454 Question
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,570
Likes: 1
From: Algonac Michigan
454 Question
I will soon be taking apart a 454 that I bought recently and I will be taking it down to the short block. How can I tell what I have as far as the rotating assembly goes? Specifically if I have forged parts.
Thanks
Thanks
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,989
Likes: 198
From: Meriden CT
Castings have a very thin parting line. A forging has a wide parting line and you might be able to see where the excess has been ground off. Look at the head of a ballpeen hammer and you'll see it was forged.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,570
Likes: 1
From: Algonac Michigan
Step up BB gurus!!!
Thank you...Can I assume I can look for the same thing on the rods? And is there any way to I.D. the pistons?
I believe this motor was built primarily for the strip( dual quads and centerline wheels, wide in back,small in front and a 3" exhaust) but nothing is for sure! Any other info on any item would be appreciated! This is my first big block
and I figure it will take till this winter till i can put it all back together, so I can pull the small block( just rebuilt with the frame off, less than 100 miles,at this point) and drop it in my 69 roadster, after some go fast parts in the BB.... Maybe NEXT winter!!! I'm looking for about 500 H.P. if poss...I don't know what I will have to do to get there 'cause I don't know where it is now.
Thanks Mark
I believe this motor was built primarily for the strip( dual quads and centerline wheels, wide in back,small in front and a 3" exhaust) but nothing is for sure! Any other info on any item would be appreciated! This is my first big block
and I figure it will take till this winter till i can put it all back together, so I can pull the small block( just rebuilt with the frame off, less than 100 miles,at this point) and drop it in my 69 roadster, after some go fast parts in the BB.... Maybe NEXT winter!!! I'm looking for about 500 H.P. if poss...I don't know what I will have to do to get there 'cause I don't know where it is now. Thanks Mark
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,682
Likes: 3
From: League City TX
Thank you...Can I assume I can look for the same thing on the rods? And is there any way to I.D. the pistons?
I believe this motor was built primarily for the strip( dual quads and centerline wheels, wide in back,small in front and a 3" exhaust) but nothing is for sure! Any other info on any item would be appreciated! This is my first big block and I figure it will take till this winter till i can put it all back together, so I can pull the small block( just rebuilt with the frame off, less than 100 miles,at this point) and drop it in my 69 roadster, after some go fast parts in the BB.... Maybe NEXT winter!!! I'm looking for about 500 H.P. if poss...I don't know what I will have to do to get there 'cause I don't know where it is now.
Thanks Mark
I believe this motor was built primarily for the strip( dual quads and centerline wheels, wide in back,small in front and a 3" exhaust) but nothing is for sure! Any other info on any item would be appreciated! This is my first big block
and I figure it will take till this winter till i can put it all back together, so I can pull the small block( just rebuilt with the frame off, less than 100 miles,at this point) and drop it in my 69 roadster, after some go fast parts in the BB.... Maybe NEXT winter!!! I'm looking for about 500 H.P. if poss...I don't know what I will have to do to get there 'cause I don't know where it is now. Thanks Mark
I wouldnt be afraid of a cast crank at the 500 hp level.
On the pistons, see if there is a part number on the top of them.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 7,739
Likes: 630
From: Unreconstructed, South Carolina
More often than not ... CAST pistons have numbers/letters etc on INSIDE/underhead ... they'll be raised ... sometimes a small "checkerboard" pattern also raised. Not to say it ain't so, but I've never seen a forged piece w/ that on inside.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,142
Likes: 54
From: Taylor Michigan
Oval port heads would be a cryteria for determining forged or cast. Hydraulic lifters is another measuring stick as well as 2 bolt mains. All leaning to cast pistons of the blower HP engines. In the dash, check the red line of the tach. 5500 and not 6500 would be another lower performance and durability parts......
Last edited by Ironcross; Apr 29, 2008 at 10:04 PM.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 741
Likes: 1
From: Woodstock GA
Oval port heads would be a cryteria for determining forged or cast. Hydraulic lifters is another measuring stick as well as 2 bolt mains. All leaning to cast pistons of the blower HP engines. In the dash, check the red line of the tach. 5500 and not 6500 would be another lower performance and durability parts......
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Drifting
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,259
Likes: 2
From: MS
Think the 70-72 454's all had forged cranks, 73-later I heard were cast.
All 454's should have forged rods.
The pistons will be cast aluminum unless it's an LS6 which were forged.
The 70-72 454 block could be 2 or 4-bolt unless LS6 which is definitely 4-bolt.
I once helped take apart an original LS5 and it had a 4-bolt block and forged crank.
All 454's should have forged rods.
The pistons will be cast aluminum unless it's an LS6 which were forged.
The 70-72 454 block could be 2 or 4-bolt unless LS6 which is definitely 4-bolt.
I once helped take apart an original LS5 and it had a 4-bolt block and forged crank.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,028
Likes: 2
From: North NJ
check the bore too. See if that puppy has been bored at all.
The crank should have a part # on it that you can look up as well as the pistons.
I hope you fair better than me.
I tore my 454 down to find 2 bolt mains, a 396 crank, bored .30 over with mismatched aluminum pistons (which i was never able to identify with the part #'s) all for a grand total of 454 cubes.
Regardless, you should hit that 500hp mark by mistake. You can set your bar much higher as long as the rest of the car can handle the power. I'd build it for more power and tone it down until you and the drivetrain are ready for more hp.
The crank should have a part # on it that you can look up as well as the pistons.
I hope you fair better than me.
I tore my 454 down to find 2 bolt mains, a 396 crank, bored .30 over with mismatched aluminum pistons (which i was never able to identify with the part #'s) all for a grand total of 454 cubes.
Regardless, you should hit that 500hp mark by mistake. You can set your bar much higher as long as the rest of the car can handle the power. I'd build it for more power and tone it down until you and the drivetrain are ready for more hp.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,570
Likes: 1
From: Algonac Michigan
check the bore too. See if that puppy has been bored at all.
The crank should have a part # on it that you can look up as well as the pistons.
I hope you fair better than me.
I tore my 454 down to find 2 bolt mains, a 396 crank, bored .30 over with mismatched aluminum pistons (which i was never able to identify with the part #'s) all for a grand total of 454 cubes.
Regardless, you should hit that 500hp mark by mistake. You can set your bar much higher as long as the rest of the car can handle the power. I'd build it for more power and tone it down until you and the drivetrain are ready for more hp.
The crank should have a part # on it that you can look up as well as the pistons.
I hope you fair better than me.
I tore my 454 down to find 2 bolt mains, a 396 crank, bored .30 over with mismatched aluminum pistons (which i was never able to identify with the part #'s) all for a grand total of 454 cubes.
Regardless, you should hit that 500hp mark by mistake. You can set your bar much higher as long as the rest of the car can handle the power. I'd build it for more power and tone it down until you and the drivetrain are ready for more hp.
I think I felt something move in the nether regions when you said 500 HP by mistake....ya really think? I have never experienced a Chevy BB. I have had some exp with about 600 mopar horses though!
