426 stroker, is it reliable?

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If it was me, and I'm looking for a street engine, I can think of a few more trinkets that I could by for the difference in price between custom pistons vs. shelf part numbers, and crank blueprinting vs. a new crank. I'd leave it at 360", and upgrade to a hydraulic roller, or spend the money on a beter set of heads. It's easy to get 400+hp from a 360 with a decent set of heads. Really easy.
 
Great question, Scrappydoo! Glad to see a line being drawn between race engine and street engine parameters. If a 4" stroke is too much for longevity, so be it. People are successfully racing them and doing well, which is good. Not all of the things that are learned through racing, however, translate to useful on the street. That's OK, too.

FWIW: Mopar Performance forged and billet cranks maxed out at 3.79 stroke. They made a 4" cast crank for the 340 & 360 journal sizes. Mopar also had forged pistons for up to 3.79" stroke for the small block. Don't know if they are still available or price.

Food for thought: A 4.06 x 3.79 bore & stroke = 392 CID.
------------------- 4.10 x 3.79 = 400 CID
 
This subject would make a great poll. Where folks could select the actual mileage they have on their small block stroker.
 
stroked 340 said:
If you do go the 426 route i hope you can get more power out of it for less then the one someone was trying to sell last year,they had Hughes build them a 426 for like $19k it put out a whooping 600 h.p...
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gotta say, I`ve had good experiances w/ everyone I`ve dealt w/ at hughs engines, even taking back parts that wouldn`t work for me ! ( which was only one)--bob
 
famous bob said:
gotta say, I`ve had good experiences w/ everyone I`ve dealt w/ at hughes engines, even taking back parts that wouldn`t work for me ! ( which was only one)--bob
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That post was from 2010. Hughes is a great supplier & shoots straight. So much so that I personally used them for some custom work on my stroker. So I put my money where my mouth is. That report from years ago was nothing & unfounded.
 
I didn't build mine and it's not a Hughes engine, but the 427 stroker in the Valiant has close to 1000 miles on it. So far, so good. It has a 4 1/8" stroke.
 
Why sacrifice durability/longevity for a few more cubes that won't add very little power."much power"

I'll take 3.79" crank over a 4" any day..
 
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m880 said:
Why sacrifice durability/longevity for a few more cubes that won't add very little power.

I'll take 3.79" crank over a 4" any day..
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Yes, strokers don't "add very little power". They add a lot. Mine dyno'ed 519 hp @ 5800, 506 lb/ft @ 4100. That's with a cam that idles smooth at 900 rpm.
 
m880 said:
Why sacrifice durability/longevity for a few more cubes that won't add very little power.

I'll take 3.79" crank over a 4" any day..
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It's a matter of taking advantage of the extra cubes to find the added bennifit. While you could build a easy going stroker, I would have to say at that point it is because you want to. A well thought out 360 can perform with excellence.
 
rumblefish360 said:
It's a matter of taking advantage of the extra cubes to find the added bennifit. While you could build a easy going stroker, I would have to say at that point it is because you want to. A well thought out 360 can perform with excellence.
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I second that.
My little 367 is tons and tons of fun. As a streeter, 400 to 425 hp is screaming fun. Toning it down with a smaller cam(223@050), seemed to pick up a lot of bottom end. A 230* High-intensity /fast-rate cam makes enough power to scare yourself, so the chassis that it goes into, better be ready for it. It will need to stop, and it will need to turn,sometimes both at the same time;cuz you will get into trouble. The hope is that the chassis will save your azz.
In the beginning I wanted a stroker too. But after 16plus years, I have been content with 4.04 x 3.58 =367.136; there will be no stroker in my future.
 
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Agreed! 3.58" stroke will RPM far far better than a 4" stroke given the same "average" cylinder heads. Strokers suck IMO. RPM is where its at. J.Rob
 
And a 3.31 will rpm better than a 3.58. But that's not the question at hand.
Adding stroke (as many of all ready know) will lower the peak point of where the max HP & TQ. are made. (Hence why I always said I'd do a 360 over a 340 when starting from scratch not to mention the additional cost savings of block costs.)

I'm still awaiting a poster to give there real world response to there 426 stroker's longevity after what I hope to read is many years of street service and not so much track passes.
 
usually the engine with the lightest bob weight will rpm better...
 
That's true to. I was just thinking piston speed and crank throw issues. Of course the list can go on and on about what makes an engine rpm better or worse.
 
My 408 had been ran hard for six years and showed no odd cylinder or skirt wear. Not a ton of street miles, but it wasn't built to be a dd.

I turn my 434 7200 and don't for see any piston problems. You guys go ahead and wind up them short stroke engines, I'll stick with long arms.

BTW how many of ya'lls 3.58" or 3.31" motors have made over 600# of torque on pump 93?
 
I understand some have love for the small block but I never understood the reasoning to stroke one. It just seems like the hard way to get there to me.
Why wouldn't you just use a big block if you needed
more cubes.
If you need bigger than 440 you have no choice but a stroked assembly, I get that.
Not trying to ruffle feathers by asking this. Just curious why these stroked small blocks have gained in popularity like they have over a big block for you fellas.
Why ask so much out of so little?
 
They are more compact than a bb and in a a body engine bay it helps a bunch. Plus it's fun to beat up on the bb guys. LOL
 
justinp61 said:
My 408 had been ran hard for six years and showed no odd cylinder or skirt wear. Not a ton of street miles, but it wasn't built to be a dd.

I turn my 434 7200 and don't for see any piston problems. You guys go ahead and wind up them short stroke engines, I'll stick with long arms.

BTW how many of ya'lls 3.58" or 3.31" motors have made over 600# of torque on pump 93?
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You can't argue with a number like that.
But I do have a question; How do you harness that for street duty? I have enough trouble with my 367, which might be making 400.Or maybe a wee bit more
 
i have to agree with AJ..a friend built a 408 for his Dart and all he gets is tire spin in 3 gears
and poor performance.
The stock 275 hp 340's did so well because everything was matched.
I do see the need for torque in the big B bodies though.
 
You don't really harness it, more like manage it.

My Dart has 325's on the back. It will break them loose in first and second any time I want. At times it will do it in high gear. You have to learn to drive it.
 
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So by managing it you mean not opening the secondaries.....?
I have had 3.25DRs on my Formulas S as well. I have to manage the secondaries too; or short-shift it.Especially in first cuz I have a 10.97 starter gear. Second is better but it's good to 80 plus mph, with 3.55s. After 55 or so the 3.25s start to settle down, and that is about 4500rpm, probably a good bit past peak torque.Sometimes they will spin right through second. I think I will not buy BFG DRs again. But they sure look menacing in there.
Since my 3.25s do so poorly on the street, I run 2.95s. Theses spin easier and longer, but they are 1/3 the price, and I can't make 'em rub no how.So now I can slide the car almost anywhere, anytime. I can pretend I have an old stock-car. No I don't slide it in traffic, silly. I pick my spots, and times. And I am always prepared to walk; I ain't too old to walk.And my chassis has saved my azz on occasion. A little clutch now and then straightens her out pretty quick. The big thing is to not panick, when things are not going as imagined.
Now Ima thinking If I did have 600#, I'm too old to handle that, I got my hands full with what I got. Plus 600 would probably wanna twist my chassis up, so more money would need to be spent.
 
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My car has cal tracs and if I roll into the throttle it's not to bad. Get stupid and it's a hand full. If I had 1000HP I wouldn't have to use it all.
 
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