What do you guys think of this engine build ??

[brads70]

I got my kit from Muscle Motors Just don't let them balance the rods or size the rod pin holes.
http://www.musclemotorsracing.com/stroker-category.html

If you have access to a 400 block I would use that block!    My 451 revs like a motorcycle!

[Chryco Psycho]

All of the bores show scoring as if it got hot , if the brg was left out there would be almost no oil pressure , or the brg may have been chewed to the point it is all in the filter now .
383 blocks are easy to get or you can use the 400 block with new pistons , 440 cranks are easy to get also in steel as well .
440 source has a complete balanced stroker kit for either block for around 2k , the 400 will get you 451 ci with the 440 stroke crank
 I would not spend any $ on a cast crank , have the pistons checked them may all need to be replaced , the 6 rods are usable But I like to use the longer 440 6.76" rods & lighter pistons in the B engine , oil pump will be garbage with all the trash going through it , cam may have material pushed into the surface .

['Cuda Hunter]

Ok, that's what I was afraid of.  Pretty much, I would be waiting for something to break again.  Not worth it.

So, I purchased a 78 400 with 55k miles out of a truck.  I'll put it in the car to get it back on the road.

Then, I can start really worrying about getting the engine fixed, or more likely finding a 400 and stroking it.

Any specific year that is best for a 400? 

[Chryco Psycho]

1971 first year 230 casting , heaviest block made supposedly good to 700+ hp , I do have 1

[HP_Cuda]

The only reason I said this originally about the compression is that running 10.75 on cast heads will push you towards running premium or more every trip to the gas station.

The other thing that will get you is that we are in a decending scale of octane. Meaning as time goes by octane will drop not increase at the pump.

Just something to think about.

B

I for one would not go back to that so-called engine builder.

First assess the damage and move on from there. Doesn't make sense to do the crank unless you are committed to doing a stroker build which means added cost. Break it down to the short block and take measurements and I'm sure you will most likely have to do another bore and hone.

Simple cheaper things to do is to change out the cam and pistons for a diff compression ratio but stay within reality.

['Cuda Hunter]

Gotcha. thanks for that thought.

This motor was run on Ethanol. Not that this changes anything.  Just saying.
The guy was unhappy with how random the octane ratings are on ethanol. Never 87% apparently.

[HP2]

Did he run it on straight ethanol or E-85? I've hears lots of stories about E85 concentrations varying quite a bit. I was considering using it in my latest build and even picked up a tester to avoid running weak mixes, but then decided to go with pump premium/methanol injection instead.

['Cuda Hunter]

He was running E85.  He used a tester when he filled every time and found that the octane levels would very by up to 30%.
Which he found was the down fall of the system.  He couldn't get it to tune as reliably as gas.

He was also making his own Ethanol and bio diesel.

I will say that it ran like a bat out of hell (even without the bearing) on the ethanol.  And it smelled pretty good.  Very different from the typical gas smell.
It was kind of a cool novelty.  Not feasible by any means up in the mountains.  Ethanol option is for you city folk only. 

[Chryco Psycho]

ethanol is water based & will sink to the bottom of the tank while fuel will float so the variance could just be how long the fuel was sitting in t he tanks at the service stn

['Cuda Hunter]

All of the bores show scoring as if it got hot , if the brg was left out there would be almost no oil pressure , or the brg may have been chewed to the point it is all in the filter now .
 

You were right.  There was a bearing, but it was non existent in the location it was supposed to be.
Found the whole bearing torn to bits in the oil pan and really clogging up the pick up filter.

[Chryco Psycho]

yup 

[Moparal]

Well Josh, I have 2 forged crankes here both ready to install.  440 hp with the bronze bushing installed for a 4 speed or, 383 auto  both have bearings with them. You get by again, you can take your pic.

['Cuda Hunter]

 

I will be considering this.         It would be the auto crank.