426 stroker, is it reliable?

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Most people building strokers aren't likely to get 20000 miles on them before rebuilding for performance or out of boredom. I doubt I'll get to 10000 before I rebuild my 416. I only have 3000 miles in last 3 years, doubt I can manage to go 6/7 more years before I'm bored and want to make some changes. I'll venture a guess that no one with Strokers are daily drivers, or anything more then Sunday cruisers or track cars. Worrying about how many miles you'll get out of a stroker build is like worrying about whether you'll get good gas mileage as well.
As far as why a stroked small block? Cause they are friggin cool, and anyone can get 600hp out of a big block, getting that out of a smallblock is more of a challenge and fun to try. And like mentioned, it just makes life easier then shoehorning a big block under the hood.
 
My car is still at the paint shop so I haven't had a chance to drive it this year yet but so far since I installed it in 2011 I have about 8500 miles on it and it runs just as good as it did when I built it. Every spring I do a valve lash and a compression test on it and so far it has not dropped any compression at all. I run the snot out it too when I can get away with it so it ain't always babied except when the Mrs is with me as it scares her when it slides. Traction is an issue but my recent complete build of the rear suspension and adding cal-tracs should held a lot. should be solidly in the 11's now. And that's with 3.23 gears and 28" tall tires.

I realize this doesn't apply to the OP's question concerning a 426 stroker but I've seen all these negative statements about strokers sucking and such I thought I'd add my personal experience with my stroker which btw is pretty mild. Actually a little milder than the 360 I took out. Gets better fuel mileage too (have gotten as much as 17.2 down the hwy but averages 14 all around) and the 360 didn't like the 3.23 gears and 28" tires much on take off where-as the 408 still has the power to smoke them with ease in 1st and 2nd gear any time I want

As for why someone would want to stroke a small block. i look at is this way. I can change the plugs in 5 minutes without even letting the engine cool down (try that on a big block). And a big block, unless all aluminum is a lot of weight hanging over the front wheels. An A-body with a big block is generally a handling turd and no fun to work on
 
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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So to recap--340's make more torque than 318's, 360's more than 340's , 383's more than 360's , 440's more than 383's , strokers more than non-strokers, etc.... etc.... Cubes make more torque! What a discovery!. J.Rob
 
RAMM said:
So to recap--340's make more torque than 318's, 360's more than 340's , 383's more than 360's , 440's more than 383's , strokers more than non-strokers, etc.... etc.... Cubes make more torque! What a discovery!. J.Rob
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Glad you finally figured it out.
 
I will take a big bore over stroke. a B wedge with a little stroke is the best combo. geometry is longevity
 
fishmens67 said:
I will take a big bore over stroke. a B wedge with a little stroke is the best combo. geometry is longevity
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And since we're talking about small blocks and stroking them....
What's a little stroke in a B? Stock stroke?
As far as a B wedge is concerned, I have a 400 in a Duster. Hoping to one day pump it up a bit. '78 is a tuff year on compression as delivered.
 
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Wow... Hard to believe that only one Guy in this whole topic is running a 426..Thanks LilCuda... The rest of you are all just random miss Fires !!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
m880 said:
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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yep and 3.75 b wedge and 4.150 rb as for the 426 small block the arm is too long, reliability will be an issue.
John Deere builds tractors. lol
 
racerhog said:
Wow... Hard to believe that only one Guy in this whole topic is running a 426..Thanks LilCuda... The rest of you are all just random miss Fires !!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Because talking about a 408 or 416 is such a stretch to a 426......but thanks for taking the time to post your useful comment. Good for you ;)
 
fishmens67 said:
yep and 3.75 b wedge and 4.150 rb as for the 426 small block the arm is too long, reliability will be an issue.
John Deere builds tractors. lol
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Please explain your reasoning.

There are tons of 4" motors out there that have been beat on for years with no issues. Also a bunch of 4.125" and 4.25" crank engines.

Can any of the nay sayers point out a failure that was proven to be stroke related?

I have no problems with short strokes, I loved my 340. But my 408 thought it was a big block and the 434 is a bear.
 
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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Who cares? I'd rather have 600 HORSEPOWER.
 
So a 426 will make 600 HP but it will be hard to do that with a 408?
That's one hell of a magic 18ci.
 
You can make 600 with a 408, all it takes is the right heads, cam, compression and induction. At 600 HP block strength would be the biggest concern for me.
 
605HP here with 416....like mentioned already, you need a great mix of top end components. Lots of potential for horse power in those 408, 416, or 426 air pumps, but you need a premium top end and a good cam to move that air/fuel mixture.


yellow rose said:
Who cares? I'd rather have 600 HORSEPOWER.
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You've obviously not been behind the wheel of 600hp stroker. With a 600HP short stroke motor, you're tq is likely 500 ish maybe? And when is that all in by, 6500rpm? I'm just guessing, someone can probably figure out closer numbers. I'd rather have my 560 ft/lbs, of which 500 are in by 4000rpm, and I wind mine up to 7000 for the shift. Guaranteed 600hp from a stroker in equal cars/drivers pulls off the faster e/t against 600hp short stroke. Once you've gone stroker, you'd never go back ;)
 
DARTH V8R said:
587.5HP @ 6400RPM and 528.5 ft-lbs torque @ 5000RPM on a 3.58" stroke cast crank & LA iron heads, all in UNDER 7000rpm..
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Oh yeah, that one will behave perfectly on the street... With a 267/.050 duration cam it will be a pleasure to drive around town (which is what the OP intends to do.)
 
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Anymore,& nowadays....: You can pretty much build anything you want.... We didn't have affordable stroker cranks, decently affordable stroker kits, & affordable & acceptable power adders... You make your budget,do your research & make it work.. To anyone building an stroker SBM,Go for it... The pistons are doing the smaller ,lower drag rings..& lighter weighted... Strokers don't scare me in any way,unless the rings get really close to the piston pin ...(ring wear,obviously..) With new technology,comes new opportunities....
 
..is 600 hp beyond the strength of the 340 / 360 block?
A friend was running consistent 10.4's in his 340 based 372 and finally cracked a cylinder wall.
 
Stixx! You have quoted me as saying something I did not say. Please fix your quote and double check your post before leaving it. Thank you.
 
ir3333 said:
..is 600 hp beyond the strength of the 340 / 360 block?
A friend was running consistent 10.4's in his 340 based 372 and finally cracked a cylinder wall.
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How thick were his cylinder bores?
 
DARTH V8R said:
Strokers... bah!

587.5HP @ 6400RPM and 528.5 ft-lbs torque @ 5000RPM on a 3.58" stroke cast crank & LA iron heads, all in UNDER 7000rpm.
#14---360 Stage 3 Dyno Test
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Thats a great engine for a race car but the op is building a street car. Something that makes really good torque at 2500-3000 rpm is what makes a nice street engine. Not a huge cammed single plane (or tunnel rammed) engine that wont idle below 1000 rpm and needs a 4500 plus stall to work right. Not knocking ur engine at all. Just sayin you missed the point
 
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