I am thinking about buying a 68 413 BB that was in a motor home, it has 66,000 miles on it and comes with the tranny. It comes with everything but the distributer and the carb, he wants $350 but he will take $300. If I get it, it will go in my 76 W100. Any thoughts on this motor? I have done some reading and this motor is a torque monster. If I get it, should I put motor in my truck and go? Or is there some things I should do while the motor is out? Main seals? timing chain? Freeze plugs?
413 Big Block
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Do a visual,hear it run. A compression test/leakdown test ,would be optimum.
80fbody
Well-Known Member
If it's been sitting then a good cleaning, new gaskets, paint & the items you mentioned will make your life easier. New thermostat & water pump's a good buy as well. Pull & clean the oil pump as well. Make sure it's nor pitted or scarred. Signs of previous issues.
It is sitting outside covered up, cant hear it run. Is this a good motor? I need something dependable, power, ok mpgs would be nice.
Hold out for a 440..
Why?
roughidle
Super Platinum Member
Parts will be harder to get for a 413 as compared to a 400 or 440. as far as the internals go at least
Look for 440's on Craigslist,local in your area...Good points ,from above posts.
roughidle
Super Platinum Member
There's nothing inherent to the 413 that I would steer you away from buying it. If I was looking for a big block to put in my truck I would go for a 413 that I could hear run...buying a motor out of a junkyard or off someone without hearing it run is ALWAYS a crap shoot. But, with proper maintenance before it goes in and with hopes that the internals are ok I would throw it in a truck. Throw her in 4 low and let her crawl....
OldmanRick
Well-Known Member
If your converting from a SB to the BB, there's the added benefit of getting the trans also. But then again, condition issues apply there also?
Yes, SB 318 to 413 BB. I like having a motor that not many other people have. A 361 is a motor that I would like to have also.
Nothing wrong with a 413, 85% or more of the parts for a 440 will work in a 413. Pistons aren't terribly hard to find and really aren't much more than 440 pistons. It is a RB block, so the cam for any RB block will work, same crank as a 440.
Much cheaper to build. Piston availability is a problem for the 413. Stock cast pistons are over 400 from Egge machine. They have an oddball bore size and cannot be bored far enough to a popular bore size for affordable pistons. It's your choice. Buy it if you want to.
nothingbutdarts
Well-Known Member
You might have to change the output shaft from 1 transm. to the other.
Yes, The tranny has that break on the tail. Is that a problem?
abodyjoe
Well-Known Member
make sure it doesn't have the goofy motor home heads and water pump set up on it. also being a motor home it may have the real short 727 on it..
the other issues with a 413 are already listed. hard to get internal parts and they are expensive compared to off the shelf 400 and 440 stuff.
the other issues with a 413 are already listed. hard to get internal parts and they are expensive compared to off the shelf 400 and 440 stuff.
roccodart440
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Worth every penny. I'd pay that for the rods, block and crank in a box..
Out of curiousity can the 413 be bored .070 over? I know you can take 440's .060 over..
It does have the high water pump, by different heads, do you mean the heads that have the coolant passages in them?
If it does have the different heads, is that a bad thing? I would think the different heads would be stronger.
If it does have the different heads, is that a bad thing? I would think the different heads would be stronger.
About the motorhome 413 engine, it is an industrial engine, designed for dump trucks, busses, motorhomes and the like. Will it work in a pickup? Yes.
However..........stored under a tarp? You may have a total engine rebuild in your future. If you are willing to gamble on that, go for it.
But.......Your truck is a fulltime 4whl drive with the transfer case married to the transmisssion (unless it has been modified) and the transfer case will not bolt directly to the motorhome transmission. You would have to change the transmission output shaft and aquire the proper adapter. You may be able to remove the output shaft from you current transmission and use the existing adapter that attaches the tranny to the trasfer case. Are you ready to dis-assemble both transmissions to make the one you need?
451Cuda
Well-Known Member
That feeling of uniqueness lasts about 5 seconds, then people will say "heh...you should have built a 440".
roccodart440
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Anyone care to answer this?
txstang84
Well-Known Member
case by case, I bet...I've seen that exact topic discussed on here with the search function. As I recall, there was no general consensus, there was no concrete answer other than a few folks who said they knew someone who'd done it, but unless you were the machinist or the guy building the engine, who knows? Only way to know for sure, sonic check the block in hand...but we all know that.
Pretty tempting to think you could make your own 426W, but the pistons for that app might as well be custom too...I can't say I've seen any part numbers that were off the shelf availability like a 440 or even a 383...unless you want to use 383 pistons, but they'd be like 0.180" in the hole.
Pretty tempting to think you could make your own 426W, but the pistons for that app might as well be custom too...I can't say I've seen any part numbers that were off the shelf availability like a 440 or even a 383...unless you want to use 383 pistons, but they'd be like 0.180" in the hole.
rbdart
Well-Known Member
I have heard of boring a 413 to a 426,guy I knew in OK did it with no probs and he also put a 413-426-440 crank in a 383 block for 426 cubes back in the early 80's his dad had a machine shop and the 383/426stroker set up ran like a raped ape in a 67 cuda..dont recall the details as of what piston etc he accomplished it with...
txstang84
Well-Known Member
There are 413 pistons available in oversizes, but they're heavy, use 3/32" (BIG!!) rings, and they're like .080" in the hole. And I have yet to see any off the shelf new mfr stock bore 426W pistons...I'm sure they exist, but probably for reproduction purposes which means they'd be high compression and not so friendly with pump gas.
Making some SERIOUS assumptions here, and a dose of bench racing, one could have a stroker crank, (4.15") stock length rods, and the Speed Pro 383 flat tops would be like .030" proud of the deck assuming a blueprint 10.725" deck measurement. At least those slugs are readily available and not 1100g a piece. Otherwise, this discussion is academic
I'm not saying a 413 would be a bad choice, but when compared to a 440, where parts are more available, cheaper, and you get the advantage of cubes, the only advantage I can think of to running a 413 would be if it's in great shape and a 440 isn't available.
Making some SERIOUS assumptions here, and a dose of bench racing, one could have a stroker crank, (4.15") stock length rods, and the Speed Pro 383 flat tops would be like .030" proud of the deck assuming a blueprint 10.725" deck measurement. At least those slugs are readily available and not 1100g a piece. Otherwise, this discussion is academic
I'm not saying a 413 would be a bad choice, but when compared to a 440, where parts are more available, cheaper, and you get the advantage of cubes, the only advantage I can think of to running a 413 would be if it's in great shape and a 440 isn't available.
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