If you want to get your car ready for the strip, circle track or just to drive to work, upgrading your 289, 302 or some other block into a 347 stroker engine is the best way to pump the extra horsepower out of your machine. But there are some important points you need to take into consideration before buying your stroker kit, getting the block ready and building your engine. Follow these steps to ensure you will be able to kick out the horsepower you need for the race.
Choose the crankshaft model, construction and material design that appeals to you first. This will influence the type of pistons and connecting rods that you will have to adapt to the block. This means reciprocation travel between pistons, how light the materials will be and compression ratio you want to achieve.
Bore engine cylinders to exact specifications according to the new pistons and stroker crankshaft you will install.
Choose the longest rod possible for your piston crankshaft assembly.
Select or put together the stroker kit that will give you a proper balance between compression ratio and mechanical friction. The more piston friction, the more compression you want.
Install the roller cam that will give you the synchronized valve timing to feed the increased combustion chamber size.
Install valves large enough to give your combustion chamber the extra fuel it's going to need. This means choosing the proper head and reciprocating valve lifters according to increased engine displacement, valve springs and rocker arms.
Choose a new high performance head gasket to assemble the head and block.
Choose a high performance timing set including chain and sprockets.
Choose a new carburetor that will give you the proper air cubic feet or CFM. Holley, for example, builds a 670 model that fits the 347 stroker engine. You might have to adapt a new air gap intake plenum to fit the correct carburetor.
Install a new water pump, high flow fuel pump and fuel lines, performance starter, ignition coil, distributor and appropriate PCV ventilation system.
