I have to plan what to buy for a tune up for my 1977 351M.
This is an old california truck with the egr-system. What I want to do is to remove the egr-equipment, and buy an edelbrock 1406 and edelbrock or weiand intake. I will also buy a straight up timing kit. It has already got an one-wire.distributor bought at JBG. It will of course get new plugs and wires too. BUT will this get me problems with pre-ignition or pinging? Should I buy a new cam, lifters and valve springs?

 

Forgot to mention that I am using the truck for daily driving. I am not chasing every possible horsepower, but will of course take with I can get. More importent is it that it works every day and gets ok MPG. I like a nice sound too ;-) It has got headers and dual 2,5" exhaust with mufflers.

 

I have always had issues with pinging, its just the nature of the beast with open combustion chambers so dont let that deter you. With the items you are talking about you should have no issues as long as you put a timing light to it and then use a vacuum gauge to really dial it in.

PS: IMHO your exhaust is to large in diameter. I would recommend no larger than 2" but the 351M/400 really like 1 7/8" in my experience

 

Thinking about it, without measuring the exhasut is probably 2,25". Still bigger than you prefer, but won`tbe replaced until all other componets are good ;-) And then it will be stainless!

 

2.5 inch exhaust is perfect for a 351M/400 Modified. 2 inch is almost to restrictive even on a stock engine. 1 7/8 is fine for some smaller 6 bangers or 4 cylinders. Unless your talking about the primary header tubes.

 

Non-EGR intake and carb. Make sure to get the four barrel intake-Edelbrock has (had) a two barrel intake also (may have bee an adapter). You don't want that!

Plugs and wires. Fancy plugs not required. Cap and rotor

Double-roller timing chain set straight up. Summit makes a nice one. New water pump while you have it off

If the money is available, an RV cam, lifters and valve springs. There are kits available. There's no such thing as too much lube...

 

my first f250 had a 400 in it. It wasn't too impressive until I installed a double roller timing chain and advanced it three degrees. it woke it up, would turn 38x15.50 Mickey Thompsons into smoke on dry pavement. it had a rv-3 cam, headers, edelbrok intake and a 600 holley. It never pinged on regular gas either. gave the truck to my nephew, (big mistake) he's never driven it in 5 years, now its rusting away.