maybe a test drive..if its a torque monster...it might be a 383...good luck
383 Stroker Question
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 558
Likes: 22
From: Vancouver, B.C., Canada
383 Stroker Question
A friend and I are travelling to look at a 65 Convert which is claimed to have a 350 stroked to 383. Without documentation is there anyway to tell if the motor is really stroked or not without pulling the pan??
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,673
Likes: 199
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
Even if you pull the pan what are you going to look for some blocks don't need a whole lot of clearancing and most do not need the pan rails done so how would you tell.
Any reason to believe it is not a 383ci ? Doesn't cost that much more to build a 383ci over a 350ci
Any reason to believe it is not a 383ci ? Doesn't cost that much more to build a 383ci over a 350ci
Racer
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 399
Likes: 0
From: Chambersburg PA
yes...Find a long straight streach of road.
1. Bring car to a complete stop.
2. Put in gear and quickly depress the foot pedal on the far right.
3. If the car has a 383 you will notice an unusual sound and will beging to smell something burning.
4. keep pedal pressed to the floor throughout first gear. You should hear a barking noise as the car shifts into Second.
This should help you diferentiate the 350 from the 383.
1. Bring car to a complete stop.
2. Put in gear and quickly depress the foot pedal on the far right.
3. If the car has a 383 you will notice an unusual sound and will beging to smell something burning.
4. keep pedal pressed to the floor throughout first gear. You should hear a barking noise as the car shifts into Second.
This should help you diferentiate the 350 from the 383.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
Originally Posted by 75rag4sp
yes...Find a long straight streach of road.
1. Bring car to a complete stop.
2. Put in gear and quickly depress the foot pedal on the far right.
3. If the car has a 383 you will notice an unusual sound and will beging to smell something burning.
4. keep pedal pressed to the floor throughout first gear. You should hear a barking noise as the car shifts into Second.
This should help you diferentiate the 350 from the 383.
1. Bring car to a complete stop.
2. Put in gear and quickly depress the foot pedal on the far right.
3. If the car has a 383 you will notice an unusual sound and will beging to smell something burning.
4. keep pedal pressed to the floor throughout first gear. You should hear a barking noise as the car shifts into Second.
This should help you diferentiate the 350 from the 383.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,459
Likes: 1,485
From: Little Rock AR
Put your fingers around the back of the harmonic damper inertia ring. If it is cut away in one place to reduce mass, it is likely an externaly balanced 383 (or 400) engine. Not conclusive because it is possible to build internaly balanced 383's but it is probably more common (cheaper) to see them externaly balanced. A smaller 350 on down engine will have the back of the damper without the cut on it.
-Mark.
-Mark.
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Pro
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 687
Likes: 0
From: Atascadero Ca
unforunately it looks like your answer is no. Mine is a 383 and the machine work done to the block is minimal that unless you pulled the pan and busted out your flash light you wouldn't be able to tell. If its a nice car and runs strong, it doesn't really matter what displacement the motor has.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,115
Likes: 412
From: Washington State
Originally Posted by 75rag4sp
yes...Find a long straight streach of road.
1. Bring car to a complete stop.
2. Put in gear and quickly depress the foot pedal on the far right.
3. If the car has a 383 you will notice an unusual sound and will beging to smell something burning.
4. keep pedal pressed to the floor throughout first gear. You should hear a barking noise as the car shifts into Second.
This should help you diferentiate the 350 from the 383.
1. Bring car to a complete stop.
2. Put in gear and quickly depress the foot pedal on the far right.
3. If the car has a 383 you will notice an unusual sound and will beging to smell something burning.
4. keep pedal pressed to the floor throughout first gear. You should hear a barking noise as the car shifts into Second.
This should help you diferentiate the 350 from the 383.
I currently own a 69 vert with a stroker and th400 automatic.
a 79 stock 350 plus performer manifold and holly 650 & a th350 automatic.
an 88 straight stock 350 and automatic.
The 69 is much faster off the line!
The test listed above is an excellent test!
I might add to look for little black ***** growing to the fender well behind the rear tires! I notice they grow on my 69 stroker but not on the 79 or 88!
Scott
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 558
Likes: 22
From: Vancouver, B.C., Canada
It's at a car dealership outside of Seattle. Dealers love to "embelish" the specs to make you drool. The're claiming this motor is "rumored to be a 383 stroker" (no documentation). This is my friends nickel so he will make the final decision on purchasing or not.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,673
Likes: 199
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
Oh yeah wait a minute I forgot about the harmonic balancer, if it is an externally balanced 383ci which alot are, you can look at the balancer or feel as stated above and it will not be symetrical all the way around a section will be cut away for the balance. If it is internally balanced then not much of a chance fiinding out
BTW I personally would not go near any car that had "rumored to be a 383 stroker" (no documentation) int he ad.
BTW I personally would not go near any car that had "rumored to be a 383 stroker" (no documentation) int he ad.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,672
Likes: 1
From: New Cumberland PA
One way is to check the displacement of one of the cylinders. Not the easist thing to do. They do it at the race tracks to ensure someone is legal. Basically what they do is remove the in/ex rockers and have the piston at BDC, hook a hose from the spark plug hole to a container, rotate the engine till the piston is at TDC, and measure the new voulme in the container. The added volume is the displacement of cylinder. Multiple by 8 and you got the cubic inch of the engine.
The problem with this is finding the equipment and the owner allowing someone to remove rockers.
The problem with this is finding the equipment and the owner allowing someone to remove rockers.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,944
Likes: 20
From: The only Corvettes in Highett Victoria
simple "capacity" check
G'day,
Most 383's are a 350 block (4.000" bore x 3.48" stroke) fitted with a Chev 400 c.i. crankshaft which has a stroke of 3.75". To check this engine, pull all of the spark plugs out (to make turning the engine over easier) then get the easiest (to reach) cylinder at TDC. Then put a long thin screwdriver or similar into the plug hole and when it hits the piston, make a mark with a Texta or similar on the shaft. Turn the crankshaft (NOT with the starter motor!!!) until the screwdriver stops descending and is about to come up, then make another mark on the shaft of the screwdriver at the same reference point. Withdraw the screwdriver and measure the difference between the two marks. They will be either about 3 1/2" (350) or about 3 3/4" (383) apart and you will have your answer.
This is not a perfect way of measuring stroke, but will suffice for this exercise. Good luck!
Regards from Down Under
aussiejohn
Most 383's are a 350 block (4.000" bore x 3.48" stroke) fitted with a Chev 400 c.i. crankshaft which has a stroke of 3.75". To check this engine, pull all of the spark plugs out (to make turning the engine over easier) then get the easiest (to reach) cylinder at TDC. Then put a long thin screwdriver or similar into the plug hole and when it hits the piston, make a mark with a Texta or similar on the shaft. Turn the crankshaft (NOT with the starter motor!!!) until the screwdriver stops descending and is about to come up, then make another mark on the shaft of the screwdriver at the same reference point. Withdraw the screwdriver and measure the difference between the two marks. They will be either about 3 1/2" (350) or about 3 3/4" (383) apart and you will have your answer.
This is not a perfect way of measuring stroke, but will suffice for this exercise. Good luck!
Regards from Down Under
aussiejohn