good 400 castings?

[Bandit72]

i remember hearing something about certain 72 400 blocks being excellent stroker blocks because of thicker main castings or somethign llike that, can someone plz shed some light on this for me

thanks Ryan Olson

[firefighter3931]

Ryan, the 230 "cold weather" casting is generally considered the best stroker 400 block. I believe they were a 1 year casting (1971) but don't quote me on that. Fwiw, any block should be sonic checked to make sure there are no thin spots in the cylinder walls, especially when a stroker is being contemplated. 


Ron

[John_Kunkel]

The thick main 400 blocks will have casting dates between April and October of 1971 and will have a casting number that ends in "230". Also, the numerals in block casting number will be noticeably larger than the other 400's.

[Challenger340]

I like the 230 Blocks !

I've been using them with great reliability in my 500" lowdeck strokers. They hang in there very well, at over 700 horsepower with a girdle.

Ryan, the 230 "cold weather" casting is generally considered the best stroker 400 block. I believe they were a 1 year casting (1971) but don't quote me on that. Fwiw, any block should be sonic checked to make sure there are no thin spots in the cylinder walls, especially when a stroker is being contemplated.


Ron

Very good advice !   Especially the 440 blocks.

[Bandit72]

my block number is 3614230-4

[chargerbr549]

We have sonic tested about four 400 blocks lately with casting dates between 74-78, three of them were standard bore and had thin spots between .060-.070 thousanths thick where the cylinders are the closest to each other around the middle of the cylinder and one that was bored .040 over was only about .030 thousanths thick, is this the norm on the later blocks and does anybody know generally what the 72 "230" block thickness generally is?

Kevin

[Challenger340]

We have sonic tested about four 400 blocks lately with casting dates between 74-78, three of them were standard bore and had thin spots between .060-.070 thousanths thick where the cylinders are the closest to each other around the middle of the cylinder and one that was bored .040 over was only about .030 thousanths thick, is this the norm on the later blocks and does anybody know generally what the 72 "230" block thickness generally is?

Kevin

WOW Kevin ! Thats getting a little thin !  YIKES ! 
The thinnest I found was .107" on one cylinder, minor thrust side, near the cylinder bottom.
I remember THAT .107" number, because I stopped, went and "re-zero'd" my machine, and came up the same ! I've seen lots that hover around .140", or slightly lower on minor areas.

I personally, haven't found the later blocks, to be any thinner than any of the earlier blocks, and sometimes they are just as thick, or, thicker !
I had one '76 400 block that was .280-.300" on all major thrust sides, and carried no less than .220 everywhere else. It was a "gooder" !

Conversely, we had a 230 block that was a "pooper", and we filled it 1/2 way up the water jackets. But that was for a Drag application, so no cooling concerns between rounds.

I dunno Kevin, I can't generalize Cylinder thickness's according to year, or Block casting.
For me, it seems to be a crap shoot !

If I were to "generalize", my experience would be that I find MORE thin spots on early 440 blocks, pre 1973. Probably due to the increased deck height and "longer" unsupported Cylinder walls.

Can anybody else chime in here with some thickness's you've found ?  What to watch out for in blocks ?

[RD]

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,7683.0.html

you even posted in this one LOL

[Bandit72]

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,7683.0.html

you even posted in this one LOL

i thought i remembered seeing a thread, but i couldn't find it