Ok. I have been doing some reading and I found somewhere that the 351m makes about 160 HP and the 400 makes about 169 HP. I have heard and read a lot of topics where people say the 351m is a junk engine and replace it with a 400. I have heard that there is no replacement for displacement but it just doesn't seem like that big of a difference if I put on some mods. (please don't bash me on this but I was just asking and hoping to get answers about the differences). Aren't the 351m and the 400 the same besides the pistons and crank?
So, if i would bore it out it would be about the same if not better than a 400?
I planned on installing a bigger 4 bbl carb, aluminum intake manifold, aftermarket camshaft, headers and custom exhaust, electric cooling fan, and distributor/wires/plugs to the current 351m. I also wanted to hoan out the cylinders if not bore them out. Also, possibly replace the heads with something not too expensive but better. what is your guys' opinon on heads?
I have been looking for a truck like this for a while and the price was right. I really wanted to keep the origional engine in the truck but mildly mod it up. So what about a moded 351m compared to a 400?
I think that HP rating is a bit on the low side (and how!).
The 351W is in my own opinion a better engine, because it is much lighter in weight, but the 351C had an M and a factory four barrel option with purely enourmous ports so that the upper rev possibilities were just plain wild. It was intended as a truck engine from the beginning, and they are tuff to find anymore unless you care to import one from Australia (ford sold all the tool and die stuff to down under years ago).
As far as I know, the 400M is a taller deck 351M.
The 351M also had a four bolt main cap retaining system - it is a really tuff engine!
But 351W's can also be four bolted by a machine shop.
Six of one, half a dozen of the other I suppose.
For pure all-out grunt power, a 351C or M is the toughest, but for racing you want light weight - and that can cost a lot very quickly.
I think that HP rating is a bit on the low side (and how!).
The 351W is in my own opinion a better engine, because it is much lighter in weight, but the 351C had an M and a factory four barrel option with purely enourmous ports so that the upper rev possibilities were just plain wild. It was intended as a truck engine from the beginning, and they are tuff to find anymore unless you care to import one from Australia (ford sold all the tool and die stuff to down under years ago).
As far as I know, the 400M is a taller deck 351M.same except crank and pistons and a couple minor things that dont matter
The 351M also had a four bolt main cap retaining system - it is a really tuff engine!dont think so
But 351W's can also be four bolted by a machine shop.
Six of one, half a dozen of the other I suppose.
For pure all-out grunt power, a 351C or M is the toughest, but for racing you want light weight - and that can cost a lot very quickly.probably the 351w is the toughest but the 400 is right with it...the heads on a 351c are good but the rest isnt much to brag about for grunt
not trying to criticize your post, just straighten it out a little
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I don't know if it was further modded by a prior owner though, it was what I found when I rebuilt it - and a guy at the machine shop wanted to buy it from me real bad...
the 400 came in full-size cars in 1971, and then the 351M came in 1975. The 351M is a "de-stroked" 400. The 351M/400 started in trucks in 1977. The engine is a 2 bolt main, but there's enough room to machine it out to accept 4 bolt mains.
Thebluemule....The 400 has a longer stroke than the 351M, thus the boring out of a 351M is moot, compared to boring out a 400. longer stroke=more torque. In going the direction of having to buy oversized pistons for a 351M, it would be worth waiting to get enough money to buy oversized pistons for a 400, and buying the 400 crank. You open the engine up once, put it all in, and have no regrets.
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The Good1948 F1: awaiting an S10 T5 tranny
The Bad1987 TC: awaiting funds for parts
And the Ugly1962 Fairlane: awaiting everything
TheBlueMule,
I am also interested in what can be done with a 351M. The biggest obstacle seems to be the low C/R. It looks like there used to be aftermarket pistons to get you into the 8.5 or higher range but it doesn't look like they are available anymore. You could go with an aussi head but the gap between the top of piston and deck may cause more issues with pinging.
I have seen a few posts with simulated torque and HP numbers that looked pretty close to what the 400 puts out, but it seems like the 400s torque curve is much flatter.
Let me know what you find because I am still deciding on either staying with the 351M or building a 400.
Every time I mention the 351M, it turns into a drawn out issue... It's old, I know what I saw and laid hands on. WEEKS finding heads for it, because the originals were cracked to hell and gone, and rare as hens teeth. All kinds of BS surrounded that build, and 1600 bucks gone before it was over for as near a stock build as could be done.
Screw it - it was what it was, a bad-boy Torino (73).
You guys can argue it all night, I'm on to other things.
I do know that the 2-door Grand Torino I once had could LIGHT 'EM UP in all four gears!
(Next you'll tell me a four speed was not an option in that car)
Whoopie ding! At the time I was having fun cruising the pacific coast highway listening to the side pipes....
Not knocking on ya greywolf, just stating that your engine could have been machined before you got it.
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Foster Brookes was a comic le....leg..lege...genius!Game On!
The Good1948 F1: awaiting an S10 T5 tranny
The Bad1987 TC: awaiting funds for parts
And the Ugly1962 Fairlane: awaiting everything
A '73 Torino would have a 351C-2V or 351C-4V or 400 2V motor, but not a 351M.
The 351C-4V would have been a CJ with large ports and open chamber heads. It may have had 4 bolt mains.
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danlee is rigth wolf a 73 couldn't have a 351M without it being a transplant because the M didn't come out until 75, but I noticed your first post you stated the 351M was a short deck version of the 400 which leads me to believe you are confusing the 351M with a 351C which does in fact have a shorter deck then the 351M/400.
NO 351M/400 came from the factory with 4 bolt mains.
Also a 351C 2V and a 351M have basically the same heads so there is also some confusion sometimes.
from wikipedia. [edit] Q-code (Cobra-Jet)
The Q-code "351 Cobra Jet" version was produced from May 1971 through the 1974 model year. It was a low-compression design that included open-chamber "4V" heads, a special intake manifold, special hi-lift long duration hydraulic camshaft, special valve springs and dampers, a 750 CFM 4300-D Motorcraft Carburetor, dual-point distributor, and 4-bolt main bearing caps. It was rated at 266 hp (198 kW) (SAE net) for 1972 when installed in the Mustang and 248 hp in the Ford Torino and Mercury Montego. The rating remained 266 hp for the Mustang and dropped to 246 hp (183 kW) for the intermediate Ford and Mercurys for 1973. The 351 CJ was rated at 255 hp in 1974 and was only installed in the Ford Torino, Mercury Montego and the Mercury Cougar.
__________________
Foster Brookes was a comic le....leg..lege...genius!Game On!
The Good1948 F1: awaiting an S10 T5 tranny
The Bad1987 TC: awaiting funds for parts
And the Ugly1962 Fairlane: awaiting everything
Lemme know about the mods you found for the M...I recently acquired a 1980 with a transplanted 351m C6 and 1356 T-case...the M is bored out .060 with a 2 bbl and it's got a pretty good amount of power...more giddyup when I swap the 9 inch with 3.08's for a 9 with 3.55's...my latest play toy.......Later On
Ok. I have been doing some reading and I found somewhere that the 351m makes about 160 HP and the 400 makes about 169 HP. I have heard and read a lot of topics where people say the 351m is a junk engine and replace it with a 400. I have heard that there is no replacement for displacement but it just doesn't seem like that big of a difference if I put on some mods. (please don't bash me on this but I was just asking and hoping to get answers about the differences). Aren't the 351m and the 400 the same besides the pistons and crank?
So, if i would bore it out it would be about the same if not better than a 400?
I planned on installing a bigger 4 bbl carb, aluminum intake manifold, aftermarket camshaft, headers and custom exhaust, electric cooling fan, and distributor/wires/plugs to the current 351m. I also wanted to hoan out the cylinders if not bore them out. Also, possibly replace the heads with something not too expensive but better. what is your guys' opinon on heads?
I have been looking for a truck like this for a while and the price was right. I really wanted to keep the origional engine in the truck but mildly mod it up. So what about a moded 351m compared to a 400?
Thanks,
TheBlueMule
You're right the only differnce is the crank and pistons. alot of people under estimate the power potential for these motors. for the price of doin a swap to say a 460 you can make one hell of a 400 or even a 351m u just gotta buy the fight stuff. I have a 71 f-100 that i am curently putting a 351m in that i just rebuilt. Many people have told me it can't be done that's bull ***** you just gotta be creative!
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