I need to pick your brain. I currently own a '94 GMC Sierra with the 5.7L TBI. I have owned this truck for a few years and planned to sell it but decided to mod it instead.

I will start with all the work already done to the truck minus the engine:

U-Joints - Transfer Case - Transmission - Brakes (Almost Everything) - Fuel Pump and a bunch of other stuff that I can't remember.

So my first order of business is the engine. I am thinking of building a 400 smallblock. But I have never built and engine in anything other than sleds and fourwheelers.

Tell me anything you can about 400 smallblocks, crate engines, possible building a different size engine. Anything you can think of. I want to keep my engine budget to about 3.5k.

Thanks
Ryan

 

Alright,first of all the 400 smallblock is a great engine.You can get a lot of power out of em.They are a great high torque engine.They have siemes cylinder walls so they're a tough block for offroading applications.I've heard that you can get one to rev 8-10 rpms if you build it right,but thats just what I've heard.I've also heard of guy having better luck with the 2 bolt mains rather than the 4 bolt.I got a 79' 400 I'm in the process of building for my 92' Silverado but I'm thinking of selling it since I haven't done a whole lot with it.Anyways,that's some of what I know.If you wanna know more feel free to ask about it.

 

if your looking at spending aroudn 3500, look into a crate engine, a 400 smallblock is an awsome engine, but a nice thing with crate engines go 350/350 smallblakc 350 with 350 horse, and it comes with the 3 year warranty, and all you do is bolt it in for the most part, you can buy them complete, or 'half' complete so to speak, where you add your own dist, intakes, stuff like that, hell go crazy buy a 502 crate, WOOOHOOOO

 

He is right.Besides,I've heard you're able to do more with a 350 than a 400.You can get a lot of horsepower out a 350 and they are pretty cheap to build up.400 just seems to be a great off-road engine I guess.