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choosing engines,327,350, or 400 chevy???

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unnanimous

01-31-2008 18:33:45

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what is best for a street motor that will run on pump gas? a chevy 327, 350 , or 400???? the 400 has more torque but lower rpms compared to the 327 which has extremely high rpms.

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macertheracer

02-01-2008 21:56:19

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Re: choosing engines,327,350, or 400 chevy??? in reply to BC in TN, 01-31-2008 18:33:45

unnanimous said: (quoted from post at 19:33:45 01/31/08) what is best for a street motor that will run on pump gas? a chevy 327, 350 , or 400???? the 400 has more torque but lower rpms compared to the 327 which has extremely high rpms.

like someone said, depends on your set up. I personally have built 327's to pull like a monster, and a couple of 400's that turned 8500r's. I personally do not like the 350s, can't give you a real good reason, just old school I guess. I am planning my next project though, I am hopeing to find a worthy 400 block, I have the 327 crank already, and 6.30" rods, the rest is really where the "setup" comes in. Deciding your max RPM's, and power zone. then you can realisticly chose heads, cam, intake, and carb, to work together, instead of against each other. If you want a good low to mid RPM motor say max rpm od 6500r's use the 305 tuned port heads, install 1.60" exaust valves they already have 1.80" intake, she'll run real strong and give deacent MPG, had a 327 like this in an '89 short stepside pickup. she'd outrun a stock vortec 350 to 100mph and delivered 24 MPG with TBI. do your reaserch and plan it realisticly, not I want to drive it everyday to work and be the fastist thing out there. ( cant be done) that is just my two cents

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Don Hopf

02-01-2008 17:39:57

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Re: choosing engines,327,350, or 400 chevy??? in reply to unnanimous, 01-31-2008 18:33:45

The 327 and 350 are internal balance while the 400 is externally balance. If the 400 doesn't have the harmonic balancer or the flexplate you will need to get a 400 balancer and flexplate. The other difference is the heads on the 400 which have holes for the steam holes in the block. Can't bolt 327/350 heads on Sb 400. The 327 engine is fun. Once it hits 3000 rpm then it really goes. The 400 has the torque at the lower rpm along with more horsepower. The 350 piston&ring kits are inexpensive compared to the 327.

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motor1065@hot mail .com

02-01-2008 17:47:27

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Re: choosing engines,327,350, or 400 chevy??? in reply to Don Hopf, 02-01-2008 17:39:57

you can use 350/327 heads on a 400 by laying the head gasket of the 400 on the 350 heads and drilling the holes between the center cylinders the same size as the gasket,we have done this many times in the past

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rich4

02-01-2008 08:25:59

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Re: choosing engines,327,350, or 400 chevy??? in reply to unnanimous, 01-31-2008 18:33:45

The 350's are propapbly a stronger motor with the 4 bolt mains which the smaller one's did not have. Unless you want to built it yourself you can get a crate motor built with just about any performance level you want. The thing that killed the 70's and 80's engines was the emission controls. My 2 cents.

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88s

02-01-2008 06:28:53

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Re: choosing engines,327,350, or 400 chevy??? in reply to unnanimous, 01-31-2008 18:33:45

I built a 400 SB once and would do it again if givin the chance.That was a big block feel with a small block size.I likes them.

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jdemaris

02-01-2008 07:45:34

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Re: choosing engines,327,350, or 400 chevy??? in reply to 88s, 02-01-2008 06:28:53

I collect Blazer Chalets. They were Chevy Blazers only sold 1976-1977 with a heavy, pop-up roof motorhome body. They were also sold through GMC as Casa Grandes and all were dealer installed and authorized by GM.

They were available with a SB 350 or a SB 400. According to the original tests, the 400s actually got better fuel mileage.

Technically, these things were overloaded - right from the dealer - which led to a lawsuit.
Afterwards - GM ceased all dealer sales and agreed to put the little disclaimer decal in all Blazer or Jimmy glove-compartments about not allowing any campers to be installed.

Most of mine are diesel now - just too expensive to use othewise.

In the photo of the ratty looking blue Blazer of mine. I guess you don't see diesel 4WD campers too often with chains on all four wheels and snow plows.

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135 Fan

02-01-2008 10:37:08

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Re: choosing engines,327,350, or 400 chevy??? in reply to jdemaris, 02-01-2008 07:45:34

They should have sold a newer version of those instead of the hidious Pontiac Aztecs. Dave

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88s

02-01-2008 14:03:34

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Re: choosing engines,327,350, or 400 chevy??? in reply to 135 Fan, 02-01-2008 10:37:08

Them Scion's are not very stylish,they look like a box on wheels.

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jdemaris

02-01-2008 05:50:26

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Re: choosing engines,327,350, or 400 chevy??? in reply to unnanimous, 01-31-2008 18:33:45

Any engine can run well on regular pump gas if set up properly. Your question cannot be fairly answered unless you're more specific.

Much depends on what you really want and why you like small-blocks.

If you like high revving, have a light car, and want a chance at some decent fuel mileage when driving easy, it's hard to do better than a 283 or a 327. When I started jerking around with SB Chevys, the "big" upgrade was going from a 265 to a 283.

283s all came stock with forged steel crankshafts. My 65 SS Chevelle with a mild Crane cam, 9.25 to 1 pistons, power-pack heads, single-plane intake with a Holley 600, and headers - along with a M21 four-speed can get 20 MPG on an easy cruise and is fun to drive. Not much torque though and would not be fun in a heavier car.

As far as the rest? The only real performance dogs in the bunch are the 305s and 307s.

The most amazing small block I ever drove was a brand new, stock 302 Z28 Camaro. Very high strung, and not a very good daily driver - but otherwise, absolutely amazing. It did NOT run on regular gas.

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C-man

02-01-2008 06:04:50

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Re: choosing engines,327,350, or 400 chevy??? in reply to jdemaris, 02-01-2008 05:50:26

A 65 SS Chevelle? I don't suppose you you trade straight across for a 1952 FULLY restored Super C? I didn't think so!! That has got to be a NICE car. I had a 1970 GTO Judge. Got rid of it before they were worth anything. Bought it for $750 when it was 7 years old and drove it to high school. That was FUN. It even got pretty good gas mileage, if it was driven right, but who wanted to drive it right!!?? Won't say what I got when I got rid of it. It still makes me sick that it was so cheap!

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jdemaris

02-01-2008 07:10:50

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Re: choosing engines,327,350, or 400 chevy??? in reply to C-man, 02-01-2008 06:04:50

No, I wouldn't get rid of it. It's the only car I've kept from my younger years. I used to have several 64 and 65 GTOs as well as many Sunbeam Tigers with 260, 289, and 302 V8s. Also had a 64 SS Chevelle which was nicer than my 65. I sold them all cheap years back - but kept the 65 Chevelle as well as a 60 Corvair.

As far as tractors go - I've got over 50 as it is .

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Mike M

02-01-2008 05:48:54

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Re: choosing engines,327,350, or 400 chevy??? in reply to unnanimous, 01-31-2008 18:33:45

I like the 327 engines they can be better on gas than the others at least in stock form. But you can buy a BRAND NEW 350 from GM for around $1,600 you can't rebuild one for that if you give it the works. If you are putting it in a truck and plan on towing ? I'd go with a 454.

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dej(jed)

02-01-2008 04:55:09

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Re: choosing engines,327,350, or 400 chevy??? in reply to unnanimous, 01-31-2008 18:33:45

I have had better luck with the 327. I have used all 3 though. Everybody seems to talk up the 350, but I have not gotten good power out of them.

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jose bagge

02-01-2008 04:34:51

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Re: choosing engines,327,350, or 400 chevy??? in reply to unnanimous, 01-31-2008 18:33:45

on a similarly prepped short block with identical heads, intake and carburation the displacement difference is worth about 12 hp per incremental increase. That being said, I'd go with the 350- the 400 crank will require a specific harmonic balancer and flex plate, and you'd need to make sure the proper cooling holes were drilled in the heads. You can't hardly walk down the street without tripping over 350 parts, though. When in doubt, go to the "small block bible"- Smokey Yunick's book on smallblocks. Some much great info that you can duplicate in your home garage!

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buickanddeere

02-01-2008 02:33:49

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Re: choosing engines,327,350, or 400 chevy??? in reply to unnanimous, 01-31-2008 18:33:45

Doesn't matter about the displacement. Mechanical compression ratio and cam timing dictate cylinder pressure. A 327 can be built to have more torque and HP than a 400. A 400 can also be built to have more torque, HP and rpms than a 327. There is no replacement for displacement. As you ae just starting out hotrodding it would be best to stay with a low cost, simple reliable combination. Both GM Goodwrench and Summit Racing sells some very good HP per $$$ engines, complete in a crate with warranty. Add a vacuum secondary 600cfm Holley, not a double pumper. Use a TH700R4 trans with a lockup 2500-3000 torque converter and 3.23,3.41 or 3.73 at most gears. What chassis are you putting this "engine" into? Hoe deep are your pockets?

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Not Me

01-31-2008 20:19:29

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Re: choosing engines,327,350, or 400 chevy??? in reply to unnanimous, 01-31-2008 18:33:45

I know, put the 350 crank in the 400 for a 377 destroker. No wait, put the 400 crank in the 350 and make a 383. No wait, put a 307 crank in a 350 and make a 327, oh, oops. How about a 327 crank in a 283 and make a 307. Or a 283 crank in a 350 for a 302. No, thats a Ford, or was it the first Z-28? Oh dangit, then a 327 crank in a 400 for a 352ci screamer kinda like that Nascar motor. My money is on a cammed 9.5:1 327. That said, they'ed all be great if built properly.

Just my $0.02

Aaron

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Goose

01-31-2008 18:51:55

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Re: choosing engines,327,350, or 400 chevy??? in reply to unnanimous, 01-31-2008 18:33:45

I'd go with a 350. There are so many of them out there that parts are cheap.

Plus, the small block 400's with the siamesed center cylinders are harder to cool and are prone to cracking heads, although I've gotten away with running 350 heads on an sb400.

I have an sb400 in pieces, an old Crane "Fireball" cam, an Edelbrock streetmaster intake, etc. One of these days I'm going to have to put it all together to see what happens.

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notadeere

01-31-2008 18:49:21

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Re: choosing engines,327,350, or 400 chevy??? in reply to unnanimous, 01-31-2008 18:33:45

Depends what your putting it in ? if a 60's car ? id go with the 327 better milage also... but u can build that 350 to a stroker eng also & run on pump gas not as good but can be done 400 is great off line torq like u said rpms done. if it was me im a BB fan i run a 454 4 gear in my old car. maybe go cruse it once or twice a yr at the price of gas now but it runs on pump & gets better milage then my pickup also....

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