The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop The right engine for Bus.

I have a 66 bluebird apache. I just blew my engine. 350 4 bolt main. Is this the right engine to be using on this 22 footer fully loaded or should I get one with more power. Its a four barrel as well. Thanx. Cheerz !

What is Your gear ratio ? That has a lot to say on what engine to use . High or low RPM when Your driving ,trans type , what speed You drive at .


Pete

You might get a slight bit more pulling power with a tall-block 366 cubic inch truck engine, but the weight will increase considerably, and none of your 350 accessories will bolt on. Another step up in power and displacement would be a 427 or 454, but they're both gas guzzlers. The big block engines don't like high RPM, but they're torque monsters and they don't need to rev up anyway. The 454 in our 35 foot Swinger motorhome is about as tough as a two dollar steak, but it really likes the gasoline!
Jerry

GM goodwrench engines has a 350MD crate engine that is designed for 1 1/2 & 2 ton trucks. It is tough & is designed for torque. It is an exact replacement for your engine.

I drove 64 48 passenger bus that had a 327 with a 4bbl and it had plenty of go power. Another 350 should do quite well and will be more economical than the big block engines.

There is a lot to be said about something that will bolt right in. Unless you are looking for a challenge, I would consider a 350 crate engine.

Like the others said, the tranny and diff ratio's will have a lot to do with it. How did you blow a 4 bolt main? The 350 should do fine. If you can find one cheap you can get all the power you need with rebuild. I'm currently rebuilding the 350 out of my truck and when I'm done it'll have 320 hp and almost twice the stock torque. I had to by new everything for my motor and I mean everything. It was still less than a crate motor. I have pretty much just made it 10 to 1 compression, advanced the cam shaft 4 degrees, and a few other things like new heads and such. I know that the newer bluebirds used Caterpillar diesels, and the bus I ride every morning is an 88 International bluebird, I definitely notice a difference when it's fully loaded even with the diesel, but a 350 should do perfectly well.

I'm going with Jerry on this one. While the 327 and 350 can make to power to move a bus, really what you want is an engine that makes lots of torque, preferrably down low in the powerband. Back when i was in school, we still had gas powered busses, mostly IH, but a few were GMCs. The Jimmies were all tall-deck 366 and 427s. Same goes for the Kodiac trucks that the place my Dad worked had, no smallblocks, all tall-decks. You may find tit more economical to run the big block over a smallblock in that application, simply because the biblock will make the power where you need it without having to mash the gas to get it do so.

This puppy is in B.C with Huge mountains. I should have mentioned that,...sorry.

The 327 in the 64 48 passneger bus would pull a 6% grade with no problem, but if you are in a mountainous area a larger engine would benefit you. Even the 327 would only average 6-7 mpg on gas, and I don't think in that application a big block would do any worse. But you would have a good bit more umphh to pull those long grades.

Cummins QSB with a Banks twin turbo kit.