Custom/Hybrid What is a "STROKER" motor?!!

[CJ555]

May sound like a dumb question,....but what exactly is a "stroker" motor. I see alot of builds with guys putting them in but I dont have a clue as to what they are! I assume they offer ALOT more power,...but are they more unreliable and require more maintenance? I keep hearing of "BIG BORE" engines too. I think they have bigger sleeves dropped in the cylinders but are they the same as strokers and are they less reliable than regular "ported" motors? Just trying to understand the lingo and differences!
Thanks!

 

[Crab]

Longer stroke motor, not unlike a chev 350 made into a 383

 

[Nuklear6]

A Stroker is an engine with the effective diameter of the crankshaft increased from stock. Thus making the piston travel down further as well as up further, which increases the displacement of the engine. Generally stroking an engine has a greater effect of power per cc then increasing the size of the piston. I will not say a Stroker is less reliable but will just say service intervals decrease. I personally love a stroker however I feel for non-competition use it's not always worth it. bigger bore engines tend to have similar to stock service intervals, and can make great power as well. then again a small stroke increase like plus 4 millimeters can have similar service intervals with a good performance increases per cc.

 

[CJ555]

So basically its a modified bottm end,.... compared to a big bore which is a modified tope end? And big bore would mean the cylinders are ported (bored?) correct?
Sorry for the stupid questions but I really want to learn!
Thanks!

 

[Matt_E]

Ported is different from bored.
And yes, any "big bore" had better be ported, though it doesn't have to be. Same for a stroker.

 

[DAG]

Just glad noone said longer rods

 

[subhard]

Longer rods

 

[subhard]