Factory 4bolt main 350SBC block Peak Horsepower
 

I got a 89 camaro that im building for the strip on a budget. Does anyone know how much horsepower a factory 350sbc with 4bolt main and steel crank can handle safely/ without reliability problems? I believe the motor came out of a 70's corvette. Im being told that 550hp +, I'll start having bearing problems. Is there any ways to strengthen bottom end??

Re: Factory 4bolt main 350SBC block Peak Horsepower
 

I've had well over 550hp with a stock 350 4 bolt and did not have bearing issues. You sure it doesnt have a cleareance issue or oiling issue ?

Corvette motor.

what about doing 650hp on nitrous???

Don't know what the HP was but my friend Jimmy Smith pulled his down after about 200 passes, the car ran mid 6's on alcohol @ 3,000 lbs, so i would image about 600 HP, he had the 3 center main webs cracked, but no bearing problem, this was just maintinance. He went back together with a 4 bolt splade caps on a 2 bolt blk. i was running a blown alcohol with a stock blk. no bearing issues but the cylinder cracked,
I'm guessing 600 is pushing the envelope.

JMO

Zip.

A Corvette motor with a 3/4 cam can handle 500hp.
A Crovette motor with a full race cam can handle 666hp.
:D Dave

Its amazing Dart rates their SHP block at 600 horse the the GM blocks with stock caps are better then a Dart,

Over 38 years of building einges we sure have seen guys have problems with their blocks when getting over 500 horse with stock cap blocks unless it had the 2482 caps on them.

We do install splayed caps on quite a few of the older blocks but they have to pass a sonic test before andy thing is done.

A STOCK GM BLOCK IS BETTER THAN DART SHP? PLEASE EXPLAIN.

No I was being a smart a$$ with that comment as the GM blocks don't hold a candle to the SHP as we have sold 45 to 50 of them this year with ZERO problems.

I bieleve he meant they should be rated for, far more hp then 600 8)