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Projects & Parts => Garage/Tech => Topic started by: redneck ohearn on April 21, 2011, 05:28:47 PM

Title: 355 with 400 heads
Post by: redneck ohearn on April 21, 2011, 05:28:47 PM
ok dont know a whole lot about buliding motor but i want to learn and was wondering if i could put 400 heads on my 350 that i want to bore to a 355. would the 400s be better then stock 350s and would i have to change anything
Title: Re: 355 with 400 heads
Post by: Jjay78 on April 21, 2011, 05:34:21 PM
as long as the intake valve isn't a 2.08 it'll fit if you have a good 400 i'd go with that over a 355, there still ain't no replacement for displacement, you'll get a lot more torque outa the 400 than ya will outa teh 355 and for a lot cheeper
Title: Re: 355 with 400 heads
Post by: redneck ohearn on April 21, 2011, 05:39:21 PM
i dont have a 400 i know where i could get a set but i would like to go 400 but i dont have any motors but 350s
Title: Re: 355 with 400 heads
Post by: Jjay78 on April 21, 2011, 05:43:45 PM
ok, well technically all sbc heads will bolt on to each of displacement options, functionality just depends on valve size and chamber size, with 400 heads on a 350 you'll just have low compression because they'll be either 74.5 cc or 76 cc chambers, but they will work and it will run they used the same chambers on the 350's in the late 70's and early 80's usually 882 or 993 heads
Title: Re: 355 with 400 heads
Post by: redneck ohearn on April 21, 2011, 05:49:28 PM
so is it really worth puting 400 heads on
Title: Re: 355 with 400 heads
Post by: MR NASTY on April 21, 2011, 06:11:28 PM
No a small block head is a small block head. The all vary in chamber size, valve size and intake runner size. Just get a set that has small chambers,biggest valves and the tall rectangular intake runners,usaully found on older 350's, and you'll be golden. Just because there 400 heads makes them any better. If they have these three characteristics then yes use them.
Title: Re: 355 with 400 heads
Post by: marshall on April 21, 2011, 06:13:20 PM
the probably have steam holes drilled in them. i would find something better
Title: Re: 355 with 400 heads
Post by: Kyle on April 21, 2011, 06:26:35 PM
if your goin for the cheap power, have ya thought bout a set of 305 heads ???
Title: Re: 355 with 400 heads
Post by: betterbeaters on April 21, 2011, 06:36:06 PM
Quote from: Jjay78 on April 21, 2011, 05:34:21 PM
as long as the intake valve isn't a 2.08 it'll fit


fyi I got 2.08 valves in my 355!

and yes any sbc head will work I would look for a nice used set of darts or something along them lines..  I have picked a few sets up for under $300
Title: Re: 355 with 400 heads
Post by: Jjay78 on April 21, 2011, 06:48:31 PM
Quote from: Kyle on April 21, 2011, 06:26:35 PM
if your goin for the cheap power, have ya thought bout a set of 305 heads ???

i'd be carefull with 305 heads, some of em have 58 or 59 cc chambers, and unless you have good size dish pistons, or wanna run 110 you gonna have to much compression, if ya have flat tops then i'd go about 64 cc chambers, edelbrock and trickflow make some killer heads and once in a while i see a set farily cheep on ebay or at swap meets...
Title: Re: 355 with 400 heads
Post by: betterbeaters on April 21, 2011, 07:04:35 PM
I ran 58cc 305 heads on stock pistons  about 10 to 1 not too bad  and if I remember right with flat tops its like 11to1 -11.5 to 1 still can mix 92 and 110!
Title: Re: 355 with 400 heads
Post by: towstrapteaser on April 21, 2011, 07:34:33 PM
i got a good set of heads of a 97 350tbi was in a 1 ton i just bought sportsman heads need nothing 100.00 if not look on craigs list a guy in centeral mich was selling a 400 sbc and had iron eagle heads for 400
Title: Re: 355 with 400 heads
Post by: scooter08 on April 22, 2011, 12:43:30 AM
just find a cheap set of 882s and run the dog snot outta it
Title: Re: 355 with 400 heads
Post by: MR NASTY on April 22, 2011, 12:49:52 AM
No offense but 882 has to be one of the worst casting chevy ever produced. The didn't put them on anything with power.
Title: Re: 355 with 400 heads
Post by: ice87 on April 22, 2011, 10:07:02 AM
Since nobody has said it yet I would say look for a set of vortec heads they flow better than any stock set of Chevy production heads. You can find them pretty cheap and they have good chamber size if I remember right
Title: Re: 355 with 400 heads
Post by: Kyle on April 22, 2011, 02:21:21 PM
Quote from: towstrapteaser on April 21, 2011, 07:34:33 PM
i got a good set of heads of a 97 350tbi was in a 1 ton i just bought sportsman heads need nothing 100.00

Title: Re: 355 with 400 heads
Post by: marshall on April 22, 2011, 03:23:47 PM
Quote from: ice87 on April 22, 2011, 10:07:02 AM
Since nobody has said it yet I would say look for a set of vortec heads they flow better than any stock set of Chevy production heads. You can find them pretty cheap and they have good chamber size if I remember right
last two sets i have had were both cracked, and the intakes are expensive.

i do currently have a set on my truck, however
Title: Re: 355 with 400 heads
Post by: ice87 on April 22, 2011, 03:53:10 PM
Right but any used head has a chance of having a crack. How do you like them compared to your old heads?
Title: Re: 355 with 400 heads
Post by: old school truck dude on April 22, 2011, 07:19:06 PM
Quote from: marshall on April 21, 2011, 06:13:20 PM
the probably have steam holes drilled in them. i would find something better

Guaranteed to have steam holes and thats where they crack. There is no advantage to usin a 400 head, and there is some disadvantage due to the larger combustion chamber.
Quote from: betterbeaters on April 21, 2011, 07:04:35 PM
I ran 58cc 305 heads on stock pistons  about 10 to 1 not too bad  and if I remember right with flat tops its like 11to1 -11.5 to 1 still can mix 92 and 110!

Small chamber but also small intake valve, give and take
Quote from: MR NASTY on April 22, 2011, 12:49:52 AM
No offense but 882 has to be one of the worst casting chevy ever produced. The didn't put them on anything with power.

Yup, and they are almost always cracked

The high-performance guys at Chevy say Vortec is the way to go if youre gonna use a stock head. 882s are just regular smog heads, big valve but big chamber. Angle-millin an 882 works out ok, clean the runners up some and it aint too bad if thats all ya got. 305 heads have a small chamber, but they also have small intake valves and runners. The valve seat can be cut out to fit a bigger intake and clean up the runners, then ya got a real good head. ;D
Title: Re: 355 with 400 heads
Post by: marshall on April 24, 2011, 12:50:31 PM
Quote from: ice87 on April 22, 2011, 03:53:10 PM
Right but any used head has a chance of having a crack. How do you like them compared to your old heads?
well, lol, this motor took the place of my big block, so i DONT like them compared to my old heads!
Title: Re: 355 with 400 heads
Post by: ice87 on April 24, 2011, 01:12:07 PM
lmao i wouldnt like that change either!