Advice on 400 sbc engine
#21
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Its a stock block 400 with a stock crank, bored .030, stroked .100. The stroke was accomplished by offset grinding the rod journals down to small journal 327 rod size. Pistons are Speed Pro hypereutectic with a small dish and a pin located for a 5.7 rod. The added stroke places the top of the piston ABOVE the block surface, thus, each piston top had to be slightly milled. I chose to have the piston clearance milled to .010 deck clearance.
Heads are out of the box DART iron Eagle with 215 intake runners, 2.05/1.6 valves and 1.47in springs
Cam is .510/.533 lift flat tappet hyd and duration is 244/254 @ .050 lift.
Flywheel and balancer are stock 400 pieces.
Max power will be somewhere in the range of 5500-5700.
As you see, its nothing terribly exotic. Just a good time, go-to-the-lake ski boat. Should make a heck of a street engine!
#22
Moderator
Thread Starter
OK, here's a couple of pics of the engine. Would also like to know if the rod caps are normal looking or have been worked over. I did see a sticker on the block that says Assembled by Hi-Tech engines in Spokane with a serial #. Will call to find more info.
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...0engine014.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...0engine012.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...0engine006.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...0engine004.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...0engine003.jpg
Thanks guys...
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...0engine014.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...0engine012.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...0engine006.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...0engine004.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...0engine003.jpg
Thanks guys...
#23
Tapio,
Its a stock block 400 with a stock crank, bored .030, stroked .100. The stroke was accomplished by offset grinding the rod journals down to small journal 327 rod size. Pistons are Speed Pro hypereutectic with a small dish and a pin located for a 5.7 rod. The added stroke places the top of the piston ABOVE the block surface, thus, each piston top had to be slightly milled. I chose to have the piston clearance milled to .010 deck clearance.
Heads are out of the box DART iron Eagle with 215 intake runners, 2.05/1.6 valves and 1.47in springs
Cam is .510/.533 lift flat tappet hyd and duration is 244/254 @ .050 lift.
Flywheel and balancer are stock 400 pieces.
Max power will be somewhere in the range of 5500-5700.
As you see, its nothing terribly exotic. Just a good time, go-to-the-lake ski boat. Should make a heck of a street engine!
Its a stock block 400 with a stock crank, bored .030, stroked .100. The stroke was accomplished by offset grinding the rod journals down to small journal 327 rod size. Pistons are Speed Pro hypereutectic with a small dish and a pin located for a 5.7 rod. The added stroke places the top of the piston ABOVE the block surface, thus, each piston top had to be slightly milled. I chose to have the piston clearance milled to .010 deck clearance.
Heads are out of the box DART iron Eagle with 215 intake runners, 2.05/1.6 valves and 1.47in springs
Cam is .510/.533 lift flat tappet hyd and duration is 244/254 @ .050 lift.
Flywheel and balancer are stock 400 pieces.
Max power will be somewhere in the range of 5500-5700.
As you see, its nothing terribly exotic. Just a good time, go-to-the-lake ski boat. Should make a heck of a street engine!
#24
Instructor
400sb
I put a 400sb turbo 400 trans 411rear end in a 59 half ton step side pickup .I used the orignal radiator for a six cylinder motor and had no over heating problems.
#25
Le Mans Master
OK, here's a couple of pics of the engine. Would also like to know if the rod caps are normal looking or have been worked over. I did see a sticker on the block that says Assembled by Hi-Tech engines in Spokane with a serial #. Will call to find more info.
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...0engine014.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...0engine012.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...0engine006.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...0engine004.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...0engine003.jpg
Thanks guys...
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...0engine014.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...0engine012.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...0engine006.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...0engine004.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...0engine003.jpg
Thanks guys...
400 used a short (5.565 vs 5.7) rod. The worst stroke/rod ratio of any motor Chevy made. You will need new rods if they are the short ones.
#26
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That does not look like stock rods. If they're not stock, they're probably not the short ones.
Your best bet here is to call the engine builder that you found the sticker for. They could give you more accurate and better information in two minutes than you can get here in two weeks. They may have stamped an ID number on that block somewhere and if they did, can tell you ANYTHING you would need to know about it except the possibility of a crack(s).
Your best bet here is to call the engine builder that you found the sticker for. They could give you more accurate and better information in two minutes than you can get here in two weeks. They may have stamped an ID number on that block somewhere and if they did, can tell you ANYTHING you would need to know about it except the possibility of a crack(s).
#27
Moderator
Thread Starter
I'll push the pistons out very soon and measure, but I will call the rebuilder tomorrow also. Stay tuned
#28
Moderator
Thread Starter
OK, pulled the offending piston (pics below) and my best measurement of the rod is 5.65. The rod I beam is different from front to back. Is this rod length good and if better than stock what CI does it make? Cylinder looks fine, crank looks fine. Will still dye check though. Too difficult to check piston height against another, it's too deformed. Piston casting says 1266P on inside. Whaddya think?
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...oncrack001.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...oncrack002.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...oncrack003.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...oncrack007.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...oncrack008.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...oncrack004.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...oncrack006.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...oncrack001.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...oncrack002.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...oncrack003.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...oncrack007.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...oncrack008.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...oncrack004.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...oncrack006.jpg
#29
Dave,
That's a hard hit I would check the crank if you have an indicator and stand you can rotate each journal to the to the high point and zero indicater move to the next and do the same.The rod length wont change the C.I. only rod to stroke ratio. I would get a 5.7 rod and a .040 piston for that rod length.
That's a hard hit I would check the crank if you have an indicator and stand you can rotate each journal to the to the high point and zero indicater move to the next and do the same.The rod length wont change the C.I. only rod to stroke ratio. I would get a 5.7 rod and a .040 piston for that rod length.
#30
Le Mans Master
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Here's one for sale with stock pistons and a bad cam for $400 on the Street Machine swap meet page.
http://swapmeet.streetmachineclub.co...1/m/6191019682
http://swapmeet.streetmachineclub.co...1/m/6191019682
#31
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Dave,
If the block is not damaged, I would not hesitate in a heartbeat to just replace that piston and go on down the road. Also, check that rod bearing to be assured it didn't get damaged from the hit on the piston. If so, replace it also. In fact, if the ONLY damage is to the piston, I'd even put the same rings on the new piston. With 1Kmi in the engine, then they have already establesed a wear pattern.
If the block is not damaged, I would not hesitate in a heartbeat to just replace that piston and go on down the road. Also, check that rod bearing to be assured it didn't get damaged from the hit on the piston. If so, replace it also. In fact, if the ONLY damage is to the piston, I'd even put the same rings on the new piston. With 1Kmi in the engine, then they have already establesed a wear pattern.
#32
Moderator
Thread Starter
Dave,
That's a hard hit I would check the crank if you have an indicator and stand you can rotate each journal to the to the high point and zero indicater move to the next and do the same.The rod length wont change the C.I. only rod to stroke ratio. I would get a 5.7 rod and a .040 piston for that rod length.
That's a hard hit I would check the crank if you have an indicator and stand you can rotate each journal to the to the high point and zero indicater move to the next and do the same.The rod length wont change the C.I. only rod to stroke ratio. I would get a 5.7 rod and a .040 piston for that rod length.
Well, I just went back down to re-measure because I found a nice piece of flat iron to measure from (was using a fenolic washer and it could not be held perpendicular). It measures 5.7 inches. I got no info/help from the Hi-Tech engine place, they couldn't be bothered. Oh well. Their website for the 406 says they use a 350 Power Metal Rod, anyone familiar with it? They also made a 421 CI engine but the info cannot be accessed, it must be discontinued. Could this be one of those?
#33
Yes you have the powdered medal rods noticed that in the pics. If it's the 421 it will have the 2.0 327 jounal 408 will have the 2.1 350/400 jounal. They offset grind the crank all on one side to get more stroke thats how my 415 is.
#34
Le Mans Master
Measure your stroke. (measure the distance the piston travels)
A 421 should have a stroke in the 3.85 range (with your bore).
From what I can tell, those are pretty good rods. For $200 you are not hurt.
I would do what DZ said, and buy a new piston and run it.
A 421 should have a stroke in the 3.85 range (with your bore).
From what I can tell, those are pretty good rods. For $200 you are not hurt.
I would do what DZ said, and buy a new piston and run it.
#35
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If those are the powdered rods, they're supposed to be plenty stout. I think they're only made in the 5.7 length. I don't know if they can be straightened or the big end resized. I'd have that rod checked and/or refurbed and replace the piston. The piston number sounds like a Speed Pro number. Piston looks forged but it's hard to tell. Your piston rings on that piston are crushed. Measure the stroke by rolling the piston all the way down vs all the way up.
If your block isn't damaged, put it back together and go. It looks to me like you just got yourself an engine for about ten cents on the dollar. You cost/benefit ratio is extremely high right now to say the least. If you start trying to modify the basic package, you'll lose that advantage.
If your block isn't damaged, put it back together and go. It looks to me like you just got yourself an engine for about ten cents on the dollar. You cost/benefit ratio is extremely high right now to say the least. If you start trying to modify the basic package, you'll lose that advantage.
Last edited by MikeM; 03-06-2007 at 07:51 AM.
#36
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Thread Starter
Well crap!! All the other cylinders/pistons/rods are in great shape. The offending cylinder had a little surface rust on it. Now I know why. I took a scotch brite pad to it and the rust came right off revealing a 4" long crack in the cyl wall Junk, too bad, the block had obviously been done right. Not gonna sleeve it. Now I have to figure what to do with the rotating assy. It does have 5.7" rods so I could cut the 400 mains down to 350 size and make a 383 stroker out of my other 350 short block.
#37
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Well crap!! All the other cylinders/pistons/rods are in great shape. The offending cylinder had a little surface rust on it. Now I know why. I took a scotch brite pad to it and the rust came right off revealing a 4" long crack in the cyl wall Junk, too bad, the block had obviously been done right. Not gonna sleeve it. Now I have to figure what to do with the rotating assy. It does have 5.7" rods so I could cut the 400 mains down to 350 size and make a 383 stroker out of my other 350 short block.
As previously mentioned, the pistons are too large for the 350 casting. You'll hit water. Why not sleeve it? If you lived next door, I'd double your money on that "junk".
#38
Moderator
Thread Starter
Hey I just remembered the name of the shop that did the machine work on my 355 (Waterhouse Motors) and they will sleeve it for $100. All I need then is for them to bore it .040 and I'm on my way to 400+ hp
Last edited by MasterDave; 03-07-2007 at 01:36 PM.
#39
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Thread Starter
OK, I'm not giving up here. I chose not to sleeve at this time. I picked up another 400 long block last night for $125. I had to drive from Tacoma to Salem Oregon though, an 8 hour round trip. This one has not been decked. The 2 sets of #'s on the engine pad are
0718TTC and 082212597. I've got MorTec but that site shows casting #'s only, not stamp pads. Anyone know of a site that indicated what this came out of? Also, I still have the 5.7" rods from the other 400 so I can do a .030 overbore on this new block and still end up with my 400+ horse torque monster. I'll disassemble very soon.
0718TTC and 082212597. I've got MorTec but that site shows casting #'s only, not stamp pads. Anyone know of a site that indicated what this came out of? Also, I still have the 5.7" rods from the other 400 so I can do a .030 overbore on this new block and still end up with my 400+ horse torque monster. I'll disassemble very soon.
#40
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"TTC" shows as a 1978-80 400/170hp automatic California emissions truck engine; the VIN stamp probably starts with a "C", not a "0", and indicates it was originally installed in a 1978 Chevy pickup or S-10 built at Moraine, Ohio.