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To Destroke or not to Destroke

5K views 8 replies 5 participants last post by  Mustangsaly 
#1 ·
I have a recently rebuilt 396 with a lot of good high quality bottom end parts that I ran too lean and killed the block. I have a good 454 block and am contemplating the destroke so as not to have to start all over with all new parts for the 454. Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.
 
#2 ·
A 454 block with a 396 crank is a 427. Nothing crazy about that....the only problem is that you will have to add heavy metal to the crank to compensate for the extra weight of the larger 427 pistons. at 25 bucks an ounce plus the extra labor you might be better off getting a new crank.

If you have the complete 454 just build that one up. You will get better power and unless you are going to spin it up to above 6500 RPM regularly then there is no need to destroke it.
 
#3 ·
dodgemolin said:
I have a recently rebuilt 396 with a lot of good high quality bottom end parts that I ran too lean and killed the block. I have a good 454 block and am contemplating the destroke so as not to have to start all over with all new parts for the 454. Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.
I'm not sure what you mean by "all new parts"? The 454 block still needs unique pistons and now the whole reciprocating assembly needs to be rebalanced. What are you saving?
 
#4 ·
Double V 23 thanks for the info. The 454 block is just the block. I don't have anything else for it. I don't need to spin 6500 for long periods maybe 5500 for intervals of 20 minutes at a time. If I could spin 6500 that would be great but not necessary. I am also not looking for super high horsepower just a decent way to rebuild and start over and have some longevity.
 
#5 ·
Joe thanks for the info as well. I just have the block for the 454. I thought from the sounds of some of the other threads that a lot of the parts from the 396 could be used to build the destroker. If I build the 454 I would have to buy everything. I just thought that it might be a decent way to build a good motor that might have a little more hp than the 396 but still be mild enough to be reliable.
 
#6 ·
No problem, the only thing you are really going to be able to re use is the rods and if they are press fit pins then it probably isn't worth it to re use them anyways.

I would look at www.competitionproducts.com for one of their budget 454 rotating assemblies. You can get them for really reasonable prices and they do their own balancing in house for a reasonable price.

Even stock cast BBC cranks are good to 500 HP and 6,000 RPM so one of their "claimer" kits would probably work really wlell for your application. And for about the same price you can get the stroker kit and get a 489, 496, or 505 out of it. I built a 496 and it is a monster.
 
#9 ·
I see lots of complete BBC builders on craigslist.org I see and hear of 454 GM stock forged/steel cranks a lot for reasonable $$$ in lots of different places. look on craigslist.org racing junk or local papers and local machine shops, if nothing else look on ebay. reconditioned rods from local machine shops and ebay or new rods aren't bad.

complete engines is what I look for.


Good Luck
 
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