I'm sorry for the stupid question... but what actually is considered to be a "stroker engine"? What defines it, yea verily, this is a stroker engine?

 

A stroker engine is one that has had a longer throw crank put in w/ shorter rods. that is a simple explanation of it. longer stroke gives you more tq lower and more piston surface gives you high end HP. so by doing like a 383 (400 crank, 350 rods) you are getting the stroke of the 400 and the piston size of the 355. like I said that is just a simple explanation. I'm bad w/ words so I can't think of another way to explain it.

Josh

 

Well I somewhat understand that, but I guess my question is more of when is it actually stroked enough to be considered a stroker. Hard to explain. Like, if a stroker engine is an engine that has been "stroked" ( :: insert sexual puns here :: ) how can a crate engine be considered a "stroker" if it was initially built this way, not modified later?

 

I will take a stab at this one.

My thoughs is that a stroker is any engine that has a longer stroke then what came stock in it. (this is less technical then above but should give the idea) Corrections are welcome.

Example

Originally the 4" bore block was a 327

4" bore x 3.25" stroke = 327

So a 350 is a stroked 327

4" bore x 3.48" stroke =350

a 383 is a stroked 350 +.030

4.030" bore x 3.75" stroke = 383

And so on and so forth

Destroke is the opposite of stroked

Such as the famous 302

4" bore x 3.00" stroke = 302

or a 377 which is a 400 with a 350 crank

4.125" (cr?) bore x 3.48 stroke = 377

Hope that helps, people with more knowledge are welcome to correct me but that I believe is the simplified way for explaining stroked and destroked?

 

I dont know alot bout stuff like this but i believe that a stroker kit turns the 350 into a 383. But does have shorter connceting rods. If you want an easy well to tell....at least most of my friends have these.....If youve ever seen an engine with "tall boys" or tall valve covers...well thats one reason. You need these when you put a stroker kit on your engine.

 

You're right, putting a crank with the 400 stroke (3.75") into a .030" over 350 block, with either the shorter 400 rods or the stock 350 rods and custom pistons, gives a 383. The 350 stroke is 3.48".

This has nothing to do with valve covers. There's no reason you have to change them when you change the stroke. Sometimes people put tall ones on because they have valve train parts that won't fit under regular ones, but usually, it's just monkey-spank.

You can stroke a 400 fairly easily too; you can get a 4.000" stroke crank (not stock for anything) and put it in a 400 block, in a .030" overbore that makes a 434. I built one of those not too long ago for somebody .... with normal height valve covers. I may build myself one too, instead of running just a measly little stock 400 like I have been, if I can quit being so cheap. And when people ask me what I've got after I drill them, I can still say "Awww, just a small block".

 

RB83L69, I thought about that too! I was too cheap though but, I thought it would be better for pulling trucks out of the ditch

 

A stroker is any engine that maintains a standard bore and a stroke longer than stock.

You do not have to install shorter rods. As a matter of fact most 383 strokers move to a longer rod (6.0 vs 5.7 inches). the longer rod reduces rod lead and makes it easier for teh rod to exert leverage against the crank. THe thing to make sure is that the compression height of the piston will accept the rod length.

For example a 327 and 350 both have a 4 inch bore and both run a 5.7 inch rod. If you put 327 piston on a 350 crank teh piston would come out of teh block .25 inches. Just the opposite would happen f you put a 350 piston on a 327.

Hope that helps