Posted By: 65racer
If you were to build a bb stroker engine????????????? - 11/18/12 01:46 AM
Just like the heading says, what would you build,
if you had blocks for all the combinations, I mean
383 blocks, 400, and 440's.
I am rolling around the idea of building 1, but
right now I am indecisive on which way to go,
will have to buy a rotating assembly for what
ever engine I decide to go with, and if it is
the 440 route will have to have an intake and pushrods,
for the rb engine, I have all the necessary stuff
for a low block application, so all I would
need for that is the assembly.
And who's kit would you go with ? I know this will
open a can of worms about whose is the better stuff,
but let's hear what every one has to say on this
subject.
The deal is not set in stone as of right now, just
looking at other options.
I have always ran a 383 engine in my stuff, but
the last 1 I have is at the shop being cleaned,
an checked, and I really don't think it is going
to be up to snuff. So I am looking at alternative
ways for next season.
Thanks
Dave
Posted By: 72Swinger
Re: If you were to build a bb stroker engine????????????? - 11/18/12 01:52 AM
Take the 440 and build a 543 with B1s.
Posted By: Cab_Burge
Re: If you were to build a bb stroker engine????????????? - 11/18/12 04:59 AM
Look around for a early(June of 1971 to October of 1971 casting date) 400 block, hopefully one of the thick main web "cold weather" blocks, bore it the minumum needed to make the cylinder walls straight and buy a decent 4.25 stroke forged steel crank or kit, your choice
As far as the main caps I liked and used the ductile iron main caps Mopar use to offer, buy them if you can find them
If not a set of alumimum will probally work well also
Lots of choices out there, many ways to skin the kitty
Posted By: hudsonhornet7x
Re: If you were to build a bb stroker engine????????????? - 11/18/12 04:59 AM
Buy Andy's book that is listed above. I have read mine so much I am in need of a new one! That book is trulythe first engine book I have read that makes sense to me. In my opinion it is the first thing you should buy for an engine build.
Posted By: 383man
Re: If you were to build a bb stroker engine????????????? - 11/18/12 06:18 AM
Will it be a racing eng only ? Or wil be it a street car driver ? And is money a limit or no option ? Ron
Posted By: Mr.Yuck
Re: If you were to build a bb stroker engine????????????? - 11/18/12 04:25 PM
FWIW my next build is going to be a 500 wedge, 440 block, same heads (ported Stage VI) Custom solid roller, 950HP, and 12lbs of boost. No need for 13:1, big 700+ lift cam, fancy expensive heads, 5000 stall, 4:30 gears...none of it. But I guess it depends on what it's for, what class and how much street driving you do. I drive to and from the track, so I need a car that has good driving manners...
Posted By: Chris2581
Re: If you were to build a bb stroker engine????????????? - 11/18/12 04:44 PM
If it were me and I've thought about this for a while,I would go with a 400 block and increase stroke to go 470".It's a great all around engine,the oil rings are not in the pin area,you can find a rod easily that is .990x2.200,and all of your 383 stuff will still work. I think I would piece this engine together using a 440 source crank Diamond pistons and good quality rods (K-1 or better).Engine would be a screamer and last a long time.It's what I'm going to do for a new build.
Posted By: VernMotor
Re: If you were to build a bb stroker engine????????????? - 11/18/12 06:03 PM
Well I just went and bought the book ! $19.00
Posted By: gregsdart
Re: If you were to build a bb stroker engine????????????? - 11/18/12 06:23 PM
You can't beat cubic inches. 4.25 stroke, 4.375 bore for 512 cubes. What you plan to do in the future will dictate the piston choice next. By setting the motor up for a 2.25 valve and a big roller, you can upgrade simply by bolting on better flowing heads and or cam in the future. With this setup you can go all the way to 825 hp + with the right heads.
A small dome will allow decent compression. I don't like large dome pistons because of the added weight and at some point they start to restrict flame travel. Just like a house, build the foundation right the first time. You can add the higher hp parts at a later date if that fits your situation.
Posted By: Mopar-Al
Re: If you were to build a bb stroker engine????????????? - 11/18/12 06:56 PM
I like the 4.25 stroke 4.375 bore myself. I ended up sticking a set of good B1 originals on top. What a good working combo.
Posted By: 65racer
Re: If you were to build a bb stroker engine????????????? - 11/18/12 08:06 PM
This is not a street driver, this is for my
race car, I am just looking into another avenue
in case the block I have at the shop is not going to
cut it.
I am not looking to rotate the world or anything
like that, just want something that will be consistent,
and require very little maintenance, as in trouble
free, something to race every weekend, not something
I am going to have to live with in the shop all the time.
I have the book, and have read it through several times,
but am still undecided, but I am leaning toward the 470"
combo, I have gone as quick as 6.80's with the 383 engine
in the car, with a flat tappet cam, steel heads, nothing
really special, but this was with machine work by a guy
who really knew what he was doing, but he passed away a couple
of years ago, and since then I have had to go else where
for machine work, and not everyone knows the real tricks
of engine machining, I learnt a long time ago that there
is a big difference between someone who knows what needs to be done to
make an engine fast, and someone who knows just how to do
machine work, the same combination is in the car as when he was
doing my machine work, but it's not the same work, the car has been
consistently slow, by about 2 tenths, and I can't get it to run
any faster, so I am leaning toward building something with
a little more horsepower, so maybe it will pick it back up
et wise, that's what I am really after,
So thanks for the replies, gonna have to decide what I am gonna do
pretty soon, but that depends on what my wallet will stand, I race on a budget, always have and always will, for 40+ years, and the car has to pay for itself, I guess I am lucky in that respect, as I have
always been able to keep my ego in check, and not let it get the best of me, and have always and I mean always have been able to show a little profit at seasons end, since I have been racing, not braging
about it or nothing like that, I just watch my bottom line real close.
Thanks
Dave
Posted By: Triple Threat
Re: If you were to build a bb stroker engine????????????? - 11/18/12 08:14 PM
I think either a 383 with a 440 crank (438") or a 400 with 440 crank (451") would be a great combo for you. A little more cubic inch, light bob weight. Not a ton of torque so you wont be fighting spin on marginal tracks, but more than what you have now. 3.31 > 3.75
That would make a good bracket combo IMO. If you went larger like 511" it would take less rpm, but would be a total grunt engine with stock heads.
Posted By: gregsdart
Re: If you were to build a bb stroker engine????????????? - 11/19/12 02:50 PM
65R, your comment on making the motor pay for itself tells me consistency is number one here. The following combo has been in my head for a number of years. I have two friends that race BB mopars and its the race that is important to them, not the speed. I felt a large bore short stroke motor could be built cheaply and the short stroke would keep traction manageable for consistency.
400 block, 383 steel crank offset ground to 2.200 rod bearings and a 6.76 rod , piston would have a 1.421 (Ross # 99906 flat top) compression height and the whole deal would be fairly light. put it together with cheap shim .020 head gaskets with a block deck height of 9.970 for a .040 quench. What you get is a 426
That should rev very well, be reasonable on cost and not hard to control on the starting line. Compression will be mid 10/1 depending on your head CC, so you won't have to spend a lot of money on expensive race gas. You could probably get by with a mix of 50/50 race/ pump.
Posted By: sdaurity
Re: If you were to build a bb stroker engine????????????? - 11/19/12 05:30 PM
Low deck is the only way to go. IMO 470 or 499.
Posted By: mikeysmopars
Re: If you were to build a bb stroker engine????????????? - 11/19/12 07:05 PM
I like my 470 low deck. I have beat on it for the last 4 years and runs bottom tens 3200 lb car
Posted By: YYZ
Re: If you were to build a bb stroker engine????????????? - 11/19/12 10:55 PM
Fresh MP crank, offset ground to 3.900 stroke, 2.200 rod journals ready to make 449 CID out of 383 and lots of torque and revability. Fully indexed too...
Posted By: Streetwize
Re: If you were to build a bb stroker engine????????????? - 11/19/12 11:03 PM
For a racer I'd keep the stroke shorter and rod longer so a 470 would work very well. I thought about destroking a 2.375 journal 4.15" to 2.200 4.00" and doing a 6.70-6.90 ish" rod low deck, kind of the opposite of the the 4.30" I did last time.
Side loading and ring seal for a round after round type motor are
worth sacrificing some cubes....if it's going to be a stock block thin wall race motor you can make up the cubes with just a couple hun more RPM. In other words if you're going to raise the torque peak RPM beyond the 5000rpm range, (which you are) make it as easy on the block as you reasonably can.
Posted By: dangina
Re: If you were to build a bb stroker engine????????????? - 11/20/12 01:41 AM
for those of you running the 470 strokers, what combos or kits did you use? 440source, muscle motors, hughes? what hp/torque numbers are you hitting?
Posted By: FastmOp
Re: If you were to build a bb stroker engine????????????? - 11/20/12 04:16 PM
Go 540! They make great power and mine is going on its 3rd year. Plus it's 70 cubic inches bigger then what these guys recommend.
Posted By: Belvedere500ci
Re: If you were to build a bb stroker engine????????????? - 11/23/12 08:32 PM
Hey your the Super Series guy! Lol. Won it in 09? Dave, I built a 500ci >400 using all 440 source parts. Parts were great. Company was easy to deal with. Very happy with the build. I put the engine in my 67 Belvedere on Caltracs, 30x9 radials and I wasn't impressed. Way to much low end. The car was a monster if it hooked. But the 2nd you had to run behind street or at a marginal track it would blow a tenth off in 60ft. Tube chassis or 4 link it's the perfect engine. I'd try a 451 or 470 if you want stroke. Flat tappet cam and a good set of heads. Top end and mph win races not cubic inch. I found out the hard way. But I still have the engine and it should make the 68 4 link Cuda I'm building an easy 9sec ride
Posted By: 66er
Re: If you were to build a bb stroker engine????????????? - 11/23/12 08:55 PM
I love my 470. I've have 7 year (about 1000 passes) on it and it still runs very hard and consistent. I replaced the rod bearing last year, but the original ones still looks great. I think the size of your engine should mach the size of your heads. standard port will support up to 470ci Max wedge will support 500ci+ with reasonable compression, stall speed, gear, ect...
Posted By: AndyF
Re: If you were to build a bb stroker engine????????????? - 11/23/12 11:27 PM
It was an answer to a question. He asked how to build a BB stroker engine. I wrote an entire book on the subject. Why post an answer when he can read the book? The book covers it in more detail and has pictures. A post will just be a short answer that leaves out a lot of details.
Posted By: dare_dude
Re: If you were to build a bb stroker engine????????????? - 11/24/12 05:06 PM
Good post I'am going to get moving on my project soon. Need to make up my mind 500 or 470?
Posted By: RBDuster
Re: If you were to build a bb stroker engine????????????? - 11/24/12 06:02 PM
After much research I went with a low deck 470 and am very happy with the combo. I believe there is more if I want to turn up the r's, but this is for bracket racing. Car has been a best of 5.82 in the hills of southern ky with a 1.23 60 ft. Car weighs 2510.