It appears the semi built 400 long block I bought for $600 a couple years ago is nothing but a stock motor. It was supposed to have KB Flat Top Pistons which by the picture appears to be a stock pistons. I finally found someone one with an inspection camera to get a picture.

It was also supposed to have a 230/230 with 480 lift cam and with those numbers you would expect a loopy idle which it does not have so I assume it is stock as well.
This being the case I want to put a cam in this winter but not sure which one?
Items I already have are a ZZ4 cam ,
LT4 springs, keepers and spacers,
Long tubes (I’m told are Lingenfelter) not on car yet,
Corvette Central true dual exhaust (no cats) on the car,
Just picked up a pair of “LIKE NEW” Flowmaster 50 series (I believe) mufflers with 100 miles on them for $50 (boy did I get a deal on them). The guy’s new wife said they were too loud for the new neighbor hood and he listened to her and put Walkers on? LOL
Also the Dana 36 W/252 gears is being replaced with a Dana 44 W/343 gears I picked up from a forum member.
The motor has 997 stock iron heads, I also have the aluminum 113’s that came off the L98.
All emissions have been removed.
A/C is going back on (To hot here in the summer)
The engine runs great with no oil burning or leaks but I’m looking for more out of it mainly for street use.
Not looking to spend many $$$ or going into the bottom end, any help appreciated!

Forgot motor also has HSR on it.

 

The stock 400s were smog motors with low compression, hence the dished pistons. It would be good to figure out what compression you have to help you select a cam. I have a Crane 230 240 with .625 lift in my 406 with a SuperRam and 12.4 compression and it works for me.

 

The ZZ4 cam wont work in your 400 block. I needs a retainer behind the timing gear. Not sure if it can be adapted. Also retrofit hydraulic roller lifters would be needed.

 

Thanks, How do I go about figuring what compression it is?

 

Thanks, anyone need a ZZ4 cam?

 

The late model small nose cam will work in an early block but you'll need to use a cam button instead of the retainer plate for thrust control.

That said it's not an ideal set up and the ZZ4 cam is a not much of a cam, espc in a 400 inch engine...

To figure your compression you're gonna need to measure the dish in your pistons... The stock 400SBC's had 3 different piston dish sizes from 12cc to 22cc's.... You won't know which unless you pull the heads and CC the piston.

Your 113 alum heads are also not ideal for a 400SBC. The combustion chambers are small which might work, compression wise with your dished pistons but the Intake runners are also small which will limit RPM capability. They will also need to have the deck surface drilled for the 400 steam holes.

What you have can be made to work but it's going to be a very mild combination. A regular ZZ4 makes 355HP@5200RPM.... You have the same heads and cam out of one but on a 400 inch engine it's going to make about 365HP at probally right at 5000RPM with a HSR intake.... With alot of porting on the 113 heads you could hit 375-400HP... but the latter would require a cam change IMO.

What you can build, all depends on what you have to spend and how attached you are to your current parts. A 400SBc can build a prety good street engine.
Will

 

the 113 heads are NOT that big of an improvement over the old stock fuelie heads, without lots of porting on the exhaust side. Vortec (062 part number) are a much better head with AFR 195s being even better than the vortecs. any hot cam put into a 350 will be milder when placed in a 400 or even a 383 stroker, actually resulting in one step down in cam size.

 

A lot of good advice here. To figure out your compression, you will need to pull your heads and cc the dish of your pistons and measure your quench. Then figure out the combustion chamber of the heads needed to get you 10-10.5 compression.

 

cant remember,,arnt the 113 alum. heads 58cc chambers?

 

Yes.

 

Ill take the cam if its free Why does everyone always hate in 113s. Call me crazy but I'm having LPE do mine over one day. If you end up wanting to sell the 113 heads let me know.

 

Thanks for all the impute, I think if I’m going to go through the work of pulling a head I might as well remove both and replace them. Any suggestions on a head knowing I’ll be putting in a cam?

If I end up with new heads which I’m leaning that direction both the 997’s and the 113’s will be for sale.

 

What tool am I going to need to cc the pistons?

 

You need a burette to measure the dish.

Go on ebay and search for "100ml burette".

On the heads I'd suggest you buy the Dart SHP 200cc intake runner... Really good head for less than $1000 a pair....

You'll probably need a 64cc chamber with those dished 400 pistons but you need to measure the piston dish and do some calculating to find out what your compression will be before you decide.
Will

 

Dont think everyone hates its rarely worth the money to put into them anymore for the same or le$$ you can get a better piece. To get those 113s to move any air you need big valves, better seats lots of porting etcetcetc. It will usually add up and at the end of the day you still got a used head thats all. not bad just better out there for the $ these days. They sub it all out anyways.

 

If your goal is under 400HP and you want to save some money I would stick with them, they are not bad heads.Also think about how much you are going to spend VS going with a different "new" head. I was faced with the same question and got a set of Vortec Fastburn heads.

 

I actually bought new heads already. I found a new in the box set of Trick Flow Twisted Wedge 180cc runner 64cc chambers. They cam with the correct Crane Gold 1.5 roller rockers. I read a lot of good things about the heads and also bad being if you don’t use the right rockers they go through guides. Probably going to need different size rods then just need to get the geometry right.

 

It sounds like you are kind of piecing this motor together. You're not really sure what you have inside the block and you're picking a cam and heads. I know it'll cost more, but maybe have someone go throught the block and build it the way you want or how it should be built. Are you sure you have a 400 and not a 350. If the guy lied to you about the motor being built, he might be lying about the size of the motor.

 

It is a stock bottom 400 with 509 casting 2 bolt main. I have been conferring with several builders and head & cam makers tech support that say the heads will work just fine with the stock dished pistons and for what I paid it was a steal. We have a cam in mind but not purchasing until I get the compression ratio worked out. With the comp 12-268-4 cam in mind I’ll need to go with a 2400-2800 stall. Thought about going with flat tops sense the engine will be out but was told it would raise the compression too much so stick with the dished pistons.

 

All you need is a cam button, have one in mine and it works well.