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im going to tear down my 400 to the short block and put all new gaskets and lfters in it, maybe a cam....my questions are-
Why? You don't need to remove the heads for a cam change.
1. what gasket kit should i get, and should i order a new oil baffel or reuse the old one?
Don't buy a kit. Get Fel-Pro performance head gaskets, if you are going to remove the heads. You only need a few other gaskets, like valve cover gaskets, water pump gasket, timing cover gasket.
Don't reuse the valley pan, it seals the intake manifold. You can eliminate the valley pan and use intake manifold gaskets, if you block off the exhaust crossover from the heads, but it will warm up slower in cold weather.
2. also, will a 351c cam and lifters be a direct replacement for my ol' 400?
Yes, it will but be careful what cam you select, a 351M doesn't have enough compression to support a long duration cam.
Your best path is to let the people on this Forum know what you want to get from your motor, and how big your budget is.
i'm just going to tear down the engine because it was supposed to be seazed up, but it wasnt the engine and id still like to see what the internals look like...just need to put it all back together so it will be reliable with some new gaskets(im new to these 335's)....and the cam i already have and im not sure of the specs...im guessing too much, but it was just a question...the lifters are new for a Cleveland, and id like to use them, but i dont know if they are a direct replacement.
The Fel-Pro Performance gaskets have a built in 'O' ring, and are 0.041" thick. If you reduce the gasket thickness by 0.010" to 0.031", your CR will increase by 0.15, from about 7.95:1 to 8.1:1. That is not worth the expense.
The best return for the dollar is to replace the timing set with a good double roller set and install it straight up.
Beyond that you shouild consider rebuilding it as a 400 with flattop pistons and get 9.0:1 CR plus 51 more cubic inches.
For answers to your questions go to T Meyer Inc they are the sponsors for the 335 forum. they can give you some pretty good advice. If you email TMI they will probably answer the same day. So there is no waiting and wondering they really are good. Good Luck
acc2828