Chevy 400 Build

[big dawg lew daddy-o]

Will these heads fit my 400 block I see the coolant ports on the head are a different shape than the 400 block

no i didnt see the stem holes alot of people get them mixed up with the 350 heads they look alike but 400s has stem hole and the must match up with the block if not your going to over heat right off and you know where that goes after that
i have a 406 in my 1984 el co and she is a monster about to go up in the gear size though cant really keep her in a straight like and my rear end seems a little light .. i already broke all 4 spider gears once and i had to rear build it from junk yard parts lol

 

[big dawg lew daddy-o]

update: ended up returning the pistons. they would not fit my rods...because they rods are the floating type. The pistons were 200.00 i think there called the Seal power H616CP. the other pitons i think were stock rod .040 press piston somebody. Hope fully ill have the assembly back and start building the bottom end. then its the 68cc 350 vortec next. Wonder how can i max these vortecs out???

As for as choosing a cam whats the maixmum lift cam I can choose if im running stock?

I choose a big lifting cam I hear about beehive springs?

This engine is my first builid all right I know thatim running a stock Eage 400 Crank_supports 450-500hp, 5.7 Ibeams, Chevy 400 0.040, Set of Seal Powered .040 piston thats are for 5.7 rods, .040 Moly Rings. As for the heads i researched them at they came out to be 350 68cc vortec heads. As for as I know im going with a 2.02 intake valve. How much will this comobo get me? I plan on trying to getting a Air- Gap to use with the vortec. This setup will be going to my 81 monte carlo...I think also know ill be running an electric fuel pump and need a good place to mount it.


Help me out guyzz

make sure your head have the steam holes drilled in them i can not express that enough and make sure you have 400 head gasket and not 350 400s have stem holes helps them cool please please please don't
over look the little hole drilled in the block and as far as the lift i would call summitracing they have a hotline you can call and ask the anything and they will answer it and over night it right to your front door if need be i rebuilt my 406 in 49 hr because i had some bad rings but you cant go wrong with those guys they really come in handy also the fuel pump i have mine mounted right behind my gas tank on the passenger side on my el co and it works great for me its not to far away from the tank and it you can run the wire and hose along the chassis and nobody will ever now its there good luck man

 

[LilSpann601]

Heres a pic of the main bearings and crank installed . The inner 3 caps were torqued down to 70 ft pds , front main cap torqued to 65 ft pds, and the rear main cap torqued to 40 ft lbs. Next up is getting the piston rings installed then in goes the pistons.

Pic of the Speed Pro .040 Pistons with 5.7 Rods. The pistons and rods were the float type so I installed the rods to the pistons myself with some needle nose pliers to compress the retainers

The vortec heads were dropped off at the machine shop to get built and steam holes drilled. I hope the price doesn't get too expensive.

 

[LilSpann601]

ARP BOLTS INSTALLED. Except for the bolts on the rear main cap because they are a inch or two longer than the standard bolts because of the oil pump adapter on the rear main cap. I have all the arp bolts torqued to 70 ft lbs and used the arp lube with them.

Do yall think my crank is going to break the two rear main cap bolts....

 

[565bbchevy]

If you want ARP bolts for the rear main you could contact ARP and give them the dimensions of your current bolts and they can usually match them up with something they have. I did that in mine for my windage tray studs in my big block and I believe they are for a 460 Ford.

 

[LilSpann601]

I may go ahead and use the two bolts I have. I added arp washers to them and torque them down to 70ft lbs too. The crank spins pretty smooth.

 

[dream on mcss]

Heres a pic of the main bearings and crank installed . The inner 3 caps were torqued down to 70 ft pds , front main cap torqued to 65 ft pds, and the rear main cap torqued to 40 ft lbs. Next up is getting the piston rings installed then in goes the pistons.

Pic of the Speed Pro .040 Pistons with 5.7 Rods. The pistons and rods were the float type so I installed the rods to the pistons myself with some needle nose pliers to compress the retainers

The vortec heads were dropped off at the machine shop to get built and steam holes drilled. I hope the price doesn't get too expensive.

Wow! Ive been following this thread from the beginning and i must say you've made some great progress! Seems like everything is coming together nicely. I think the arp bolts with washers should hold fine, i mean after all your building a street engine not an all out race motor so you should have no problems.

 

[LilSpann601]

Well I got the rings on the pistons I just have one quick question...is there a certain way the oil ring gap should face before I hit them into the block?

 

[crotchss]

The rings usually come with a manufacturers card that says where they recommend putting them. I offset them from each other and also from the top ring. It's hard to explain without going into a big paragraph. LOL

 

[cutlassboy88]

😀