need some help with a 400

lilmanMS · #1 (**permalink**) 01-13-2008, 11:59 AM

Hey, Im new to this website but I need a lil help here. I've got a 400 and I'm planning on this summer to try and cram it off into a late 80's ranger and make me a lil hotrod truck.What is yalls suggestions on this motor and project? Heres a lil bit of background info about the motor. We got it second hand but whoever had it before us rebuilt the motor. New pistions, we determined was flat tops, driveshaft, lifters, pretty much everything inside except for maybe the cam, not sure on it but im gonna break it down completely and find out myself. I need some help with determining the compression ratio and all cause I'll admit, I aint got a clue on how. I also was thinking about putting a high rise intake on it with around a 700 cfm edelbrok on top of it. What is yalls suggestions on this motor and could yall help me out with it by telling me more about it?

Mike G · #2 (**permalink**) 01-14-2008, 12:09 PM

First off, welcome aboard!

Second, why do you want to tear it down? Did the motor run before you got ahold of it? If the owner went through the trouble of rebuilding it with flat-top pistons, chances are they beefed up the cam to go with it. For my $.02's on the high-rise manifold, I would stay away unless you plan on running the motor in the high rpm range. Stick with a nice duel-plane and don't go bigger than 650 cfm's.

--Mike

fordeverpower · #3 (**permalink**) 01-14-2008, 11:09 PM

there are not a lot of options for intakes for your intended use, theres edelbrock performer and a weiand action plus. I myself would buy the weiand part 8010. A 600cfm carb or so would work fine.

lilmanMS · #4 (**permalink**) 01-17-2008, 10:44 AM

okay so just think i should leave the motor alone and maybe put headers on it cause got just regular manifold on it? yea ive heard bout the dual plane intake and that does sound like the best idea. so how can i tell if it already has a beefed up cam in it? and do yall have any suggestions on the frame itself? i know ill have to do somethin to distribute the weight more to the back to help with the traction but i plan on having traction bars also. how do i determine the compression ratio also? and do yall think i could be my bud with this truck? he has a 2004 gto with the stock LS1 in it. and what about the gear ratio? want be able to drag and have good take off and good top end but also be able to drive it around whenever i want to.

Mike G · #5 (**permalink**) 01-18-2008, 11:11 AM

Unless you tub out the rear and put some big sticky tires out back, you will have problems getting that little truck to hook up. As far as beating the GTO, those things run pretty hot, you would need to do some work to get your truck to run with it. You may consider going to a 351w block and a c4 trans, that would lighten up the front end a little over the 400. What trans are you runing in the truck? If you want to shift weight back, you will need to cut the firewall and do some fabbing. That sort of gets you out of the daily driver realm...
Again, just my $.02's --Mike

lilmanMS · #6 (**permalink**) 01-19-2008, 08:59 PM

hey man thanks. i wasnt planning on tubbing the back end out but do plan on runnin the 16-40 profile tires on em, you know em right? good 20 inch wide or so. instead of havng to cut the firewall back and all, couldnt i just add weight to the back end by putting about a 1 inch steel plate on the entire bed of the truck plus for a bumper have steel pipe filled with either sand or concrete? wouldnt that help it catch traction with the traction bars? im runnin a c6 behind it right now. my bud, he runs a 13.8 in the quarter so think if i were to get it set right i could maybe do a lil less than that? and how does all aluminum pulleys sound also? don tthey add around 15 horses to it?

lilmanMS · #7 (**permalink**) 01-22-2008, 08:51 AM

hey, i got to talkin to my neighbor and all about the cam in the motor and he said he believed that it has a 98 over cam in it because of way it sounds plus because of the flat top pistons. It idles steadily for a few seconds then it will idle extremely low for a second then go back to idling like it was. what is a 98 over cam and is it a good one also?

lilmanMS · #8 (**permalink**) 01-22-2008, 10:13 AM

on the cam, i just remember, i think he said it was a 98 over came because of it having a 98 degree pitch or somethin to it. i cant exactly remember but said somethin bout it was a power cam for racing.