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  The 454 was one of Chevrolet's big block engines; it was a 7.3-liter V8 engine. Chevrolet stopped using this engine in their cars in 1974, but continued to use them in their truck lines. This engine was available in most mid- and full-size Chevrolet and GM trucks in 1978, including the Suburban and the C10.
  
  

Displacement

• The 1978 454 engine had a displacement of 454 cubic inches. An engine's displacement is the volume of an engine's cylinders, which is a general indication of the engine's size and power. Displacement represents the total volume of air displaced by the pistons inside all of the engine's cylinders when they move.
  
  

Bore, Stroke and Compression Ratio

• The 454 engine had a bore of 4.25 inches and a stroke of 4.0 inches. The bore of an engine is the diameter of the internal surface of the cylinders that house and seal a moving ring-and-piston assembly. The stroke is the maximum distance that piston travels from its topmost position to its bottommost position in the cylinder. The engine had a compression ratio of 10:1. A higher compression ratio indicates an engine's ability to produce more power.
  
  

Horsepower and Torque

• The 1978 454 engine produced 230 horsepower and 385 ft-lbs. of torque. Torque is a measurement of how much work an engine is capable of performing; horsepower is a rate-based measurement of how quickly it can perform that work.