I personally love small blocks but I just thought I would let everyone know of the awesome boys at GM engineering. GM is no longer manufacturing the 454 or the 502. now the have a 8.1 liter big block. now most of you will know this because you can get them in the Chevy Avalanche, Silverado HD and other GM trucks but my dad owns a Marina and just went to Mercruiser EFI school. He came back after working on these new 496c.i.d. engines and had great things to say. the engines are set up different on boats but are generally the same, they have less HP and more TORQUE because they have to move through dense water instead of air. ANYWAY the 496 he worked on had 425 HP and the engine didnt even move on the engine stand...... it was motionless no rocking or anything. that is how smooth this engine is and the stats are as follows 425hp/625ft.lbs. or torque. you heard it! this engine doesnt even have a decent cam in it and idles just as smooth or even smoother then most small blocks ALL HAIL GM ENGINEERS

 

The Avalanche doesn't get the 496. GM still makes the 502.

 

all I know is what Mercruiser told my dad when he was there. Chevy informed Mercruiser that they were going to stop production of the 502. Plus I just checked the Chevy site and you can get the Avalanche 2500 with a vortec 8100 engine. which equals the 8.1 liter 496CID big block. MOTOR TREND TRUCK OF THE YEAR