Thread: Coolant in cylinders; fresh 400 sbc build

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Originally Posted by Bigbzc

I said the block was stock. Never been machined.

You seem to be fixated on the block. We're not talking about the block. It has steam holes already in the decks from the factory. As Glenn told you, the heads and the gaskets must also have steam holes to match up with the holes in the block decks.

Originally Posted by techinspector1

You seem to be fixated on the block. We're not talking about the block. It has steam holes already in the decks from the factory. As Glenn told you, the heads and the gaskets must also have steam holes to match up with the holes in the block decks.

Yeah I got that plain and clear. I was responding to the post above that which said that I hadn't said whether the block had been bored over or anything and I believe somewhere in the begining of this thread that I mentioned that it was all stock and did not need work as it had very low mileage and no ring ridge. I think you are right about the heads being off a 350 because that is what was in it before I got it. How can I ID between the different heads? By the way, thanks for your help so far

Production Chevy heads have the casting number under the valve cover. It's 6, 7 or 8 digit number. Use an awl or something sharp like that to scratch around on the numbers. Many times, there is dried crud on them and a 3 might look like an 8.

Here's what 400 heads look like (steam holes circled)

I have to drill steam holes in heads between cylinders, a total of 6, got it.

I'll know after the storms blow over and I can remove heads to see if they are 400 heads or not.