355 with 400 heads

[redneck ohearn]

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

[Jjay78]

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

[redneck ohearn]

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

[Jjay78]

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

[redneck ohearn]

so is it really worth puting 400 heads on

[MR NASTY]

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.

[marshall]

the probably have steam holes drilled in them. i would find something better

[Kyle]

if your goin for the cheap power, have ya thought bout a set of 305 heads

[betterbeaters]

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

[Jjay78]

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...

[betterbeaters]

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!

[towstrapteaser]

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

[scooter08]

just find a cheap set of 882s and run the dog snot outta it

[MR NASTY]

No offense but 882 has to be one of the worst casting chevy ever produced. The didn't put them on anything with power.

[ice87]

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

[Kyle]

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

[marshall]

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

[ice87]

Right but any used head has a chance of having a crack. How do you like them compared to your old heads?

[old school truck dude]

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.

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

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.

[marshall]

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!