The winterbeater build thread
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2010
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From: Indiana, PA
The winterbeater build thread
Well to start the truck is a 1979 F.250 4x4. My dad got it last winter to drive and after driving it for a little bit the 400m in it decided to die. So we parked it out back the garage and havent thought about it for a while. So I decided that since I`m gonna need a winter truck that I might as well use it. I tore the motor out and found a pretty well totaled crankshaft. I decided to try to get a 460 for it but about a $1,000 to put a motor back in a beater truck was too much. So after tossing around the idea of a 302, instead I decided to rebuild the 400. Here are a couple pics of the truck.
The trucks body is pretty rough here and there but not too bad in my mind and for a beater what the heck. Heres the major bad spots in it. The bed is the worst thing on the truck. It doesn`t have any roof rot in it though.
Also while I was at a swap meet today I found a recently turned crank, new main and rod bearings, piston rings and on top of that a new oil pump for $40. So hopefully I can get the 400 rebuilt pretty soon and for not too much money.
The trucks body is pretty rough here and there but not too bad in my mind and for a beater what the heck. Heres the major bad spots in it. The bed is the worst thing on the truck. It doesn`t have any roof rot in it though.
Also while I was at a swap meet today I found a recently turned crank, new main and rod bearings, piston rings and on top of that a new oil pump for $40. So hopefully I can get the 400 rebuilt pretty soon and for not too much money.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2010
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From: Indiana, PA
Well I took the motor down to the machine shop on Monday and they put in new cam bearings and cleaned the block up. The cam ended up being a piece of junk. So I am going to have to get a new one and was wondering what would be a good cam for it. It`s only a winterbeater but I`d like it to have some power. Any ideas?
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2010
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From: Indiana, PA
Those both look like pretty good cams. I found an RV style cam from them I think I`m gonna get.
I was looking at the intake manifold I have which came off this motor and i was wondering if it is too much for this 400? It is a 4bbl Holley Dominator intake manifold. If I could I`d like to run this 400 with the Holley Dominator intake manifold and a 600 cfm Edelbrock Carburetor and a set of long tube headers. Do you all think this combination will work out alright or should I get a stock 4bbl 400m intake manifold?
Also is the 600cfm carbeurator a good size? When I tore this motor apart it had a 780 double pumper carbeurator and it ran like a piece of crap.
AD with a Holley Dominator: HOLLEY STREET DOMINATOR ALUMINUM INTAKE MANIFOLD FORD 351M-400M | eBay
I was looking at the intake manifold I have which came off this motor and i was wondering if it is too much for this 400? It is a 4bbl Holley Dominator intake manifold. If I could I`d like to run this 400 with the Holley Dominator intake manifold and a 600 cfm Edelbrock Carburetor and a set of long tube headers. Do you all think this combination will work out alright or should I get a stock 4bbl 400m intake manifold?
Also is the 600cfm carbeurator a good size? When I tore this motor apart it had a 780 double pumper carbeurator and it ran like a piece of crap.
AD with a Holley Dominator: HOLLEY STREET DOMINATOR ALUMINUM INTAKE MANIFOLD FORD 351M-400M | eBay
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2007
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From: Up Nort Minnesota
If you have a choice budget wise.... I'd sell that single plane intake on ebay to someone looking to make power higher in the RPM range and I'd buy a dual plane weiand or edelbrock.
600 cfm sq bore 4V should be fine for the 400 though.
600 cfm sq bore 4V should be fine for the 400 though.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2010
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From: Indiana, PA
Any idea what the operating range for this intake manifold is?
Also has anyone ran one and experienced how well they run?
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2005
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No factory 4v manifolds for 351m/400...
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Cargo Master
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,056
Likes: 10
From: Indiana, PA
Also I got an update. I got the motor back. The shop I took it to had a 1 day turn around time. It cost me $173 to have the block honed, freeze plugs removed and the new cam bearings with installation. I think that`s pretty good for a machine shop?
More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 724
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From: Southeast Salt Lake, UT
Like what? A little D*** plush overgrown lounge on wheels that happens to have a patio in the back that's called a cargo bed for marketing reasons?
They don't get any real than this.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2010
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From: Indiana, PA
Yeah that was my opinion too, which I guess is why I ended up inheriting it.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,056
Likes: 10
From: Indiana, PA
I got to looking at the motor block yesterday and ran into a snafu. When the machine shop planed the surface deck of the motor block they took out the dowel pins which help locate the heads on it. Any ideas as to where I could buy new ones, because the old ones are too twisted up to be used again?
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,056
Likes: 10
From: Indiana, PA
Well I had another failure with this motor. I went to put the crankshaft and new bearings in. It all went together really well until I went to plastiguage it and found out that my crankshaft is cut .010 under, but the bearings are STD size bearings. That set me back $140 from Summit. So if anyone is looking for a set of brand new STD crankshaft bearings, (mains and rods) pm me. I`ll sell them dirt cheap.
Also I got to putting the rear main seal in and found a crack in the motor block. It is right on the rear main seals edge and goes down about a 1/2 inch. Its like someone was trying to knock the old seal out and accidentally hit the block instead. Do you think it will leak or should I just put some RTV silicone in there and put it together?
Heres a pic of it
Also I got to putting the rear main seal in and found a crack in the motor block. It is right on the rear main seals edge and goes down about a 1/2 inch. Its like someone was trying to knock the old seal out and accidentally hit the block instead. Do you think it will leak or should I just put some RTV silicone in there and put it together?
Heres a pic of it
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,056
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From: Indiana, PA
I`m not too worried about it leaking for what it is now, but my main concern is if it might keep on spreading into a bigger crack? I was almost thinking of trying to puddy it up a little with some JB weld?