351w stroker?
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2
From: michigan
351w stroker?
I have 3 351w engines and was wanting to build a stroker mabey a 408 421 or 427 I dont have a ton of money. I was wanting some advice or info on these or better options to wake up my 66 fb 
Thanks
Thanks
5th Gear Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,100
From: Texas Hill Country
What are your horsepower and torque goals and at what rpm? What is your budget?
You do not need to stroke it to 427 to get torque. I am making plenty enough to break a bunch of stuff with a 3.75 stroke (383CID). The more you stroke, the harder it is on your parts.
You do not need to stroke it to 427 to get torque. I am making plenty enough to break a bunch of stuff with a 3.75 stroke (383CID). The more you stroke, the harder it is on your parts.
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 45
From: IL
I would definitely stroke it out, I have been researching this as well and I wanted to do a 427 but I read that its really hard on the engine and the block doesn't end up lasting very long, something about the long stroke pushing the pistons down against the cylinder walls harder than it usually would and wearing away the wall prematurely.
I read somewhere else that you shouldn't go over a 383 or 408, to the guys with strokers does this sound right or have I been misled?
I read somewhere else that you shouldn't go over a 383 or 408, to the guys with strokers does this sound right or have I been misled?
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 755
I would definitely stroke it out, I have been researching this as well and I wanted to do a 427 but I read that its really hard on the engine and the block doesn't end up lasting very long, something about the long stroke pushing the pistons down against the cylinder walls harder than it usually would and wearing away the wall prematurely.
I read somewhere else that you shouldn't go over a 383 or 408, to the guys with strokers does this sound right or have I been misled?
I read somewhere else that you shouldn't go over a 383 or 408, to the guys with strokers does this sound right or have I been misled?
These will easily last 50k miles before a refresh, and I dont know alot of guys let alone customers of mine that will be turning 50k miles in less than 7-8 years. NOTHING wrong with the 408. Its the perfect medium, big enough to do large amounts of work at a lower rpm where the smaller inch motors will typically need to turn more rpm than the 408 to do the same amount of work.
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 23
From: Tennessee
He isn't mislead, anytime an engines stroke is increased relative to it's standard deckheight the thrust sides of the piston do wear more on the cylinder walls. You can compensate for this too a point by increasing connecting rod length, but either way you are applying more force through the major and minor thrust sides of the piston and you will decrease mechanical efficiency and increase wear.
To have a truely efficient big inch small block, a big stroke is only half the equation. You need heads that can handle the extra airflow required to adequately take advantage of the increased cubic inches, and a bore size big enough to take advantage of the new heads. Overall the best solution is a 4.125" or bigger bore and a 4" stroke. This obviously means an aftermarket block. Then you have too consider the fact that you are building a small block that you expect too make big power but still rev like a small block, so you need light rotating parts (like the titanium rods on the LS7 427sbc) and lightweight valvetrain parts.
If you plan on building a truely correct big inch small block from an engineering stand point, then your looking at 12k minimum and that's if you do the work yourself. Anything less and your not building the engine too the specs that it really requires. Imo build yourself a proper 351, the 500hp you can reliably get out of a stock block is more than you will ever use on the street what's the problem with one?
To have a truely efficient big inch small block, a big stroke is only half the equation. You need heads that can handle the extra airflow required to adequately take advantage of the increased cubic inches, and a bore size big enough to take advantage of the new heads. Overall the best solution is a 4.125" or bigger bore and a 4" stroke. This obviously means an aftermarket block. Then you have too consider the fact that you are building a small block that you expect too make big power but still rev like a small block, so you need light rotating parts (like the titanium rods on the LS7 427sbc) and lightweight valvetrain parts.
If you plan on building a truely correct big inch small block from an engineering stand point, then your looking at 12k minimum and that's if you do the work yourself. Anything less and your not building the engine too the specs that it really requires. Imo build yourself a proper 351, the 500hp you can reliably get out of a stock block is more than you will ever use on the street what's the problem with one?
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 755
He isn't mislead, anytime an engines stroke is increased relative to it's standard deckheight the thrust sides of the piston do wear more on the cylinder walls. You can compensate for this too a point by increasing connecting rod length, but either way you are applying more force through the major and minor thrust sides of the piston and you will decrease mechanical efficiency and increase wear.
To have a truely efficient big inch small block, a big stroke is only half the equation. You need heads that can handle the extra airflow required to adequately take advantage of the increased cubic inches, and a bore size big enough to take advantage of the new heads. Overall the best solution is a 4.125" or bigger bore and a 4" stroke. This obviously means an aftermarket block. Then you have too consider the fact that you are building a small block that you expect too make big power but still rev like a small block, so you need light rotating parts (like the titanium rods on the LS7 427sbc) and lightweight valvetrain parts.
If you plan on building a truely correct big inch small block from an engineering stand point, then your looking at 12k minimum and that's if you do the work yourself. Anything less and your not building the engine too the specs that it really requires. Imo build yourself a proper 351, the 500hp you can reliably get out of a stock block is more than you will ever use on the street what's the problem with one?
To have a truely efficient big inch small block, a big stroke is only half the equation. You need heads that can handle the extra airflow required to adequately take advantage of the increased cubic inches, and a bore size big enough to take advantage of the new heads. Overall the best solution is a 4.125" or bigger bore and a 4" stroke. This obviously means an aftermarket block. Then you have too consider the fact that you are building a small block that you expect too make big power but still rev like a small block, so you need light rotating parts (like the titanium rods on the LS7 427sbc) and lightweight valvetrain parts.
If you plan on building a truely correct big inch small block from an engineering stand point, then your looking at 12k minimum and that's if you do the work yourself. Anything less and your not building the engine too the specs that it really requires. Imo build yourself a proper 351, the 500hp you can reliably get out of a stock block is more than you will ever use on the street what's the problem with one?
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 4
From: NV
351 W to 408
I have a question along these same lines. I am building a 408 from a 351 windsor and I would like to know if GT40 heads from a 302 will fit the 351 block? I am pretty sure they will but I just wanted a little feed back to ensure I'm doing things right.