I recently rebuilt the 400M in my '79 Bronco. The motor makes excellent power and torque. I can out accelerate most vehicles on the road. It's so powerful and makes me so happy, I decided I should post the components and machine work I performed on this engine. It is truly a budget build up and the first truck motor I've built (build Mustangs mostly).

Started with a D8 ('78) block. Cylinders, crank journals, everything worn beyond belief. Exhaust manifold cracked on the common side. 165,000 miles. Bored the block .030 over, crank and rods 10/10. Used Dynagear cast pistons. Federal Mogul main, rod, and cam bearings. Federal Mogul high volume oil pump, ARP driveshaft, stock pan and pickup. Perfect Circle moly piston rings, STD gap. The rear main caps were filed down a bit to improve main journal clearance (was getting wider to the rear). Used a Crane Cams 523902 cam kit. Edelbrock Peformer intake w/o EGR and Edelbrock Performer 600 cfm carb. Cloyes Tru-Roller double roller timing chain and installed cam straight up (0 advance). Reused stock valves (good shape), 3 angle valve job, new valve guides/seals, matching springs for cam. Milled the heads and block to true it up. Used Glyptal in the lifter valley for improved oil drainback. Bought a set of Flowtech long tube Jet Hot coated headers ($189 and a darn good value). 3" exhaust to 3" cat into 3" inlet Flowmaster exiting into dual 2.25" outlets - Y pipe.

Expect serious power output. It's called the 400M HO.

 

>Expect serious power output. It's called the 400M HO.


Actually no, Ford just calls it the 400.

 

Manu, Thanks for posting your combo, especially the cam info.

 

400's really crank, even in stock trim with a 4BBL. Another guy here, chas1234, has a 400 in a 78 F-150 4x4, that sees many ricers get beaten. All it has is a Holley 600, and an Eddy Performer, with headers. This engine is bone stock otherwise, straight out of a 78-79 F-350 wrecker.

Jared

 

>400's really crank, even in stock trim with a 4BBL. Another
>guy here, chas1234, has a 400 in a 78 F-150 4x4, that sees
>many ricers get beaten. All it has is a Holley 600, and an
>Eddy Performer, with headers. This engine is bone stock
>otherwise, straight out of a 78-79 F-350 wrecker.
>
>Jared
I have to disagree, my first 400 ford was a screamer... but then I bought my 78 4x4 a real pooch (it had 4.11s) I have since went through 3 400 all crapping no power then I found out why my first 400 ran so well bored .40 over crank turned .20 heads shaved that it why I'm going 460/429 all the way!!!

FORDS always look better when pulling a CHEVY

 

wow. so let me think, you had 4 used 400's, possibly abused, before you got them. but wait this is all pointless cause you are just another frustraded 460 lover.

*note*
this post is just as pointless ans the one above it.

 

What you all needed to do was drive a 71 Ford with the 400 in it. In 71 trim it was a torque monster. In 72 it was a middle of the road engine. In 73 to present, -a real dog in stock form. Rebuild to those 71 specs with the addition of headers and a 4V manifold & carb and you will be very pleased.


Thanks for using FTE!




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A 460 makes good power because of it's displacement, not it's design. The intake and exhaust ports are nothing to brag about.

I would never build another 429. I can make more power in a lighter package with a 426/400 stroker with a lot less expense and hassle of an engine swap.

The 460 is a good engine but for it to be a great engine, it needs a stroker crank or aftermartket heads.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 27-Dec-02 AT 12:43 PM (EST)]>wow. so let me think, you had 4 used 400's, possibly abused,
>before you got them. but wait this is all pointless cause
>you are just another frustraded 460 lover.
>
>*note*
>this post is just as pointless ans the one above it.

no actully I just don't like 400M'S thats all my favorite motor is a 360/390 the may suck gas and oil but they will whip them 400 around
I have two 360's one a 72 f-250 the other in a 76 highboy they have been abused before me they are wore out death rattles when they start
but they have more power than any of my 400 had!!

that is my whole point is a STOCK mid 70'400 has no power unless you build it a 390 460(stock) has more power than a 400 (stock)that is my piont

FORDS always look better when pulling a CHEVY

 

I have named my combo the 400M HO. I think the real limiting factor for power production was the timing chain. The stock chain was retarded several degrees and preventing the motor from making full power. The stock heads are great and headers really wake them up. Of course, everything, from the intake to the cam made a big difference. Upping compression was also a great idea. The torque comes on strong at 1500 RPM and stays. I like the 400M because it's basically a Cleveland. I'll never forget my '71 Mach 1 with the 351C-4V in it. That car would run circles around other cars packing 400 cubes or more!

 

"I just don't like 400M'S thats all"

I think you'e on the wrong board unless you just like to argue.

"my favorite motor is a 360/390"

Why do you go by 460429_freak?

The slowest car I ever had with a V8 is a '65 Galaxie. A 4V 352 FE wouldn't break the tires loose in the rain.
The other '65 Galaxie has a 2V 289 and it ran circles around it.

You can't directly compare a 390 to any engine built at the peak of smog controls. Had the same controls been placed on a 390 it would have been a dog also.

A complete rebuild isn't needed on a 400. A 4V carb, intake, RV cam and dual exhaust are all that's needed to wake these motors up. The 390 had these items, but the engine was phased out of production before they were taken away.

"FORDS always look better when pulling a CHEVY"

You mean dragging a Chevy.

The most powerful production 351C built was the Australian GT HO Phase III. Basically a 351 Boss with factory headers and 390HP. It kept the worlds fastest 4 door record for 20 years.

Any guesses as to the HP potential of a 400 or 426 stroker that uses the same parts?

 

>no actully I just don't like 400M'S thats all my favorite
>motor is a 360/390 the may suck gas and oil but they will
>whip them 400 around
>I have two 360's one a 72 f-250 the other in a 76 highboy
>they have been abused before me they are wore out death
>rattles when they start
>but they have more power than any of my 400 had!!


Hmm...that's funny...my mainly stock 400 with 75k has no trouble out doing my friends 73 highboy w/a ford rebuilt 360 25k miles with mods..... Wonder how bad I'd whoop em w/out the power loss thru my auto tranny




79 250 Ranger Lariat 4wd 400 C6 3.55's 33x12.50 16.5's
78 Bronco Custom 4wd 400 C-6 3.50's 31 10.5 15's
66 Mustang Coupe Sports sprint 200 c-4 cruise o matic 3.00's
99 Grand Prix GT 230 ft/lbs torque out of a non turbo'd 6 cyl hehe

 

Any guesses as to the HP potential of a 400 or 426 stroker that uses the same parts?

Yes I can tell you .
plain 400 with those parts 500 H.p.
Stroker 426 with those parts 658 H.p.
And my stroker 435 with those parts 799 H.P.


Arr Arr Arr

 

Very cool! Did you change your torque converter or did you leave the stocker in? Im almost through with my rebuild and Im not sure if I need to change the converter. My build is real close to yours.
Thanks, jaret

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 30-Dec-02 AT 11:17 AM (EST)]>"I just don't like 400M'S thats all"
>
>I think you'e on the wrong board unless you just like to
>argue.
>
>"my favorite motor is a 360/390"
>
>Why do you go by 460429_freak?
>
>The slowest car I ever had with a V8 is a '65 Galaxie. A 4V
>352 FE wouldn't break the tires loose in the rain.
>The other '65 Galaxie has a 2V 289 and it ran circles around
>it.
>
>You can't directly compare a 390 to any engine built at the
>peak of smog controls. Had the same controls been placed on
>a 390 it would have been a dog also.




>
>"FORDS always look better when pulling a CHEVY"
>
>You mean dragging a Chevy.

nope just stateiing my 2CENTS WORTH
460/429 freak is just a name
by pulling a chevy is there because I'm alway's hauling a chevy product on my trailer behind my ford,
espically my stock car (which is going to be a ford this year)
like I said I had one 400 that would hall but it was 40 over heads shaved and a rv cam we got 4 years 150,000 miles out of that baby
on a shade tree rebuild did all the work(beside the valve job and the block/heads shaved) this was just a re ring kit my dad put in. Always heard small block were good never had one though alway just big blocks

>Any guesses as to the HP potential of a 400 or 426 stroker
>that uses the same parts?
whats a 426 stroker consits of??? how well does it pull and does it suck gas this seems intersting I have 6 400m's 2 460's 2 429's and 4 360/390's might be worth building one of these so I dont have to change my exhaust motor mounds ect,ect.

FORDS always look better when pulling a CHEVY