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400 Small Block Build And Dyno Test

56K views 341 replies 53 participants last post by  cage2592 
#1 ·
A forum member had me build a mild 406 for his 71 Chevelle, I thought I would post some pictures. I had a very nice thick 817 production block, bore and stroke 4.155 X 3.750, with a 7/16 6 inch rod and a Mahle piston, we ended up with 10.3 compression. The cam is hyd roller, 234/238 @ .050 .560/.530 lift on a 110. We used a AFR 195 head with modifications and a performer RPM air gap intake with a 1 inch open spacer. Carb is a AED 750 CFM. We plan on testing different distributers, locked and with a timing curve. Gas will be 91 octane from 7-11. Should be a interesting build. I should mention the valve job from AFR was a disaster.
 

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#79 ·
Mike: This is a great SBC motor. I hope you enjoy it and don't mind buying lots of new rear tires. I absolutely get what you were trying to accomplish with this build. Hats off to you and Mark!

I'm more than happy with how my 383 turned out. You're crushing me in HP and TQ....while still maintaining very civil street manners. Take it from me: it NEVER gets old.

Once you it it installed and start sorting it out, please share some pictures with us.

Sincere congrats!!!
 
#81 ·
Mike: This is a great SBC motor. I hope you enjoy it and don't mind buying lots of new rear tires. I absolutely get what you were trying to accomplish with this build. Hats off to you and Mark!

I'm more than happy with how my 383 turned out. You're crushing me in HP and TQ....while still maintaining very civil street manners. Take it from me: it NEVER gets old.

Once you it it installed and start sorting it out, please share some pictures with us.

Sincere congrats!!!


Tony,


This started out as a mild 400 build when I went to Mark and he took it to the next level. I cant take any credit as Mark just took my request, asked a lot of questions on purpose and what I currently have to work with. He stayed in contact through the build during each step. I think it was money well spent in the long run. I'm sure Ill always have huge grin every time I drive it which is usually at least twice a week to work. On the tire situation, I've been looking for a reason to buy new rears to try so I guess ill have that reason after one afternoon.


My plan is to keep this post going with pictures once it arrives, through final dressing, install and drive.


Mike
 
#80 ·
The hardest part Mike, waiting for crate, hoping its all intact.

Nice work Mark! Keeping those SBC's alive and running well! Good call on Mike's part! That mill will love the FLA altitude!

Build a mouse, and carry a RAT TRAP!

PS Keith Dorton didnt build my rat Reely, Mark did. Sorry to tell you, but he does do things that are unexpected from his engines. not common. Fact. not video. If I have questions I call him. And watch his videos. And I never name drop, because... WTF cares? But its ok if you like Mr Dorton, whoever he is. Yet Mark is amongst a few top tier engine gurus who are kind enough to stop by here once in a while. And I notice they are all straight-shooters. No BS.

Dag-nabbit! Now I'm thinking old skool mouse in that 64-65 Elky drag car I was dreaming on. Just to be different these days, AND competitive!

No doubt in my military mind Mark could make one at this level of snot with a street ram 2X4 and small solid cam?
 
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#83 ·
This is indeed a killer motor - BBC power for sure in a lightweight compact package. Would love to see how this runs installed.

This thing could still probably make over 500/500 with 16* of cam duration taken out of it. If you were so inclined (like I am LOL!!!)
 
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#88 ·
This thing could still probably make over 500/500 with 16* of cam duration taken out of it. If you were so inclined (like I am LOL!!!)

That's where I'm at - duplicate the build with something more like a 224 @ .050 cam as Mark suggested when answering my previous question. I might even pop for a new Dart block to start out with!


Of course the wife just texted me there's a good possibility she's going to get furloughed from her job due to the damn Chinese virus, so all this is just wishful thinking at this point...
 
#84 ·
Last year I built a 395ci (Ford) engine with iron un-ported factory heads, 10:1, 237/243 hyd roller and although it had a vintage 1967 2x4 intake, it would have made as much power with a modern Edelbrock Victor and single carb. Engine made 520+hp and 473tq and I can tell you that, while it doesn't have a bunch of exotic parts, it did require a comprehensive build with a lot of attention to detail which is something Mark shines at and why his engines do what they do. Anyone who thinks this sort of power is "simple" is mistaken.
 
#89 ·
Rick


Yes sir I'll be setting it all up on the engine stand to check the alignments, install brackets and accessories. Plus I’m going to bolt a spare TH350 to it while on the hoist and fit the headers. I’ve had headers hit the Trans converter/flywheel cover mounting lip before due to changes in heads. May have to shave the lip down some.


It currently has a disc/drum but after this engine isinstalled, the Quick Performance rear is going in with disk. Reason for not changing the rear first was to install the engine and see how the car drove with current gear in town and HWY and help decide which gear to go with. I don’t mind the Gearing Calculators but I want to see how it reacts to the converter as well.


Mike
 
#87 ·
sorry but dornton/mark and skippy arent even in the same league
Cheap wont get you the same build, ever.

Marks results are well known, Dornton has along standing history. For ex designed the hard to find 300-110 intake.
An honest 550 out of a small block takes some doing, takes more to make it "driveable".
 
#92 ·
Plus, reely, these folks who are pros, like Scott, Mark, Mike, Chris, Bill, all stop in to help us out, and maybe earn some business once in a while. So when one of them posts a build, why would we be so disrespectful as to "urinate" all over the tread with useless internet data? Bad form chief.

And yeah, we do protect "our own" here. I am a reincarnated dog, and loyal to those who treat me well.
 
#96 ·
Y Bring a camera to the MCC show, Cecil county raceway, and see how my "common 1.5 HP/" does against a blown LS. Or most 496's/502 I'd run across. In total street trim ex slicks.

Whadda think Gene - I can be that 502 you come across - at Cecil no less. Come on man, mano e mano. Let's see what that thing can do!! ;)

j/k :grin2:
 
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#97 ·
Vinny, I have to find someone who can drive it like they stole it...... maybe BlueSS454 can pilot the beast...... but.... YOU'RE ON!!!!! I sure hope we get a chance to run @ Cecil come june! It will be the first full 1/4 mile I can run. I know you were J/K, but heck man, I aint!

PS and remember, I have to ROW the thing down the track!
 
#98 ·
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#117 ·
I've been in that shop, been in that dyno room. You have NO idea how much they had to clean that place up for that video. When I was there there was literally dog $hit on the floor right outside the door of the dyno room. I will say they've stepped up and bought some equipment. About the only guy in the shop that really has any decent experience would be Chris Webb. He did work for some cup teams for a while.
 
#108 ·
^^^ Skippy probably was always banking on his customers not even knowing what a barometer reading is until you blew the lid off his secret HP formula :secret:
 
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#109 ·
I was going through his tests on youtube, he's got one on there with a 27.79 baro. Example:

Kearney Neb 2130 feet elevation 27.40-28.10 baro

Skip White Kingsport Tn 1224 feet elevation 27.79-28.50 baro????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Sea level baro 0 feet elevation 29.92 baro

I would imagine they have a inaccurate weather station and chose not to do anything about it.
 
#110 ·
^ as opposed to you, Mark, he doesn't really care what happens after the sale is made. Straight up huckster.

Everyone knows that if your dyno figures were fudged, it would show in the performance of the car or truck it was built for and you'd catch no end of hell here. Truth is most run faster than anticipated.
Besides that, you know that honesty is ALWAYS the best policy.
Unless we're discussing build specs or a new car or shop with the wife. Then lie as best you can and hope you'll survive when SWMBO finds out.

We're fortunate to have a builder who tells it like it is with no sugar coating or BS. Glad you're here, Mark.
 
#111 ·
I recall a back to back test of one of Mark's engines (his dyno in Colorado and again at Westech in California) where the results were within some incredibly small percentage of each other. A test like that would have embarrassed many lesser (and less honest) engine builders.
 
#114 ·
Thanks for the nice comments. I'm not real comfortable insinuating Skip whites running a scam, sure theres the china man distributers, polished aluminum parts and other designed to entice the uneducated buyer, but the engine parts in his warehouse seem decent. Example: Dart. Scat, Wiseco, AFR, but keep in mind all these parts need attention to detail to work right, the question is, does this extra work get done? In other words you can't pull these parts right out of the box and get a certain out come. We have no way to know if the detail work is done. Skip has certainly spent the money to put together a shop capable of doing the work. About the barometer settings, were not talking a 100 HP here, it could 25 HP though and I will test this on my dyno and get back to you. I can tell you this: All those experts in his shop should know better, I don't believe Skip knows the ins and outs of the dyno setup, but he could, but theres no excuses for his shop of experts, there making Skip look bad to the people who know better.
 
#124 ·
What Scott said! ^^^^
I watched a few of the skip white videos and saw a few times The bar went into the 28’s so I guess it does work but it’s off I guess. Can they be calibrated or isn’t that something entered by dyno operator
Is it always 29 bar at sea level? It never dips?
 
#131 ·
Is it always 29 bar at sea level? It never dips?
Lord, I hope it never reaches 29 bar @ sea level. We'd all be crushed. :frown2:
1 (actually 1.01325) bar = 1 atmosphere. One atmosphere = ~14.7 psi. ...I know, you meant baro as in barometer...but it was a teachable moment and definitely relative to the internal combustion engine. ;)
To answer your question, yes. The atmosphere is constant.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_sea-level_conditions
 
#126 ·
Were we to get back on track a bit, this motor would put up some great numbers in both a full weight, street cruiser (like mine) or in a car that is actually set up to race....like Mark's. :)

This is "easily" a mid 11 second motor in my car.

In Mark's sorted out ride, I'm guessing mid to high 10s....or thereabouts.

But I think some perspective should be kept as to how mellow this motor is - enough vacuum for power brakes, nice idle, and no power adder.

Once this motor gets installed and has a good carb and distributor tune, all the OP has to do is change oil, plugs, and rear tires......as needed. It's simple brilliance, if you ask me.
 
#128 ·
When you ride in a well sorted out 400 SBC, it's an eye opener....and not exactly a 325 HP 396.
 
#129 ·
406 in my sig is a 2 bolt studded and align hone.
IIRC, one of the magazine...and then Internet....myths was that "converting" a factory 400 two bolt to a four bolt was somehow stronger than a factory four bolt. I have NO idea if this is actually correct or not.

I think....emphasis on think....that it's more important to just find a good, solid, virgin 400 block these days.
 
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