Ok Fozzy, you cant just tease all of us here about getting 10:1 pistons, you have to tell us where. I would do about anything to find hi-comp pistons for the 400. Please tell us, Im sure Im not the only one that is wondering. Thanks

Nitro

 

BADGER piston co. PART#400-100f 10:1 cast pistons with pins pressed in for FORD 400 ($144+ S/H) phone number 1-626-869-0270
HERE IT IS I hope to see some interesting posts in here in a few months with some 400+hp 351M/400

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77'FORD F150 XLT 400

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 14-Mar-01 AT 08:14 PM (EST)[/font][p]fozzy,

While all of us M block folks appreciate your devotion to our much maligned motors you need to make sure your information is correct. I just got off the phone with my local Dynagear (they own Badger) distributor and he told me that there is no such part # as 400-100F. As bubbaf250 has said in several previous threads the correct # is 400-10F which cross references to Nylen (also owned by Dynagear) part # 1282P. I have these very pistons in the 400 which is sitting in my garage waiting to go to the dyno shop and I can assure you they are not 10:1 pistons. They are flat top, cast, nominal 9.0:1 pistons which have a .010 below stock compression height to allow for head and/or block milling. They have 2 valve reliefs. You certainly could get 10:1 with them installed in your engine but not without decking the block and/or milling the heads.

BTW before I bought them I called Ohio Piston & Pin (now owned by...you guessed it...Dynagear), the originators of these pieces and spoke with one of their people which is why I know they're not 10:1. They were originally designed for converting the 400 motors to propane so they bumped the C.R. to 9:1 to make up for the difference in fuels.

 

Can't help chiming in here, as I spent a couple months this winter rebuilding my tired 351M into a sweet 400. I went with all stock stuff (except timing), and had a local shop machine the block and heads. With this labor, the whole project came in under $900, and I replaced all the usual accessories during reassembly.

I'm past the first 1000 miles, and the oil looked real clean at first change. Idles real nice, and has 25 psi hot idle oil pressure with 10W30- goes over 90 psi on cold morning! The torque is unreal- can drive at any speed in 4th gear without the engine bucking or complaining. Can even start off in 4th gear on level ground (wearing in that new clutch!).

Running 4wd in mud on the hills, no problem at all with bogging in any gear. Can't see why you would have to raise CR and cam specs- there's plenty enough umph there already.

Bob A
'77 F-150 4x4 "the project"

 

I dont know who dynagear or badger are, all'##### I have is a phone number and part number for the pistons, and they are **10:1** for a 351C fitted with .912" bushings instead of the .960" from a 400
I may be off a litle on the actual pin size , but you get the point

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77'FORD F150 XLT 400

 

Well you're talking apples and oranges now. The part # 400-100f you have is not valid. 400-10f are 9:1 pistons with press pins for a 400. 351C pistons are different animals. They have the same bore size and will fit in a 400 if you bush the rods.

Personally it makes no difference to me what you put in your motor I just want to make sure that everyone else isn't running around trying to order a part # that doesn't exist or thinking they're buying 10:1 pistons for their 400. AFAIK they simply don't make production cast or forged 10:1 pistons for the 400.

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 15-Mar-01 AT 03:24 PM (EST)[/font][p]I have a 400 in my 79 F150. It has a little over a hundred thousand miles on it. It runs like new, well almost . Burns very little oil, even has an "oil bath" on it. This motor has never been overhauled. Bought it from an old man that bought it new. Handles like a car. It does ping, but high test gas takes care of that. I love the motor. I've had 390s, 351s, and this runs as good as any motor I've ever had.

 

Can you run these 9.0:1 pistons without changing anything else internally or going higher than 87 octane gas??
What would the difference in hp/torque as well as mileage?

Resurrecting the thread!

Matt
1978 F250 Ranger 4x4 - 351M

 

Yes you can run these pistons without making any changes to the engine as long as it's a 400. I don't know for sure about 87 octane gas, my bone stock 400 didn't even like 87 octane gas.

 

Ok, thats good to know. Are there any pistons out there for the 351M that are higher than the stock 8.0:1? The 400 was 8.0:1 as well wasn't it?

Matt
1978 F250 4x4 - 351M

 

Hey guys! For simpletons like me attempting a first rebuild details are Everything!

I've got a 351M in a newly purchased 1979 F-250. Down the road, I'm looking to rebuild it totally stock using all improvements suggested in this bulletin.

I know I need shorter flat top pistons, a different cam, etc. but need very specific information, probably contained in the book I bought here, but listed in one place all together. Could you help Bill? A one-stop kit from X manufacturer? I don't need high performance, but want a sweet running engine at a good price. What size/type/brand piston heads, what cam, how much to shave off the heads, general idea of when I take the block to tell the machinist what I want them to do to mate with the parts.

Sorry for the basic stuff, but I'm having to take one step at a time so's I can hang with discussions in the book and here.

 

I haven't seen anything for making the 351M into a Performance engine.
Is that even possible?

I have tons of books on *muscle making* a 400.

Dennis

78 F-150 429CJ C6 ,Silver w/Explorer Pkge
641/2 Mustang,Pre-World's Fair Car #8092
64 Fairlane S/C waiting for a 390-4spd.
68-Mustang.Sunlit Gold 80,000 miles
Attachments:

 

>Hey guys! For simpletons like me attempting a first rebuild
>details are Everything!
>
>I've got a 351M in a newly purchased 1979 F-250. Down the
>road, I'm looking to rebuild it totally stock using all
>improvements suggested in this bulletin.
>
>I know I need shorter flat top pistons, a different cam,
>etc. but need very specific information, probably contained
>in the book I bought here, but listed in one place all
>together. Could you help Bill? A one-stop kit from X
>manufacturer? I don't need high performance, but want a
>sweet running engine at a good price. What size/type/brand
>piston heads, what cam, how much to shave off the heads,
>general idea of when I take the block to tell the machinist
>what I want them to do to mate with the parts.
>
>Sorry for the basic stuff, but I'm having to take one step
>at a time so's I can hang with discussions in the book and
>here.

Whew! Well you asked a bunch of questions but I need to ask one first. Are you planning to turn your 351M into a 400 or actually just rebuild it stock like you said in this post? It makes a big difference.

Either way, if I were going the "1 stop shopping" route I'd probably go with P.A.W. They have a website, [link:www.pawinc.com/|P.A.W.], but you need the catalog to order from it. They have a number of cams to choose from when you order the kit and I'd probably go with the 11339 or the 10329 dual pattern shafts. Either 1 can be ordered with 1 of their Super Stock Piston Kits. Choose the D option and the only other thing you'll need to buy are the gaskets.

Now if you plan to change your 351M to a 400 then I'd definitely get the Ohio P & P #1282P flat top pistons. Badger also sells them as part #400-10F. You can buy a 400 crank & bearings from PAW as well as the rest of the parts necessary for the rebuild.

Another option is to buy the matched Edelbrock kit which has the cam, lifters, springs, manifold & 4V carburetor. You can look them up on the web at [link:www.edelbrock.com/automotive/ford_1i.html|Edelbrock Power Package]

The 400 I built has the following:

351M truck block bored .020
351C 2V heads gasket matched/ported & polished
400 crank .020/.010
stock rods
Ohio P&P cast 9:1 flat top pistons
Crower 15241 camshaft 276/281 deg. dur. .527/.534" lift
HV oil pump
full roller adjustable timing set
std. size stainless valves
Crower dual valve springs
Crane Cams adjustable rocker conv. kit w/guideplates
Comp Cams Magnum roller rockers
Edelbrock Performer 400 EGR manifold
Holley 600 cfm 4V carb
external oil line modification

Machine work consisted of having the block bored and checked for square. It was fine. The heads needed .008 taken off to true them up. Rods were checked & resized. The whole rotating assembly was balanced. The combination hasn't gone to the dyno yet but I hope it will soon. I'll post the results when it does.

 

First, thank you much for the response! I am planning to go to the rebuild as a 400 (recommended right?) and as far as "stock" I guess I'm saying I'm not wanting to race it. Not to say I don't want improved performance for my time. Price is important, but isn't the bottom line for me. This will be my first rebuild if that helps. Sorry for all the wind but my hands are putty in yours and I'm trying to give what you need to help me.

 

>First, thank you much for the response! I am planning to go
>to the rebuild as a 400 (recommended right?) and as far as
>"stock" I guess I'm saying I'm not wanting to race it. Not
>to say I don't want improved performance for my time. Price
>is important, but isn't the bottom line for me. This will
>be my first rebuild if that helps. Sorry for all the wind
>but my hands are putty in yours and I'm trying to give what
>you need to help me.

No question going to a 400 is worth the extra coin. All you'll need is a new crank & pistons, rods are the same for both engines. Since P.A.W. doesn't sell the Badger or Ohio pistons, at least they didn't a year ago, I'd find a local machinist and see what kind of a deal he can make you on a crank & pistons. If you have the rest of the work done there he'll probably make you a package deal. Maybe call around to your local car club and find out who does most of their machine work. If you can find a guy who knows Fords then that's best of all.