gentleman ...
I just scored a low mile 1971 400 and c 6 trans for my 67 f100 project
the car its coming from was sitting in a garage for years
what I have figured out so far is that the 71 engines were rated around 260 hp which is plenty for what I want to be able to do with my truck

considering I have a 300 I6 in it now

what I plan on doing is doing a gasket rebuild on it and using the engine as it sits

can anybody give hints on what I should update on engine

I plan on updating the timing chain to zero degrees , and oil pump to a high volume while its out

also plan on installing new seals on the valves

rebuilding the 2 barrel carb and installing a pertronix kit in the dizzy
to get rid of the points and adding true dual exhaust with the iron manifolds

what else should I look at ?

jim

 

. Congrats! I think the first Ford 400 and Chevy SBC 400's built in 1970-1971 were both rated at 265grossHP and 9:1 compression ratio... could they have been peeking at each other's plans...? . Then they turned both engines into pigs after that... compression ratios dropped to "8:1" or "8.5:!", but prolly actually only in the high 7:1's... my '76 SBC 400 with a 4-bbl. carb. was rated only a pathetic 175HP... later Ford 400 even less, I think... your early timing chain setup is prolly already at -0- advance/retard, but replace it if it's stretched/worn out... People here claim the Ford 400 got retarded cam timing later... SBC 400 got advanced cam timing, but that could be fixed by merely reversing the bottom timing chain sprocket...

. Headers would help, but maybe you don't want them... the dual exhaust should help a lot... a 4bbl. carb. adapter also...

. In one of the 'read first' threads above, I recall a magazine article getting a baseline 300+HP and 400+ lb.-ft. torque out of a Ford 400 rebuilt with custom flat top pistons (it was originally a slug 1976 engine), but stock heads, and stock cam spec.s, just adding headers/duals and 4bbl. carb... in easy driving, a properly tuned 4bbl. carb. often offers better MPG than a 2bbl. because of smaller, more efficient primary butterflies/fuel atomization...

http://www.classictrucks.com/tech/10...d/viewall.html

 

I would absolutely get a double roller timing chain and install it straight up.

The stock timing chains are junk. A cam and lifter kit would be cheap and if you're going to take it down to put in a new timing chain....

Lots of power to be had with that engine with simple upgrades.

 

Read the treads on the 335 section for great advise depending on what you want and your budget. I had a 351M in a 79 f250 years ago. I had the block bored .0030 over, installed a 400 crank and new cast pistons ( only difference in 400 vs 351M ) , a new cam with lift and duration 1 step over stock, and aluminum intake and carb, and rings/ bearing/ gaskets/ timing chain/ gears/ oil pump ( all that typically comes with basic rebuild kits. ). That 400 turned out to be a GREAT engine! I really ran like a top man tons of power sounded great and started every time with just the first touch on the key. You could go with even more cam and compression since your in a car the is lighter. Go for it man.

 

If your heads are going to be in the shop already......I had 460 4V valves put in mine and woke it up tremendously. The only port work they did was to bowl hog the area under the valves. The cost of the labor was minimal, but the valves added up.

 

the 400 in my grandpa's montego woke up nice with the edelbrock performer intake, cam, and a 600 holley. Massive improvement on fuel mileage and power. Was not a budget breaker either.

 

In 1971 the 400 was rated at

260 maximum brake h.p. @ 4400 rpm
400 maximum torque lbs. Ft. @ 2200 rpm
4.00x4.00 bore and stroke
9.0 compression ratio
And 35-60 normal oil pressure pounds

 

. Might see if the Crane XR-i electronic replacement for points is still available... newer technology, closer to Ford/GM tech, and also includes a rev limiter... for about same price as pertronix unit... available in kits with or without coil... prolly should get it with the proper electronic ignition coil... but, may not be absolutely necessary...

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/crn-750-1700

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/crn-750-1705/overview

 

instead of a 4 barrel carb I'm looking at fuel injection

the TBI from Chevrolet engines adapts to any V8 and inline 6 engines

not really installing it for more performance but economy

reports of 2 to 3 mpg increase

Fuel Injection Conversion using a GM TBI EFI system!

 

. I wouldn't go for a high volume pump on a stock or near stock engine, just draws more power and, thus, reduces MPG... in some engines, it also puts all the oil up in the valve covers before it can drain back, starving the rods and mains...

. Also, I wouldn't expect more MPG from going to TBI, most MPG increases came from numerous improvements inside the engines... such as higher compression ratio, better quench, fast burn combustion chambers, straight up cam timing, longer intake port tracts, better flowing exhaust systems, and improved camshaft design...

 

I know there's a lotta things I don't know, but I didn't think the 400 hit the scene until '77?

 

What about going with an HEI distributor? That's what I was thinking of for my 400 build.

 

.. Ford 400" in a new tall deck Cleveland block started being put in 1971 model year cars in late 1970... smaller 351" M version in the same tall 400 block came about 1974 to replace the 351" C... Ford ads continued to call the 351M a 351Cleveland for a while... they both appeared in trucks later, about 1976-77?...

.. I was also considering an HEI distributor, because my Chevy engines with HEI start instantly warm or cold, seldom do I hear the starter crank the engine first... while my '77 351M with Ford Duraspark always has to crank over several times before starting or even firing at all (similar to what EFI engines do) ... I need to investigate whether it's the distributor/spark or carb. causing that... it would seem that starters and batteries would last much longer on the Ford if it started instantly nearly every time... I also had the 351M's starter 'explode' one winter day away from home, the starter gear engagement mechanism just shattered into pieces... no fun crawling under the truck and changing it in the snow... (especially since the carb. on my car froze up the same day because of an open element air cleaner with no Thermactor/heat tube stuff)... maybe I need a GM Q-Jet carb. on the Ford 400" for instant starting...? . For now, I'll prolly just wait and see how it starts after swapping the stock 2bbl. for a Holley 650 CFM spreadbore 4 bbl. (similar to Q-Jet's spreadbores)...

. How quick do you people's Ford 351M and 400 carb.'d engines start?

 

I'd at least do a cam/lifter/spring set and a 4-barrel edelbrock intake. I'm running the Comp Cams Xe262 setup but for what you're wanting I'd probably do a comp XE255 or XE256 can't remember which it is. Cam tech has come a long way from that stock one.

Make sure you break it in properly and use oil with a high ZDDP content. I use Valvoline VR-1

 

I've got an HEI on my 351 cleveland motor. It fires right off. Cranks maybe a second when it's cold. When it's warm even less. I don't think it ever goes more than a round unless I screw it up. And I've just got a autolite 2barrel. No choke even.

I instantly noticed the difference in performance going from points to the HEI. It is highly recommended in my book.