Cascade Crew

[scott in wa.]

Well the we bought another short block last night.
400 sb, going to do a 406 or something in the future with some series horse power.

It is a 509 block with a standard bore (3951509). Complete short block, and not a grease Bomb.
So it will be sitting next to the old school 327 we are rebuilding right now, We just started doing head work on the old style camel humps, Now they have hard seats and solid bronze valve guides and 2.02 intakes, should make a nasty 327. LOL..

But the things I notice about the 400 sbc are.
1. There is no 509 (large) number by itself on the sides of the motor, (some of them have this,)
2. There are two soft plugs on each side of motor; it looks just like a 350 block from the side. Some 400 sbc have a third location or raised area that has not been machined for the soft plug to be installed. This block doesn't have the raised area.
3. Standard bore, 4.125, seems to rotate freely with balancer and flex plate.
4. its pretty Clean, not a grease bomb.

So what do you think?
5.it is a 2 bolt main, I think, should be stronger than the stock 4 bolts, (thicker webbing), I have not had the pan off yet

So what can you tell me about 400 sbc castings????
Been doing a bit of research but there is alot of conflicting info.

thanks
scott

[scott in wa.]

Have you all seen this????


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz8HdTCzQIE

[chevymad]

There's alot of variation on the 400 blocks. Some have the 3d soft plug, some don't. You're right that the 2 bolts are supposed to be stronger. You can get even better by having some splayed caps installed. As long as its standard bore you should be fine. You can't bore these very much. Most say 0.030 max.

The old school 327 sounds good to me. I run a 68 LJ 327 in my 87. Almost 230rwhp and very mild. With just a th350/3.23 rear I got 18mpg on the trip to canada and back. And there were places I was winding 4500-5k @ 90+mph. 327's won't make big tq #s but I do think they make more hp per gallon of gas then most other sb's.

I'm about 9:1, using late 70's 267/305 heads that have been cnc chambered but not ported, and an xe256 cam. As I said a very mild nice daily driver. Yet it still hung with the stock l98s for rwhp. Torque was a lowly 266 though. You bump that compression up to 10-11:1 and add a wilder cam that thing will perform!

[scott in wa.]

Yep, your motor sounds like its sweet, I like them as well. Not to many out there anymore.

Our 327 should be a great motor, we are going to pump it up a little, its going into a very nice two door 69 Impala, New paint blue metal flake and new white leather interior. It’s a bit big for my taste but that’s ok, it will still be a sweet old ride. Its one of my kids friends he has done a good job on the restoration on it.

I have found some info on these blocks, the 400’s Its been interesting.
The 509 is the last three in the casting numbers.
Yep they made many different looking 400 small blocks.
However it appears that there are two other numbers that mater a great deal
These other numbers will make the difference between a really good engine block, to one of the best small blocks chevy has made, well at least in the 400 sb.

The numbers are cast into the block under the timing chain cover.
They are
010 and 020

Some have just the 020
That means it has a hi nickel content, a really good block
The really good ones have the 020 and 010 together.
010 is tin, don’t know what it is yet but It may be some alloy to bind the molecules together better.
This one is good to 750hp…wow….

Ours has both, we got lucky.
Took it apart last night and it has a spun piston bearing, that’s ok, we are going all forged in the lower end anyway.
We are going to send it out to be magged, before we go any farther.
It looks really good except for the spun bearing.

Anyway, Its kind of interesting and thought Id share.

Scott

[Quasi-Traction]

Scott, does your block have 3 frost plugs on the side of the block or 2 plugs and one that isn't machined?

[scott in wa.]

Nope,
two feeze plugs only
no un machine boss either,

[izcain]

Sounds like you scored a good one scott. I had plans mapped out for a 434 stroker using the 400 block but then I decided I really didn't want to have to use block fill and deal with the cooling issues that some of those motors have from the Siamesed cylinders. I know from experience though that those motors pound out some SERIOUS HP when they are built up! Good Score!!!

[scott in wa.]

Ya it looks like we did. I would like to find one more of these blocks.
We are looking at doing a 427 long rod, small circle base cam motor. Could be interesting, around 500 flywheel HP. The only thing I don't like is that the wrist pin is into the oil ring on those pistons, so there isn't allot of support there.
I have seen them with some kind of insert that goes under it but still Iam questioning that.
Iam wondering what affect that will have on the engine longevity.
It’s going to be a street car, but not an everyday driver.
Have you seen those pistons and where Iam talking about?
Might even have a puff of smoke on start up because of that????
Iam not sure.
What do you guys think?

Thanks
Scott