JUNKYARD BBC BATTLE-GEN 6 7.4L 454 VS GEN 7 8.1L 496. WHO IS THE LOW-BUCK KING OF BIG BLOCK TORQUE?

HOW MUCH POWER DOES A CHEAP, LOW-BUCK, JUNKYARD 454 MAKE? HOW MUCH POWER DOES A CHEAP, LOW-BUCK, JUNKYARD 8.1L MAKE? DOES AN 8.1L MAKE MORE LOW-SPEED TORQUE THAN A 7.4L? CAN THE 454 MAKE AS MUCH POWER AS THE 496? HOW MUCH POWER IS A CAM SWAP WORTH ON A 7.4L? WHICH JUNKYARD BIG BLOCK SHOULD I CHOOSE FOR TOWING? CHECK OUT THIS VEIDEO WHERE I COMPARED THE POWER AND TORQUE OUTPUTS OF TWO JUNKYARD BIG BLOCKS-THE GEN-6 7.4L 454 AND THE GEN-7 8.1L 496. I EVEN MODIFIED THE SMALLER 454 TO EQUAL THE POWER OUTPUT OF THE 8.1L, BUT IT STILL DID NOT MAKE AS MUCH LOW-SPEED TORQUE!

[MattPratt]

Just a quick crunch of the stock numbers:
The 8.1 is 9.25% bigger (more displacement) than the 7.4.
But it made 68 more horsepower which is 19% more than the 454.

[jnljnl]

I remember when the 8.1 came out. Our plumber got one and it would do block long burnouts with a full pipe rack.

[dennisborg]

Great work as always Richard !!! To be able to slap a cam shaft in a GEN six. And get approximately 425 hp. And not have to go to the 8 L motor. I think people will be very pleased to stick with their 454s

[jeffrykopis]

I wonder how the 8.1 would do vs. the old school 502 GM built for boats, motorhomes, and hot rodders. Not likely to find one in a CAR junkyard, but maybe at a dealership, boat repair, or RV repair shop.

[darrylbranson]

Hi Richard, I want to thank you for the education you have provided since back in the Days of Adding heads and a cam to junkyard motors began. What you taught us all is that as long as the heads will support the air flow the displacement requests it will make about the same torque regardless of the Brand stamp. Pontiac, RB Mopar, Ford SMB or SMB Chevy it doesn't matter, basically Wedge motors all act alike. Adding cam timing just moves that Torque curve until the head runs out of flow. The Canted valve Motors are better and I assume the Hemi heads are better yet because they flow more air but only if the RPM and Cam timing support it. Same can be said for Overhead cam motors, they flow more at any given RMP/Displacement therefore make more power. The 7.4 versus 8.1 is a great example, Bigger, As long as flow is equal to the demand at the RPM you run is always better at the same percentage to Size. Lastly you have explained better than anyone else the relationship between Torque and Horsepower in that Horsepower is just a math problem based on Torque and RPM. Build your engine as big as you can to make torque. If you are limited to small displacement by rules then spin it faster and improve flow. Thanks again.

[OldGriz]

I have had a 454 of some sort in my life since 1986 up to 1999-2000 and have always been a huge fan of them. I bought a 2001 K2500 8.1 Suburban and was blown away at the low end torque of the 8.1. Raylar engineering makes some great pieces for it but my checkbook says I can't do it ....lol. I would like to see a comparison between the 8.1 and the V10s put out by the two lesser brands as they are both in the 8L range as well.

[builtxploration]

Hey, thank for making this video. I am really enjoying the education I am getting from you. Looking forward to more 8.1 videos.
I definitely think the 8.1 will be what powers my 65 Travelall. Interested to see the cams and even a set of Raynar heads and what kind of power it can produce. Thanks again!

[brad]

didnt expect numbers like that from the 8.1L, impressive!

[msh]

I think the 8.1 is always going to be hindered by its basic cost in used condition and the lack of a broad number of aftermarket parts. And that's a shame because I think there is real potential in the 8.1 as a performance engine, for off road and limited drag racing.

[adamjohnson]

Great video thanks Richard! Next do a big bang 8.1?

[leebrady]

Awesome comparison.. Seems the engineers at GM have really been on their game for about 20 years for power..

[ronaldfondren]

Sure wished you did some oem bbc closed chamber shoot outs...
Really like your content!!
All

[hondatech]

Wow! That is a Lot of torque to give. I would like to see the 8.1 in as much more cam as you can on stock pistons and one of the big two piece single plane intakes since they tend to crossover vrs dual, has been lower and lower as the cubes go up.

[shitbox]

I’m a gen 6 fan but you can’t argue with the torque production of the 8.1, it’s going to be very interesting to see what it does with a bigger cam, and hopefully a little nitrous. 😁

[elmerfudpucker]

Yessir!! The one rule with no exception, "there is no replacement for displacement". Period.

[bjfrazier]

I’d like to see a graph comparison between the vortech 5.7 and the 5.3 ls that replaced it, next to the gen VI bbc and 8.1 that replaced it. I think the 8.1 made as big of a jump in power as the 5.3 over its predecessor.

[MH]

Hey Richard, it'll be a pretty cool if you do a comparison between these chevy fuel injected big blocks with Dodge's 488 8.0 V10 from the ram trucks and Fords late fuel injected 460! A real torque monster challenge!

[joe-hpnk]

The 454 needed more lift at the same duration and a 106-110 valve separation, and more compression to equal the 8.1

[michaelking]

It would be quite cool of Raylar to step up and send you their heads, cam, and intake. The factory heads and intake are quite crappy on the 496 and I think it would be interesting to show the difference between a heads, cam, and intake Vortec 454 and Vortec 496.

[Thegoose]

Richard is about to slap the sloppy tax on the already pricey 8.1s😂