Performance Buildup for 400
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 248
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From: Ottawa, KS
Performance Buildup for 400
I have a 77 F-150 Custom with a 400, and I have been trying to save up for some time now so I can beef up the engine. I would like to here some advice from guys that have done this before. Any advice would be appreciated, p/n's prices, where to start, that sort of thing.
Thanks.
Thanks.
New User
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 0
Likes: 24
Performance Buildup for 400
Hi Brent,
See where it says View user gallery in my reply ?
Clcik that and then scroll down to to see the 400 performance link.
Here are a couple of other links.
http://www.off-road.com/ford/flashback/400_power.html
http://home.earthlink.net/~bubbaf250/perf/perf02b.html
See where it says View user gallery in my reply ?
Clcik that and then scroll down to to see the 400 performance link.
Here are a couple of other links.
http://www.off-road.com/ford/flashback/400_power.html
http://home.earthlink.net/~bubbaf250/perf/perf02b.html
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,141
Likes: 25
From: south louisiana
Performance Buildup for 400
Here's the recipe I used on my 400; 351C forged flat-tops, 400 heads , ported polished and milled .030, block decked .010, rods resized and ARP bolts used, Comp Cams 280H ( .523 lift 280 degree duration) Weiand 8010 high rise dual plane intake, Holley 750 vacuum secondary, full length headers, Crane Cams rocker stud conversion kit, Stock big Chevy rockers, stock 400 pushrods. cost including carb was $2300. Horse power should be in the 400-450 range.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 248
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From: Ottawa, KS
Performance Buildup for 400
Looks like good advice. I've heard something about you have to machine the Cleveland pistons because of the wrist pin. How do you do that, and where would you get it done? How much does it cost? And should I aim for about 10.5 CR, or is that too much for pump gas with octane booster? I've heard different stories on how high to go. I've got the 400 Flashback article, and it said a 2 piont jump in compression would net a conservative 50 ponies, which would be impressive.
Thanks for the advice!
Thanks for the advice!
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,416
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From: PacNW
Performance Buildup for 400
Welcome to FTE Brent. There are dozens if not hundreds of posts in this forum about building hi-po 400 motors. Try searching this forum using the terms "hot rod 400" and "shazam". You'll find some very informative posts.
The 351C pistons have a smaller wrist pin than the 400 pistons so you'd have to get a machine shop to install bushings in the connecting rods. 10.5 is very high for the open chamber heads that the 400 comes with. I wouldn't recommend more than 9.5 even with octane booster. Even so with the right cam and some judicious head work you should be able to easily pull 350+ H.P. and well over 400 # of TQ out of a mildly modified 400.
The 351C pistons have a smaller wrist pin than the 400 pistons so you'd have to get a machine shop to install bushings in the connecting rods. 10.5 is very high for the open chamber heads that the 400 comes with. I wouldn't recommend more than 9.5 even with octane booster. Even so with the right cam and some judicious head work you should be able to easily pull 350+ H.P. and well over 400 # of TQ out of a mildly modified 400.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 248
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From: Ottawa, KS
Performance Buildup for 400
From all the stuff I've read, it sounds like the 400 has enormous potential. Think after I get it built, I'm gonna have me a Ch*bby for dinner and a H*nda for dessert! Where I live, everyone steals there mamma's Civic and wonders how some rusty pickup smoked them.
Oh, yes. What is a proper differential for a built 400? I think it currently has a 9" with 3.50? gears. It's mostly stock, but the motor only has 6,000 miles on it, and the C6 was rebuilt when the motor was replaced. Also, what's the top speed giong to be once it's built, with the right differential. I need a gear that will be good all around, but more so in the lower end.
Oh, yes. What is a proper differential for a built 400? I think it currently has a 9" with 3.50? gears. It's mostly stock, but the motor only has 6,000 miles on it, and the C6 was rebuilt when the motor was replaced. Also, what's the top speed giong to be once it's built, with the right differential. I need a gear that will be good all around, but more so in the lower end.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: PacNW
Performance Buildup for 400
Depends on your tire size. Here's a link to a site with all kinds of interactive calculators that can help you determine RPM, top end, etc. by entering different tire sizes and gear ratios:
Stan Weiss' Automotive
Stan Weiss' Automotive
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Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Minneapolis, MN
Performance Buildup for 400
Like Bill said, it will depend on the tires. The 400 makes a lot of torque and a truck doesn't have a lot of weight in the back for traction. Go too steep on the gears and you'll have a monster that will roast the tires off the line but will top out too quick.
3.50 gears will be able to handle a fairly tall tire and still get you off the line. I'd say pick your tires and see how they run. 9" gears are relatively easy to change (salvage yard center chunk?). Top end will be determined by just how much power the engine produces, what RPM range you build it for (read: how much money you're putting into it) as well as the tires and gearing. The choice is up to you.
And welcome to FTE!
3.50 gears will be able to handle a fairly tall tire and still get you off the line. I'd say pick your tires and see how they run. 9" gears are relatively easy to change (salvage yard center chunk?). Top end will be determined by just how much power the engine produces, what RPM range you build it for (read: how much money you're putting into it) as well as the tires and gearing. The choice is up to you.
And welcome to FTE!
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,141
Likes: 25
From: south louisiana
Performance Buildup for 400
The pistons I used were an old set of (1980's) Speed-Pro flattops. They have enough meat under the wrist pin to drill out the pin bore to 400 dia. ( .975) The reason I chose this route was nobody near me had the ability to cut spiro-loc grooves in the pistons. After drilling out the pin bores, these pistons only had .013 less meat under the pin than a set of stock cast pistons. The guy who did this for me still has the bit to perform this operation. He charged me $275 to resize the rods , install ARP bolts and drill out the pin bores and mount the pistons on the rods. He is located in south Louisiana. Before going this route with other pistons, you need to measure the thickness of the metal under the pins to make sure they're thick enough to do this. My motor has been running for about a year now and has seen 6 grand on the tach with no problems.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 248
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From: Ottawa, KS
Performance Buildup for 400
I know everyone has their own opinions on carburetors, but I would like to know, which intake and carb would work the best with my 400? I've heard weiend/holley, edelbrock/holley, and edelbrock/edelbrock. Which would be best? I'm not overly concerned about gas mileage, if I was, I would have a four banger, not a 400 c.i.d. monster. Thanks again for all the info.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,141
Likes: 25
From: south louisiana
Performance Buildup for 400
I'm running a Weiand 8010 dual plane and a Holley 750 ( 3310-S) I'm totally content with it. I was going to go with an Edelbrock Performer but after comparing the two, the Weiand looks to have more "meat" in the runners and a better carb flange than the Edelbrock. The runners almost look as if it will work with a 4bbl Clevland head swap ( enough meat around the ports to port out or just use as is to cover the huge 4 bbl ports on the cleveland)
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 248
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From: Ottawa, KS
Performance Buildup for 400
What are the numbers that you can expect to get from a built 400? I'm looking for 0-60, quarter mile, hp/#torque, max speed, stuff like that. I'm thinking about sticking with my 3.50 gears, or going up a little more. Would 3.73 or 4.11 be more appropriate? Right now, the beast tops out at about 115-120 (which really pisses people off on the interstate when a beat up, rusty "Fix or Repair Daily" truck flies right by them without hesitation
). I'm just glad to have the chance to talk to guys with experience before I leap into this truck.
). I'm just glad to have the chance to talk to guys with experience before I leap into this truck.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,141
Likes: 25
From: south louisiana
Performance Buildup for 400
The recipe I used on this 400 is very close to the one used on a 2 bbl 351C in Max Performance Ford V-8's on Budget. ( HP Books if I remember correctly) that motor had a 9 to 1 comp ratio, open chamber 2 bbl heads, dual plane intake , 750 Holley, and a similar cam to the one I used ( mine is a Comp Cams 280H) That motor dyno'ed at 405 hp, so mine should be in the neighborhood of 400-450. Mine has a little more compression ( 9.7) which was attained by milling the heads .030, decking the block .010 and the 351C flattops. I haven't run it on the strip, but on the highway, it pulls hard up to whatever your wallet can stand ( speeding tickets LOL) and runs happily on 93 octane premium with 12 degrees initial timing or you can bump the timing down to run cheaper gas ( living with a little pinging)