would you recomend a small block or big block chevy motor and why?

Question

if possilble could you give examples and or a detailed desciption of your answer or compare them and get back to me with your answers as soon as possible. and please be very serious abou this.

Answer 1

Some of these people really don't know what they are talking about. First, Fords are no better or worse than Chevies, just more expensive. Second, the big block Chevy DID NOT start out as a truck engine, it was released in the 65 Corvette as a 396. Never saw a Vette with a bed! Then, there are people that will tell you that the blocks are all different sizes. Any small block from the worthless 260 on up has the same block dimensions. Big blocks had two deck heights, but the length is the same. All 366s, and SOME 427s had a taller deck. these were used in medium and heavy duty trucks, such as farm trucks, and school busses. It really does depend on what you want it to do though. Here's a nice compromise for you-how bout a 400 small block? These were made from 1971-about 1980. You can spin it like a 350 and have torque like a 396 with a stock rebuild and a mild cam. It will be completely streetable and as reliable as any small block. The biggest difference between the 400 and other small blocks is the main bearing diameter, and the fact that the 400 has siamesed center bores (no water jackets between the center bores in the block) Some say that this causes them to run hot, but, I have had a .030 over 400 in a pro street 70 Chevelle for over 10 years, and never had it over 200 degrees, according to my Autometer Temp gauge. This engine makes nearly 600 hp on the dyno, and I have a box full of high 10 second time slips to prove that the 400 is an awesome power plant. I do have a big block (468CID) in my dually though. We use this to pull my girlfriends horse trailer. It's a 36 foot gooseneck and the truck will pull it at 70mph all day on the interstate. Can't expect any small block to do that.

Answer 2

Depends on the car also how much Hp either one got because you can put just as much power in a small block

Answer 3

It depends on the application and the car. If your putting an engine in a vehicle, then it depends on what you want to do with that vehicle. Big blocks are great for raw power, but in a lot of cases you'll have to change motor mounts to compensate for the larger engine and front end suspension parts to support such a heavier load. I am a personal fan of the 350. Its the most manufactured engine in history, so parts are cheap, the small block is cheaper than a big block and you still get a lot of power. I put one in my Chevelle and it screamed with very little modification. If your going to go with a big block though, I would recommend the 396.Its not as bulky as say a 454 but can produce a ridiculous amount of power, argued by some as the best all around engine for general power, low end and top end(RPMs), lots of revving power. I personally wouldnt go with something as big as 454 just because I know that for 99% of vehicles, a 350 or 396 is capable of more than enough power. Good Luck!

Answer 4

Where is going to and what are your demands. For regular cars the small block is fine and trucks, motor homes, etc... the big block. If you are considering a racing engine you have to think on power to weight ratios and where the weight is position on the vehicle will give you the handling that you need. Placing the weight on the center of the car will make a really good handling car, but for drag racing the further in the front the better since will keep the nose down but you have to consider weight shifting need it for the rear wheels to grip... so is a balancing act on power, weight and application.

A well tuned Chevy Rat motor will give you more fun for the money...

Answer 5

Both have advantages and dis advantages

The small block can make about 500 HP and still be street-able enough to run on pump gas. It is smaller and easier to mount in cramped engine compartments. The small block will be about 100 lbs lighter than the big block. It is less expensive to buy and modify than a big block. A brand new, not rebuilt, GoodWrench 350 can be had for about $2000.

The big block makes lots of power right out of the box. The ZZ 502 makes 502 HP and the 572 makes 620 HP. Both are quite expensive though. Crate big blocks start at about $5000. And both would still run on pump gas.

With both engines, your checkbook is your limit. As the saying goes, "How fast do you want to spend?"

The link below sells Chevy Crate motors and has lots of technical information such as engine dimensions.

Answer 6

Don't pay attention to the obvious Ford guy as their standard Ford high performance parts book is as thin as tissue paper. It costs thousands of dollars more to make a Ford start to run like a Chevy with their generous selection of parts you can purchase across the counter. Go to your GM dealer and pick up a copy of the 2007 GM Performance parts catalog. It's stuffed with both small block and big block parts. The all aluminum 427 big block has been re-introduced and you can build a high torque / horsepower screamer if you desire. If you have deep pockets why not buy a crate 572 cu. in.- 620 hp. street motor or the 572 - 720 hp. Final Decision Ford slapper.

Answer 7

Depends on what you are wanting to use the engine for... A Chevy small block engine is a relatively light weight, versatile V-8 engine, and can be built in any number of ways to give adequate power and performance to a daily-driver street car, while still being fairly economical to operate.

The Chevy big block started life as a truck engine, and is still much heavier than it needs to be for most street applications, but will deliver more torque and horsepower for a racing application, or just to impress the geeks and gawkers at a car show.

Answer 8

If the previous guy was succesful in talking you into a sb400, the only way to tell them apart from the outside is the freeze plugs. A 400 has 3 on each, where all other small blocks have 2 on each side. A 400 would fit the bill in almost any application, you can build it to do almost anything, from towing to racing.

Answer 9

unless you are planing on drag racing I would recommend a small block 350 they are cheep to buy and build you can get tonnes of power,they are lighter,and better on fuel than a big block. The weight difference can make a big difference in the handling of you ride.

Answer 10

Really depends on what your looking for...
A small block will give you higher revs and more speed while a big block will give you more power and higher torque.

You need to think about what you want to accomplish before you buy a motor.

Good luck!