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Need advice on Engine

2K views 15 replies 5 participants last post by  CHOOCHOO 
#1 ·
I'm looking for a 454 BBC short or long block short deck engine with one piece rear seal and 4 bolt main. I would like to run about 10-1 compression on 93 pump gas and kick it up to about 500-525 HP. Does anyone have any specks or advice for this build? What should I be looking for?
 
#2 ·
You should be looking for a '91 or newer 454. Various trucks and motor homes often had 4 bolt mains, but you'll need to drop the pan to ensure the one you're looking at does. A 2 bolt main will easily support the HP you're looking at, so that's an option if you can't find a 4 bolt main block.
 
#3 ·
Need a short deck, I've been told most truck and RV 454s are tall deck. I'm looking to mostly drive my Nova on the street but still have a little more power under my foot for when I need to play. That being said I want something smooth running with some lobe from the cam and be able to run on 93 pump gas 10-1 compression with bottom end power. What is your suggestion on the parts needed if I want to build my block I have. Not sure if its 2 or 4 bolt (can't find casting #s) and right now the one I have is a 427/454. Not sure what cam but its rough and hard to drive at low RPMs without down shifting all the time. Any suggestions would be good. Thanks
 
#5 ·
My casting # is 3999289 on the block I have in the car now. No serial number can be found on either side of the block. From what I see its a 2 bolt but without dropping the pan I won't know for sure. Would like to go back to a 454 with 500 HP or there about rather then starting with a different block. New heads, cam & pistons and whatever else I need. I figure its better then buying a new set up dollar wise.
 
#7 ·
Your block number indicates a '72-'78 454 truck motor, with 2 bolt mains. Most likely a light truck. If you already have a 454, and want to get one that's 500 HP, I'd simply build the one you have. A short block rebuild, new cam, performance heads, and the right intake/carb will get you there, and no reason it wont last if built properly. That's the setup I'm running now in my car. A mid '73 454, Edelbrock aluminum heads, Weiand tunnel ram and twin 600 cfm Holley carbs. Not sure why you'd want a one piece main seal, as a properly installed 2 piece main seal wont give you any trouble.
 
#6 ·
There is no such thing as a tall deck 454, the tall deck engines are only 366 and 427, and in big trucks(1-1/2 ton or bigger) and buses, big bus style RV's.

You could build a tall deck 454 using a tall deck 427 block, a 454 crank and custom pistons and connecting rods, but it isn't a very common thing....most who do use a tall deck block for performance build them bigger than 482".

Header fit will be a problem in a Nova with a tall deck block
 
#8 ·
I understand what your saying. What I have is not a tall deck. What rods and pistons do you recommend. Just thought a one piece rear seal was the way to go but talking to people they say (as you said) two piece is fine for a properly built 500 HP 454. How much over are you on the bore? What compression are you running? Would you go for internal balanced crank or external? What kind of HP are you putting out with duel 600s? Not sure what roller cam I should go for, want that good old lumpy sound.
 
#10 · (Edited)
My engine is bored .040" over to 464 c.i., and I'm running flat top pistons, with 109cc chambers. My engine is around 10.25 c.r., and the pistons are hypertectic style. The rods are just the factory rods resized, and fitted with ARP bolts. You may want to go for a heavier rod, depending on how hard you push your engine, and even more if you want to pull higher rpm's. I have my redline set at 5800 rpm, so I'm not trying to wring every rpm out of my engine. I also fitted the block with an ARP stud kit for the heads, and run Crane roller rockers. I'm running a flat tappet, hydraulic cam, but you'll get more power and easier revving if you're going to a roller cam setup. I'm right about 500 HP, or maybe a bit more, and it's in my '63 Falcon that weighs around 2700 lbs. Backed with a Super T10 four speed, and 3.73 Ford axle. With 30" slicks it lifts the front wheels at launch, and has plenty of torque to pull through the cam's power range.


 
#9 · (Edited)
FYI.... all one piece seal BBC blocks are four bolt and there are 454 tall decks in this series. I have two in stock, from medium duty truck/marine. Also the cooling and oiling system is different as well as pan and head gaskets. Cylinder walls are thinner than previous blocks:thumbup:

For rods go for H beam. For your use I would go with ProComps around $250.00 and as good as most others.. Pistons would be Sealed Power/Fed Mogul hypers with short dome or Probe $400.00 if forgings are your prefer.

Most blocks I build are .060-.070 some are .100" all work well. Most 2 piece 427-454 BBC blocks will go .125" with no problems. Currently have a 488?, 4.375"x4.00", on the run in stand. Ported 049 heads, 2.225x1.88 valves. Keith Black short dome hypers, H beam rods, cast crank. .680 lift Howards cam.. Sounds awsome and revs quick..
 
#11 ·
Looks like a real nice set up. I'm not going to race mine just use MT drag radials and make it nice driving for the street at low & high RPMs but with power to play. The way my 427 is set up now its herky jerky at low RPMs. I need to keep it up around 12-1300 RPMs. That may get better once I go for 373s in a 10" rear and get rid of the 342s. I'm running a Tremic 5 speed .64 5th. Took the Muncie out and sold it this past week. I'm thinking my block must be at least 30 over but won't know for sure until its out. I want to stay around 10.1 compression with a mild cam but with a good lobe. Roller setup and A heads. Need new headers also to fit the 71 Nova. Got Sanderson now and they suck. Can't even get to the plugs or wires without doing some from the top and some from the bottom. Want to dress the engine a little also.
But anyway, thanks for getting back to me with your information. Sounds like you got it together.
 
#14 ·
May i make a suggestion here? If what you have isn't leaking oil, isn't using oil, has decent oil pressure then maybe work on the current combo. If all your looking for is a 500hp BBC then intake, Carb, headers can be purchased for the current motor and you still want to rebuild later then can be reused.
Upgrade your gears as you wanted to do. Then look at tuning the Carb/timing with the current set up, find out what your initial/total timing is. Try adding some initial, see what it likes. Reset your Carb to a baseline, grab your vacuum guage and start over. Read your plugs, if its pig rich or white lean its going to be jerky and stumbly.
You may be pleasantly surprised by what you have with nothing more then a little tinkering. BBC are not cheap to build and I would hate to see you spend a bunch of money and be right back where you started.
 
#15 ·
I would agree with what bygddy said about using the 427, if it's worth building or rebuilding! A 427 is not as much cubic inch, but it has the ability to wind higher than other BBC engines with longer strokes, and can reach 500 hp also. Personally, I'd rather build a 427, if I already had one, than move forward with a 454 build.
 
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