I was just curious to know how long some of the larger motors out there last... for example a 383...

Could it be driven as a daily driver? How many miles until it is about to go...

What about larger engines... 427's.. 454??

I just want to know how dependent these are...

But i guess it is best to build up hte 350

 

I would think like any other engine, depends on how well you maintain it.
But any time you build HP you're going to run into problems.

 

Life of an engine usually depends on the rpm range that it lives at not it's size. Low reving engines last a lot longer than high reving ones.

Street big blocks should last a lot longer since they usually don't like high rpms. They build lots of torque at low rpms and that's where they're used the most.

A car engine that usually maxes out in the 5000-5500 range should be able to last 200,000 miles before needing a rebuild. A highway tractor engine, usually around 14.7L in size, maxes out at 2100 rpm and usually goes over a million miles before needing a rebuild.

Lack of maintanence will greatly decrease the life of an engine especially if oil changes are overly extended.

 

Hehe maybe thats why my 400 has held up so well. My engine has NEVER BEEN REBUILT, it is an 80 block with the original crappy heads still on it, standard bore, hell it had the original oil pump on it until i replaced it last week when the engine was out. I guess its because the engine never has to rev. I can drive around all day without getting on the highway and never cross 2000 rpm. Even to get on the gighway, I can do about 65 before it passes 2000. I swear i think this engine will last forever.

 

Fellow racer here has a 383 in his '57 Nomad. He told me two weeks ago as he was retightening the intake manifold bolts for the first time that the engine was built 7 years ago (Dart II heads, some kind of tall air-gap intake & Holley 800 DP, some wild hydraulic cam, roller rockers, 4500 stall Continental converter, 4.88 gears, a bunch of other race-like goodies). Goes through the traps at 6500 RPMs, runs low 13's here through the mufflers pushing 3900 pounds down the track (low 12's at Pomona).

He's logged almost 850 1/4 mile passes on that engine! He "thinks" he adjusted the valves once when it was a couple of years old...

He's my hero, no doubt about it.

 

I dont think i have ever heard of anyone using a 383 as a daily driver...?

Lets say i had a 383 pushing say... 450 hp... how long would it last it if were driven about 3-4 times a week around town...