# 454 vs. 350



## Quint (Oct 20, 2006)

I have a 1994, 1 Ton Chevy Pick-Up, 4 wheel drive. Well it came with a 454 in it. Needless to say I don't have to tell you what the mpg is. Well I was looking around for anothe engine to put in it because the 454 is losing compression and is about to go any minute. Rather than be stranded out on the road somewhere with my boat behind me. I decided to go with a 350 that my homeboy hooked me up with. I guess the question is am I going to see a big difference in the 350 as far as power compared to the 454? I looked up the specs when that truck came out they were putting 350's in them also so what is going to be the big difference. I figured that it probably isn't going to be any better on gas than the 454 even though it is smaller.


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## Pocketfisherman (May 30, 2005)

What's the torque rating on both motors? Knowing that will give you the answer to your question. If you know what kind of vehicle and the year, that the motor came out of, you can probably find the torque rating online. The motors came in a lot of different configurations and power ratings, so you need to get specific to answer the power question. IF the 350 is a truck motor optimized for torque vs horsepower, and is carb'd, expect around 11-13 mpg city, 14-15 hwy.


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## sqwaby (Aug 4, 2005)

I drive a 1993 1/2 ton ex cab with 350 TBI, 3.73 rear gear. My mileage is about 13 city 14-15 hwy depending on how fast I want to go. If you tow a heavy load with that 350 you'll see a difference getting that load rolling. there is no replacement for those cu. in.


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## Hotrod (Oct 11, 2006)

I don't think there will be a big power difference. The truck is still geared the same, ie same tranny, same rear-end. As long as its not a big load I don't think you'll see a big power difference.


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## gds (May 22, 2004)

I have run both engines in 1 tons in the late 70's and early 80's and there is a huge difference in pulling power and no difference in gas mileage.


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## Argo (May 21, 2004)

stay with the 454, another thing that I am not sure about is the bell housing and it being able to match up from the small block to the big block motor. you might end up needing a tranny too.......


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## reef_runner (Mar 21, 2005)

Argo said:


> stay with the 454, another thing that I am not sure about is the bell housing and it being able to match up from the small block to the big block motor. you might end up needing a tranny too.......


the bell housings will be the same on both motors. My grandpa had a hay hauling truck with a 454. granny gear 4spd and 4.56 gears. This thing would pull almost anything you wanted to pull. It got about 8mpg unloaded and maybe 5mpg loaded. Someone talked him into swapping out the 454 with a 350 to get better mileage. Before summer was over we had the 454 back in it. There was a night and day difference between the two motors as far as power. A few years later he sold it and got a 7.3 turbo diesel (a year before the powerstroke came out), the diesel did the job with a little better mileage. I sure miss that 454 and 4.56 gears, but I would hate to have to pay for the gas to run it now.


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## MLCinNCTX (May 30, 2007)

Argo said:


> stay with the 454, another thing that I am not sure about is the bell housing and it being able to match up from the small block to the big block motor. you might end up needing a tranny too.......


Chevy is very good at using the same part through their line. The tranny will not be an issue. The problem will the 350 replacing the 454 will be the brackets for the power steering, AC, alternator, and air pump. The 350 is a "shorter" motor so you will need to get a 350 fan shroud for that truck. This is a TBI motor and you may need the 350 controller.

I would have the 454 freashened up and keep the set up you have. With you pulling the motor and re-installing it, $2k should get you a very reliable tow vehicle.

The 350 will never save you enough fuel to pay for the change over. As someone else said, having the power available and not needing it is a lot better than needing it and not having it.


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## budv48 (Feb 12, 2008)

I have a 79 1ton 4wd w/456"s and a 350 that I bought in '78. I never pulled anything that I didn't wish I had the big motor. Difference is night and day.


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## Hotrod (Oct 11, 2006)

Like I said, there wasen't a big difference on power in those motors till the Vortec came out. Did you do the engine swap?


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## SHOALWATER TV (Apr 8, 2008)

Not much difference in performance but the MPG will be better,but now you need exh manifilds,ecm,throttle body,mounts and i think w/pump and drive acc? the trans will bolt up.


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## Quint (Oct 20, 2006)

Thanks. For the output from everyone. HotRod to answer your question no I didn't pull the engine but If I did I would have done a better job than what was done. But that is another issue! Whats done is done!


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## ccp (Jan 26, 2008)

350's always burned less oil too, my '82 454 burned about a quart every two or three days buddy had a 350 same era didn't burn much at all. There is a huge power difference though but the differnece isn't will it pull it; it's how fast you want to go while pulling it.


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## LaAngler (Mar 11, 2008)

i used to pull my 27 foot grady sailfish with a 96 chevy Z71 with vortec 350 and it was pretty pathetic, about 75 wide open.


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## B-Money (May 2, 2005)

LaAngler said:


> i used to pull my 27 foot grady sailfish with a 96 chevy Z71 with vortec 350 and it was pretty pathetic, about 75 wide open.


Where is the pathetic part??? That is too good.

I had a 1980 Chevy with a 250 and 3 on the tree. It wouldn't make 75 empty, with a tail wind, a straight road, and a lit up 18 behind the wheel.


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## Tombo (Mar 15, 2005)

Is your friend going to wind up with the 454? For the 350, you will need new fan shroud, radiator hoses, frame mounts, motor mounts, exhaust manifolds, throttle body, electrical harnesses, computor, heater hoses, maybe a new distributor to match the throttle body and computor, fuel lines, fuel connections, throttle connections, and the list goes on.


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## Hogheaven (May 25, 2004)

THere is No Replacement For Displacement.... Stay BB Chevy. Course Iam a big block fan...


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## Supergas (Nov 30, 2004)

Buy the factory 383 HT that is designed to replace the 350...

Get the best of both worlds....

SG


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## floundergigging (Jul 13, 2005)

If you are pulling a heavy load stay with the 454. If you loads are lighter sell your truck and buy a truck with the 350 already in it. It will be much cheaper than the conversion and will be less of a headache.


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## tinman (Apr 13, 2005)

I had a 1/2 ton pickup that I bought brand new in 1994 that had a 454 in it. It served me well for 10 years, then I rebuilt it and ended up selling it when I bought a new truck. I have to admit that it carried and pulled and stopped a load pretty good, but as far a gas mileage goes, I got 9-10 miles to the gallon no matter if I was running with the bed empty and no trailer, or pulling a loaded cattle trailer. Regardless, it was a good engine, just glad I don't own it now!
For apples to apples, although I have always been a GM man, the Ford 460 engine will run forever and do just about anything you can think up to put it through.
Tinman


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