Big Block for towing

I'm building a '79 4x4 dually with a turbo 400 transmission and I'm putting a '89 454 in it, the truck is just gonna be used for towing a couple vehicles at a time, I'm wanting to get all the horsepower and torque out of this engine that is possible and still drive on the road with no problem, I plan on stroking it but I just don't no what size to go with so my questions are

which is best to stroke it to 496 or 511?
what are the best heads cam and intake I can get to give me the most towing power?
and finally what kind of horsepower and torque do you think the set up will make

yep a 496 or 511 have both in stock many others if you want to stay on the lower dollar side 496 hyper pistons . cast steel crank . 511 only forged piston s forged crank then the 511 only comes this way as a 4.310 bore crank 4.375 i have two of them .if your looking for a short block i have a 511.498. 496.489. and a gen 6 that will be a forged flat 489. and a dart big m 548 flat top P.M me if you have a interest

Well you'll get 4 to maybe 6 miles per gallon---I'd suggest a diesel transplant and get rid of the 4x drive---------Pick a set up that has a overdrive tranny--

I agree with Jerry as far as the diesel being the best way to go.

If you want to stay with a gas engine, personally I’d find a 500 CI Cadillac, do a stock rebuild and swap that in. Even the low compression regular gas engines from the 70s made 500 Ft Lbs of torque at 2200-2500 RPM and were extremely reliable. You would need an adaptor for the TH400 to fit the caddy engine but they are readily available.

Finding/buying a 500 Caddy engine and doing a quality rebuild would be far cheaper than a custom built BBC 496/511.

If you decide you want to stick with a BBC, Pat is definitely the one to talk to.

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Originally Posted by Mike P

I agree with Jerry as far as the diesel being the best way to go.

If you want to stay with a gas engine, personally I’d find a 500 CI Cadillac, do a stock rebuild and swap that in. Even the low compression regular gas engines from the 70s made 500 Ft Lbs of torque at 2200-2500 RPM and were extremely reliable. You would need an adaptor for the TH400 to fit the caddy engine but they are readily available.

Finding/buying a 500 Caddy engine and doing a quality rebuild would be far cheaper than a custom built BBC 496/511.

If you decide you want to stick with a BBC, Pat is definitely the one to talk to.

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well he did not ask for a diesel or a caddy . hate to say it but mike caddy is fine it not cheaper by the time making things fit were 454and up CID is a bolt in. i would not use a 400 trans in back of a build like this 4 speed auto or gear vender on the 400. i can sell a cast steel crank hyper piston 496 engine @ 500 ft is not hard at all more close to 600 for the same as or less then doing a rebuild on a caddy part for part as the 496 is all most stock parts price .the 454 .582 is a bolt in ...will it use gas yes it will .i ask one of my customers what MPG he get pulling his 50 foot off shore boat with his bbc i am sure it not great but he had 454 with whipple blower on his gas bbc for 15 years going this way with a 496 would still be less $$ then a diesel if you add up your time and $$TQ numbers would be very good .if going diesel see if going to a new truck roller over use all part in your old truck shell alot of screwing around buy the time your done it would be less money to buy a lite hit new diesel turck and fixing it but you did not ask that :)

If you're going to use the truck for just towing, I'd suggest rethinking the whole plan and trying to sell what you have and buy a good diesel powered toter! Just an example for you, my last gas engine powered tow rig got 7mpg---the diesel we use now gets 17 mpg pulling a 4' longer trailer!!!!!

I think that the BBC series of engines can be great producers of torque/hp and can stand really big boosts of power adders, however, when someone uses the work TOW, it disqualifies any reason for that engine as a choice supported by me----go buy a Ford F350 with 7.3 and get 19 around town and 17 on road at 70-75 mph towing 45 tripple axle---------biggest decisions to make is what kind of GPS and sat radio to get then what station to listen to---------

I agree with these guys. If you're going to spend the money to build an engine to tow, spend it once. I can build a 500hp 5.9 to tow with that will get 15mpg+ while towing, I could never go back to a spark plug in any hauler.

Thanks for the replys guys but I prefer a gas engine over the diesel cause the parts for the diesel are like 3x a gas, my current tow rig is a '78 chevy with a built 400 and hauling a car on the interestate it gets 15 mpg, and gas around here is $3.05 and diesel is $3.85 a gallon

I've gotta roll up my pant legs---gonna get deep here--you won't get 15 mpg with a bbc 4x4 dually

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Originally Posted by 1978chevy

Thanks for the replys guys but I prefer a gas engine over the diesel cause the parts for the diesel are like 3x a gas, my current tow rig is a '78 chevy with a built 400 and hauling a car on the interestate it gets 15 mpg, and gas around here is $3.05 and diesel is $3.85 a gallon

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This sounds like the guys using V10 trucks hauling with us but they always stop for fuel before way before us and their tanks are the same size. :) It's the same story every time, I had to pee so we just stopped. Um ok.

And on the diesel parts costing 3x the gas stuff? If you buy a 94-98 dodge with a 6bt and a NV4500 for $4000 or less, there's the majority of what you need to do the swap. One of these stock with some free mods will net 250-350hp and get "real" mileage. You'll have atleast $4k in a strong 496 or bigger with good parts. And I know the 496 or bigger won't get 15mpg towing unless you have a 500cfm carb, or your trailer is paper machey.

i built many 496s and many bbc i machine and build engines for a liven you want to bet me i can not be built for less then 4000. i done it many times .the cost is no more the a good rebuild on a 454 always can be more or less just like the cost of building any thing start with a gen 6 454 the build could be less for a roller cam bbc and if Gm heads are used

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Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe

This sounds like the guys using V10 trucks hauling with us but they always stop for fuel before way before us and their tanks are the same size. :) It's the same story every time, I had to pee so we just stopped. Um ok.

And on the diesel parts costing 3x the gas stuff? If you buy a 94-98 dodge with a 6bt and a NV4500 for $4000 or less, there's the majority of what you need to do the swap. One of these stock with some free mods will net 250-350hp and get "real" mileage. You'll have atleast $4k in a strong 496 or bigger with good parts. And I know the 496 or bigger won't get 15mpg towing unless you have a 500cfm carb, or your trailer is paper machey.

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If I would have wanted yalls opinion on a junky diesel I would have asked for it

Ok, someone post the link of the diesel corvette smoking the Christmas tree!

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Originally Posted by 1978chevy

If I would have wanted yalls opinion on a junky diesel I would have asked for it

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No problem. Build your big bad big block and enjoy.....................

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Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

i built many 496s and many bbc i machine and build engines for a liven you want to bet me i can not be built for less then 4000. i done it many times .the cost is no more the a good rebuild on a 454 always can be more or less just like the cost of building any thing start with a gen 6 454 the build could be less for a roller cam bbc and if Gm heads are used

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Yeah, you can probably budget build one for $2000. Do any of the 496 and bigger engines you're building tow any big loads and get 15mpg?

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Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe

Yeah, you can probably budget build one for $2000. Do any of the 496 and bigger engines you're building tow any big loads and get 15mpg?

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do not put words in my mouth . i never said under 2000. or did i say budget build . could i get 15 MPG ? did you burn up some brain cell s :) the guy is not looking for a oil burner ? show me anywhere on this post i told him 15 MPG ????????? last one was a 454 with a whipple on it. customer never drove it under 75mph fuel mpg never did come up but i can tell you the trailer he was pulling was in 40 foot inclosed 3 axle and would pull it like nothing was on the back of the truck going up hills in kentucky he had it in over drive it was up shifting up the hills at 75to80 mph with over 5000.pounds in the trailer . when this truck was getting some work done to it. he had a leases truck with a 350 vortec with less power and could barely pull the trailer empty same mpg as the blown 454 what ever it was

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Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

do not put words in my mouth . i never said under 2000. or did i say budget build . could i get 15 MPG ? did you burn up some brain cell s :) the guy is not looking for a oil burner ? show me anywhere on this post i told him 15 MPG ????????? last one was a 454 with a whipple on it. customer never drove it under 75mph fuel mpg never did come up but i can tell you the trailer he was pulling was in 40 foot inclosed 3 axle and would pull it like nothing was on the back of the truck going up hills in kentucky he had it in over drive it was up shifting up the hills at 75to80 mph with over 5000.pounds in the trailer . when this truck was getting some work done to it. he had a leases truck with a 350 vortec with less power and could barely pull the trailer empty same mpg as the blown 454 what ever it was

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I was just agreeing that you might be able to build one for $2k. I was just asking about mileage. Did you burn up brain cells? Learn to type and maybe people can read wtf you are saying. I could care less what he does. Like I said earlier, build it and enjoy it.

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Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe

I was just agreeing that you might be able to build one for $2k. I was just asking about mileage. Did you burn up brain cells? Learn to type and maybe people can read wtf you are saying. I could care less what he does. Like I said earlier, build it and enjoy it.

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if you think i can build a 496 for under 2000. your brain cells are dead and 15 MPG ???? pulling a load .you do not know anything???... i see this as you just trying to start some shit ... it.s not working with me .. try again ... he is the one that is not looking for a diesel . now how is my typing so far ok with you ? can you read this grasshopper :)

Pat---sorry, but I think that I'm the reason this started going downhill----it was probably some of my comments about diesel, 15 mpg and rolling up my pantlegs cause it was going to get deep---------


Sooooooooooo---winter up there yet???????????

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Originally Posted by jerry clayton

Pat---sorry, but I think that I'm the reason this started going downhill----it was probably some of my comments about diesel, 15 mpg and rolling up my pantlegs cause it was going to get deep---------


Sooooooooooo---winter up there yet???????????

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yep sure is i can not wait for spring ..i would like to take a trip were it warm ..i hate this damp cold cuts right threw me :( takes for ever to warm up

So, Pat, what type of cam do you recommend for a towing big block? There are a lot out there now compared to RV cams and a dual plane intake that most people used for years. I couldn't tell you because I don't mess with much spark plug stuff anymore.