Are 390ci setups still common?
04-08-2020, 10:47 PM
#21
K1 has an affordable 3.900" crankshaft. And Wiseco has shelf pistons for it. If you're using a 6L block and need to rebuild it, why not do that and make more power and less heat? You can get a 398 with the 4.030" bore in that setup. I actually considered it for my build with 4.185" pistons from JE for a 429.
But anyway, with a bigger motor, you can use a bigger turbo and reduce the lag and make huge power, all while limiting the heat produced.
Of course, with everything, there are trade-offs. Keeping a stock block and 4-bolt head is going to limit you... so going with a bigger motor that makes more HP per lbs of boost will help with that. But if you're paying for a stroker kit, why not run an aftermarket block with 6-bolt heads?
And then you start going down the rabbit hole.
For 1000HP and below, a 5.3L and an S480 will do the job on a budget. And you can pick up a few JY 5.3Ls for the price of the stroker kit or an aftermarket block. That's if you're keen on replacing motors with any sort of regularity. I hate doing it, because I don't have a proper lift. So, that's something else to weigh is the aggravation, downtime, and cost of R&R (if you don't do it).
But if you want to shoot for 2K HP, you'll need an aftermarket block, crank, and more CID. 388 would probably be the choice there or a 427 with a CCW crank.
It comes down to budget and goal. An S484 and a 398 would be an excellent street motor that makes huge power.
But anyway, with a bigger motor, you can use a bigger turbo and reduce the lag and make huge power, all while limiting the heat produced.
Of course, with everything, there are trade-offs. Keeping a stock block and 4-bolt head is going to limit you... so going with a bigger motor that makes more HP per lbs of boost will help with that. But if you're paying for a stroker kit, why not run an aftermarket block with 6-bolt heads?
And then you start going down the rabbit hole.
For 1000HP and below, a 5.3L and an S480 will do the job on a budget. And you can pick up a few JY 5.3Ls for the price of the stroker kit or an aftermarket block. That's if you're keen on replacing motors with any sort of regularity. I hate doing it, because I don't have a proper lift. So, that's something else to weigh is the aggravation, downtime, and cost of R&R (if you don't do it).
But if you want to shoot for 2K HP, you'll need an aftermarket block, crank, and more CID. 388 would probably be the choice there or a 427 with a CCW crank.
It comes down to budget and goal. An S484 and a 398 would be an excellent street motor that makes huge power.
