I was wondering if anyone had done this. I want to put the 400sbc up to my t-5. my question is can i use the flywheel from my 350 or do i need a bigger one. what do i need to do to make everything work correctly.

 

I put one in a 90 firebird to replace a 305 TBI. The T-5 was destroyed about 90 days later, and then another a few months more after that. We were driving it hard, but damn...

We had to get a specific 400 flywheel and starter. The 350 flywheel is the wrong one.

 

do you remember what flywheel i have to buy? i have a tilton mini starter i don't know if thats the one i can use.

 

There's only one...

WHEREVER it is you decide to buy one, you buy the one for the 70-80 Chevy Truck 400 (I picked 76 out of a hat) with a manual transmission. I had to also use a 168 tooth flywheel starter.

 

The 400 is externally balanced unlike the 305/350 ect. You HAVE to use a dampner and flywheel specifically for a 400ci motor!

 

400 flywheels wont fit in the factory bellhousing.. well at least the one i have.. lakewood sells a sfi approved replacement that will fit

 

so there are no 153 tooth flywheels for the 400? my block does have the three starter bolt holes. I know i have seen some plates or something on ebay for 400's but i don't know if they are for this or what.

 

has anyone seen these? is this for real or is this a hack way of doing something.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SBC-3...QQcmdZViewItem

 

When I did that, I just took a 83-85 Camaro/Firebird 305 flywheel to the balance shop, and had them "unbalance" it to the stock 400 spec.

The "pork chop" weight works fine, as far as the weight part goes; but in some cars, it moves the flywheel rearwards far enough that the clutch won't work right. Better off to do it the "right" way, as I described.

 

I did it. You need a 83-84 2 piece RMS flywheel (158 tooth). That being said, if you did not have your 400 internally balanced, you'll need to add the "porkchop" counterweight Sofa refers to, along with a 400 specific balancer.

If it is internally balanced, just use a standard 8" (nuetral) balancer, and just bolt the flywheel on with no "add-on" weight. A stock starter will work, but a mini starter is better esp. with headers - just make sure all the starter mounting holes are there BEFORE you drop the engine in....on the vast majority of 400 blocks, the proper starter holes are already there, but I've heard there are some with holes in the wrong spot.... hope that helped.

 

The 400 block is using a bigger crank than the 350/305. It's the 400 crank that people use to build a 383 stroker motor. Confuzed1 has the best advice, depending on how your engine is balanced (internally/externally). I'm running a 400 SBC (stock from a 1970 Monte) and have found that it has the a very poor cam. Don't know if you are looking for a street thumper, but in addition to getting the right balancer/flywheel, you should look at including a decent cam.