Well it's been a long night staring at the build sheets, but I'm done. I'm about to buy a mostly complete fully rollerized CC 4V 408 with a CR of 10.3.

My vehicle is a 79 F150 4X4 with a 9 inch rear with 3.50's, a C6 that I've built way up, and 31's (will never be bigger than 35's). I do demo derbies and tow a car trailer several times a year. I often use the bed for stuff up to a couple hundred pounds, but nothing you couldn't put in a car trunk. I do have a full load somtimes though. Firewood, stone, dirt, manure or truck parts at least a couple times most months. Daily though, I use the truck for short trips to work, and driving/showing off at night (burning tires and whipping around the city, but no racing, the truck's not made for it) which often includes the highway for up to hour trips. Beyond that, I make the 6 hour drive out to college every couple of months.

With a combination of parts I have from past projects, selling parts off the engine I'm buying, and accounting for machine shop costs, I can build the following engines:

Complete the 10.3 CR full roller CC 4V 408.

Build a 10.3 CR full roller CC 2V 408 for about 200$ less.

Build a 10.3 CR regular hyd flat tappet CC 2V 408 for 600$ less than the CC 4V roller.

For my application, and costs in mind, what does everybody think? (Don't take into account part availability, I've found them and know their cost)

Thanks, AleX

 

The engine in CC 4V roller form by the way dynosimmed to 420 HP at 5500, and 460 TQ at 4000 (what I'd expect from a 4V) but had power much lower in the range than I would have thought.

2000: 150HP 400TQ
2500: 210HP 440TQ
3000: 250HP 440TQ
4000: 350HP 460TQ
5000: 410HP 430TQ
6000: 400HP 350TQ

 

what is the elevation of MA. I imagine its close to sea level some what. That plays a heavy roll in your compression goals. With either 2v or 4v heads, you need the closed chamber heads. This design isn't as prone to detonation. Personally I would suggest aluminum heads with this goal, cause the heat loss with aluminum allows for more compression on pump gas. Personally I think full roller rockers on a hydralic flat tappet cam is the best bet for you, unless your ready to spend a bit extra. I have a hyrd. roller cam in a 388 stoker that I built and it cost me alot more than doing a hydralic cam, and not sure it makes that much more power. Personally I would look at 9.5 if going with iron heads, and 10.3 if going with aluminum. Main things are Intake, carb, headers, cam, compression, rod bolts for security (arp bolts)rods are forged anyways, balancing, ignition(although some feel this is a waste) autolite plugs, 8.8mm wires, mufflers besides flowmaster unless you have to have there sound, possibly a carb spacer. You have read all the build articles right? Are you thinking cleveland pistons, or tmeyers. I'd stay with cast for longevity, unless your thinking turbochargers, or nitrous. Forged pistons need to be installed loose due to exspansion of the pistons, and this takes miles off the motor in most cases. I would even consider using a cleveland manifold with spacers, and look at the air gap rpm, or regular rpm intake. What cam company are you looking at. I personally like comp, isky, and lunati. Glad someones doing something, cause this area has been dead lately.

 

Sorry, I may not have explained myself fully, I've spent sooooooo much time planning this it's pretty much all that's been on my mind, and I might have assumed that people here know more than they do about my project. A little background:

I built up my 400 once before, last winter, I built the top end (4 bbl, intake, 0* timing, cam, springs, headers, duals). It ran like a beast, but I beat on it, and never even checked the bottom end or any bearings. This summer, it started to come apart. It was all bad, it ate the crank an 8th of an inch deep on 2 rods, both heads cracked, it was a mess. I ripped it out, and started thinking, I looked at 390's 400's 429's 460's, even a 427, and desperately tried to find a 428. I chose to build a 400. I figured it would be cheapest to use the readily available open chamber 2V heads, rebuild and upgrade them. When I totalled everything up though, it came to close to 3000$ for the whole project, for an engine that would give me good power, but nothing amazing.

Then though, before I spent much money at all, I got an offer of the engine I described above, a rebuilt 400 (408) with closed chamber Cleveland 4V heads. I have decided to buy that, and all the above questions are about that engine.

Mass is very close to sea level yes, especially my area, about 15 miles from the coast, but the guy who built the engine, and has run ones just like it at 10.3 CR also lives in a low area of the country.

All I'm wondering is, using that engine as a starting point, how much bang, would I get for how much buck? Of my 3 options (CC 4V roller, CC 2V roller, CC 2V non roller) completing the engine as is, and selling none of it's parts will be the most expensive, and using this engine's shortblock to build a CC 2V conventional valve train motor around would be the cheapest.

Get what I'm saying a little better? Sorry if it was unclear earlier, or still is...

 

I use www.mpgheads.com. Scott really knows his stuff when it comes to ford engines. He's involved with engine masters and just built a 400 ford for his competition motor and placed in the top 5 or 6 this year. www.enginemasters.com. He's ran the 400's for the past couple yrs. Roller cams are easier on valvetrain, and get a little more out of them in power if designed properly for application compared to hyd cam. Meaning the oil break in and possible lifter failure are not a issue. Sometimes if breaking in the cam can be a issue with solids and hyd's. kinda partial to this engine especially in a 4wd application or working truck situations. Like my big blocks also but 400 a good all around engine and not hard to make great power/torque for a decent price. IF going 4v your gonna need a cam to promote better valve action and the roller will help provide this compared to similar hyd cam. gonna have to go with roller especially with the 4v heads. catch you later.

 

Cool, thanks. I'm going to set the engine up to run in 4V form anyway, and see how it drives, so if it seems fine, I won't mess with it.

If not though (anyone), if I'm really noticing a lack of torque at normal speeds, and I decide to go to a 2V setup, should I go roller or non? And if it doesn't make a difference I'm going to go non roller, so that I can sell the roller setup. I already have some normal flat tappet cams from things in the past.

 

when setting up a carb would definetly go with a annular carb to help promote low end torque. this type of booster in carb is designed to help promote getting you fuel to a vapor quicker than a regular type booster. If any more questions drop a message and will help out and explain any tech situations. lost in wyoming and lovin it.