400 chrysler stroker

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maple ridge puller
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400 chrysler stroker

Post by maple ridge puller »

Looking into building 400 chrysler stroker. Want to use 440 crank and h beam 6.768 rods. Looking for any info on what im gonna run into along the way and what I should use for pistons and what would be the best cast head for the job. Thanks in advance.
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Re: 400 chrysler stroker

Post by Keith Morganstein »

maple ridge puller wrote:Looking into building 400 chrysler stroker. Want to use 440 crank and h beam 6.768 rods. Looking for any info on what im gonna run into along the way and what I should use for pistons and what would be the best cast head for the job. Thanks in advance.
What are the rules for the engine?

Can you run more stroke?

The ICON forged piston offers several choices for these engines.

For cast iron heads, look at the Mopar P4529993 stage V wedge heads.

Here is a thread about a 400 based B engine stroker I built a few years ago.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7658&hilit=mopar+stroker&start=15
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maple ridge puller
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Re: 400 chrysler stroker

Post by maple ridge puller »

Well this is a project started by the previous machinist at the machine shop I now work at. Im not sure what kinda of combo he was wanting to run but the customer is hoping that I can take what tat individual started with and build something fairly low buck and still be a good runner. Just goin in a street car nothing to fancy. Just want to make sure I wont be runnin into any dificulties when it comes to the balancing or clearance of the crank to block and main bearing clearance. Being from a backround of mainly bbc Im not very knowledgable with the chryslers.
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Re: 400 chrysler stroker

Post by Speedbump »

There's a web site called 440 source.com that does all things MOPAR. I stumbled upon it when I was doing a 383 for a guy last year. It might help you a lot.
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Re: 400 chrysler stroker

Post by DUNNUCKRACING »

If you are on a tight budget,you can cut a forged 440's crank down to fit the block.Some clearancing will need to be done,nothing a good machinist can't forsee.You can also offset grind the rod journals to end up with a 3.90 stroke for even more cubes if it fits the budget.Budget pistons are available,for something like this I would probably go with KB pistons since it is a budget deal.If you want some good tips,Andy Finkbeiner wrote a book called Maximum Performance Big Block Mopars that your customer may want to pick up and loan you.
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Keith Morganstein
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Re: 400 chrysler stroker

Post by Keith Morganstein »

maple ridge puller wrote:Well this is a project started by the previous machinist at the machine shop I now work at. Im not sure what kinda of combo he was wanting to run but the customer is hoping that I can take what tat individual started with and build something fairly low buck and still be a good runner. Just goin in a street car nothing to fancy. Just want to make sure I wont be runnin into any dificulties when it comes to the balancing or clearance of the crank to block and main bearing clearance. Being from a backround of mainly bbc Im not very knowledgable with the chryslers.
With your screen name "maple ridge puller" and cast iron heads, I figured this would be a pulling truck combo...
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Re: 400 chrysler stroker

Post by Racing68 »

We've done several of the 3.9 stroke with 2.200 rod journals with stock forged cranks. Stay under 550 Hp and those last forever. Counterweight clearance is the only thing that needs to be addressed the rods clear by a mile. Or go to 440 source and get the 4.25 stroke kit for some real fun.
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Re: 400 chrysler stroker

Post by DrillDawg »

+1 on 440 source. They have very good stroker kits for around 2000 dollars balanced ready to install. Check out the web site.


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maple ridge puller
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Re: 400 chrysler stroker

Post by maple ridge puller »

HaHa yea screen name comming from me as a mod tractor puller yes. But Im a machinist. The crank hasnt any casting numbers but is a forged steel shaft and withthese rods I believe its a 440. It looks like someone has started some trimming on the counterweights. Will it still balance out ok with kb pistons and these longer rods. I havent weighted anything up yet but basic knowledge tells me longer rod shorter piston=less reciprocating weight and the need for less counterweight? Thanks for all the info guy I really appreciate it all!
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Re: 400 chrysler stroker

Post by DaveMcLain »

A year or two ago I built a 383 Chrysler with a 440 crank and the 383 rods. It was for a customer who wanted to keep his original 383 block(not sure why I couldn't talk him into using a 400). Anyway, I had a 440 crank that was a pretty good core with some bad mains. We simply turned the mains down to STD and the rods .010. I had to do some counterweight work but it wasn't too bad. Block clearance work wasn't awful either. Using a 440 rod would have made clearance between counterweight and piston at BDC a non issue. Balancing was not difficult. On this build we used a Diamond flat top piston. The customer wanted the block decked to zero and I think I ended up having to take off about .030 to get it down. This is something to think about when you order your piston and you might want to get something with a little taller CD than what Diamond lists in their catalog.
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Re: 400 chrysler stroker

Post by scracer »

You will need to cut the counterweigts down to 7.250 before balancing.
These are off the shelf pistons with 1.32 C.H. which work with your rod.

Arias E4711030 flat top

Arias S7751030 dome

Diamond 52006 1.094 pin

Diamond 52007 .990 pin
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Re: 400 chrysler stroker

Post by pdq67 »

Not a BB MOPAR guy at all, so what size engines do the various b/s combinations end up at?

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Re: 400 chrysler stroker

Post by scracer »

With a BB Mopar 400 most people use a 4.375 bore. With a 3.750 stroke it's a 451, 4.150 = 500, 4.250 = 511, 4.375 = 526 that's about all the stroke you can put in a low deck 400 block. The 400 block is a stronger block then the 440.
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Re: 400 chrysler stroker

Post by Keith Morganstein »

The 4.15" stroke, 400 based stroker is a great combo. Revs like a small block. With this budget it seem they will build a 3.75" stroke tho..

Some of the clearancing can be done in the block too. There are areas that can be ground, smoothed and stress relieved in the process.

The 440 source platinum rods work fine. Doubtful you'll have to do a my clearancing (for the rods) with the 3.75" stroke. Some minor clearancing is required with the 4.15 stroke.

On the heads, 906 castings are preferred over the 451's, but neither are all that great. Most of the old cores will need all new guides and all the exhaust seats. The customer might rather use the 440 source stealth Alum head. I haven't personally used them, but feedback seems OK.
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Re: 400 chrysler stroker

Post by DrillDawg »

Keith Morganstein wrote:The 4.15" stroke, 400 based stroker is a great combo. Revs like a small block. With this budget it seem they will build a 3.75" stroke tho..

Some of the clearancing can be done in the block too. There are areas that can be ground, smoothed and stress relieved in the process.

The 440 source platinum rods work fine. Doubtful you'll have to do a my clearancing (for the rods) with the 3.75" stroke. Some minor clearancing is required with the 4.15 stroke.

On the heads, 906 castings are preferred over the 451's, but neither are all that great. Most of the old cores will need all new guides and all the exhaust seats. The customer might rather use the 440 source stealth Alum head. I haven't personally used them, but feedback seems OK.

I think the stealth heads are based on Pro-comp castings. They seem to flow good and if you get a good set you'll be ok, but I would read some of the feed back on the 440 forums before I would use a set.


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