New 348 build, stroke or no stroke??? 333 heads, single notch truck block

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Esetzer

Member
So, first "W" I'm building and just wanted to tickle the brains of more knowledge than i have on these 348s....
I have a late model truck block, X on front left of block, single notch (block is at Machine shop to get bored to clean it up and new freeze plugs etc so i dont have the Casting # handy). I have 4 good 333 head castings that i can rebuild. I'm planning to put the engine in my 68 C-10 truck I've had for decades. I plan to make the truck a daily driver when i retire in 6 years. Plan to run holly sniper EFI as well.

My issue is: Keep it with my stock now turned 10/10 348 crank new scat/eagle rods and run a 9.5/1 or 10.5/1 piston (forged), run a decent cam, with a range of idle to 5000 or so (daily driver, but still want it to be fun to drive, and love a noticeable idle)....

or

Drop in a 4" crank, new rods, nothing over a 10.5/1 piston (want to run it off pump gas) same rough cam spec?
I'd run the matching alum edelbrock intake for both....

Is the 4" crank worth it? I know unless i do some porting work the 333 heads dont do much, but what power do you thing is expected with the stock crank and 333 heads compared to the 4" crank and 333 heads? Drivability? durability? I dont plan to race it other than use the gas on occasion off a light or to pass on the highway... Thoughts? advice?
 
1958 delivery

1958 delivery

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
4" crank should make a day and night difference, a stock 348 is pretty weak. Single notch is a car block, trucks are double notch
 
E

Esetzer

Member
1958 delivery said:
4" crank should make a day and night difference, a stock 348 is pretty weak. Single notch is a car block, trucks are double notch
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I thought so too about the single notch... but in my 348-409 book (at work on the ship and not here).... it's listed as a truck block per casting Number.... no clue what it came out of, or it's HP rating as stock. I bought it for 600 complete, had been packed with bearing grease and rings removed, all STD bearings and stored for 20 years in a barn when i got it.
 
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Don Jacks

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 3
Unless you port the 333's fairly heavily and have larger valves installed,they're going to cork that 4 inch stroke up pretty badly.The X on that block would tend to be either a later 952 0r a 655 casting,which would be a single notch truck block.You've over looked the cheapest stroker,which would be the 3.5 inch stroke 409 crank.With this crank,a 6.385 Eagle or Scat rod,the K-B Icon piston[Show-Cars pn 7815p30] and if you want a flat tappet cam,go with a Show Cars 0951 cam[224 in.-230ex.@.050],install bigger valves[2.06 in.-1.72ex].bowl work and a little port match on youe existing 333 heads and you'll be in the 450-460 ft.lb. torque range at between 3500 and 4000.Those pistons are rated for 10.8 with car heads and a 4 inch stroke,but with the 3.5 stroke will lower you to about 10.25-10.3 range,and the 333 head will drop you down to the 9.8-10-1 range.Top this off with the Eddie single 4bbl. intake and a Street Demon carb of about 625,make up a set of 1 3/4 inch long tube headers,and you won't be able to keep tires on it.
 
E

Esetzer

Member
Don Jacks said:
Unless you port the 333's fairly heavily and have larger valves installed,they're going to cork that 4 inch stroke up pretty badly.The X on that block would tend to be either a later 952 0r a 655 casting,which would be a single notch truck block.You've over looked the cheapest stroker,which would be the 3.5 inch stroke 409 crank.With this crank,a 6.385 Eagle or Scat rod,the K-B Icon piston[Show-Cars pn 7815p30] and if you want a flat tappet cam,go with a Show Cars 0951 cam[224 in.-230ex.@.050],install bigger valves[2.06 in.-1.72ex].bowl work and a little port match on youe existing 333 heads and you'll be in the 450-460 ft.lb. torque range at between 3500 and 4000.Those pistons are rated for 10.8 with car heads and a 4 inch stroke,but with the 3.5 stroke will lower you to about 10.25-10.3 range,and the 333 head will drop you down to the 9.8-10-1 range.Top this off with the Eddie single 4bbl. intake and a Street Demon carb of about 625,make up a set of 1 3/4 inch long tube headers,and you won't be able to keep tires on it.
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I was hoping you'd chime in Don. :) with the 409 stock crank.... will there be block clearance issues other than needing to run a 409 oil pan? Other mods to make? 450 ftlb definitely is putting "fun" into driving it... I just dont want to over stroke, under head flow, do useless mods..... I just want a nice, reliable engine that will make the c-10 get down the road time to time between it being my daily grocery getter. :)
 
E

Esetzer

Member
Don Jacks said:
No,that crank issue[409 crank/348 block] is a complete falsehood,and if your truck engine came with the original pan,you're good to go there as well.If you want a little better performance than this package,I know of a Lunati hyd,.roller that will fit the bill very nicely as well.
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I love Lunati cams.... and was thinking about maybe going roller cam anyway... what's that part # and what would it's personality?
 
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Don Jacks

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 3
Now what you'll have to do is call Lunati and have them grind pn 20120711[big block grind] on a W blank.It's no big deal to do and will run you just under 400.00.They also have a great price on their roller lifters[400.00] as compared to Comp and most others.It will have a noticeable idle ,much like the 0951 flat tappet,a wider,flatter torque band,and they also have an excellent dist.drive gear that you'll need as this is a steel billet cam.At 219 in.-227ex.@.050 ,it'll be strong from about 1800-5800,and would love an overdrive automatic with a 26-2800 convertor.A rear gear of 3.55-3.70 would give good mileage.This cam would be awesome with that proposed Holley TBI injection.
 
E

Esetzer

Member
Don Jacks said:
Now what you'll have to do is call Lunati and have them grind pn 20120711[big block grind] on a W blank.It's no big deal to do and will run you just under 400.00.They also have a great price on their roller lifters[400.00] as compared to Comp and most others.It will have a noticeable idle ,much like the 0951 flat tappet,a wider,flatter torque band,and they also have an excellent dist.drive gear that you'll need as this is a steel billet cam.At 219 in.-227ex.@.050 ,it'll be strong from about 1800-5800,and would love an overdrive automatic with a 26-2800 convertor.A rear gear of 3.55-3.70 would give good mileage.This cam would be awesome with that proposed Holley TBI injection.
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I do believe i (you) have just created my parts list for this build.... I'm going with the Lunati cam you mentioned and will deff be running the Holley TBI set up. My 12 bolt in the truck is an open 3.55 already, will probably convert it to Limited slip. I will build it just as you layed it out here and will dyno it too and see what she will do. :) I'm almost done with my 53 Belair build, so I've already started getting the C-10 engine part going. I just hope they bore theblock to one of the 3 sizes show cars offers for those pistons...will have to call them Monday, it was a very clean STD bore.
 
Tom Kochtanek

Tom Kochtanek

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 13
Most machine shops will want to have the pistons on hand prior to boring. You can bore just shy of some specified point (for which they make pistons) to clean up the bores. Then do a final hone to fit the piston. KB-Ikon does it's sizes in increments from .038 to mate up with certain ring packages.

TomK
 
Rickys61

Rickys61

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 3
Esetzer said:
I do believe i (you) have just created my parts list for this build.... I'm going with the Lunati cam you mentioned and will deff be running the Holley TBI set up. My 12 bolt in the truck is an open 3.55 already, will probably convert it to Limited slip. I will build it just as you layed it out here and will dyno it too and see what she will do. :) I'm almost done with my 53 Belair build, so I've already started getting the C-10 engine part going. I just hope they bore theblock to one of the 3 sizes show cars offers for those pistons...will have to call them Monday, it was a very clean STD bore.
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I built a 380 with Ross pistons and stock Big Block Chevy rods with 1147 heads on a 348 truck block... It runs pretty good. The only thing I would do different if I did it again would be to use the 6.135 rods and Icon pistons like Mr. Jacks suggested above...:deal
 
D

Don Jacks

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 3
Tom Kochtanek said:
Most machine shops will want to have the pistons on hand prior to boring. You can bore just shy of some specified point (for which they make pistons) to clean up the bores. Then do a final hone to fit the piston. KB-Ikon does it's sizes in increments from .038 to mate up with certain ring packages.

TomK
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Tom the .038 and up stuff only applies to the 409 pistons.The 348 pistons are the typical .030,.040,.060.The 409's are done this way in order to use the more common 440 Chrysler ring sizes.The 348 with it's standard 4.125 bore is a lot more common,such as the 400 inch small block,the 402 big block,400 Pontiac ,and some others.
 
E

Esetzer

Member
Tom Kochtanek said:
Most machine shops will want to have the pistons on hand prior to boring. You can bore just shy of some specified point (for which they make pistons) to clean up the bores. Then do a final hone to fit the piston. KB-Ikon does it's sizes in increments from .038 to mate up with certain ring packages.

TomK
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Yep, I've never given them pistons for bore sizing, but I hate filing rings.... so I always have my Machinist fit my rings to the bore for each cyl when i have them mount the pistons on the rods.
 
E

Esetzer

Member
Don Jacks said:
Which Holley unit are you considering?
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the Holley Sniper EFI, Supports up to 650HP. It was between that and the FiTech unit, I've been on both FB forums for months for them to see the general issues and set up issues. both are good units, but I just get a better warm and fuzzy with the Holley, even though it runs about $200 more per unit.
 
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