I have a 71 325hp 402 that I am thinking about rebuilding as my first motor. I understand that the 396/402 has a neutral crank does that mean I can use an off the shelf t56 flywheel.

 

The one thing I don't get is the 402's aren't a 396 or a 454.Hummm,that could mean they are really cheap to buy.Right??. Big question is WHY??. Just some food for thought. Oh they have the same wt as a 54,but not the same power.............

 

A 402 is just a 396 with a factory overbore that makes it just a hair bigger. They were even called 396s

 

You can't use an off-the-shelf T56 flywheel because the engines T56s came behind were one piece rear main seal. As you might guess, a '71 402 is 2-piece rear main seal.

But, you could use a neutral-balanced 2-piece RMS flywheel made for a T56.