351c for $400...good deal?
Thread Starter
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 404
From: ny
i know its cheaper to build what you have, but i only have a little 289 lol. i dont think a 331 will give me the power im looking for. i dont want to go 347 for the same reason i dont want to go 408...bc of the wrist pin issues. werent you burning oil from the pin hitting the rings? im still waiting on pics of the motor.
JMD...so basically the rightly matched set up will be street worthy? makes sense. people probably build Cleveland's and throw the biggest cam possible in and wonder why they're having issues.
JMD...so basically the rightly matched set up will be street worthy? makes sense. people probably build Cleveland's and throw the biggest cam possible in and wonder why they're having issues.
5th Gear Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,176
From: Insanity
FWIW, Having built some "large port engines" and driven a few more, I haven't experienced ANY real drivability issues at any RPM apart from cam selection.
IMO the "big port drivability issues everyone talks about are either a result of;
a. too much cam, or otherwise mismatched parts/setup.
b. Something someone has "heard" from someone else.
I am not saying there is "no" difference in drivability, I am saying the difference is vastly overstated. I say this from my seat of the pants feel.....
IMO A big port engine does NOT need to be a high RPM screamer to take advantage of large port size. My early experience with big port BBCs (rectangular port) was with truck engines, definitely not high RPM engines, on the contrary, these engines were designed to make power at 5,000 rpm and less..
None of the oval port cousins could hold a candle to these engines at ANY RPM.
IMO the "big port drivability issues everyone talks about are either a result of;
a. too much cam, or otherwise mismatched parts/setup.
b. Something someone has "heard" from someone else.
I am not saying there is "no" difference in drivability, I am saying the difference is vastly overstated. I say this from my seat of the pants feel.....
IMO A big port engine does NOT need to be a high RPM screamer to take advantage of large port size. My early experience with big port BBCs (rectangular port) was with truck engines, definitely not high RPM engines, on the contrary, these engines were designed to make power at 5,000 rpm and less..
None of the oval port cousins could hold a candle to these engines at ANY RPM.
5th Gear Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,176
From: Insanity
I do change my oil every 2-3k miles though...maybe if I was running longer between changes I would have notices something.
5th Gear Member
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,593
From: ABQ, NM, USA
5th Gear Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,176
From: Insanity
well....
The first 408 the pistons where milled to the wrong spec by Ross...and it blew up in stop and go traffic because it turned out I was actually at 13.5 or so compression instead of the 10.5 that it was supposed to have.
The second 408 spun a bearing on a chassis dyno after a little too much hammering on it trying to get that last little bit of power out of it.
The 410 has been lock solid
The first 408 the pistons where milled to the wrong spec by Ross...and it blew up in stop and go traffic because it turned out I was actually at 13.5 or so compression instead of the 10.5 that it was supposed to have.
The second 408 spun a bearing on a chassis dyno after a little too much hammering on it trying to get that last little bit of power out of it.
The 410 has been lock solid
Thread Starter
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 404
From: ny
wow, i hope Ross took care of you after realizing he made you the wrong pistons! do you guys think its worth dropping 3grand on a dart block? my buddy bought one just bc "it's bullet proof" but i told him he's crazy for dropping that much money on a block lol
4th Gear Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,027
From: NJ
All depends on what you want to do. Friend of mine runs one but he's also making 989 rwhp with his 302.
5th Gear Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,176
From: Insanity
It wasn't Ross' fault, the machine shop I used faxed the wrong head specs to them. And no the machine shop didn't take care of me, they opted to stand behind their boiler plates about "custom parts, no refunds, exchanges, etc..." It was obvious lawsuit territory since my invoice had the specs I gave them on it and said the kit was milled to it, and the copy of the fax from Ross showed completely different head CC numbers....but with 3k miles between me and them I wasn't going to expend the effort.
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 493
From: Ontario
would you suggest a C or W? also aren't C's a tighter fit and heaver when i can make the same power from a W. i read that a W has thicker cylinder walls over a C. btw i like the color. burnt amber? my original color is burnt amber, when i repaint the car im bringing it back to that original color
OOPs looks like I missed a whole page so I am a little late with this info....I can add that my 408 windsor has the rings intersecting the wrist pin and it doesn't burn oil..There is a piece that installs under the rings and supports them...
Last edited by frdnut; Aug 5, 2011 at 09:46 AM.
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 493
From: Ontario
....Why?