I've got a pair of '89 330 hp engines with 195 hours on them and I want to build them to 400 hp limiting the RPMs 5000. I think I'm going to be using Gil's for the exhaust and I would like to be able to run the stock carbs if possible. Are the peanut port heads good for that power? What cam do you guys suggest? This is going to be a low budget build by that I mean flat tapped cam, stock bottom end, ect... I just built an all out BBC for my 242 but this project I'm sticking to the basics!

You're going to need new heads. Get a set of 049s, 781s, or Merlin large ovals. If you want to save cash I would use an out of the box, one step up from the 370 cam from Crane. You could also run a re-grind of the Merc 420HP cam, and be fine with Gil exh. You won't make 420HP with a Merc cam stuffed in your 330's though. The 330s have 8.0 - 1 compression, and it only gets bumped up to around 8.4 with smaller cc heads and a 0.027" Cometic head gasket. You can fly cut the heads and probably get your compression close to the 8.75 that Merc uses if you don't want to swap pistons.

I can help you with head gaskets and probably heads/springs/head work if you need it.

I wouldn't rule out the heads. Heres what a local did with his.

"Mark ran a isky 280 cam 232/565” 9.5cr ported 236 head 454 to 5600rpms 547hp / 580ft lbs"

You'd waste more money porting these garbage heads than you would spend on 049s or 781s. Just get the right castings and be done with it. I have 5 sets of peanut port heads. If anyone wants to turn them into high performance 547hp heads I'll sell them dirt cheap!

I have to call BS on 547 hp with a peanut port heads! My 439 BBC was a max effort build, designed by Bob Mandera and built by Dave @ wesco racing and I'm at about 530 hp with AFR 265 oval heads, custom cam, custom carb and eickert headers.

I'm at a toss up to either do a mid build on my 330's or just sell them complete and find some nice 420's and refresh them.....

I think he was being sarcastic

I know what you are trying to do, I had the same idea several years ago. Do yourself a favor and leave them alone until you can do it right. A stock 330 will run well for years as is. If you try to just change out a couple of parts and make more HP you will blow it up over and over. The only upgrades that can be just bolted on are exhaust and roller rockers.

Thats kind of my take on this as well... I really don't feel like dumping money into the 330's. I'd rather go the 420 route or find a nice set of 502's.

Search Maximum Rat here on the forums or VortecPro on the web. It would be easier as wjb21ndtown suggests to install the bigger heads to get that power but it isn't the only way to get there either.

I've made 400+ hp with peanut ports multiple times. For a small cube engine that you only want to turn 5000rpm they're not a bad option, especially when they're already bolted on.. I agree with everyone else that said just drive it and spend your money on some different mills. If you do upgrade the cam's even to a decent flat tappet then you'll need to do springs too, while you're in there you'll want to replace the seals, then the stock rockers, then the 5/16 pushrods, then the..... It just keeps going.