What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

is this a good deal for a 400?

C

chevyridinhigh79

1/2 ton status
Joined
Dec 1, 2006
Posts
1,074
Reaction score
1
Location
Steel City, PA
my 305 H.O. in my k10 is ready to give up the ghost so i figure its time to start looking for a replacement. ive always wanted a 400 or a 383 stroker so im thinking this might be my chance. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=190221231834

by reading the casting numbers does anyone know if its a 2 bolt main block or a 4 bolt main? the guy doesn't want to pull the pan and wont let me pull the pan till the auctions over. he said he ran the numbers and said it was a 2 bolt main but said he was still unsure. is it worth it to buy it for his buy it now price or don't you think its worth $250? he said it ran when it had a carb, distributor, and exhaust manifolds. he also said it has slightly over 100,000 miles and it was pulled to put an engine in that had less miles.
 
thats what i thought. the intake from my 305 should bolt up to a 400 as well as my distributor right? i plan on rebuilding the motor but im just wondering for the price if its a good core to start with and if its a 2 bolt main or 4 bolt main
 
I do not think its worth $250. it might have only 100,000 miles on it but could be worn out,smoking,flat cam,rod knocking. ya never know. if your plans are to re-build it, you can find another one cheaper.
 
$250 aint' bad for a core 400 motor. If I have a choice I'll never run anything but a 400. The torque they have stock is awesome. But as long as the crank and mains are good, then it's worht it, you throw everythign else out anyways. 2 or 4 bolt doesn't really matter inless your gonna build a silly RPM motor. But the 1st 3 years were the only years 4 bolt was available.
 
I wouldn't run a 400 if you paid me. They are very notorious for overheating because of the siamesed cylinder walls. Also the blocks crack in the lifter valley quite often. If you insist on it though $250 for a 400 core is a good price if you're not trying to buy it for the crank to build a stroker engine. It also doesn't make a difference if 2 or 4 bolt main unless you're going to build some high HP high reving engine. If there are any pics of the side of the block and it has 3 freeze plugs per side then it is a 4 bolt block for sure.
 
The only ones that overheat are the ones that are bored more than 30 over. I've had half dozen 400s and only one ever got hot, cause it was 40 over. Bought the truck that way, wasn't me. You must have had one bad egg, cause other than the one, I've never had an issue with one. Know alot of people running them with no issues....
 
I like the "400s overheat and are a POS" myth myself, just means more for me.:D


I've been using and building 400s for 15+ years with no issues, just remember more power means more heat so don't use your 305 radiator and expect everything to ok. If you use a 4 core radiator and a good fan clutch (GM only) with a fan shroud you will not have overheating issues. Basicly treat the cooling system like you're running a big block and all will be well.


$250 seems reasonable as long as the crank isn't trashed and it's standard bore. Don't bore more than .030" the cylinder walls are too thin for anymore.

The easy way to tell if it's 2 or 4 bolt main is look at the number of freeze plugs on the side of the block: 2 freeze plugs = 2 bolt, 3 freeze plugs = 4 bolt. This isn't 100% accurate but it's generally accurate. The later 2 bolt castings are generally considered a better block than the early 4 bolt castings.
 
I've had 3 400's and built probably 10 more. None have ever cracked or overheated. They do run hotter by 10-15 degrees top but still less than what most modern cars run at.

The info on the freeze plugs determining 2 or 4 bolt mains is correct.

Only on the 400, the 2 bolt maincap is the same width as the 4 bolt and offers the same fore and aft stability as the 4 bolt. Having never seen a main bolt fail that was torqued properly, there is no reason to fear a 400 2 bolt. If you want the added security, install studs or drill to accept the 4 bolts. Milodon and others offer conversion caps with splayed bolts for the ultimate.

I love the 400 and have had great success with that block. My roadrace Camaro had a 400 block with a 350 crank and it revved to 8500 rpm all day without problems.

My drag car has a 400 4 bolt block, Crower 400 Crank and Rods and makes over 950hp on the bottle without problems.
 
well in socal its getting hard to find a standard bore 400 for a build. prices for just the block alone are over what this guy is asking.

myself i stay away form 4 bolt blocks unless the price is cheap enough. a 2 bolt will handle anything street/strip type builds putout. a full race engine ill install splayed main caps on a 2 bolt converting it to 4.

the 4bolt blocks have a tendency to crack in the main journal webbing in the block.

the overheating issues people usually have are the result of someone not knowing wehat they are doing usually. if you dont drill the steam holes in the heads it will casue steam pockets in the block that will casue temps to climb. undersize radiator, worn out fan clutch, no fan shroud, restricted airflow thru the rad are the typical causes of overheating.

the 400 i built in my blazer has never gone above 200 degrees with everything working and that with the ambiant air temp at 110 (gets hotter than hell in socal) my fan relay (i run dual 14in electric fans only) crapped out once and even then it only got hot sitting at traffic lights (but any engine wouold get hot as well in that case).

on that ebay engine, id just bid on it, his reserve may be lower than the buy it now price.
 
Considering the amount of rust on the engine and the lack of any port covers, I would be worried about the possibility of water getting into that engine. I'd ask to pull the oil pan and the heads before you bought it.

Caveat emptor.
 
i plan on a complete rebuild, maybe a 383 stroker. the radiator thats in my truck is from a 350 so i don't know if it will be okay. will the intake and distributor from my 305 fit the 400?
 
chevyridinhigh79 said:
i plan on a complete rebuild, maybe a 383 stroker...quote]

If you get the 400, you can put a 350 crank in it to make a 377, or you can take a 400 crank, put it in a 350 block to make a 383. Depending on the condition of the block, thats not a bad price *but* you might be better off investing your money into a performance block that you can poke and stroke for max torque. Search the web and you will find all sorts of info...
Click to expand...
 
This is just my opinion...kinda like everyone else in this thread, but I don't need to do a search, to know what has & has not worked for me. I've had 400's with no problems at all. My last was a high winding 377 with AFR heads in a Chevy II. Explosive is the best word to describe it. I have wonder if the 400 is such a piece of crap, then why is the 406 small block such a popular choice at the moment??? Go do a search on these sites and you'll find that the vast majority of 400 builds end with great results.....

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/

http://stevesnovasite.com/forums/
 
Never Satisfied said:
This is just my opinion...kinda like everyone else in this thread, but I don't need to do a search, to know what has & has not worked for me. I've had 400's with no problems at all. My last was a high winding 377 with AFR heads in a Chevy II. Explosive is the best word to describe it. I have wonder if the 400 is such a piece of crap, then why is the 406 small block such a popular choice at the moment??? Go do a search on these sites and you'll find that the vast majority of 400 builds end with great results.....

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/

http://stevesnovasite.com/forums/
Click to expand...

Most people building the larger SBC's aren't using the factory block either. The aftermarket blocks are far superior to the stock 400 block. :deal:
 
Yeah, you are right. If his build is a high horse small block, then he should opt for a Dart or World block (in that order). I may be wrong, because I assumed that his build would not be a high rpm build and it would not be anything more than a stout pump gas motor.
 
its going to be a low rpm motor. my k10 is going to be used for a tow rig for my race car, a weekend trail rig, and a daily driver. i want a small block so i don't have the 100 extra pounds up front and plus i cant afford the price of gas as it is w/ the 305 H.O. i would like to use a stock block and possibly cast iron heads. i don't want something that will tear down the quarter mile but something that has enough boot scoot and boogie to get my k10 going at reasonable highway speeds... or more!
 
chevyridinhigh79 said:
its going to be a low rpm motor. my k10 is going to be used for a tow rig for my race car, a weekend trail rig, and a daily driver. i want a small block so i don't have the 100 extra pounds up front and plus i cant afford the price of gas as it is w/ the 305 H.O. i would like to use a stock block and possibly cast iron heads. i don't want something that will tear down the quarter mile but something that has enough boot scoot and boogie to get my k10 going at reasonable highway speeds... or more!
Click to expand...

Well then, I think you'd be real happy with the 400 for what you describe.
 
I don't know fellas, That's a bunch of rust on various parts. I think it has been left outside uncovered. I don't see anything covering the intake manifold openings where the carburetor sits or the distributor either for that matter.

Water goes into the intake manifold, through the intake valves that are open and sits in the cylinders rusting away.

From other posts it sure sounds like a .030 overbore is all you can do. That's .015 on a side. I don't think I'd risk it for $250.00.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom