Your 400 sb thoughts welcomed here!

[fireplug]

What do you guys think of a 400 small block: 2 bolt mains, 8.5:1, new flexplate, performer Edelbrock intake, 266 Crane camshaft, Clevite, Felpro, full rebuild? He's asking $2500, and will give a GM warranty and includes install.

The builder figures 280 HP at 4600 RPM and 400 ftlb.

He also figures cruising at 2000 rpm. Does that sound right?

I would be switching over 4.10 gears and 37" tires, T350, and want to anticipate a decent powerband.

I know I'd require a fuel pump, and rad, possibly carb, belts, water pump, what else should I expect to buy. If I don't watch my budget I might have a new motor and not be able to afford to drive the rest of the summer.

Any thoughts for me?

 

[chalet2506]

I'm no engine junky, but my 76' Chalet has the original 400sb/T350 combo, and I get about 9 MPG highway at 65 MPH. Everything on the engine is stock. Purrs like a kitten, but definetely is gas hog. My average drive to hunt is about 100 miles, so whenever this engine blows, I'm going to put something different in it.

 

[sweetk30]

sounds like a good truck motor. i had a built to the hill 400 and it had all sorts of stuff done to it. it was in my 6500lb 1ton running 4.10 and 38 tires. it would pull like no tomarow and always ran 210 temp. need atleast a 3 core rad for them tho for best cooling.

 

[cybrfire]

and will give a GM warranty and includes install.
quote]

I believe GM warranty of any sort requires ASE certified mechanic to install. Check the fine print. I also think somewhere it says if it has performance parts the warranty is null and void. That is just what I remember reading some time ago when I bought a crate motor from GM.

 

[mouse]

If it includes the right carb, new water pump, and all extrenal engine components, I think its a good deal...it has new pistons, rings, etc, right?

 

[fireplug]

and will give a GM warranty and includes install.
quote]

I believe GM warranty of any sort requires ASE certified mechanic to install. Check the fine print. I also think somewhere it says if it has performance parts the warranty is null and void. That is just what I remember reading some time ago when I bought a crate motor from GM.

Yeah, he's offering the equivalent. Thanks for the heads up though.

 

[fireplug]

If it includes the right carb, new water pump, and all extrenal engine components, I think its a good deal...it has new pistons, rings, etc, right?

I assumed new pistons et. al.

The guy is actually either crazy knowledgable or really knows how to spin a line of crap. He even wrote a book on small block Chev motors.

He told a buddy of mine with a T350, 3.73's and 31" tires that the engine would be screaming on the highway. If that is true than I would have to compare final gear ratio with my T350, 4.10's, 37" tires.

 

[noface]

as a reference, I paid $800 for a 1967 300HP 327 w/305 heads, bored +.030, wicked cam, distrib, intake and water pump.

The guy that built it hasn't written a book, but I know it's making more than 300hp, though I'm sure not as much torque as that 400 you're looking at.

For a reference, I run about 3k going 70mph on the freeway. TH400 w/3.73 gears and 33" mud tires. And yea, I'm getting about 10-12mpg tops

 

[yellowK20]

You'll be happy with a 400 I have two 400 based engines in my stable and love them I really think they're the only smallblocks worth having in a truck tons of grunt and Decent mileage oh and lighter than a bigblock

 

[74757685k5]

I love my 400. it's stock TH350 4.10 ''soon to be 4.56'' 38''boggers plenty of power and flys down the road good.nothing good to say about milage tho.


85 jimmy 305/700/208/3.73/32''
82 k10 6.2/700/208/3.73/35''
82 k10 6.2/465/208/3.42/32''
78 k10 shorty 350/350/203/3.73/31''
76 k5 400/350/203/4.10/38''
74 k5 350/350/203/3.73/33''
77 z28 350/4spd/3.73
79 f150 shorty 351/C6/203/3.50/33''
80 D150 shorty 318/435/208/4.10/33''

 

[fireplug]

Thanks guys, anyone else?