power ratio

There is no "Ideal" rod to stroke ratio, however a ratio of about 2 to 1 seems to

be the upper practical limit and 1.5 to 1 the lower limit in general practice. The
Chevrolet 350 engine with a 3.48" stroke and a 5.7-inch (140 mm) c/c rod has a
rod/stroke
ratio of 1.638 to 1. The durability and longevity of this engine seems to prove
that
this is a ��acceptable�� figure for a rod/stroke ratio number. The "small block
400"
used a 3.75" stroke and a rod c/c of 5.565" for a ratio of 1.484. The SB 400 was
known
for torque and "running out of breath" at high engine speeds. Even with large port
heads
and high lift camshaft, the S/B 400 ran into a "wall" of friction when engine
speeds
climbed above 5000 rpm. S/B 400s we also know for wearing piston skirts and
cylinder
walls at a faster rate than their smaller brothers. Many people that race the S/B
400
convert the engine to 5.7 or 6.0 rods to reduce the effects of the long-stroke
crankshaft
and lower friction within the engine. The 1967�C1969 Z-28 302 engine was fitted
with
a 3.0" stroke crank and in some racing applications used up to a 6.0" rod,
resulting
in a 2 to 1 rod/stroke The 302 Chevrolet V-8 was famous for phenomenal power in the

upper RPM range while it sacrificed low speed torque to gain the high RPM power and

reliability.

Honda's B16A/B16B is considered ideal in high revolution and high durability

applications
and it is, not coincidentally, right in between the 1.5:1 and 2:1 ratios,
with a 1.75:1 ratio. Although this gives it relative low power at lower engine
speeds,
it also gives it a rev-happy nature that is durable beyond its factory rev limit.
Some sport bikes surpass the 1.75:1 ratio, but the lower torque at less engine
speed
becomes evident for practical applications such as cars(where power/weight ratio is

important).

A "square engine" is an engine with a bore equal to its stroke. An engine where the
bore
dimension is larger than the stroke is commonly known as an oversquare engine; such

engines have the ability to attain higher rotational speed since the pistons do not

travel as far. Conversely, an engine with a bore that is smaller than its stroke is

known as an undersquare engine; such engines cannot rotate as quickly, but are able

to generate more torque at lower rotational speeds