hey guys this is gonna sound stupid, but what is a stroker engine? iv heard about them, and thought it was just putting in a larger crank. heres another question...would it be worth it to take a 350(out of a 80 suburban or whatever) and make it a stroker engine?

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Black 82 Z28 t-top

[This message has been edited by chevyperformance (edited 09-12-2000).]

I am going to take a shot at this, so correct me if I am wrong guys. A stroker is any motor that has had the amount of piston travel altered through the use of a different crank and or rods. The most common I know of is the 383, which is a 350 block with a 400 CID crank shaft. It makes lots of torque at a lower RPM. The reverse of this combo is the 377 which is a 400 block with a 350 CID crank shaft. You get a higher HP than the 350 due to the extra cubes.

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Mark
1992 Firebird 355/Six Speed
1991 RS 350 / 700-R4
1987 Toyota Pickup 383 / 500 + HP 10.963 @ 119.95

thanx mark, thats what i heard, i just wasnt sure about the source that told me. would it be worth it to go out and get a 400 crank?i already have 2 350 cranks, one from a cracked block and one thats still in the 80 block that im tearing apart b4 i take it to get machined

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Black 82 Z28 t-top, 350 w/ TH350

My answer to "is it worth building a 383" is HELL yes. Even with mild heads, cam and intake, the extra torque makes them a blast to drive. The GM 400 cranks seem to be getting as rare as real 302 motors latley. You would do better with an aftermarket one. Summit and Jegs have them.

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Mark
1992 Firebird 355/Six Speed
1991 RS 350 / 700-R4
1987 Toyota Pickup 383 / 500 + HP 10.963 @ 119.95

Rod length has nothing to do with the stroker engine, as just about any length rod may be used if the compression distance within the piston and the block height will allow the extra stroke increase.

Strokers are literally engines that have had the physical stroke distance changed, as in the 350 to 383. 350 has 3.480 in stroke, 383 adds .270 stroke distance for the piston to travel, to 3.750 in (roughly 1/4 inch stroker).

they have kits for 305's even,but by far the most done is the 383,can buy complete kits even balanced.look into "kits" very closly to see what choices for pistons,cams,rods,and so on,plus watch for cam and rod bolt clearance.also gonna need damper and flywheel from a 400 for this.

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My68Camaro (http://hometown.aol.com/Dougs68Camaro/index.html)
Doug G.
68 Camaro
406 ci.

[This message has been edited by DOUG G (edited 09-12-2000).]

[This message has been edited by DOUG G (edited 09-12-2000).]

thanx guys, i'll keep my eyes glued to the summit mag, and my local mental release ward (my speed pro shop http://www.camaros.net/forum/wink.gif )

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Black 82 Z28 t-top, 350 w/ TH350

I've built three 383's in the last six years - terrific street engines, lots of torque down low where it counts. You're better off with a kit, as the crank will already have the main journals machined to the smaller 350 size. You'll still have to notch the bottom of each cylinder bore to clear the rod bolts, and you'll need a flywheel or flexplate made for a 400 so it carries the required external balance weight; same goes for the harmonic balancer.

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JohnZ
'69 Z28 Fathom Green

I believe there is a SCAT cast steel stroker crank and rod kit out that can be internally balanced. That would allow a regular 350 balancer and flywheel/flexplate.

-Marc

I have two 383's. One runs a stock 400 crank, that was converted to internally balanced with addition heavy metal. Scat and Cola both make internally ballanced cranks now. Makes it easy to hide the extra inches! http://www.camaros.net/forum/wink.gif

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Mark
1992 Firebird 355/Six Speed
1991 RS 350 / 700-R4
1987 Toyota Pickup 383 / 500 + HP 10.963 @ 119.95 Slicks / 11.997 @ 114.23 Radials

I've got a 1971 Camaro that had a basically stock 350. I put a .509 inch cam in,torker intake, gear drive and a holley 750 single. and the car had more power than most 350s out there but still wasnt enough. SO I looked around for a 400 block to build a 377 de-stroker. I've got the block machined with splayed caps, vent tubes, cam screen kit and chp-8 race barrings. Then I put in the Scat 377 forged kit with a 250 shot of nitrous and my 3200lbs 71 camaro with, posi, 355 gears pulls a 9.18 in the 1/4. oh yeah with a 7,800RPM redline. Once you drive a 377 you'll never build another small block. trust me http://www.camaros.net/forum/smile.gif

This may or may not help.Speed-O-Motive sells all kinds of stroker kits.Find them at www.speedomotive.com. (http://www.speedomotive.com.)