Thread: Need advise on 454 build

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I have the chance to buy a 1984 short bed Chevy truck that needs a few things done to get it running. The truck was in the middle of a build when the original owner needed to sell it fast so a friend of mine picked it up and is now offering it to me for 1500 bucks. The truck as it sits now goes like this....

Built Turbo 350 trans with a 2500 stall torque converter. The motor is a 454 that has been bored to a 468. As the motor as it sits right now it has no rods in it, no cam, no lifters, and no push rods. Has GM performance racing heads with roller rockers and heavier valve springs. high rise intake manifold and a holley 750 that needs to be rebuilt or maybe even replaced with a new one. The motor needs a cam, lifters, timing gear and chain, and all the bolts for the engine got lost so it needs those. The motor also has Keith Black pistons in it but i am not sure of the clearences so that leads to my first question...What to do for a rod/piston combo??? i would like the truck to be in the 450-500rwhp range. Could i buy a master rebuild kit with stock pistons and rods and get away with the power im wanting to make or is that flirting with disaster? I would like to use the KB pistons but have no idea how to go about matching them to a rod. Does this project sound like its worth the 1500 bucks my buddy wants for it? How much do you think it would cost to get it running at 450hp? Thanks.

a very mild 454 can get you 400HP you need to know pistons part numbers and that shape the block is in and for size to know fitment of pistons KB HYper pistons will need more top ring end gap . as for rods . good rebuilt rods can take 500+ EZ all day better rods are out there as well . bolts ARP sell them .cam not realy a big deal but all parts need to fit and match so you would be better taking it to a machine shop and have them look at what you have and need

the block was freshly bored .060 over to a 468. hasnt been ran since the bore. So it's in good shape. The main thing that is beating my brain is i dont know, or have a way to find out exactly, what pistons are in the motor. All i know is they are .060 over KB's. So that makes deciding on a rod hard...Can i get away with a rebuild kit with stock rods and pistons? or will that be a waste if im looking for 450hp?

Originally Posted by ShortBedChevy

the block was freshly bored .060 over to a 468. hasnt been ran since the bore. So it's in good shape. The main thing that is beating my brain is i dont know, or have a way to find out exactly, what pistons are in the motor. All i know is they are .060 over KB's. So that makes deciding on a rod hard...Can i get away with a rebuild kit with stock rods and pistons? or will that be a waste if im looking for 450hp?

there will be parts numbers on the pistons if still on rods would not be hard to find out what you have i can just look at the stuff and i know what you have But i been building BBC for over 25 years .do you have a crank ? its not so cut and dry as just saying its .060 over you sound like you never built any BBC ? thats fine but you do need to fine out what you have or pay a guy that knows what you have a can long block it for you or at lest look over evey thing and get the parts you will need so you can put it together getting 450 hp out of a very mild bbc is not hard at all

Nope, never been in a BBC but i like to learn with my hands so i wont be taking it to anyone. Crank is standard. How much horsepower can a stock piston handle. I know putting a stock rod in will be fine. But what about a stock piston? My Plan is to buy a rebuild kit but I am not going to do that if the pistons that come with it are garbage.

I guess I should ask what piston material would be best. Forged piston? hypereutectic? Cast?

any thing you want in a rebuild kit i do not buy a kits i use what i want get it from one of the warehouses i deal with .have you put a mic on the crank is it in spec ? Pistons that a open question not so cut and dry but with bores are they fitted for cast or forged race pistons do not allways come the same size for any over bore . so that will say what you could use cast will take 350hp many GM 454 came with cast pistons and making that much power . hyper can take abit more . forged pistons past this and power adders theres alot more to it if you do not know much on BBCs and your not goinng to get anyone to help you then buy the.. How to build a big block chevy . book i may answer small questions on a bbc s or Jerry may help i not posting much on here any more pay is not that good

I already have that book on its way to my doorstep. Turns out the short block is already assembled and all the motor needs is a cam, lifters, pushrods, and timing chain. What should I use for push rods?

Originally Posted by ShortBedChevy

I already have that book on its way to my doorstep. Turns out the short block is already assembled and all the motor needs is a cam, lifters, pushrods, and timing chain. What should I use for push rods?

.....ones that fit.... now you may think that s a smart ass answer but its not . you need to do a mid lifte check many thing can come in to play after market heads roller rockers longer valve stems . big or small base circle on cam . roller cam . roller lifter can be taller then stock . block getting deck . heads getting cut tell me what cam your going to use and i can get you close to use a adjustable push rod to check for length . far as diameter 3/8 is all you need

Extreme Energy 274/286 duration .552/.555 lift

Originally Posted by ShortBedChevy

Extreme Energy 274/286 duration .552/.555 lift

mark 4 with stock heads stock rockers stock valves should be stock 8.280 /9.250 thats std length .any thing not stock in the valve train can throw push rod length off

Guess I'll start with standard and go from there. Hope I can figure out how to rebuild this Holley lol

One more question. The motor has shot peened stock rods, and eagle crank, and KB pistons. What kind of hp can that bottom end handle?

Originally Posted by ShortBedChevy

One more question. The motor has shot peened stock rods, and eagle crank, and KB pistons. What kind of hp can that bottom end handle?

well if i built it 500 hpEZ i did posted on that look at post #2....but who know s were the clearances are at on the piston to wall. clearance on rods /mains. piston pins . housing bore s rods. mains . ring gap ..

I agree with Pat about not posting too much on posts such as this one because it starts off with the op not knowing what he has but wants to make 500hp---answer any single item and then others mis interpet the answer and later on it will rise up and bite you--it takes hours going over details with a customer to iron out there needs, wants,haves and havenots, and to get in on the main floor of build such as this leaves no way out --
most likely the job won't be built as recommended, yet you become responcible for the results because you responded and/or make recommendations.