My 377 build.

[Reziel_1983]

Well I put my 377 in my 83 lwb today and I figured I would make a thread with some pictures in case anybody cared. Started with a 400 sbc 4 bolt main that was really gross looking. Got the block machined, and put the spacers, bearings, and crankshaft in.

Here are the specs on the engine:

400 Small Block bored .030 over,
destroked with a 3.48" stroke steel Crank,
dish top speed pro pistons,
Comp Cams XE 268H Hydraulic Flat tappet camshaft & lifters kit,
493 casting number 400 sbc heads 1.94 intake and 1.50 exhaust 76cc with z28 springs,
Holley Street Dominator Dual Plane Intake Manifold,
Holley Street Avenger 670 cfm carburetor

[Reziel_1983]

Here are a few parts that I used.

[Reziel_1983]

Got the pistons, timing chain, cam, and heads on here. Also here's one of the crank in that I forgot to post.

[Reziel_1983]

Motor's all painted up and about to be dropped in! Here is the old motor as well. 350 with performer intake and a bigger cam.

[Reziel_1983]

Engine is in!

[bustedknuckles]

Nice. How's it run?

[INSIDIOUS '86]

did you prime it with an oil primer first? and run break in oil this time?

[Reziel_1983]

Originally Posted by INSIDIOUS '86

did you prime it with an oil primer first? and run break in oil this time?

Yeah, I primed the oil pump. And no, we just used the delo 15w-40... it seemed to do okay.

[Reziel_1983]

Originally Posted by bustedknuckles

Nice. How's it run?

Runs pretty good

[slugish]

Just a note Im certainly not an expert but Ididnt know they made 4 bolt mains on the 400 ci sbc. Learn something everey day .

Also probably another dumb question but what is the reasoning behind destroking a 400 . I have a 408 by the way .

[Reziel_1983]

Originally Posted by slugish

Just a note Im certainly not an expert but Ididnt know they made 4 bolt mains on the 400 ci sbc. Learn something everey day .

Also probably another dumb question but what is the reasoning behind destroking a 400 . I have a 408 by the way .

Yeah I've heard that the 2 bolt mains for the 400 small blocks are actually better but I was on a budget and had to work with what I had :P.

Destroking a 400 to a 377 will give you higher top speed, but take the torque down a bit from what I've heard. I would probably rather have built a 406 but I got the block, a bunch of parts including a 3.48" stroke crank for 300$ and I was on a pretty tight budget so again, I had to use what I had

[INSIDIOUS '86]

well i would have run some zinc additive to but if it lasted its first ten mins without flattening the cam then your set

[Reziel_1983]

Here's a video of it, I'll upload another when I adjust the carb/timing:

83 c10 with 377 stroker - YouTube

[INSIDIOUS '86]

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=466886

post that vid in there! add your exhaust specs

[Reziel_1983]

Adjusted carb and timing today... I'm not sure if it's perfect yet but I'll post a video tomorrow of it.

[rayfinseats]

2 bolt 400 block is probably stronger but. Anyway I would recommend vortec heads !!! It should be a pretty strong motor but Vortec heads would make a big difference in power on a budget. I wish I had that engine

[Hotrodrobert]

I don't see any info on those heads but they are probably 74-76cc chambers and with your stroke and pistons that is about 8.4:1 compression ratio.
You can run almost any gas you can find but I like power.
The Vortec heads recommended by Rayfinseats would be a huge improvement. They are cheap to buy but you would need a different intake so that is more money, but that would be about 9.4:1 compression ratio but the superior chamber design would mean you probably could still run 87 and the power increase would be OVER 50!! with BETTER fuel economy!!

[Your41Plague12]

If you get the Vortecs, make sure you drill the steam holes in them. Other than that, I say go for it.

[Reziel_1983]

I probably would have bought the vortecs but I was really tight on money, barely made it with what it has now! I might get some performance heads for it down the road sometime.

[Reziel_1983]

Carb and timing is set.

1983 Chevy Truck with 377 stroker with xe268h cam...

[rayfinseats]

Drive it yet? How's the power?

[INSIDIOUS '86]

your cam lift is to big for factory vortechs if you decide to ever get them. but i would recomend scoggin dicky for a great set of high flow hgh lift vortechs

[Reziel_1983]

Originally Posted by rayfinseats

Drive it yet? How's the power?

Yeah I've driven it. It's a blast. WAY more powerful than the old motor. Before the timing and carb were set it was only a little more powerful. But now it's got a lot more power. I need to check what rear end I have soon, because I want to get a posi and I would like to get about 3.73 gears since I don't drive on the highway ever.

[BigBlocksRule]

I'm not a fan of destrokers, but I understand that you build what you have parts for.
Should be a great engine, but would really like better heads. I'd pass on the Vortecs (a first fore me!) and find some Iron Eagles or something similar. The chambers can be unshrouded and the bigger valves will really enjoy the bigger bore, you'd be surprised at how much they'll pick up. Vortecs don't like bigger valves without a good bit of chamber work. You should get decent fuel mileage, the big bore/short stroke engine has reduced friction and better breathing.
I'm building a big block destroker for a 'vette. There's too much bottom end torque on anything bigger than about a 496, so I'm using a 3.766" stroke (396/427) with an aftermarket block with bore of 4.630", 507 cubes with a solid roller. I'm trying to kill off some of the bottom end and bring it back on top, expect to shift at around 8 grand. Ought to be a thriller!!!

[Reziel_1983]

Originally Posted by BigBlocksRule

I'm not a fan of destrokers, but I understand that you build what you have parts for.
Should be a great engine, but would really like better heads. I'd pass on the Vortecs (a first fore me!) and find some Iron Eagles or something similar. The chambers can be unshrouded and the bigger valves will really enjoy the bigger bore, you'd be surprised at how much they'll pick up. Vortecs don't like bigger valves without a good bit of chamber work. You should get decent fuel mileage, the big bore/short stroke engine has reduced friction and better breathing.
I'm building a big block destroker for a 'vette. There's too much bottom end torque on anything bigger than about a 496, so I'm using a 3.766" stroke (396/427) with an aftermarket block with bore of 4.630", 507 cubes with a solid roller. I'm trying to kill off some of the bottom end and bring it back on top, expect to shift at around 8 grand. Ought to be a thriller!!!

That sounds like fun. My engine still shifts at 4k rpm just like my old engine. I don't really understand what makes it shift earlier or later though, so I don't know if it's supposed to or not.