Can someone point me to threads on 350 vs 400 cid

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

DoubleDingo

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2012
Posts
11,325
Reaction score
17,372
Location
Right where I am
First Name
Bagoomba
Truck Year
1981
Truck Model
81-C20 Silverado Camper Special-TH400-4.10s
Engine Size
Carb'ed Vortec 350
I'd say run the 400. If you don't want it I'll drive over to AZ and buy it off you.
 

WHEELMAN

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2011
Posts
136
Reaction score
11
Location
HICKORY TAVERN SC
First Name
BILL
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
C10
Engine Size
454 v8
The 400 motor. Is crap.just a scam.to ad some pickup.to a new big car.like a Caprice or impala

If I remember right.they took a 350 V8 block and bored it out.making the cylinder,s

Simees..the center of the cylinder.is thin and the head gaskets would blow and the engine.would blow a gap

From cylinder.the engines are trash.they run warm get hot and it all goes south

Stick with the 350 V8 or go with the 454 V8. Well if you want too cruise.or go with the defective 400 and be wrenching

Don't even think about.using a 400 V8 in a boat.i have never herd of any one that had a 400 V8 hold up.
 

CSFJ

-----------------
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2014
Posts
6,160
Reaction score
5,171
Location
------
First Name
-------------
Truck Year
-------
Truck Model
-------
Engine Size
-------
The 400 motor. Is crap.just a scam.to ad some pickup.to a new big car.like a Caprice or impala

If I remember right.they took a 350 V8 block and bored it out.making the cylinder,s

Simees..the center of the cylinder.is thin and the head gaskets would blow and the engine.would blow a gap

From cylinder.the engines are trash.they run warm get hot and it all goes south

Stick with the 350 V8 or go with the 454 V8. Well if you want too cruise.or go with the defective 400 and be wrenching

Don't even think about.using a 400 V8 in a boat.i have never herd of any one that had a 400 V8 hold up.
you also think that the early 700r4 is a strong transmission. I think it's time you stopped drinking paint thinner.
 

Dooley

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2014
Posts
377
Reaction score
988
Location
North Coast
First Name
RW
Truck Year
1988
Truck Model
V30
Engine Size
454
The 400 motor. Is crap.just a scam.to ad some pickup.to a new big car.like a Caprice or impala

If I remember right.they took a 350 V8 block and bored it out.making the cylinder,s

Simees..the center of the cylinder.is thin and the head gaskets would blow and the engine.would blow a gap

From cylinder.the engines are trash.they run warm get hot and it all goes south

Stick with the 350 V8 or go with the 454 V8. Well if you want too cruise.or go with the defective 400 and be wrenching

Don't even think about.using a 400 V8 in a boat.i have never herd of any one that had a 400 V8 hold up.


All of my 400's held up.
They worked hard and did their job.
 
Last edited:

morrow07

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2014
Posts
77
Reaction score
19
Location
San Mateo, Ca
First Name
Ryan
Truck Year
1977 - 1989
Truck Model
Cheyenne - V2500
Engine Size
406 - 350
That's funny. I would mind taking you for a ride in my 77 and scaring the **** out of you, all will never going over a 195゚ lol
 

bucket

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Posts
30,621
Reaction score
28,870
Location
Usually not in Ohio
First Name
Andy
Truck Year
'77, '78, '79, '84, '88
Truck Model
K5 thru K30
Engine Size
350-454
If there's a thread about 400's around here, wheelman is sure to sniff it out.
 

h3adbang3r14

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2016
Posts
16
Reaction score
2
Location
Ohio
First Name
markus
Truck Year
81
Truck Model
k20
Engine Size
sbc 400 from 78 k30
Ran a 350 and a 400 in same truck two different plow seasons the 400 was way better with better low end torque number for long pushes of heavy wet snow in my 81 k20 long box with sm465 11"dual friction clutch np208 and 4.10s running 33s in granny 4 4lo it creeped at 1.5 mph but it had plenty of power to move mountains of snow and ice out of the way but wasn't as friendly at gas pump when driven on highway at 70 mph think that was my carb tuning more than anything though
 

peats

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2016
Posts
308
Reaction score
268
Location
Pennsylvania
First Name
john
Truck Year
72k5, 81c10 short step, 83k10 short fleet, 03 SSR. 25 chevy doodlebug
Truck Model
k5 c10 k10 SSR doodlebug
Engine Size
406 360 6.2 5.3 171
400 is my choice. as previously stated, plenty of torque as is.
 

75Monza

Full Access Member
Joined
May 5, 2017
Posts
1,362
Reaction score
2,844
Location
Colville, Washington
First Name
Jeremy
Truck Year
1980, 1982, 1985
Truck Model
K30, K20, K20
Engine Size
454, 383, 350
I like the 400 too, built with attention and not just a slapped together backyard job...great torque for a plow truck. I've always felt the 400 got a bad rap, part from people trying to wind it like a 327 and part from getting worked on like any other sbc...biggest sin was swapping heads with no clue what steam holes are or how to add them to non-400 heads. My preference is the 509 casting block because it is the higher nickel content, and a 2 bolt block because there is more meat there to drill it to a 4 bolt splayed. I prefer to keep them around .030, will run a .040 but nervous above that. Also prefer decking the block and studs for the heads, and internal balanced crank. For any 400, as long as I've kept a good cooling system, they never let me down.
 

71RAT

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2019
Posts
109
Reaction score
80
Location
Deerfield NH
First Name
Kirk
Truck Year
1983
Truck Model
K20 Scottsdale
Engine Size
461
No replacement for displacement !
Accept, artificial atmosphere !
 

Frankenchevy

Proverbs 16:18
Joined
Jan 3, 2018
Posts
6,098
Reaction score
7,806
Location
USA
First Name
Jeremy
Truck Year
Square
Truck Model
CUCV
Engine Size
Small
I would never accept artificial atmosphere, except when in a hypoxic state.
 

TravisB

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2018
Posts
1,151
Reaction score
1,287
Location
Kentucky
First Name
Travis
Truck Year
1978
Truck Model
C10
Engine Size
350
I have a 400 in an 84 k10. Didn't know I did until one of the heads cracked and 350 heads aren't the same (you can make them work with some machine work which is what we did). It pulls great but the truck has 2.9x gears so it really needs it. haha

The only issues I have had with it were probably poor maintenance related. It fouls plugs a lot, diesels at times, and the starter makes a horrible racket. It's been pulling loads and driving around since 92 or so though on our piss poor maintenance so that's something.

View media item 7970View media item 7969View media item 7968
 

68post

very, VERY, limited access member
Joined
Feb 20, 2014
Posts
281
Reaction score
97
Location
Indianapolis
First Name
Tim
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
84 K30 SRW Silverado, 85 C20 C6P
Engine Size
454, TBD
TravisB,
I hope you're using a BIG trans cooler pulling those loads with 2.xx something gears !

Half ton ?? How are your brakes !?
 

TravisB

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2018
Posts
1,151
Reaction score
1,287
Location
Kentucky
First Name
Travis
Truck Year
1978
Truck Model
C10
Engine Size
350
TravisB,
I hope you're using a BIG trans cooler pulling those loads with 2.xx something gears !

Half ton ?? How are your brakes !?
Use those photos of what not to do lol. The brakes are okay for what it is but without trailer brakes I wouldn't have even started. Those were all close to home hauls. Using the factory cooler in the radiator but it has a TH350 instead of that junky 700r4 of the same years. I have more trouble from the rear axle. It has been replaced twice and instead of just getting better gears we fix this one repeatedly... not my idea. Dad knows best! haha
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
44,416
Posts
957,133
Members
36,755
Latest member
square-up
Top