Neither will leave a rebuildable block in the end. With a fresh bore at 0.030" or even 0.020" over the next rebuild would take it past 0.040", and a stock 5.0 block rarely has enough meat to leave acceptable cylinder wall thickness beyond 0.040", at least without sonic checking it first. Honestly, I don't worry about reusing the block. 5.0s are plentiful and will remain so. How many million of them did Ford build? The price will go up in time, but the price of EVERYTHING goes up in time.
When building a high performance engine longevity can be hard to pin down. A street engine is supposed to last 100k. With a carb that's about what you can reasonably expect from one. EFI engines last longer and longer as the systems get better. Its simply because the fuel metering has gotten more and more precise and they don't wash the cylinder walls down as much, which is the major contributor to wear in a carbed engine.
A mild performance build should also be able to last 100k. The farther you get from mild the less its going to last. Almost any stroker is simply not going to last as long as a stock engine. You're changing the loading on the thrust side of the cylinder walls. In a short deck engine like a SBF the issue is exacerbated. In something like a SBC you can change the rod length and get back close to stock dynamics, but only because you have more deck height.
Consider this, a 347 is the absolute ragged edge of a 5.0 block's displacement. Beyond that you have to go to a taller deck block like a 351, or an aftermarket block. Generally what happens when you push something right up to the ragged edge?
Then it gets back to matching things. There's no magic in the bottom end at this level. You want power? Its done with heads, cam, intake, carb, and exhaust. Running the displacement on the ragged edge and having nothing else even close to it makes no sense. If the power's that important run a cam that gets the same power in a 331. BUT power's not that important. What I'm seeing here is compromise in an area where compromise isn't in your best interest and going all out in an area where its not going to make enough of a difference to justify the downside, and why? Because the stroker kits all cost the same, but the better top end parts don't.
I'm all for trying to build a better mousetrap, but truth be told this engine is shaping up to be perfect for a truck build. I've had truck engines is cars before, and I must say, I wasn't a fan. Long story short, this has little to nothing to do with which engine would wear out first. Its got everything to do with which engine will be free reving and fun to drive.
Last edited by TKOPerformance (1/13/2020 6:45 PM)
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TKOPerformance wrote:
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now I am gonna have to source those from somewhere.
