thanks for the info...that answers a few of my questions

 

TMI sells the badger flattops and the badger flattop hypereutectic pistons that he designed and had built by badger- badger is leary of these (hypereutectic-I talked to them personally) as you HAVE to have them dished cause they are designed without any deck space ie at TDC they are at the top of the cylinder and compression is well beyond pump gas. Tim at TMI did this so he could dish the piston to get the exact compression that a client would want while giving it the best quench design (a very smart thing). uNFORTIONATELY THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE AND THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE or competition. So I was stuck with regular flattops or had to pay more than i can for the $$$ forged pistons that have to be dished and have extra machine work done as well- probably assuming 6-800 by time it's done

You can get good enough compression with using the aussie heads and stock pistons or badger pistons and stock heads. If it were my choice i would probably go with the flattops and stock heads.

Camshafts have an advertised required static compression ratio (SCR) this is the compression ration that everyone talks about but is really meaningless (imo). This is because cams bleed off compression based on their duration and lift. This leaves a baseline operating pressure which is called Dynamic Compression (DCR). The DCR and quench characteristics determines 'ping'. So you want to make sure that you follow a build that is known to work with the octane that you want to burn unless you are willing to do the research and learn how to go about determining DCR and your quench characteristics so you can get the components that will get you into the sweetness of maximized performance and no detonation.

Fortionately there are a bunch of folks that have built the 400 to the specs that you are looking for and I would guess that most of their build data is posted here and can be found if you search for it. Others may just volunteer it. You need to make sure that your SCR is where it needs to be for the cam that you want. For example, If you were to use the flattop pistons and aussie heads together you would end up with about 10.5 SCR and would need a fairly radical cam to bleed off enough of it to get the DCR down below 7.7 or so if you wanted to burn 87 octane. If you were to use the same radical cam with stock heads and stock pistons you would not have enough DCR to make power as the SCR was too low for the bleed off.

I'm taking the time and space to give you some better detailed overall info to consider. I am building my first motor as well but am going propane and there was no collection of build data for the 400 in that application so I learned about this stuff so i can, hopefully, get the most from my motor. Of course, I'll probably screw up putting it together and waste a lot of $$$. It bothers me that research is the process of failing and then moving on until the answer is found.

Hope this helps...use the advanced search tool and have fun. I'm loving it myself.

 

One of the easiest ways to determine what a given cam/piston/head type will give yo in both static and dynamic cr is to play with a calculator like this one.
www.kb-silvolite.com/calc.php. Unfortunately I just tried the link and can't get onto the site. I would keep trying it as I've used it alot and it is very helpful.

 

So have I- several in fact...I always disliked the 400 and 351m but I didn't know the potential and history of the 400... i was ignorant. Now...I think it's the best truck motor ford ever ruined. Sure the 460 was a boat anchor in the mid and late 70's as well...210hp out of all those cubes...to make clean exhaust...or attempt too and 8mpg while producing all those amazing ponies ;-) If the 460 didn't already have a track record with a 4v set up prior to smog or have a resurrection ...of sorts...or have the benefit of major race parts you would be dishin it as well. you would not do well to bet agaisnt a properly built 400- cube for cube and dollar for dollar it will rate right with a 460. Now that we have 4bbl carbs and intakes and heads etc a gas mileage (rv) build in a 400 with it's 340hp and 420+ ftlbs compairs very well with a potent 460 that will still be lucky to get 8mpg. My projected build, on paper, will be right with my dads healthy 460 and i plan to get 13-17 mpg where he gets 8-10. Talk to some 60's chevy lovers bout the cleveland motor and why they worked to have the 4v version banned then ask their opinion on a 4v stoked cleveland...they would rather face a 460 I bet.

 

Check out the project 400 on Tim Meyer's website.

 

I'd hate to have to lock this thread because of bickering that doesn't impart any useful information. Anyone who's spent time in this forum knows that the 400 is capable of excellent performance when properly built. The whole purpose of this forum is to share that information. There are other forums on this board where the merits of various engine swaps can be discussed. This isn't one of them. If you don't have any pertinent information relating to the performance of the 335 series other than to denigrate it then please refrain from posting here.

 

didn't know that was bickering...oops..there I go again...lol.

 

I think this may have been directed partially at me. I'm sorry Bill, but I get a little torqued when people have no respect for what others are seeking help with. Anyhow, let's help this guy out. We all know that these engines can be quite powerful with the right mods.

 

hey guys...sorry for not posting in a while!!! i left for s little vacation, snd then my computer crapped out on me (broke the hand crank off of it...inside joke, sorry) but i want to thank all of you for the help it is good info!

 

i have a 351m that i rebuilt and stroked out to a 400. but they are pretty much the same thing. a few things that you can do is new cam, rocker arms that are pedistal mounted with fulcrom bearings, dish type pistons, bigger carb, i have a holley 600 cfm on mine, different cylinder heads, hotter ignition, distributor and coil both, headers, take the a/c pump out of the loop and off the block, saves weight and one less thing for the engine to pull on the pulleys, take off the fan off of the water pump and put in an electric fan, yet again eliminating pull on the engine, freeing horses, port and polish the heads, reducing back pressure, and aftermarket exhaust like flowmaster and cherry bombs. hope my tips are helpful

 

if you want a top end engine,put on a set of cleveland 4V heads,intake spacers,healthy cam,deck block and heads,port all,and go pass ch*#@ys,I also think you can use 351M pistons if you resize or bush the piston pins,but why do that,put in some flat tops to up cr some more.

 

I have a 59 drag truck(4x2)1/8 mi-6.5@110mph,i plan to get more out of it too!!!

 

What is the rod length on the 400?

 

fastford- A 351M piston will not work in a 400.

The rod length for both the 351M and 400 is: 6.58"

 

hate to say this, but duh! the 400 pistons are shorter than the 351m pistons, along with the crank are what makes the cid difference between the 400 and the 351m. 400 pistons on the 351m crank wouldn't go up far enough and the 351m pistons on the 400 crank would go up too far and cause serious and unwanted damage