I am planning on building a stroked 400cid for my 86. I am still in the planning process, but I am trying to figure out best brands of parts to use and such. First of all, I need a 400 block. I was looking on Summit and Jegs, and they want like $2200 for just a block. I know some of you probably just have a stock chevy 400cid worked, so I was thinking of doing the same. Where can I find one that I can have machined and all by a machine shop? My plans are to use AFR heads. I don't know which ones to get though. I plan on stroking to possibly 430cid, and I might want to supercharge later, like 5 years or more from now. I need to decide which AFR heads I should get. Also, is an engine with a knock sensor better than one without one, and can a 400 block be adapted to use a knock sensor? Can the 86 stock ECM be used to run a 400cid? I am thinking a SCAT forged crank might be my best bet, but I need opinions of the rotating assembly. What brands are better and most reliable? I want forged internals. This setup must be able to pass emissions, unless I can find a way to get out of emissions. I will be using my current exhaust setup, which is in my sig. Either way, it will be street driven alot, so it must be streetable. I can rebuild stock motors to spec, but as far as custom and modified, I am a newbie, so I need help on part selection and compatibility. I am aiming for low 11s on the setup, but 10 seconds would be awsome too. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks!

 

If you do a search on my user name it should turn up a good many posts about how our 406 ran, and the combinations that made them up. Also I have a website in my signiture that should walk you through the many stages of my car, including the 406.

These setups ran VERY low 11s and High 10s.

If you need any assistance I would be more than happy to help you out. Just shoot me an IM.

And welcome to the forum

 

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I agree 100% with the comments about using the stock 400 block. If you want to go bigger than 406, you'll be safer with an after market block. And with the power you are looking to make, I would definitely splay the bottom end, which more or less requires you starting with a 2 bolt block.

Scat does make decent parts, but I also ran Eagle in my last 406 and was very pleased. As a general statement, Eagle isn't the lightest rotating assembly you can buy or even the strongest, but it is great stuff and will last in a street/strip motor for a long time.

A great friend and forum member has a 406 one of his cars with a GM block. He's got Callies crank, Oliver Rods, and JE pistons, and a splayed bottom end. Not the cheapest route, but he has hit it with some serious N20 and its been together for several years.

 

How much did it cost you to build your 434, and will my Hooker 2149 hedders work on a 434? I am trying to see which way I want to go. How much would it cost to set up a 406 block? Was your old 406 block a stock chevy block, and how much did it cost to prep? Thanks!

 

How much are you looking to get for one of those blocks?

 

Am waiting on cash to follow a similar route....

Don't forget about the balancer. The cross member needs to be clearanced for the larger diameter. A BFH will work for this, or a smaller balancer for external balance, of which I haven't found yet, but I am sure they're out there. Of course if you go internal balance (which I would try to do) you won't have that problem.

Where did you 400 guys put the sending unit that's above the oil filter? Did you just tee it off behind the distributor? My 406 is in a crate in the garage and it definitely doesn't have the hole there, but it looks like the boss is there. I wonder if it's safe to drill and tap it...

 

You may want to check some of the "kit" engines. Sometimes they are cheaper in the long run when considering they might include balancing, block prep, hot tank, cam brgs., bore/hone,oil pump,pan, gaskets,paint,etc. One I recall is Scott Shafiroff in NY(has web site). I think you'd want a stout base engine if contemplating the blower, etc. later. Think about a carb vs the fuel inj. Chip burning, intake & runners, plenum, appropriate cam, vs the old school carb $ ???? I don't know about hood clearance though. Good Luck

 

500 pickup only

 

We just did another 434 for a forum member and your looking at about 12-14k installed. But this is using the BEST of everything and you will have a motor that *could* run 8s with a good shot of nitrous (300shot) in the right chassis.

The price seems high, but when you add up EVERYTHING you will need, plus the cost of the installation, its actually pretty cheap.

This is going aftermarket Dart little M block,balanced and blueprinted to withing 1/2 gram, well basically everything in my signiture.

Here are some photos of the motor we just put together and that I actually JUST got done installing and its about to light with a the installation of the header gaskets and a few other small things.









Right now we have two of these running and they both run bottom 10s in full weight C4 cars.

 

VERY NICE. How much did that motor there cost to build?

 

First sentence of the previous post.