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what engine should I go with in my next rig...

reddog64

reddog64

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Whattya think... 350 4 bolt... 400.... or 454.... It's going to a TH400 tranny.... I like the 454 but it's a little spendy... what would a 400 do for me... It's going in my 78 C-20 3/4 ton... I'm done with the blazer... Still love it though... PLease help me decide... Pro's and cons to these engines... Oh... doinr 8 inch lift w/39.5's.... I believe gears are gonna be 4.11's for now... maybe 3.73's for a few months...
Throw your opinions in please

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i've heard some bad stuff about 400s. the center cylinders don't have water jackets between em. so i'v heard. 350s are cool but 383s are the best in my opinion. i can't wait to get one. but if i were turning 39.5"s i'd want a 454.

scott,
1989 suburban 3/4t 4" lift soon to be rollin on 33s, tbi350
 
I'm enjoying my 383 right now...
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I like it alot!

It's been lovely, but I have to scream now.

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Spend the money one time and get the 502 Ram Jet.
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<font color=blue>"Ya don't have to beat it, ya know!!!</font color=blue>

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Why would you lift a 2wd truck? Or is the truck really a K20?

I would do the 400 SBC. A 383 is nothing but a small bore 400 anyway. There's no re-placement for dis-placement. If you can get a 400, build that. The two bolt main ones are more desireable. It shouldn't overheat either if everything is in good shape.

If you're really weary about cooling the 400, I'd use the crank and get it turned down to 350 mains. Use stroker pistons and build a 5.7" rod 383.

Tim
'84 Chevy K10, lifted, loud, fast, and 3/4 ton axles
 
I know it was not a option but go with the a Caddy 500 you will not be sorry I promise you that and I bet you will have less in the motor than a 454.

Donovan
Nitro Fumes makes me Horrrrny
 
I'm runnin a soon to be f/i now carb. fed 383...But Because of gas at 1.80 Maybe the new chevy diesel? Cheaper gas, better mileage, torque, run all night long and for 2001 they're supposed to be almost as quiet as a gas motor.(by the way I'm all chevy all internal cumbustion. I HATE the way diesels sound, totally goes against everything I've learned(clakity,clackity) But if the new ones are as quiet as they say they are....who knows?

MY DRINKING TEAM HAS A FOUR WHEELING PROBLEM!
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not to call you dumb, but that is a dumb question. go with almost every man or womans dream engine..... 502!!!!!
i would if i could...
Grant

1974 Chevy Blazer Cheyanne. but it is on 33's now, with saggy old springs. i am in Yuma Arizona if ya got any parts for me.
 
496 stroker!!!!!!!!!

74 Blazer
Zepplin
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I'd go big block!

Mike

<font color=green>"It's like a sore dick deal, You cant beat it!"</font color=green>

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What do you plan to do with the truck? Is it a dailey driver? There are alot of factors to consider before making a wise choise. If you can get a 454 cheap enough I would say use it. Me personally I like the KISS theory. I also believe the 350 4 bolt is over rated. If you build a 2 bolt 350 correctly you can take it up to 6500rpm's with no problem. The only problem with the 400 is when you start to bore them out. That is when you start running into cooling problems. On a 400 I would not bore it more then .030 and it should be fine.

<font color=blue>Wayne<font color=blue>
<font color=blue>Happy Trails<font color=blue>
 
Depends what you want to use the rig for, but w/ those kinda tire you want torque! A 454 would rock, but they you can have header issues with them hitting the shackles and such. A 406 (overbored 400) will need a few extra bucks for modifying the heads (if they aren't on the 400 already) to match, but the 406 is the king of the SBC in the torque department. You'll also get some good torque and a liitle more revs from a 383, w/out the steam hole hassles. Persoanlly I would go with the 383, but w/ the huge meats the 406 or 454 would be quite nice

-Mikey
1987 Chevy K5 Blazer- 350 TBI
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Screw trying to fix stock heads for a 400. Just get a set of aftermarket heads for them like Edelbrocks, Trickflows, AFRs, or even the fast-burns that GM has now. Don't be shy with camshaft either, that's a BIG small block. I'd build it with the 2nd biggest Comp Xtreme 4x4 cam they make, 9:1 compression, a Performer RPM, the AFRs, 1 5/8" headers, and 2.5-3" dual exhaust. That'd be a stump-puller for sure!!

Tim
'84 Chevy K10, lifted, loud, fast, and 3/4 ton axles
 
why get radical, do a 350 they rev great, take a ton of abuse, and you can find parts for them in any bumf**k town, and a 383 isnt a small bore 400, its a 350 bored out with a 400 crank turned down to fit the 350's crankshaft journal, and 400's arent much good bored over 30, as they tend to run warm, big blocks are major power and major bucks, just becasue you spend a ton on a 502 doesnt make it indestructible, they'll blow just as quick as any other motor, I have a 91 L-98 Corvette block with stock roller lifters, and MSD ignition, and Edelbrock goodies, mated to a 465 and 205 to a 60 and 14FF, I can go anywhere a big block can, and I can crawl just as slow as them,, but just my opinion,

Never been stuck, just temporarily delayed.
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Go with a pontiac 400 or a pontiac 455. Parts are less for them than a Big Block Chevy. Also the nice part about pontiac motors is almost everything is interchagable betwen them. 326, 350, 400, 428, and 455 all used the same rods, same style heads, same cam. The only thing that isnt interchagable is the crank. 326, 350, and 400 used the same crank. And 428 and 455 used the same crank.

86 Jimmy 4"lift 35"MTRs Other cars 69Firebird w/525 hp,and 70GTO live in PHX,AZ<a target="_blank" href=http://www.geocities.com/modifierperformance>My vehicles</a>
 
I love the Poncho motors...I'm keeping my eyes open for a 455 out of a wagon or something. the only part that makes me hesitate is the BOP pattern and needing an adaptor. I guess I need to find out the cost of the adaptor and make a decision then.

Rene

<font color=green>Dyslexics of the world...UNTIE!</font color=green>
 
With the proper headers, they won't hit the shackles. Thorley makes a set for 454s in 73-87 Blazers. Lots of torque too.

I'd say if you have the $$$, 500 caddy, 502 or 454. I'm about to install my 454 and haven't spent more than I did on my 350. The only parts that are really more expensive than a 350 are the cylinder heads, all the rest is pretty much the same. With proper care, you'll only have to buy cylinder heads once in a lifetime.

I say go with the big guys.

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A Big cam in a 400... uh NO! I guess I dunno what you call a big cam, but I would say a 268 is more then enough came for a stump puller 400 or 406. The nice thing about the 400's is the light weight small block and the fact that is basically is all torque! Now if you think you are gonna be able to get the rev's for a big cam you are crazy! The stroke is way too long and w/ stock internals I'd say a 5,000 rpm is a nice redline for a street driver truck. Depending which make of cams you go with you can play w/ the cam to give you more torque in different areas... a 264 would yeild excellent stump pulling abilities. Now if you want mundo cam and revs (in a 4x4? Is this the car craft nationals LOL
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) then you would be better off w/ a 383 or for the rpm screamers the destroked 377.

Cylinder heads are gonna big your biggest investment and second most important choice IMO. You ideally want a 190 or so port sized head. My tops choices are also the the AFR 190's. AFR is probably the best small block head maker IMO. Edelbrock's new Vortech style heads... the e-tec are also awsome. They will out flow GM's fast burns by about 20% from what I've heard, but they are aluminium. For cast heads the Vortechs would work for a torque monster and also a head like the sportsman II's would be excelent bang for the buck, although they have a 200cc port which would tend to be a bit large for a torque application.

Exhaust... 2 and a half tops. Unless you have the larger ports and cam design to vent the exhaust gases all the 3 inch exhaust will do is make lose back pressure. One of the torquiest cars I have ever seen is a 91 Camaro w/ a 406 with a custom sigle pipe exhaust that measures 31/2". It's a daily driver that flys, pulls wheel stands at the track w/ cheater slicks and just a blast to ride in. Exhaust seems to be another area misunderstood... it isn't just pipes and the headers... it is valve size, cam specs, etc. The right motor combo can max out even 3" duals.

Now if you want a budget terror just go w/ a 350 or 355 w/ a 260 or 262 cam and some vortech heads and it will easily put a smile on your face
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compared to the old wheezer motor. You'll make less torque but would save some $$$ and depending on your truck's setup you may save some broken axle shafts, u-jt's, etc.
Obviously there are many theories to engine design, and since I have wandered over to the 4x4 ranks from the strip, the number one thing I have seen is building a motor for a hot rod and hp rather then torque and a healthy idle to 4 or 4500 rpm pulling range.



-Mikey
1987 Chevy K5 Blazer- 350 TBI
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