Chevy 540 BB Replacement

[cwilkie]

I have had my 396BBC (w/TH400) for about 10 years now and the engine is beginning to show its age. I am planning on an engine replacement in the next few years. Does anyone know of someone who is running a 540BBC with a Quadrajet? One day I hope to be able to acquire a 540BBC but I prefer Quadrajets to other carbs.

I know a person could go up and up to a Chevrolet 396 402 427 454 496 502 540 572, etc. I am thinking a 540 Dart block with 118cc open chamber heads (either cast iron or aluminum) where I want to be around 10:1 compression. Of course the components would be balanced. Regular exhaust manifolds instead of headers. Not looking to build a race car. Just want something that drives nice but could burn the rubber off the tires if I choose to.

I know I am dreaming now but with a little extra work and a lot of savings this may be possible one. I appreciate all the advice and comments. Have a happy New Year!

[SS Tim]

Originally Posted by cwilkie

I have had my 396BBC (w/TH400) for about 10 years now and the engine is beginning to show its age. I am planning on an engine replacement in the next few years. Does anyone know of someone who is running a 540BBC with a Quadrajet? One day I hope to be able to acquire a 540BBC but I prefer Quadrajets to other carbs.

I know a person could go up and up to a Chevrolet 396 402 427 454 496 502 540 572, etc. I am thinking a 540 Dart block with 118cc open chamber heads (either cast iron or aluminum) where I want to be around 10:1 compression. Of course the components would be balanced. Regular exhaust manifolds instead of headers. Not looking to build a race car. Just want something that drives nice but could burn the rubber off the tires if I choose to.

I know I am dreaming now but with a little extra work and a lot of savings this may be possible one. I appreciate all the advice and comments. Have a happy New Year!

You migth get there a lot sooner and in the end be happier with a 468 or a 496. The stock exhaust manifolds are a limiting factor on just how much a bigger engine is useable. A low deck block and an aluminum top end keeps the weight down. With a set of good headers and a Q-jet wizard the grin factor should still be off the scale.

[garykirby25]

Made my dream come true!!!! I know its not exactly what you asked for but i thought everybody loves pics.

[cwilkie]

Wow! That is one ice engine. I bet took a while to make it a reality.

Are 496 engine very drivable. I heard they are not. I know I would save $2000 off the top by going with a 454 block to make a 496.
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[hyatt]

I dont think a Qjet will ever flow enough to run a 540

[SS Tim]

Originally Posted by cwilkie

...Are 496 engine very drivable. I heard they are not. I know I would save $2000 off the top by going with a 454 block to make a 496...

John Lingenfelter thought so. He was building this engine for a tow vehicle. These were his engine's base numbers before the magazine covered upgrade for more (peak) performance. The numbers speak for themselves and I am thinking this would be a great engine for the C30 Longhorn in my future that will be about 7500-8000-lb+ loaded.

Any engine can be made street undrivable it is a matter of setting it up for the intended usage. Seen more than a few VWs that made a lot of power but can't cool or idle worth a .....

[Tom Vogel]

Originally Posted by hyatt

I dont think a Qjet will ever flow enough to run a 540

There is more than one size of quadrajet, and places like The Carb Shop in Ontario,Ca. can modify them or build them for most applicatios. They have built a couple of carbs for me and I've been quite happy.
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[hugger6933]

You can get 540 out of a production block. Now ya'll put down the torches and pitchforks ,I know your wanting to come start a fire in my house, but it is very doable with a tall deck truck block and other parts that are not that much higher if any than the ones needed to build a 496 or a 502 or 520. I would like you to picture a 540 with truck manifolds on it this way if you are a lumberjack and you are flowing logs down stream to a mill, the opening is 25 ft wide and the river is 600feet wide and the exit is 30 feet wide. The entrance is a Q-jet and the exit is the truck manifolds. The best bet for the application would be a EFI but I understand a budget, belive me. Even with the restrictions caused by the carb and the exhuast the 540 would make so much torque is would be a permanant grin on your face everytime you think of it.

[steves1967]

I built a 496 with a .690 solid roller cam for my 66 elco, drove it everywhere for a couple years, even used it to tow a float for my towns christmas parade...and it went 10.26@ 127 in the 1/4 mile!! 496's are great engine, just depends on how you set them up.

[hugger6933]

Yes, the op must have a bad taste in his mouth about a 496, they just like any motor if parts are just thrown at them will be [or could be] sick at best and disheartining at worst. there are thousands of those 496's out there shredding tires over streets and tracks and other venues as well all over the country. It is a matter of planning and putting together parts that match and work well together, similar to putting manifolds on a motor that large they just can't flow that much exhaust. Jim

[68350]

My 496 was made for cruising. The 2800 stall is a little high with the 3.42 gears, but I can still jump in it and drive it 2 hours if I wanted to. Its in lockup at 65 so highway driving is very doable. It has a 750 double pumper on it, so not the most practical driving carb, but it does work really good, and it can lay rubber forever.

[1972RedNeck]

I have read that you can stuff a 4.5" crank in a 427 tall deck block and bore it an easy 4.375". That gives you a 541 using a Chevy block.

[PanelDeland]

Any of the big CI BB chevys will benefit from aluminu heads.Most builders agree that Al heads will allow a higher static comp ratio for the given fuel.With todays cat pee gas,you want every advantage you can get.Matching cam,head flow,comp ratio and such will alow any engine to be tailored for the application.

[eldogg]

The cam, compression ratio, & torque converter dictate how streetable something is. Displacement does not. Theres a local guy to me who has a pump gas 632 in a Camaro and drives it everywhere.

[cwilkie]

Thank you for all the great advice and points of view. I decided to go with a 496 with a quadrajet, aluminum heads, and stock exhaust manifolds. Now the hard part of saving some cash to get it accomplished.

Happy new year guys!
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[bubbaj]

If you bore a 454 70 thou over you can get 505 out of a stock block and wilth a decent cam and converter make a fun driver out of it
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[70CHEVYBB]

496 rotating assy on e-bay for 1100.00. I think the crank, rods are scat with forged pistons. I would have went this way had I seen the add before I bought 60 over pistons to build a 468.