What moderate low-buck V8 has the highest RPM potential?

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greymouser7

greymouser7

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Mopar, GM, FoMoCo, whatever low investment V8 motor/crank/valvetrain/cylinder-head motor can spin the highest RPM with the least amount of failure?

I am sure that the second gen HEMI is first guess in anyone's mind, but what about something affordable {well} under $10K, less expensive is better. Whenever the rags do a build-up story like this, it is unreasonable. I am sure it would be cheap with someone's i got this HEMI, cammer, etc. back in the day-what about now?

Thanks for your input. :burnout:
 
I would say anything with shaft mounted rockers and a short stroke. The Buick 215 would probably be a fantastic choice. It only has a 2.8" stroke and shaft mounted rockers. It is also all aluminum.
 
Well, that would be stroke dependent followed by valve springs for the rpm and then it would be the heads port to support it and lastly intake and carb.

With that in mind, there are a load of choices from each camp.
Our 340 for the small block and 400 for the big block are the ones I'd look at.
The 327 Chevy has a shorter stroke than the 350. Both would be cheap.
The Ford 4X3. 302 is another screamer engine.
The Buick engines as mentioned by RRR have the shaft mounted rockers which really help the issue. Bucks are not exactly sought after, so the initial is cheap, aftermarket parts are pricey.

Bang for the buck OOTB with add on's?

I'll stick with the 340, a '71 or '72 model for the TQ carb and intake coupled to the OE 2.02-1.60 heads. Give it with stiffer springs and big *** cam, LOL. Away we go!
I can't tell you how many fell for the stock look and the view of my tail lights.
 
Not rev to enjoy the sound but to bury the right foot-

I guess I have a goal of some sort of top speed in the future.

Some say that not much hp/torque is not required for top end-BARRING windresistance/vehicle drag , tire width, etc.

So a 340 with the T/A 3.00 stroke would scream (perhaps MRL's offset solid roller lifters?)
But I thought that the LA's top out at 7K something until you get to R3 48 degree stuff???

So how much would a 400 bigblock turn to? Would a Cleveland spin higher?

I am not sure this is something I could easily research-but I bet people here have lived it or have read it.
 
The OE oiling system for the small block gives up around 6600 RPM's. Give or take. I say that because the oil passages, stock, can only support so much oil to the safe operation of the engine.

My Chevy buddy brags (oh so annoyingly) about the rpm he can hold. He'll just let his foot sit on the floor at 9K. Not that he has made any power past 6500 mind you!

I'd rather disassemble my small block and massage the oil pump and rear main passage to handle more RPM's. Mill my center divider down and let that 850 TQ roar. It what we did as kids with our whopping pay check back then.
 
Not low buck but the dz302 that was in old z28's liked to rev....and 69 Boss 302 would spin to the moon.

This 318" SBF revs to the moon....[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfP9k_d2Mg8.....olde[/ame] neighbor I used to help at the track had a .030 283 SBC that he spun close to 11k with nothing to fancy....good crank, aluminum rods and dead nut on valve train geometry with stud girdles....
 
Chevy LS or Ford Termi. With proper parts, both will spin past 7500RPM. (With boost, both will comfortably manage 1000+HP.)
 
inkjunkie said:
Not low buck but the dz302 that was in old z28's liked to rev....and 69 Boss 302 would spin to the moon.

This 318" SBF revs to the moon....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfP9k_d2Mg8.....olde neighbor I used to help at the track had a .030 283 SBC that he spun close to 11k with nothing to fancy....good crank, aluminum rods and dead nut on valve train geometry with stud girdles....
Click to expand...

The DZ302 was a solid lifter motor, and yes they could spin to ten grand no problem.
 
inkjunkie said:
Not low buck but the dz302 that was in old z28's liked to rev....and 69 Boss 302 would spin to the moon.

This 318" SBF revs to the moon....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfP9k_d2Mg8.....olde neighbor I used to help at the track had a .030 283 SBC that he spun close to 11k with nothing to fancy....good crank, aluminum rods and dead nut on valve train geometry with stud girdles....
Click to expand...

11K sounds/seems mythical Doug. I cannot imagine-but aluminum rods huh.


inkjunkie said:
You don't need sky high rpm to get a high mph...just look at Banks Cummins powered Dakota...http://www.bankspower.com/magazines/show/639-Flat-Out-on-the-Salt...my diesel, granted it is a Duramax, will not even turn 4k rpm...
Click to expand...

I guess enough torque matched to enough gear -

I have a 2.45 geared A-body 8 1/4 rear axle & overdrive 833... for now i guess a 360 will have to be enough torque but I always wanted to know what the other motors maxxed at.

I don't think hp is a priority at those rpm's unless it is specific race focused build (drag, long circle track, salt flats)

Was thinking about the Silver State Classic and the similar race in Nebraska.

Low buck-Yeah chevies are a dime a dozen, only slightly out numbered by vw bug's-maybe.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I would say anything with shaft mounted rockers and a short stroke. The Buick 215 would probably be a fantastic choice. It only has a 2.8" stroke and shaft mounted rockers. It is also all aluminum.
Click to expand...

Does the Buick have the 15 degree valve train geometry-am I remembering that right?

Would that help?

Some people here merit the smaller mains/bearing surface of the 273/318/340 over the 360-as if the larger surface area is significant in regards to drag ???
 
Crapped if I know. I threw it out there cause it was an answer to your question.

I really don't understand your fascination with the high RPM thing. Put the stupid books down. There's absolutely ZERO need for extreme RPM with a 2.45 gear and an over drive. But, I am sure like everything else I have tried to tell you, that won't stick either.

I am kinda likin the 400 Mopar idea. Damn near the same stroke as the 340, yet no need for all the stupid high RPM. There's no need for all that anymore with all the camshaft and cylinder head tech we have nowadays.
 
ir3333 said:
you guys won't like this,lo buck?
..has to be sm blk chev
Click to expand...

I agree with this one..........sm blk chev has gotten WWWAAAYYYY more development time than anything else..........more time and energy has been spent making that engine make horse power, it can't help but be the low buck V8 with highest rpm potential! In the late sixties Isky was selling stuff to spin them past 10 grand; reliability was kinda iffy then it's much better now, metallurgy has come along way. Sale's volume has made parts relatively inexpensive.

Sad but true.
 
greymouser7 said:
I had no idea that they could spin that high.

How high can a 383/400 bigblock spin?

It seems the 400 would provide the torque to drag the dog of the 2.45 gears out of low
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Nevermind. I give up.
 
i think it was back on 2011 or 2012 the 100 millionth sm blk chev was produced.
i still like my 340 though!
 
RustyRatRod said:
Nevermind. I give up.
Click to expand...

Sorry Rob, it's just bench race type question, not a dynamic plan or declaration of agenda

YOU built a Ford 42X and maxxed it out in your buddies ex-cop car, I figure that you might remember some of the Chevy and Ford motors performance with regards to rpm capabilities

It is not an obsession, just a curiosity not sure why you are frustrated.
 
I don't know. It just seems sometimes you waste time worryin over stuff that has no relevance. Why does it matter how fast an engine can spin when we have technology available now that allows HP and torque to be produced at RPM that almost doesn't stress the engine at all? Couple that with your 2.45 gear and overdrive idea and there's even less reason to want to spin a motor hard. Your mind is like steel trap. Once it latches onto something, it won't let go. Like that 7400 RPM threshold thing you can never let go of. I don't know what book you read that in, but please throw it away.

I still like the 400 Mopar idea on this. Or even a 383. Either will develop enough torque to pull in high gear with your combination, yet be able to rev considerably due to the short stroke. If you use the 400, you will have its huge bore going for you even more where torque is concerned.
 
greymouser7 said:
I had no idea that they could spin that high.

How high can a 383/400 bigblock spin?

It seems the 400 would provide the torque to drag the dog of the 2.45 gears out of low
Click to expand...

RPM potential is primarily a matter of valve train control, air flow, and how much money do you want to spend........make no mistake about it RPM costs money. As I stated earlier, sm blk chevy have had decades of development work, parts are inexpensive, there is LOTS of information. 383/400 you could get into the 8-9000 range with out too much problem, past that point would be much more difficult, question is WHY? Power band at that point is very narrow, it would be like a light switch, "on" or "off" .
 
greymouser7 said:
Some say that not much hp/torque is not required for top end-BARRING windresistance/vehicle drag , tire width, etc.
Click to expand...

But the drag is huge deal. And the faster you go the bigger deal it is. You will need an *** load of power to get an a-body to, let's say, 160mph and hold it there (if you can keep it on the road) and figure a house payment worth of cash for every mph over that.
 
greymouser7 said:
YOU built a Ford 42X and maxxed it out.....
Click to expand...

That engine was FAR from maxxed out. It was not much more than stock. It had a Crane cam that was three steps above the stock 429CJ cam in it. Couldn't go far with the cam because if the ridiculous gear it had. It was also a 2 series gear, but I forget which one it was exactly. But we had 460 cubes of Ford motor. That's how you have to do it. If you over cam an engine with highway gears, you make a dead dog. So, you have the choice of building a small cube engine with a nearly stock cam, or a larger cube engine with a slightly more moderate but still small cam. Or lastly, a really large engine with a little more cam. But even the large engine will be a dog in comparison with a 2 series gear and overdrive if cammed too much. I'm not frustrated at all. I think it's kinda funny really. It's kinda like a lot of these other threads. It's almost as if you ask me, get my opinion and then ask everybody else wanting the answer you want to hear. Not that my word is gospel.....but far from it. But the general guidelines I have given you are all true. Do with it what you will.
 
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