451/452 Stroker Builds?

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PanGasket

PanGasket

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Who has built one of these engines from the 400 block? I wanna build one for good gobs of street power, so lots a torque and a good chunk of horsepower.
Anybody got any results from any builds of this engine? Ive seen the kit from 440Source, has anyone used this?
 
Check out Andy F's book How to build Max-Performance Mopar Big blocks
Most everthing you need to know is there.
 
Before building a stroker,ask yourself,will a standard stroke 440 satisfy your need for speed.The bigblocks in standard stroke are by no means slouches and can produce some serious hp. Maximum effort,meaning more money or just plain old seriously fast and standard stroke. This is just a question I ask myself before conteplating any build.
 
horsehead said:
Before building a stroker,ask yourself,will a standard stroke 440 satisfy your need for speed.The bigblocks in standard stroke are by no means slouches and can produce some serious hp. Maximum effort,meaning more money or just plain old seriously fast and standard stroke. This is just a question I ask myself before conteplating any build.
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A good question it is. I think the biggest reason people want to build a stroker with the 400 is because first and foremost, it fits the A body better than the RB block. Secondly, it has the largest bore of any of the stock blocks. With the 451/2 you essentially have the same package or better than a 440 and it fits much better.
 
Much lighter piston if going flat top from someone like Diamond, etc.

Like a 120 grams lighter from a 451 to a 440 piston.
 
I've built 4. Two with Source parts, two with factory cranks. If you're looking for mad torque, the 451 is basically a 440 bored .060 over. It's no slouch, but it should be headed and cammed like a 440. The source parts are good value but the rods should be cycled and then measured for size. The crank should be checked, and you'll have to give the bearings some chamfer because the crank filet's radius is too large for them. The Source crank drops in. I had one forged crank that cleared in the counterweight area (diameter of RB crank counterweights is about .200 larger than the B wedge block accepts in most cases...) with a few minor touches to the main saddles. And I had one that the crank had to be cut on a lathe to make the diameter smaller. As was mentioned... Good engines, but basically a lighter 440 performance wise.
 
moper said:
I've built 4. Two with Source parts, two with factory cranks. If you're looking for mad torque, the 451 is basically a 440 bored .060 over. It's no slouch, but it should be headed and cammed like a 440. The source parts are good value but the rods should be cycled and then measured for size. The crank should be checked, and you'll have to give the bearings some chamfer because the crank filet's radius is too large for them. The Source crank drops in. I had one forged crank that cleared in the counterweight area (diameter of RB crank counterweights is about .200 larger than the B wedge block accepts in most cases...) with a few minor touches to the main saddles. And I had one that the crank had to be cut on a lathe to make the diameter smaller. As was mentioned... Good engines, but basically a lighter 440 performance wise.
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Moper, the last line of Your post? are you saying it's comparable to a 440 that's built, but it weighs less?
 
Weighs less and fits A-body's easier.
400 base-3.75 stroke crank and it's .060 stock this will give you 451 ci.
440 Source stuff stuff is good to about 750 hp and thats about what the block will take.
What they are saying about heads is right on the money.
You have to get the air in and out to make power.
 
I hear Ya and thanks for the reply, as they say, an internal combustion engine is just an air pump!
 
womanator said:
Weighs less and fits A-body's easier.

440 Source stuff stuff is good to about 750 hp and thats about what the block will take.
.
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If the block is prepped right, and if you have the correct year, it will take ALOT more then that.
 
No, when I was building my first one a person (I think it was on bigblockdart) told me that the blocks around 76 (H block I think) had thicker cylinder walls. I picked up 5 different year (some same) blocks and sonic tested the walls. He was somewhat right. I did seem that the block cast at and close to 1976 were a little thicker, BUT what they did have was more of a consistent wall thickness over the other years. Which would help with the overall strength of the cylinder.
 
Racingduster said:
No, when I was building my first one a person (I think it was on bigblockdart) told me that the blocks around 76 (H block I think) had thicker cylinder walls. I picked up 5 different year (some same) blocks and sonic tested the walls. He was somewhat right. I did seem that the block cast at and close to 1976 were a little thicker, BUT what they did have was more of a consistent wall thickness over the other years. Which would help with the overall strength of the cylinder.
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Fantabulous. I just picked up a '77 400 this weekend. This just keeps gittin better and better.
 
DarTT said:
Who has built one of these engines from the 400 block? I wanna build one for good gobs of street power, so lots a torque and a good chunk of horsepower.
Anybody got any results from any builds of this engine? Ive seen the kit from 440Source, has anyone used this?
Click to expand...
Here is a good read about the differances in some of the blocks....

http://www.440source.com/blockinfo.htm
 
bremereric said:
How did that one check out so far....Eric
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It looked great when we checked it out at pickup......but the torx bits he screwed the lid back on with defy me since that particular size is missing from my set. Gotta wait till tomorrow to get another one. LMAO what we did see, was cross hatch still in all the bores and REAL clean 452 heads. I got WAY more than I bargained for all the way from the A/C compressor AND hoses to every bracket and a few extras. Got the 727 as well. I'll have the lids off tomorrow with some pics. I was lookin through pistons selection and found a part number for 269 bucks from Keith Black for the 451. It uses the 400 rod, but rod ratio is still over 1.7. I'm gonna go ahead and get a set of six pack rods from josh (scamptramp) because first, I don't know what the future holds, I haven't nailed down exactly what I'm gonna do yet. May wanna use them instead...or on a future project. heck, I'm even ponderin just buildin a stock stroke 400. KB makes a good piston for that as well. Even a standard bore 9.5 400 would be quick in a Scamp. It all depends on how much money falls outta the sky, ya know? Me bein on disability makes it tough to have a hobby. Only reason I've gotten this far is because I've run into some GREAT folks right HERE on this forum, and lucked out with a stand up guy off craigslist. Otherwise, I'd be back at square one lookin at this 360.....which i really didn't wanna do. had lots of small block A's, but never a big motor in one. It's funny when I began this project, I just knew I wasn't gonna be able to find decent deals or be able to find anybody interested in tradin.....but people have been real good to me. That even goes for you, Eric, cause you were willin to meet me halfway between Macon and Houston, though I found a 400 in Georgia, you made the offer and I won't soon be forgettin that. All my life I have lost my BUTT in deals but this first project in over ten years and I'm already well on my way because of some fine people. I'm completely humbled and very appreciative.
 
StrokerScamp said:
It looked great when we checked it out at pickup......but the torx bits he screwed the lid back on with defy me since that particular size is missing from my set. Gotta wait till tomorrow to get another one. LMAO what we did see, was cross hatch still in all the bores and REAL clean 452 heads. I got WAY more than I bargained for all the way from the A/C compressor AND hoses to every bracket and a few extras. Got the 727 as well. I'll have the lids off tomorrow with some pics. I was lookin through pistons selection and found a part number for 269 bucks from Keith Black for the 451. It uses the 400 rod, but rod ratio is still over 1.7. I'm gonna go ahead and get a set of six pack rods from josh (scamptramp) because first, I don't know what the future holds, I haven't nailed down exactly what I'm gonna do yet. May wanna use them instead...or on a future project. heck, I'm even ponderin just buildin a stock stroke 400. KB makes a good piston for that as well. Even a standard bore 9.5 400 would be quick in a Scamp. It all depends on how much money falls outta the sky, ya know? Me bein on disability makes it tough to have a hobby. Only reason I've gotten this far is because I've run into some GREAT folks right HERE on this forum, and lucked out with a stand up guy off craigslist. Otherwise, I'd be back at square one lookin at this 360.....which i really didn't wanna do. had lots of small block A's, but never a big motor in one. It's funny when I began this project, I just knew I wasn't gonna be able to find decent deals or be able to find anybody interested in tradin.....but people have been real good to me. That even goes for you, Eric, cause you were willin to meet me halfway between Macon and Houston, though I found a 400 in Georgia, you made the offer and I won't soon be forgettin that. All my life I have lost my BUTT in deals but this first project in over ten years and I'm already well on my way because of some fine people. I'm completely humbled and very appreciative.
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Thanks I still have plenty of access to various motors, we even come across 413's and 392 hemi's
 
StrokerScamp mentioned the KB pistons that give you 451 with 400 rods, has anyone used this before? I was looking a the piston on their site and it said that the quench dome must be maintained with those pistons. This may not be the thread for this but what has to be done to achieve this for these pistons to work in this stroker combo?
 
sasquatch said:
StrokerScamp mentioned the KB pistons that give you 451 with 400 rods, has anyone used this before? I was looking a the piston on their site and it said that the quench dome must be maintained with those pistons. This may not be the thread for this but what has to be done to achieve this for these pistons to work in this stroker combo?
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It depends on which piston you use, as well as which head. There are two piston part numbers with a quench dome. The KB215, which has a .095" quench dome. This piston will work in open chamber heads with no machine work. Then, there's the KB251, which has a Quench dome of .260". This piston requires the dome to be machined regardless of which head is used. KB recommends the quench area be measured with clay whichever piston or head combo you use, just to be sure there's enough room. Milling piston tops is a fairly easy and inexpensive process. Some people scoff at the 400 rods, but with them, the rod to stroke ratio rounds off to 1.7. LMAO If you want to build an engine based on the best rod to stroke ratio, the best one hands down is the stock stroke 400. It's ratio rounds to 1.9.
 
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