Golden Ticket or Fools Gold? How to Tell if You Have a 327 or a 350 Small Block Chevy (Part 2)

Curiosity Killed the Cat, but this Might Mouse Still Lives. As you seen in part 1, you really can't go off of parts numbers on these Small Block Chevrolet engines because those casting numbers are for a wide variety of engines. The only way you can really tell what it is you are working with on these SBC's is to get your hands dirty and open them up. So, in this episode I dropped the oil pan to see just what it is that I have.
The back of the crankshaft will tell you for sure what the displacement is because they are balanced off that. The different displacements are achieved by increasing the stroke of the engine (302, 327, and 350) and have different shapes in order to counter the weight differences to keep everything in balance.
Second thing you look for is the number of Main Bearing Bolts, and this can only be seen by taking the oil pan off. Personally, I always open them up to find this out just to see if anything has been done to them, because when you get one of these engines without it being in a car or truck, you really don't know anything about it until you get in there and find out for sure just what you are working with. You can't go off a VIN tag on the dash, if there's no Vehicle. Also, since parts are so easy to swap around on the Small Block Chevy, you don't know what people have done to them in the past to keep their vehicles running.
So I always deep dive into these "mystery blocks" so I can find out for sure what it is I'm starting with, and modify it to fit my needs from there.
Channels mentioned in this video
‪@landoncustomclassics‬ (thanks for finding this little gem Cousin Mike)
‪@alva1370‬ (great video on the differences on these small block cranks man, thanks for that)

[@tbjtbj4786]

I know a guy that in the 90's rebuild a lot of sbc 350 to 327.

[@born2wrench]

this or those 327's 4 bolt are found in early 70's school buses and a few 2 ton trucks. I know this because I have pulled these and rebuilt them

[@markanthony3275]

Personally , I consider the 350 to be the fool's gold and not the other way around.

[@billhill4544]

327 never made with 4bolt mains

[@ronnieyoung7510]

They never made a 4 bolt main block 327

[@brianveitenheimer4492]

I’ll take a large journal 327 all day long. Always got better numbers from a 327. You talk on a lot buddy.

[@jaxsonwarren7497]

i dont yhink you know what you are talking about

[@warwickdrenth8970]

For God sake read the casting number on the crank. Instead of going on and on with the mystic

[@willmckibban716]

327 never had a 4 bolt main

[@DaleHammer-vz3gk]

Pre 68 327s were all small journal engines. 68-69 engines were large journal engines. That block is the best to build and the hardest to find.

[@zone47]

As I understand it, they never made a 327 4-bolt block... but a 350 4 bolt is great, you might have a steel crank!!

[@timwindsor03]

Thanks brother. Much appreciated. Keep the content coming. Hope you have an incredible weekend. Much love and RESPECT

[@nw8730]

Thanks for taking time to make this video. This is Great info. 8-4-2023

[@nickweiss-el2ni]

I don't know if you mention. if you put a327 crank in a 350 you need change the pistons. The wristpins are in different locations.

[@purebredamericanmutt]

1984 El Camino with a 67 Chevelle 327. Just got the AFR 195 eliminator ported heads. Shooting for 480-500hp but being a 327 around 380-390 torque. 700r4 shift kit good for 600hp going to a 3.73 carbon fiber rear. Won't be the fastest but will put a smile on my face.

[@alva1370]

Living the dream, a 4bolt 327 sounds like something I would try. Thank you.

[@111000100101001]

You are right about anything fitting, even a 3.1” stroke 262 crank will fit.

[@AryDontSurf]

I enjoyed the last video a bunch.

[@RedneckTipsByScott]

I have a passenger side 010 4 bolt with a large journal 307 crank I'ma stuff in an 08 Colorado with blueprint aluminum heads and a Holley single plane efi intake with a 92mm TB... HP tuners and a 411 ECU running a modified last generation SBC wiring setup

[@tayro7265]

Good info, thanks.