See other engines in this family
Chevrolet L79 specs: 327 ci (5.4L) 8-cylinder, 4.001 x 3.25 in (101.6 x 82.6 mm) bore and stroke, 11:1 compression. Built 1966. Used in the Chevrolet Malibu.
The Chevrolet 327ci (L79) is oversquare — the 4.001" bore exceeds the 3.25" stroke by 23.1% — a layout that favors airflow and RPM over leverage at the crank. The 3.25" stroke does not reach 4,000 ft/min of mean piston speed until about 7,400 RPM, so piston speed is not what limits this engine's revs — valvetrain and breathing are. A rod ratio of 1.754 is long by production standards — less side-load on the cylinder wall and gentler piston acceleration around TDC, the geometry that tolerates high RPM. Each of the 8 cylinders displaces 40.9 ci (670 cc).
11:1 is high enough that pump premium or better is normally required.
It is one of 21 engines in the Chevrolet 327ci family, all of them 327 ci — the differences between them are in compression, heads and rating, not displacement.
| Displacement | 327 ci / 5.4 L |
|---|---|
| Bore | 4.001" |
| Stroke | 3.25" |
| Cylinders | 8 |
| Configuration | V8 |
| Compression ratio | 11:1 |
| Rod length | 5.7" |
| Rod ratio | 1.754 |
| Bore/stroke ratio | 1.231 |
| Deck height | 9.025" |
| Fuel type | gas |
|---|---|
| Firing order | 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 |
| Years | 1966 |
| Engine weight | 575 lb (approximate; published figures vary with what is attached) |
| Bore/stroke character | 1.231 — oversquare — bore exceeds stroke, which favours higher RPM and larger valves |
|---|---|
| Mean piston speed at 6,000 RPM | 3,250 ft/min — conservative for a street engine |
| Rod ratio | 1.754 — long — less side loading on the cylinder wall, favours high RPM |
| Displacement per cylinder | 40.9 ci |
| Static compression | 11:1 — high enough that pump premium or better is normally required |
Each link opens the calculator with this engine's specs already filled in.
5 factory vehicles, 1965–1968. Each year opens that model's engine table.