400 Rebuild
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Joined: Sep 2015
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400 Rebuild
I picked up a 400 that was running when pulled that I eventually want to put into my 79 F150. I want to do a rebuild myself to learn the process, and need some advice. I found this kit online to redo the cam, timing chain, lifters and valve springs, and wanted to get experienced advice. I plan on having the machine shop check the block and crank. Is this kit a good choice?
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-k32-218-3
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-k32-218-3
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,234
Likes: 3
From: In the woods of Oregon
Get pistons from Tim. https://www.tmeyerinc.com/product/piston-set-ford-400/
Don't be alarmed by the price, they include rings and the rings themselves are a $100 from summit. These are the only pistons that provide squish. If your keeping the pistons from the rebuild I would check your DCR with that camshaft and make sure it will work. I myself like that camshaft, BUT the standard RV cam (specs 282/292 adv, 204/214 @ .050, .486 .512" lift) is very popular in stock rebuilt engines. Tim's piston will only help with either camshaft.
Don't be alarmed by the price, they include rings and the rings themselves are a $100 from summit. These are the only pistons that provide squish. If your keeping the pistons from the rebuild I would check your DCR with that camshaft and make sure it will work. I myself like that camshaft, BUT the standard RV cam (specs 282/292 adv, 204/214 @ .050, .486 .512" lift) is very popular in stock rebuilt engines. Tim's piston will only help with either camshaft.
Tuned
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 308
Likes: 27
From: Fallout Shelter
You're on the right track with that cam in a stock 8 to 1 compression 400 if you want it to actually build some cylinder pressure. Dynamic compression calculates to about 7 to 1 which for those open chamber heads and that horrendous deck clearance is not bad. Anything much above that and it may ping itself to death if ignition timing isn't back out a bunch. Those pistons the previous poster referred to eliminates the unusually large deck clearance of the 400 but like any good product they are pricey. Personally if it wasn't a race motor and is just a truck engine i'd run the stock pistons and that 252 cam. Of course machine shop will no doubt talk you into a bore & more....
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