Thread: Just bought a new engine the other day.

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We've never played with big block Chevy engines, but I just bought one a few days ago. My Son Dan wants to build a little drag altered as soon as his RPU is done, and the perfect engine just came along. We repowered a guys boat at work and had the old motor left over, so I bought it and am setting it aside until we need it.

It is a 2000 454 Chevy Gen 6. It was a freshwater cooled motor, so no salt was ever in it, but we found some water was starting to enter the engine through worn out exhaust manifolds. The motor still ran fine, but the owner didn't want to take a chance, so we put a new crate engine in for him.

I've been doing a little research on it and found out it is the last generation of the 454 engines. They went to the 496 and 502 later on. It is a four bolt main, roller cam motor. Comes stock with some pretty heavy duty parts, like forged rods and 3/8 pushrods. I pulled a valve cover off and it is as clean as a whistle, the guy took good care of it, and the guide plates have "hi perf" stamped on each one. HP rating is 340, but one article I read said they got 500 HP with some standard hop up stuff, like cam, intake, headers, etc.

I figure it will make a nice, consistant engine, and backed by a powerglide in a 2000 pound car it should move pretty well. Maybe 10's, or if we are real lucky 9's. Dan has gotten the urge to race, so as soon as we can get the current car done we can start on this one. Gonna send it off to our machinist and see what he needs to do to clean up the bore, crank, etc.

I know some of you are great engine builders, have you had any experience with this particular motor? Any tips?

Don

yes that turbo one by my name is a mark 6 502 now built to 540 i have built some of the mark 6 engines

Don, I was going to recommend you talk to Pat McCarthy..........LOL. I called him last year and talked about my 454, very knowledgeable on the chevy big block.
BradC

Originally Posted by BradC

Don, I was going to recommend you talk to Pat McCarthy..........LOL. I called him last year and talked about my 454, very knowledgeable on the chevy big block.
BradC

i need to talk to that guy

I had you and a couple of other guys in mind when I posted this question Pat. Aside from normal hop up stuff like pistons, cam, intake, headers, ignition, etc., any other suggestions? We won't run nos, at least to start, so this is going to be just your run of the mill torquey big block pushing a light car.

We figure he can get his feet wet with it and if he decides he needs more speed later on we can do some other stuff. Since it will be a bracket car, consistency is what we are looking for.


Don

Sorry Pat, I read Don's post when it showed no one had responded to it , then went on to read other post. When I came back to let him know about you, and our talk you had already responded.
BradC

it has the 802 heads ? 340 hp it should you should just check it all out size and cracks and up grade the cam for 1/4 mile use better valve train springs push rods rocker s they make a better timing set for them i would look in to one more cr if it needs a bore and new pistons and have at it

Originally Posted by BradC

Sorry Pat, I read Don's post when it showed no one had responded to it , then went on to read other post. When I came back to let him know about you, and our talk you had already responded.
BradC

why be sorry i was just having a wee bit of fun

the older 454 were 330 hp and had small o port so it very well could be O ports need the numbers off them had may not have rocker studs could just used the bolt stands and not ajustable that needs to be rework by using the kit they sell or drill and tap them to the old 7/16 top and bottom rocker stud . arp sells a studs that are 3/8 bottom and 7/16 tops i like just to drill the head out for 7/16 bottoms studs and you will have to go roller rockers or the older mark 4 rockers the

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

We've never played with big block Chevy engines, but I just bought one a few days ago. My Son Dan wants to build a little drag altered as soon as his RPU is done, and the perfect engine just came along. We repowered a guys boat at work and had the old motor left over, so I bought it and am setting it aside until we need it.

It is a 2000 454 Chevy Gen 6. It was a freshwater cooled motor, so no salt was ever in it, but we found some water was starting to enter the engine through worn out exhaust manifolds. The motor still ran fine, but the owner didn't want to take a chance, so we put a new crate engine in for him.

I've been doing a little research on it and found out it is the last generation of the 454 engines. They went to the 496 and 502 later on. It is a four bolt main, roller cam motor. Comes stock with some pretty heavy duty parts, like forged rods and 3/8 pushrods. I pulled a valve cover off and it is as clean as a whistle, the guy took good care of it, and the guide plates have "hi perf" stamped on each one. HP rating is 340, but one article I read said they got 500 HP with some standard hop up stuff, like cam, intake, headers, etc.

I figure it will make a nice, consistant engine, and backed by a powerglide in a 2000 pound car it should move pretty well. Maybe 10's, or if we are real lucky 9's. Dan has gotten the urge to race, so as soon as we can get the current car done we can start on this one. Gonna send it off to our machinist and see what he needs to do to clean up the bore, crank, etc.

I know some of you are great engine builders, have you had any experience with this particular motor? Any tips?

Don

What kind of car are you guys thinking of for this beast?

Originally Posted by stovens

What kind of car are you guys thinking of for this beast?

He has been talking about a Fiat Topo. There are a few companies making glass ones pretty cheap.

Don

cool

Don, If you want Pat to build it for you I will meet you half way to Fla and deliver it to Pat.
BradC

Check out www.speedomotive.com

They built the engine for my '65 Biscayne. It was a mild 454 with oval port heads dyno'd at 500 hp. You could look at the parts list, cam and dyno sheet to get a idea of what you want. They had a 496 with a one step bigger cam that was 580 hp.