3800 340@2800

(both not specified as to emissions, R/V trucks)
1988 454 230@3600 385@1600

I'm not buying that smaller displacement beats larger. Stock for stock, it's not true. All figures straight out of the GM lit. for those years. Mods and tuning are critical to engine performance, but numbers don't lie.

Not saying a 400 is a bad motor, but the 454 wins hands down every year.
Click to expand...

But, at what RPM's the 400 makes it's peak is fairly impressive. There is no doubt that a 454 pulls better.... it's a big block. But, I was simply disagreeing with something that sounded like they meant the 400 is leaps and bounds behind a 454.
 
IIWY I would go eith the 454/400 combo. Bigger motor, better transmission. The only downside to the 454 is if it has to be bored much to clean the cylinder walls. You will run into overheating problems on most of them.
 
I am thinking about keeping my setup as is for now and do some building on the 454 BEFORE I drop it in. Possibly having a local engine rebuilder overhaul the thing and add a different cam for torque. What about Roller Rockers? Summit has a set for $200?

Is there anything I could do for the t400 tranny to beef it up while it is waiting to go in?
 
babyburb said:
I am thinking about keeping my setup as is for now and do some building on the 454 BEFORE I drop it in. Possibly having a local engine rebuilder overhaul the thing and add a different cam for torque. What about Roller Rockers? Summit has a set for $200?

Is there anything I could do for the t400 tranny to beef it up while it is waiting to go in?
Click to expand...


The single best power adder you can buy for a BBC is a set of good headers to replace the cast iron manifolds.... nothing else will match the "Cost/TQ Increase" value of a header swap.

Dyno tests showed an extra 50Lb/Ft of Torque......check out Project FrankenRat in the back issues of ChevyHighPerformance sometime.
 
sounds to me like your gonna need lots of power, throwing mud 200ft with 44s is not an easy task for a low powered motor. go with the 454.

and I like your idea of running the 400 till you build the 454 a little. its a lot easier to build a motor when its not in the truck you need to drive.
 
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