Builders: Square engine, Over Square, or Under Square for you?

  • I actually like a real engine in this setting. The BB 400 mopar. 4.34 x 3.38
  • Chevy guys would say "gimme the 4.12 x 3.75 small block 400


In that case (here comes the hate) I would take the Chevy.

The deck on the 400 is so tall and the stroke so short that the R/S ratio is on the high side anyway and the piston would be horribly top heavy.

You start getting to 8k plus with a piston like that and your ring seal (under load) will be compromised too much.

Even if you coated the skirts and you were running with a clearance of .0015 (or less) it still would be far too compromised to be competitive.

If you could get a 400 block with say a 9.200 deck that thing would smoke some ***.