The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Need help iding a 400 small block

I have a 50 model 3100 truck with a 400 small block in it. I bought the truck like this. I have looked all over the block for some casting numbers but can't seem to find any on the block. I have found some on the exhaust manifold though. I know it's a 400 because I have the card from the place where the ehgine was built at in Florida. But I do not know the year of the engine and would like to. I have read that the 400 small blocks were made from 70 to around 84 ?? Does anyone happen to know where the block casting number may be hiding on this ebgine? thanks for any help

Check for a stamped number on a machined pad on the block just ahead of the passenger's side cylinder head. There should be a letter code suffix that will give you a pretty good idea of the year of manufacture and the application of the engine. 400's were mostly used in big Impala station wagons and a few pickups, also the van-front class B motorhome chassis. There was a heavy duty version of the 400 with 4-bolt main bearing caps, which was really scarce.
Jerry

great thanks for the info, I will take a look in the morning

The easiest way I've found to indentify a 400 small block is by looking at the side of the block. The early 400's have 3 frost plugs on each side. The later 400's have 2 frost plugs and in between them the block has a raised boss for a frost plug but its not machined for a plug. I have also found if the block has 3 frost plugs on each side it's most likely a 4 bolt main. I'm not saying this is 100% correct but this has been what I've learned over the years. Don

There was an even later 400 that had smooth block sides, looks just like any other sbc. I have a 4 bolt 400 but it has weak decks, don't know if this was chronic or not but it has three freeze plugs and it's been my experience that the early three plug blocks had weaker decks. We champhered down one thread in the head bolt holes, used studs, and dead soft copper head gaskets for the alcohol engines which got us by. The later blocks held much better. Race engines are usually internally balanced but a sure give away on original engines is the big notch out of the harmonic balancer. Be SURE to use the 400 balancer and 400/454 flywheel-flex plate or it will shake so bad you can't see anything in the rear view mirror.

Thanks for all the great info on the engine. The engine has been hopped up with a offenhauser intake and a Holley 4 barrel. I will take a look this morning and try to figure out what i have. I know it i wll need a fuel pump for sure. The rebuild card I have says that they did some extra stuff to the engine at the shop in Florida. I tried calling the shop but it is out of business now. So that is why I was needing to know the year of the engine so i could pick up some parts for it.

I found the casting numbers they were on the driver side back of the block right over where the transmission hooks up. The numbers were 3951511. I ran a search on the net and found the engine to be 400, 4 bolt main, made between 70-73 with 255 to 265 HP (stock). And they came in heavy duty trucks and passenger cars. The engine was rebuilt at Cam Dynamics Inc in Daytona beach Florida. And there are differnt things on the rebuild card like "spring requirements" ans "cam tinning" that I do not understand. Now all I nned to do is id the auto transmission and the rear end. One thing I do not understand though. The former owner had the stock radiator in the truck. Wouldn't this radiator be to small to cool this engine?

Cam Dynamics is a camshaft manufacturer, not an engine rebuilder. It sounds like you've got a "cam card" which gives the lobe timing, lift, and correct valve spring application for the camshaft that the rebuilder installed. It would be useful to know if any other modifications have been made, like installing high-compression pistons, cylinder head changes, etc. If you can scan the card and send me an email attachment with the info on it, I can probably interpret the numbers for you. Not all cams are street-friendly, and people have a habit of installing too much cam, too big a carburetor, and then complaining that the engine just won't run right. Doing race engine stuff on street engines almost never has good results.
Jerry

Edit: A quick Yahoo search found that Cam Dynamics was bought out by Crane Cams in 2003. That's why you didn't get an answer to your call. As long as you've got the cam card, any good engine builder should be able to advise you about whether it's suitable for your purposes.
Jerry

Hotrod Lincoln

thanks for the help on iding the card info. I will get a scan of the cam card and send it your way. I bought the truck with the engine already installed in the truck. The engine will run if you just use a jug to the fuel pump. It sounds real good and cranks right up. The fella who had it before me had dual exhausts put on it. i just don't see how he ran it with the stock brake system on it and the stock radiator. I would have been scared to run it with the original brake system. There is a exhaust leak around one of the dounut gaskets on the driver side. And the stock steering is so close to the exhaust manifold I will have to remove the motor mounts and jack up the engine to get to it. I plan on doing a frame up restoration on the truck. So I will be changing out a lot of the stock stuff and making the truck more street friendly.