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i have a chance to buy a 400 sb with a 350 turbo tranny for $550, the motor runs and proforms great! i got to drive the car its in, but i have heard mostly bad stuff about 400 small blocks,
INFORMATION INFORMATION INFORMATION INFORMATION !!:confused:
I haven't heard bad things, but they are a good mid-range torquey motor. I had a friend who was running 10s in a '69 Camaro with the stock rods and crank. I know the motor lasted at least a couple seasons.
400's are looked down on by some people because of the siamesed bores mostly, also having the steam holes, being the only externally balanced SBC, but for $550 hand over the cash quick. There not bad motors, I think I would build a 350 over a 400 myself but I'd certinely buy a 400 for the right price.
I'd buy it. :)
Oh,no here we go again.The great 400 debate.Again what Matt has said takes care of it for me.Of course there is the way short 5.565 rod that causes early wear of the piston skirt,the cylinder walls and the rings.Like I have said before I have a couple of them sitting around the shop with cracks in them.If the price seems fair to you then go for it.Me I would stick to the 383.If I want any more cubes than that I would buy a Dart or a Motown block.
Good price in my opinion. I ran a 400 in a '62 pickup out of a '73 Caprice estate wagon. I used an earlier double roller timing chain, an Isky 30/30 cam, Offy 360 manifold, 650 Holley DP and headers coupled to a 3 speed. The only problem I had was keeping rear main seals in it. It made a pretty good sleeper on the street. BTW, the internals were totally stock and the engine had a little over 100 grand on it when I bouight it. :)Quote:
Originally posted by 91camaro
i have a chance to buy a 400 sb with a 350 turbo tranny for $550, the motor runs and proforms great! i got to drive the car its in, but i have heard mostly bad stuff about 400 small blocks,
INFORMATION INFORMATION INFORMATION INFORMATION !!:confused:
I had 9, count 'em, 9 small blocks in my "72 Camino, and two were 400's. They lasted as long as any other SBC hand grenade, and had gobs of torque.
I also forgot to mention they are more prone to blowing head gaskets than any other small block Chevy.
My question is: if i dont want to go with a small block, WHICH BIG BLOCK!?!
This may be true, but if a guy makes certain the heads have steam holes, the decks and heads are flat and true, uses a quality head gasket such as Fel-Pro or equivalent, watches his torque sequence and values and uses a reasonable static compression ratio, he shouldn't have any problems.Quote:
Originally posted by erik erikson
I also forgot to mention they are more prone to blowing head gaskets than any other small block Chevy.
I would get it I really like the 400....I wouldn't worry about the short rods.....if you open the heads up they really shine....A rod that short realy needs a little larger head but no more than 180cc
I had a great experience with the 400 in my 63 Nova Bracket car. Gobs of torque as the others said, very easy to tune and lasted a long time. I had almost 400 runs on it when I sold the car and it was still going strong. Stock rods and crank and I routinely spun it to 6500. I'd sure go for it if I was looking for a motor.
Pat
i ran 406's in my round track car for a few yrs. had no more or no less problems than nobody else. one thing for sure though, had more power. :D 454 hopper!:cool:
i went over and looked at the motor again, this is a low mileage motor 67,568 original miles! a real old man bought it brand new and it came from tennessee, its in a 70' something impala. my friend has had it for about a month. this motor is COMPLETE STOCK!!!!
you could get a 1000.00 for it here.
good buy?
$550 for a good running 400/350? What are you waiting for?
Quote:
Originally posted by 91camaro
good buy?
I just got a 400 sb but it does not have a flywheel. on a chevy 400 does it have to have a 400 flywheel or will any sb flywheel work? :confused:
400's are externally balanced with eccentric weights on the harmonic damper and flexplate.
If you're going with a standard tranny you'll need a flywheel from a 454, flexplate from either a 454 or a 400. Both of these engines are externally balanced and to my knowledge all other Chevy engines are internally balanced. Also to my knowledge GM did not put a standard transmission behind a 400.Quote:
Originally posted by kolbione
I just got a 400 sb but it does not have a flywheel. on a chevy 400 does it have to have a 400 flywheel or will any sb flywheel work? :confused:
didnt know that about the 400 and no standard transmission NTFDAY, i used a standard transmission, but i had a 4" racing clutch and it used a flex-plate which had to be bal. learn something new every day. :cool:Quote:
Originally posted by NTFDAY
If you're going with a standard tranny you'll need a flywheel from a 454, flexplate from either a 454 or a 400. Both of these engines are externally balanced and to my knowledge all other Chevy engines are internally balanced. Also to my knowledge GM did not put a standard transmission behind a 400.
"i had a 4" racing clutch and it used a flex-plate"
Mike, how did this work? I can't picture it in my mind. What did the system use for friction surfaces for the disc/discs? Can you give me a link so I can read up on it?
Mike,Quote:
Originally posted by lt1s10
didnt know that about the 400 and no standard transmission NTFDAY, i used a standard transmission, but i had a 4" racing clutch and it used a flex-plate which had to be bal. learn something new every day. :cool:
When I put the 400 in the old '62 pickup I put the flywheel off the 283 on it that came out of the truck. First time i tried to drive the damn thing it shook and vibrated so bad I took it around the block and back into the driveway. I called the service manager at the local Chevy dealership and he said that if I drove it very far with that set up it would probably break the crank and definitely wipe out the rear main seal. He said to put a 454 flywheel in it since GM didn't put standards behind 400's.
ill get you some info. tech.
this is not the brand i used but its the same thing. you use a flex plate to start the car, this bolts to the flex-plate.Quote:
Originally posted by techinspector1
"i had a 4" racing clutch and it used a flex-plate"
Mike, how did this work? I can't picture it in my mind. What did the system use for friction surfaces for the disc/discs? Can you give me a link so I can read up on it?
http://www.stockcarproducts.com/clutch1.htm
I would love to find a deal like that. Think they were only made for 10 yrs. and the better ones were made in their later years so I don't think Chevy had to much confidence in the motor either. But did you ever wonder why? I'm mean if they had been made to last they would make many of the other sbc's obsolete!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But I love that high winding sound of those 377's and I would build one -IF- it was only driven a 1/4 mile at a time.
thanks Mike.Quote:
Originally posted by lt1s10
this is not the brand i used but its the same thing. you use a flex plate to start the car, this bolts to the flex-plate.
http://www.stockcarproducts.com/clutch1.htm
Good deal... You BETTER get it or I will hunt you down and BEAT YOU UP! heh just kidding. I know a local racer guy that races 400's in his Nova. He doesn't have much money and does them on budgets and uses stock parts but does his own head work and tranny work and can run with the big blocks.
is a 400 smb a good engine yes. was it a great gm engine like a 283 327 350 no. like a396 402 427 454 no all them were great the 400 was the red head step child gm try to make a small block do the work of a big block they can run and you can make them go fast but they have small heads and small short rods some of the cast cranks have a big hole in the front crank pin. and a block that will not go past a 0.40 over bore . so hi hp and long hi rpm they need work. but gm did get this rigth it is called a big block .396-402 better head in stock form than some of the best smblock heads out there longer rod 6.135 stock for the big block .the big block is the best bottom end in stock form . if the 400 small block was so good why they did not put them in boats? they may have but do not think so?? a boat engine takes one hell of a beating and if they where so good mec marine would be used them and got all the tooling from gm like the 4 banger chevy so if it low rpm than go for it but a stock 396 are cheap sometimes and very mild 396 will take the beating and come back for more . if your brake the big block odds are good it can be fixed it takes lot to kill one than a 400 smb with good heads and rods a good crank all the money spent you could have a stock type big block with better heads longer rods cid and all this is free with the big block it is stock:whacked:
no problem, that 2000.00 is good for about .2 in a 3/8 mi. round track. :CRY:Quote:
Originally posted by techinspector1
thanks Mike.
What does rod length have to do with port volume?Quote:
Originally posted by dr_bowtie
I would get it I really like the 400....I wouldn't worry about the short rods.....if you open the heads up they really shine....A rod that short realy needs a little larger head but no more than 180cc
There is a balance plate available that goes behind a standard 350 flywheel and smooths out a 400.
i've used one, but when i had my crankshaft checked for bal. he had to add a lot of weight to is. **)Quote:
Originally posted by R Pope
There is a balance plate available that goes behind a standard 350 flywheel and smooths out a 400.
Just make sure you have the block checked for cranks. 400's are more likely to crack than 350's, and there are inherent weak points. Just because it has low mile does not mean it is free from cracks. If it was me, I would take a risk and go for it.
http://www.stahlheaders.com/Lit_Rod%20Length.htmQuote:
Originally posted by erik erikson
What does rod length have to do with port volume?
http://victorylibrary.com/mopar/rod-tech-c.htm
Yes,I understand all that the short rod vs long rod theory.I just would rather see him go to a 5.7 rod or longer to get rid of the extra skirt wear caused by the 5.565 rod.I also would rather see him make a head decision based on having a better rod ratio.Quote:
Originally posted by techinspector1
http://www.stahlheaders.com/Lit_Rod%20Length.htm
http://victorylibrary.com/mopar/rod-tech-c.htm
i want to do a motor swap in my 91 camaro this winter, lookin for a nice amount of cubes and going for a forged piston for the bottle.... i have a 350 block with most internals bored 30 over, honed and everything...looks brand new..should i put it to use? also payin on a set of world product 202 heads with three angle valve job brand new never been fired on NICE $600....with that said can anybody help me out with a combo??
What's the chamber size of the heads?Quote:
Originally posted by 91camaro
i want to do a motor swap in my 91 camaro this winter, lookin for a nice amount of cubes and going for a forged piston for the bottle.... i have a 350 block with most internals bored 30 over, honed and everything...looks brand new..should i put it to use? also payin on a set of world product 202 heads with three angle valve job brand new never been fired on NICE $600....with that said can anybody help me out with a combo??
Street motor or what?
Pump gas or race gas?
Loose converter or stock?
Rear gear ratio?
Carb or EFI?
Iron heads?
Budget?
Go for the 400 you will love the extra torque over the 383.(no matter what Eric says)LOL