Small block or Big block?

[Rex Caron]

hello all.brand new to the site but ive got some questions about my rig. i have a few squares but i want to talk about my 1983 k30 right now. i just had a small block freshened up with some world product heads and an erson cam..great running engine that made 322hp and 393ft lbs on the dyno.. it does not breath fire by any means and thats why im here. im a little disappointed with it. its only been in the truck and driven less than 100 miles but its just disappointing. oh and it has a th400 trans so its robbing plenty.. so my question to the experts iiiiiisssss what can i do to make a torque monster but still be able to drive this thing? its not lifted, its not fancy, its not even very nice.. yet...its my wood hauler and trailer puller but i want something that with no question with get the job done. i have a 77 k20 with a gen5 454 and it will drag this thing down the street but i want to get some insite before i ditch this small block and go big block.... i mean when i get stuck or down in the holler haulin wood sometimes the right pedal makes the hampsters run faster than they should. sorry for the long post but does anyone have any insite?

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[Usmczo6]

I like your rig, go with another 454,. What brand and size tires are you running?

 

[Rex Caron]

Thanks. im running 235-85-16 super swamper Irok ND from no where else but the BLEMLIST.

 

[Turbo4whl]

Welcome

Food for thought, you need torque to move a load. The small block listed is making good torque, but at a higher RPM. The big block, if built right, builds lots of torque just a couple 100 RPM off idle.

 

[wanderinthru]

^^ what he said. Though personally, I hate an automatic. Manual shift and you get to decide the relationship between engine and the ground. I really do like the truck....except for the trans.

 

[Rex Caron]

i will attempt to upload the dyno sheet but the erson cam is making torque from 1500 ton 4000 straight across. drops off at 4500. i just know my 77 has alot more get up and go.. the 77 also has a granny low 4 speed and i know that helps alot but i was just ready for some auto shifting. thats being selfish i know. i guess im just getting lazy.

 

[Rex Caron]

im seeing a trend already.. bbc is what i need, can one be built to be mean and still driveable? mine in the 77 in stock except the cam and its just a baby. if i have a 454 built what does everyone suggest? the only gripe i have with the gen 5 is the fact that you have to run an electric fuel pump and the clatter i have with the arp rocker upgrade...

 

[jake wells]

8.1 swap.

 

[wanderinthru]

i will attempt to upload the dyno sheet but the erson cam is making torque from 1500 ton 4000 straight across. drops off at 4500. i just know my 77 has alot more get up and go.. the 77 also has a granny low 4 speed and i know that helps alot but i was just ready for some auto shifting. thats being selfish i know. i guess im just getting lazy.

Every time I'm driving an automatic, I'm just sitting there feeling lazy. Grin. Then stomp a hole in the floor at a cross road or stop sign. Lol.

 

[jake wells]

Every time I'm driving an automatic, I'm just sitting there feeling lazy. Grin. Then stomp a hole in the floor at a cross road or stop sign. Lol.

manual valve body allison would add some fun.

 

[bucket]

im seeing a trend already.. bbc is what i need, can one be built to be mean and still driveable? mine in the 77 in stock except the cam and its just a baby. if i have a 454 built what does everyone suggest? the only gripe i have with the gen 5 is the fact that you have to run an electric fuel pump and the clatter i have with the arp rocker upgrade...

Clatter? From the conversion stud setup? Mine are perfectly quiet.

 

[Paladin]

Big Block Lives Matter!

 

[Rex Caron]

well idk what its from... i just assumed it was the arp retrofit. it was on the motor when i got it bc it had a huge flat tapet cam when i got it that wasnt happy unless it was at around 4000 rpms. i did drive it with that cam for a while and it was noisey then so when i swapped cams i figured it would fix it. ive adjust the rockers 3 times and it never gets any better. sounds like a sewing machine. has for 3 years now i just deal with it but its somewhat annoying. im no genius but ive adjusted rockers several hundered times over the years of tinkering and i cant get it to go away.

 

[Rex Caron]

the guy that did the engine said 6.0 swap..my pockets just are not that deep. heck some times i feel like i dont even have pockets. an 8.1 swap sounds amazing but just isnt in the book as of now. and i guess i like to keep things "old school" carbs are crude but i can work on them, when a sensor gives up the ghost i cuss trying to fig out which one.

 

[Turbo4whl]

That is why I built my 1971 402 BB for torque. Fully quenched combustion chamber large oval port heads. Small 650 CFM carb with vacuum secondaries. Cam-ed for torque, not horsepower. 700R4 with it's lower first gear and overdrive. (4L80E's were not born yet) Yes, needed to keep a spare trans on the shelf as the Rat engine ate them for lunch. But boy, what a ride!