Rebuild 454 or Swap in Cummins, Powerstroke, or SBC.

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Honky Kong jr

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Would stroking the 454 be around the same price as just rebuilding it? Would it be just as reliable as a 350 stroked to a 383?
All depends on quality of parts. Junk in junk out. If good parts are used and mhacine work is good you will be fine.
 

74 Shortbed

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Also depends on the usage of the vehicle, there is an assortment of kits out there to accommodate many different applications at different price levels for good parts.
 

cooperhw

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Sounds to me like you might be best advised to listen to your Uncle and buy an engine with a warranty from a reputable company. Stay away from fly by nights. Pull one out, drop in the new one. "On the road again".
 

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If you are not mechanically inclined and have to lean on someone to help you with this, a crate motor with warranty is the only way to go. Rebuilds are cheaper because you have no warranty and are willing to fix it yourself.
 

spanky55amg

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Drop in a Duramax! -- maybe its just me on a Duramax kick. Get a LBZ or newer though. (late 2006/7). It wont be the most cost effective, but it would be the coolest. Drop another turbo and a tune... 800 hp and 1600 lb tq and getting 32-ish mpg.
 

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Drop in a Duramax! -- maybe its just me on a Duramax kick. Get a LBZ or newer though. (late 2006/7). It wont be the most cost effective, but it would be the coolest. Drop another turbo and a tune... 800 hp and 1600 lb tq and getting 32-ish mpg.
:grd::happy160:
 

ChevyRealHeavy

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Well, It seems like a diesel swap is probably a little too far out of my budget right now. I do have the tools and knowledge to rebuild the motor but what about an LS based motor swap? Like a 5.3 or 6.0, there's a company(Arizona-auto-parts) that will pull a whole engine out of a crashed truck with a limited warranty. Has anyone here swapped an LS based motor onto a T400? I know it's not a direct fit, but other than the flywheel what else is there?
 

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Well, It seems like a diesel swap is probably a little too far out of my budget right now. I do have the tools and knowledge to rebuild the motor but what about an LS based motor swap? Like a 5.3 or 6.0, there's a company(Arizona-auto-parts) that will pull a whole engine out of a crashed truck with a limited warranty. Has anyone here swapped an LS based motor onto a T400? I know it's not a direct fit, but other than the flywheel what else is there?

If youre willing to go that far, find an 8.1L from the 01-09? trucks.
 

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8.1l or 6.0. Both will work with th400. 8.1l would be my vote.
5.3 will need a snout spacer on the torque converter and holes modified a bit on the flexplate
 

ChevyRealHeavy

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Update, Friend's dad was guessing .080" over was the most that can removed from a stock 454 block. Whats the most you can remove? The damage from the connecting rod seems pretty deep. I also discovered the engine was rebuilt in 2000.
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Honky Kong jr

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Update, Friend's dad was guessing .080" over was the most that can removed from a stock 454 block. Whats the most you can remove? The damage from the connecting rod seems pretty deep. I also discovered the engine was rebuilt in 2000.
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Only way to know for sure is have it sonic checked. That may end up being a paper weight. It looks pretty ugly.
 
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74 Shortbed

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That's nasty, how thick it is depends what year it is, real early blocks can go .125 after 73 they got thinner every year, I'd get it magged and sonic tested..
 

spanky55amg

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That's nasty, how thick it is depends what year it is, real early blocks can go .125 after 73 they got thinner every year, I'd get it magged and sonic tested..

The question is, how much is a pre-made rebuild vs having this one tested, bored, milled, honed, rebuilt?

And as much as a 5.3 or 6.0 almost drop in our trucks, the cost of getting one and then fabbing up the thing will cost you $1000+. Figure an engine being $500 then you need mounts and fan shroud (electric or mechanical) and maybe a radiator.... though being a 454 you wouldnt need that. And then the time to mount all the new stuff. Fuel pump, gas tank, fuel lines... those all need to be newer.

Dont forget all new exhaust. Depending where the engine and transmission sits, driveshaft length.
 

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The question is, how much is a pre-made rebuild vs having this one tested, bored, milled, honed, rebuilt?

And as much as a 5.3 or 6.0 almost drop in our trucks, the cost of getting one and then fabbing up the thing will cost you $1000+. Figure an engine being $500 then you need mounts and fan shroud (electric or mechanical) and maybe a radiator.... though being a 454 you wouldnt need that. And then the time to mount all the new stuff. Fuel pump, gas tank, fuel lines... those all need to be newer.

Dont forget all new exhaust. Depending where the engine and transmission sits, driveshaft length.
Well, that depends on what you can do yourself and what parts you already have, in my case I'd just rebuild the motor be way way cheaper than a swap, and a hell of a lot less time/labor, but I also have most of the stuff to rebuild, but I don't have easy access to them other motors and all the stuff to go along with it for a swap, I could be back on the road in a week depending on how quick I could get the stuff back from the machine shop, just have to weigh out the factors on both sides..
 

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