Shirley1978

where can i get a 400 ci block?? ive been looking around and havent really been able to locate anything besides little m dart blocks. i want to build a 406.

my engine is going to have afr 195 heads, a healthy lumpy cam, and flat top pistons, cr of about 10:1 or maybe 10.5...

i dont think i need a new one, although ultimately i would go with one if i cant find a good used one..

what do you guys think??

i was originally gonna build a 383, but decided to get another block to build the engine with out leaving my car engine-less for a month or so..


thanx Jonny

James B

maybe try craigslist?

Shirley1978

did, nothing but complete engines, tried ebay, same.... google... nothin that i was looking fore..
i just dont want to spend 2k on just a block, this thing is only going to be pushing no more than 600 hp... i dont think i need an aftermarket block for that, ill try gm perf parts, but like i said, i dont really think i need a new engine..

I'm Batman

Junkyard?

SteveG75

BY the time you buy an old block, clean it, bore, hone, line bore, convert that 2 bolt to studs or 4 bolt mains, you will have so much into machine work that you will be within a few dollars of that Little M block. IMHO, buy the new block and have a quality piece and piece of mind.

L88Plus

Block: $200
Clean, remove plugs and bearings: $75
Install studs/align hone: $200
No need for splayed mains, etc. at this power level.
That's less than $500, a Dart costs around $2K.
BOTH will need to be bored, honed and decked, so they'll need the same machine work.
Sorry, but it costs a LOT more to move up to a Dart than to prep an OEM block.
That said, the Dart has potential to make much more power safely than an OEM.

gkull

I put allot of money into a blue printed and splayed cap stock block once.

After buying a Motown I would never buy another stock block

BLOCKMAN

Dart has a new block that is cheaper then their Sportsman block and I see Jegs is selling them now http://www.jegs.com/p/Dart/1029740/10002/-1/10719 this maybe an option.

We have two 400 blocks that did not soinc test good if your interested but at .030 over there are one or more cylinders around .125 on the thrust sides. If interested let me know.

I would stay away from the World blocks as we have seen to many problems with them and their customer service is not good as they don't take their new blocks back that have problems. The Dart blocks are finished with a line hone both cam tunnel and main line.

We had a problem with a lifter bore on a Dart block last year and they were good about it they said either return the block or they would pay for .875 lifters of the customers choice and we machined it and the customer got a free set of severe duty Crower roller lifters.

682XLR8

Don't give up on craigslist. New stuff coming online all the time, and don't forget to check the Sac/Stockton/Modesto areas also

Edzred72

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/400-S...m130220965806&

Just one of many I just saw on Fleabay. Type in "400" for the "chevy engines & components" catagory. OR "400" in the "complete engines" section. The 509 casting is the most desireable.
Good luck in your search.
Eddie

MotorHead

Very smart move on the part of Dart. They are going to sell a million of those $1500 blocks. They are available in 4 in or 4.125" bore. You can spend up to $500 for a good OEM 400ci and then another $1000 at the machine shop easily.

Me80C3

400 blocks and heads have a tendancy to crack around the steam ports between cyl. Been there. You can build a 350 and achieve a real power house.
Personally, you couldn't give me a 400. They have great cranks though. Drop a 400 crank in a 350 and you've just stroked 'er.

L88Plus

gkull, if I put an engine through what you do, I wouldn't consider a stock block either For most of us with hot street stuff (<500hp), a stock block should work fine.

pws69

You might try calling local machine shops. You would be surprised at how many of them have blocks dropped off for work that never get picked up. Eventually, they might sell them for just the machining and parts they have in them.

Shirley1978

the dart engine is catching my glance, but only a glance... ROUGHLY, how much would it be to bore and 0 deck a block at a machine shop? as in having the block ready to start assembleing the engine??

thanks randy, ill keep looking on craigslist,

the ebay block looks good also, what do you guys think??

73, Dark Blue 454

Another problem is, you have to find a standard bore block. 400's can only be bored .030 once then it's time for sleeves. I'm ok with sleeves but it's expensive.

L88Plus

400's are notorious for cracking between the head bolt holes and bores which is a death sentence. Cracks between head bolts and water passages are pretty common and not really anything to worry about.
I WOULDN'T PAY FOR A 400 BLOCK WITHOUT HAVING A COMPETENT MACHINE SHOP CHECK IT FIRST - PERIOD. BTW, one of the tricks on a 400 is to bevel the sharp edges around all the coolant passages to help prevent cracks. Also, Lingenfelter and many others recommend not drilling the typical steam holes but adding a coolant hole in the deck between the middle and back pairs of cylinders like is between the front pair. I'll see if I can find a pic of this and post it.

I have a 2-bolt 509 block on a stand in my shop that honed at a perfect .020 over, decked to zero +.005 and align honed. It was extensively inspected and magnafluxed and given a perfect bill of health. I'm doing a rough assembly this weekend to check clearances and make adjustments as needed. This is one of the harder to find pieces that doesn't even have the boss for the center core plug, looks just like a 350 block unless you know to look for the scallops on the outside of the block around the cylinders for coolant circulation. I want to build it to look just like a stock 350 Vortec engine except mine will sport the new Bowtie Vortecs with 225cc runners. I don't plan to dress it up a lot, just shooting for a very clean install.
Good luck, I hope you can find one locally with a seller that will let you have it checked out before closing the deal.

BLOCKMAN

Sleeving 400 blocks runs into problems with cracks from the sleeve to the head bolt holes as that has always been a big problem with sleeving them as they have thin decks. And where the step is left in the bottom of the cylinder makes the already weak webbing even more weaker.

L88Plus

^ at least a couple of local shops won't even sleeve a 400. Too hard to get 'em to set with the thinner surrounding cylinder walls. I think .040 is probably safe in most cases but save the .060's for circle jerkers, they don't plan to get more than a race or two out of 'em anyway.

vintage-racer

I have a complete and original standard bore 400 ci small block motor(long block) sitting on a stand that I would be willing to part with. $450 obo. It was pulled in its' entirity from a 1970's chevy truck. I obtained it with plans to build a 406 ,but wound up going the big block route. PM me if interested. I'm about an hour north of Indianapolis IN.