3 sets of heads , 1 engine combo ....406 sbc

[bigjoe1]

I did it plenty of times myself, but there is no sense getting every one worked up about it. YOU MUST USE A DART BLOCK---bull shit


JOE SHERMAN RACING

[vortecpro]

I did it plenty of times myself, but there is no sense getting every one worked up about it. YOU MUST USE A DART BLOCK---bull shit


JOE SHERMAN RACING

Joe, I gotta ask, back in the day did you go on core hunts?

[bigjoe1]

I never did go on any core hunts, but guys would call me all the time trying to sell me 400 blocks. They still do, but I don't keep more than a few on hand any more


JOE SHERMAN RACING

[steve316]

I don't believe you have to run a dart block. I do believe you will have about the same money in the 400 block after machine work; and still will have thin decks & cylinders. Just going on my past experience with 400 blocks. good luck with what ever you decide. Steve

[user-9274568]

The 406 that went to the EMC this year was a stock 400 block. Good caps, etc. It has only been to the competition, for about 4 years in a row. Only made dyno power and never in a car.

It went cracked this year.

[RevTheory]

The 406 that went to the EMC this year was a stock 400 block. Good caps, etc. It has only been to the competition, for about 4 years in a row. Only made dyno power and never in a car.

It went cracked this year.

Four years at EMC? That's a whole lot of floggin'!

[289nate]

It seems to me stock blocks can take more abuse when used with motor plates instead of the motor mounts.

[rfoll]

Chad, Where did the block crack?

[Orr89rocz]

My friends oem 400 cracked in the lifter valley. When took oil pan off, front main cap fell out as well.
High 9's 138 mph 6 spd 3400 lb street nitrous car. Motor went 10.8's na. Ran hard for several years before the block cracked. Didnt really know how bad til tear down

[rfoll]

I have heard of cracking in the lifter valley, Have seen the cracks at the steam holes, some talk about splitting thin cylinders. What other locations?

[BrazilianZ28Camaro]

As many of you know I have stock 400 #509 block 030 over in my car (600HP N/A level) and I sonic tested it and it have very good cylinder wall thickness even at the sides of the head bolts...something like .188" averaged. Even the wear on the trust side of the piston was minor with the ultra short stock rods.

My block is a truck block and I humbly believe this is the deal: thin canstings X thick castings....when you see guys pushing 400 blocks to the absolute limit and they stay togheter, you bet its a truck block.

If you search here you'll find 750HP nitrous or 1000HP supercharged ones.

I also believe the major bad rep those blocks have came form the days of abuse the external balanced circle track 406 and high revving 377s suffered, if we agree that circle track races is much more severe to the engine block than drag racing is.

Ofcourse test the block strenght with your expensive parts is not right, and for the guy who can put the hands on a new dart block absolutelly do it.

Worth every penny for safety and your engine builder will be much happier with you.

[408 Nova]

Most of the problems I've seen with stock blocks has to do with detonation. Broken caps and cylinders, and beat up bearings and rings. You can't hear the motor beating itself up with open headers at the dragstrip. It comes from people running pump gas. Now, of course, you can just flat out overpower a stock block. But if you start out with a good core, 2 or 4 bolt, with quality machine work, they will last quite a while below 650 HP or so in my experience.

Jason Snyder, the reason I said your cam was junk for a 406 is because of its LSA. In my opinion, the durations look ok, but the LSA is way to wide for good power, even for use with nitrous. For me, running a "motor" cam and augmenting with nitrous is more fun than having a kind of mediocre 406 under the hood all the time, but that's just me.

[jason snyder]

Most of the problems I've seen with stock blocks has to do with detonation. Broken caps and cylinders, and beat up bearings and rings. You can't hear the motor beating itself up with open headers at the dragstrip. It comes from people running pump gas. Now, of course, you can just flat out overpower a stock block. But if you start out with a good core, 2 or 4 bolt, with quality machine work, they will last quite a while below 650 HP or so in my experience.

Jason Snyder, the reason I said your cam was junk for a 406 is because of its LSA. In my opinion, the durations look ok, but the LSA is way to wide for good power, even for use with nitrous. For me, running a "motor" cam and augmenting with nitrous is more fun than having a kind of mediocre 406 under the hood all the time, but that's just me.

honestly , i would have used a 108 lsa .....but, it is a shelf grind and it is what it is .

[F-BIRD'88]

The only time i ever had a problem with a 400 block was the one that froze cracked. (no antifreeze. Canadian winter ) ouch.

I agree most block failure is from detonation.

[jason snyder]

how the hell did this thread turn into a bashing on stock 400 blocks !!! ...........i guess the same way every 400 thread does ! i have split a couple 400 blocks , but that wont stop me from using them .... i am not trying to set any land speed records ! its a cruiser that will turn 6000 rpm .. funny part is most people likely have not had a oem block problem , but will be the first to say --buy a dart block --