HOW MUCH POWER DID THE L78 375-HP 396 REALLY MAKE? WAS THE LITTLE BIG BLOCK UNDERATED OR OVERRATED?

Richard Holdener
Richard Holdener
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Published 2023-06-09
HOW MUCH POWER DID THE 375-HP 396 ACTUALLY MAKE? IS THE L78 396 A GOOD MOTOR? DID THE LITTLE BIG BLOCK LIKE TO REV? HOW MUCH TORQUE DID THE 396 BIG BLOCK MAKE? WAS THE 396 ACTUALLY A 402? WHAT YEARS DID THEY MAKE THE 375-HP 396? CHECK OUT PART 1 OF THE L78 375-HP 396 BBC BUILD AND DYNO TEST, AS I COVERED WHAT WENT WRONG WITH MY FIRST DYNO ATTEMPT. THE LIST INCLUDES SOME PARTS NOT SHOWING UP, SO NON-STOCK PARTS BEING USED IN THE NAME OF GETTING IT ON THE DYNO, AND THE BIG LEAK! PART 2 WILL COVERED THE STOCK MOTOR TEST.
All Comments (21)
  • @peggyparrow2059
    My hubby installed one in a 57 chevy convertble with a muncie 4 speed and 308 posi. Rear, we got married in 1970 and drove the 57 on our honeymoon ,
  • @glennk1931
    One of my favorite engines back in the day. Still is.
  • @danielslocum7169
    very glad you will build it with stock components. no other way to see what it really made back in the day. wish someone would do the same with all of the musclecar engines and run em on the same dyno so everyone could finally know the real facts.
  • @100amps
    Hey, congrats on 1/4 million subs, Richard! Great video! Loved the big block assembly stuff.
  • @garrettrauch2430
    Deja vu! Think part one got re uploaded good stuff anyhow! Have a good day Richard! Thanks for all you do!
  • @BBBILLY86
    excited to see dyno #'s vs. advertised. Everyone says 425 hp is realistic. I agree since these 396s love to rev and GM seemed to give numbers at 5,200 rpm.
  • @shaneshane1379
    I built a 60 over 396 years ago. Filled block, 14-1 pistons, big roller cam , and extensive head work. It out ran 468S .
  • @tonyhagans9579
    Richard I would love to see you run this engine with a set of AFR 265s and a RPM AirGap or something similar. Some of us nostalgia guys love our small cube 396's and 427's but really would like to see what a set of modern cylinder heads and an intake would do. If you are putting your Chevelle together and just want a bit more pep is that the best way to get it and stick with a short stroke small cubes big block??? We wonder...
  • @TwoJakesAuto
    Looking forward to seeing the results. Stuff happens.
  • @jerryzotta4482
    I rebuilt a crate 1970 L78 in my 66 Chevelle SS396 (not original to the car), 4 speed, 4.10 rear and left it stock. That includes exhaust manifolds and points. Only did slight bowl work to remove some rough casting. Never dynoed car but it ran a best of 13.86@104 on BFG T/A's.
  • @No1414body
    Stock exhaust guides are tapered about .oo2, make sure you have a good machinist. I have actually overbored the guides in the past and pressed nontapered cast guides in. I also coat the inside of the bore of the guides with Teflon thread seal, it helps stop the leaks.
  • @rand49er
    Guy gave me a ride in a new '65 or '66 Chevelle with this motor in it. Fastest thing I'd ever been in until I supercharged my '05 CTS-V in '07. That 396 was incredible.
  • @stevecochran2677
    I was all excited to hear a big block run and at the end I almost cried😢
  • @ryanstandre3648
    I had almost the same set up, but I had the 96 (could have been 98) CC chamber large valves heads, I don't remember what the compression was, but it was a lot and an Isky mega292... What a screamer, hold hard to just under 7500.
  • @briand2614
    Nostalgia too the MAX! A bit emotional with this one. Can’t wait for the next installment.
  • @REDZ28won
    Always wired the pick up tube to the pump. Seen a couple fall in the pan over the years.
  • @dgambrel9241
    My grandfather and great uncle were banger and flat head old school guys. So I have always liked model-a and pre y block. What really opened me up was one of my dads friends had a 69 vette 4-spd late 90s high hp 400 sbc and a 66 chevelle with a 396. I sure do love some vermin!