Ford 400 Cam Options

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Aug 28, 2017 | 03:09 PM

#16

Ford77Pickup

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Joined: Jul 2016

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From: Salisbury

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron-71

The shop you're using will be able to tell you if the heads have been milled or need to be milled again. Squaring up the block, then squaring the heads to the squared block is an important process to get all of the rotating assembly in alignment with everything else.

Either way, your shop should be walking you through the process/updating you.

I would stay in close contact with them. From there, they can recommend a new head gasket thickness so that you achieve proper quench tolerances in the combustion chamber.

Will do. thanks for the info. I haven't started any of this yet but I'm wanting to start collecting parts and getting an idea as to costs. Still not sure if I'm goin to use my current motor or thw one in my garage to rebuild. But I'll figure it out.

Aug 28, 2017 | 03:51 PM

#17

Aaron-71

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From: Regina, Saskatchewan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford77Pickup

Speaking of which, I'll mention that you want to look into the age/year of your block and where it was manufactured.

Some of these old blocks that were manufactured at the Michigan foundry have known cracking issues from March 2, 1977 and prior.

Here's some reading for you:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uuou25fvt9...tion.docx?dl=0

Aug 28, 2017 | 09:29 PM

#18

palmrose2

Tuned

Joined: Sep 2003

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From: Northern Michigan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron-71

This sounds like a heck of a lot more than a cam swap. Op says he has a good engine. Squaring up the block is something done on a complete overhaul.
To the OP. If you are pulling the engine yourself, you are capable of swapping cams yourself. I'm pretty sure that you can install the Summit 5200 with your existing valve springs. I bought new springs because of some confusion, but when checking stock verses edlebrock springs, I couldn't measure a difference. I put a 5200 in a 351m with edlebrock springs and am very happy.

Check out post 38 in this thread. The summit cam is an Edlebrock performer clone which got over 280 hp from a low compression 351c. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...the-cheap.html

Aug 29, 2017 | 09:10 AM

#19

Aaron-71

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From: Regina, Saskatchewan

Quote:

Originally Posted by palmrose2

This sounds like a heck of a lot more than a cam swap. Op says he has a good engine.

Where exactly did he say it was a "good engine"? He said it ran good - which doesn't mean everything else is good

It would be worth his time in the long run to do some of these small checks to see if it's worth throwing a new cam into it.

Aug 29, 2017 | 04:25 PM

#20

Ford77Pickup

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From: Salisbury

My current motor runs good. Starts up fast and runs nice and smooth. Only reason I want to rebuild it is because the holly 650 carburetor was dumping fuel and I feel that it may have washed out the bearings. I have put an Edlebrock on since then but want to make sure that the motor is in tiptop. Figured I might as well replace all the bearings since I'm going to do a cam swap anyways. So basically rebuild the motor. I think I'll pass on decking the heads tho. I'll probably just install new bearings and piston rings as well as install the new cam with springs. I may have a valve job done as well just to be safe.

Jan 11, 2024 | 11:26 PM

#21

F250sonly

7th Gear

Joined: Aug 2022

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Quote:

Originally Posted by 79F150400M

I ran the Comp Cams 268 in mine. Also had headers, Eddy intake and a Carter 625. Loved it. Ran an aftermarket timing set straight up as well. Only problem i had was excessive rocker arm clatter. I solved that by using the Crane screw in stud kit and BBC roller tip rockers. In retrospect, wish I would have ponied up the cash and used different rockers.

Hello. I see it's been a while since you made this post but I have some questions about the 268h cam's valve springs. I bought a 268h for the 400 I'm building at the moment, and I also bought the lifters, timing set, and valve springs for it. I'm just wondering how well the valve springs fit on the factory heads? Based on your post, I don't know if you kept your factory 2v heads or not but if you did and you used the springs for this cam let me know your experience thus far. What I've mostly been hearing is that the factory valve spring seats are not big enough for the dual spring style springs you get from comp cams for this cam. I've already emailed comp cams to see what they have to say about it, but it would be nice to hear from someone who's actually ran this set up in a 400.

Thank you.
Garry

Jan 12, 2024 | 12:01 AM

#22

79F150400M

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Feb 2004

Posts: 1,509

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From: Arlington,Wa

I did run the 2V heads but I just ran the stock Ford springs with no issues. I also converted the valve train to adjustable rockers by using a conversion kit that Crane made. I don't know if it's even available anymore as I bought the kit over 20 yrs ago and sold the truck in 2014.

Jan 12, 2024 | 09:21 AM

#23

tbear853

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Joined: Feb 2004

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From: The Shenandoah Valley

Mine is a '77 351M..In the late 1980s, was probably 65 or70,000 miles on the odometer then. I put a new timing set in "straight up" with a cam change. I used a Crane "Fireball" cam, hydraulic, same specs as Summit Racing's Part Number: EDL-2172. I used new oem replacement lifters and never touched the valve springs until I had the heads redone a few years later. I seldom if ever see the tach over 4,000 even.

Basic Operating RPM Range: Idle-5,500
Duration @ 0.050 inch Lift: 204* int./214* exh.
Advertised Duration: 282* int./292* exh.
Valve Lift with Factory Rocker Arm Ratio: 0.484 int./0.510 exh.
Lobe Separation 112*

Not advising, just stating experience. Truck odometer is now at about 108,000 miles.