400-parts list
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
400-parts list
I Have a f150 with 400 and plan on buying some parts for it what do you think;Cloyes timing Chain, Comp Cams High Energy 268 Cam Kit, Comp Cams High Energy Push Rods, Edelbrock Performer, Road Demon 625cfm Vacuum Sec Ford kickdown with Elec Choke and some headers. Do you see any problems or anything I fergot please Tell me, I want lots of power on low budget. Thanks for Reading.
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,232
Likes: 3
From: NE Texas
Due to the kinship of the 400 with the Cleveland there are plenty of good speed parts available except your challenge in building a strong 400 and that is getting a decent compression ratio.
All the parts you list are well and good and sound like a good combination, but you will be disappointed unless you do something about the compression ratio. When I built my 400 several years ago I could find no pistons to get the CR up. Now you can buy a set of 40010 Badger pistons for $175. If you were to use these pistons along with the other parts you will be able to build a really strong engine. Camming it up without increasing compression will make for an engine that is just not very snappy. Been there, done that.
Good luck,
Doc
All the parts you list are well and good and sound like a good combination, but you will be disappointed unless you do something about the compression ratio. When I built my 400 several years ago I could find no pistons to get the CR up. Now you can buy a set of 40010 Badger pistons for $175. If you were to use these pistons along with the other parts you will be able to build a really strong engine. Camming it up without increasing compression will make for an engine that is just not very snappy. Been there, done that.
Good luck,
Doc
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 705
Likes: 0
From: Okla.
Deck the block to about .0006, that is leave the pistons in the hole at .0006, with cr of the head gasket at .0038 this will get the quinch up there better. If you want to you deck the heads some this will get rid of some of the cc's. I took .0035 off of the block and .0072 off of the heads. You have to cheek the geomertry of the push rods, if the push rods are to long it will eat up your heads. My cr is 9.7 to 1, this means 93 octan only, or higher.
Last edited by 74 F100 351m; Feb 1, 2005 at 10:12 AM.
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
Originally Posted by 74 F100 351m
Deck the block to about .0006, that is leave the pistons in the hole at .0006, with cr of the head gasket at .0038 this will get the quinch up there better. If you want to you deck the heads some this will get rid of some of the cc's. I took .0035 off of the block and .0072 off of the heads. You have to cheek the geomertry of the push rods, if the push rods are to long it will eat up your heads. My cr is 9.7 to 1, this means 93 octan only, or higher.
Tuned
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 454
Likes: 0
Aussie heads will jump the CR. Stock CR on that motor is 8.0:1 and I think the Aussies will take it to around 9.4:1, roughly. I put flattops pistons in mine, the ones that MBDiagMan was talking about and I am very happy with them. They actually cost only $150, not $175. I was told that with these pistons and Aussie heads, my CR would be around 10.5:1 and I didn't want to go that high so I didn't get the heads. But I am very happy with the flattop pistons.
Trending Topics
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,232
Likes: 3
From: NE Texas
Yes as KC pointed out and I failed to, you don't want flat top pistons AND Aussie heads for the street. The compression would be too high unless you plan on running aviation gas. Use one or the other and since you're rebuilding anyway, I would suggest that you go the piston route.
Good luck,
Doc
Good luck,
Doc
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
More Turbo
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 521
Likes: 0
From: Alexandria, Ohio
Melling high volume oil pump. Match the intake and heads ports. Also look into a Weiand intake and compare it to the Performer. I would recommend a mechanical secondary carb. I had a Carter 625cfm mech sec on mine and it worked great. It had an auto for the first 20k miles then a 4 speed for the final 100k. Heavy duty stamped rocker arms or machine for rollers. I would upgrade the distributor to something other than stock. It will keep on advancing the higher the rpm's and the plugs will start firing with the piston too far down in the cylinder cracking piston skirts. I cracked all 16 skirts and 6 broke off eventually. I ran the crap out of mine. Idle to red line plus every time I took off.
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 867
Likes: 0
From: Eastern Pa
You should not port match the intake side of the hesds. Clean up any flash in the runners and any casting marks. You should match the exhaust side. This has been discussed hear many times. I'm sure you could find some of the posts with a search. Also you don't have to machine for rollers unless you want to. Scorpion make a nice set with no machining needed.
Last edited by tastyklair; Feb 2, 2005 at 04:05 PM.
Tuned
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 454
Likes: 0
Ouch, Mitch, I am glad you didn't try that with a Chevy....you probably would have been burned alive...
I have the stock dizzy in mine and it is pinging badly, mostly on the highway. Do you think that adding an MSD dizzy with the 6a box (is that right?) would improve this? I had my cam set at 0 degrees for a little more grunt.
Also, what is involved in changing from a C6 to a manual? It always seemed like more work than I wanted to do, but now I am thinking maybe not.
I have the stock dizzy in mine and it is pinging badly, mostly on the highway. Do you think that adding an MSD dizzy with the 6a box (is that right?) would improve this? I had my cam set at 0 degrees for a little more grunt.
Also, what is involved in changing from a C6 to a manual? It always seemed like more work than I wanted to do, but now I am thinking maybe not.
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 867
Likes: 0
From: Eastern Pa
The distributor should not keep advancing unless something is wrong with it. There are 2 settings inside the stock distributor for the mechanical advance you want to achieve and you can test what your vacuum is doing if you have a timing light and your damper is able to be read to 45 or 50 degrees. Most of the street perfomance engines seem to want around 30-34 total advance. I believe TMI is going to run power numbers on his engine with different advance settings. That should be interesting.