It's been over a year since i ordered your stepped dish piston for the 400 with stock heads. Well finally got my engine done and installed and it's f'n awesome. So once again thanks for the input you gave when i odered my pistons and thanks for taking the interest you have in the Ford 400.
Mike
Langley BC Canada

 

I take it you're happy, Mike?

Now, you have to give us more than that! We need to hear details of this engine, and how it runs, what cam you are using, etc...

Oh, and get some pictures in your gallery, dude!

 

Took out a completely stock 351m which ran beautifully but was an oil burning, oil leaking stinky POS

Replaced by a 400 using-
Stock heads with Tim's stepped dish pistons
Comp 265 deh K-kit
Block was baked and surfaced, line honed etc.
heads were surfaced and rebuilt with new guides and SS valves
crank done 10/10 and rotating assembly balanced
new 1406 carb
edelbrock intake
hedman fenderwell exit headers

all in all a fairly modest build. i had my machinist assemble the bottom end for me. Did the rest myself. Fired right up as soon as it got fuel. Had to shut it down to fix a minor fuel leak then went ahead with the cam break-in. As for driving on the road, very cool=) Still have to rejet the carb as it's stock out of the box. Turning 33's with 3:50 gears I can get into 4th in town now lol. Just feels like it really wants to go. I'm very pleased with the results so far. I'll post pics this evening.

 

http://community.webshots.com/album/...unity&start=12
pics of the assembled block and of the heads on 2nd page.

 

Wow, that's just beautiful!
Love how those pistons look... Do you know how that design was arrived at?
I am curious... Looks like there is some good squish near the spark plugs...

 

mike240zt & Trinogt, hi, paul here,
hey fellas, here me out, as it were im takin lessons from HAVI on how to say a little something without writing a book. tx havi me, so heres my next best try and it goes like this. i am a usa stocker by birth. and proud of it. but, its no secret on this site that i have a dedicated space inside for Canada and anyone who lives there now or ever did. for my own reasons. THE MOTOR the motor, i am a watchin this thread close because i am stone into it and it sounds like a ROCK solid daggone good try get it done reasonable build. heads up to you mike for ponying up for the extra precision machine work. i got no facts, but i am a bettin it will pay off. not only that, you got a real bro in your corner. carry on guys, i for one am listening. all done now.
henry ford rocks(g) later me.

 

Don't know the specifics on the design although I believe Tim had to sign off on the design before they were produced so I would imagine he had a hand in the design process with KB. He could answer that best...

 

So no real new updates as I havent had time to fine tune. Had to finish cleanin up the shop I was using. Replaced the rad today as it sprung a leak but I caught it in time before it overheated thank goodness. So its all new or redone now from the flywheel to the rad lol. Oh well peace of mind. =)

 

Today I tightened a few things up and knocked the timing back to 10 deg. Was set at 12 deg. Now better on the bottom end. A dist. recurve is definately in order. Pulled a plug quick and looks pretty good maybe a tad on the lean side. 1406 still on stock set up. Seems to run just fine on pump gas so far as I can tell, hasn't been any pinging although it did try to diesel on 2 occasions just enough to push the piston back down the hole. So maybe a half a revolution. Hasn't happened again since I knocked the timing back so hopefully thats taken care of. Any other input on this greatly appreciated. Anyways will post progress as it comes.

 

What is the elevation where you live? The carbs come set for sea level, so if you are 1000 feet higher, you may need a jet change, or at the very least a metering rod. The higher you get the more lean your fuel needs to be. The calibration kit is a great item to have and is easy to follow the instructions.

http://www.carbdford.com/viewtopic.php?t=5392
http://www.gofastforless.com/

These are a couple links for recurving your own distributor.

D.U.I. was a forum sponsor at one time (don't know where they went) who sold a performance distributor custom curved for you engine and vehicle specs. It used an HEI style module and coil.

 

Check the idle speed. A high idle will make it want to diesel.

 

Well got my #'s a little mixed. Initially I had 13 deg then I turned it back to 11 deg. (Balancer was off and i remembered how to read it=)) Anywho just got back from a short drive. Comming off idle is better, had a flat spot there before backing off the timing. Might have lost a little on the upper end but its smoother throughout the rpm range now.

I'm at sea level. Picked up a calibration kit today so have it now if i need to adjust but is reasonably close for now. Just have to figure out my distributer. It's a proform? Think thats right. Duraspark style.

Originally I had set idle at 800 but will double check it. Still need to put in a permanent tach. It's on the list=)

 

heads up, Mr mike240zt,and by proxy, Mr trinogt and last but not LEAST, Mr danlee. paul k.here,HI.
before i begin,Mr havi, if you are here, a few points to you and you alone. i respect,and Deeply appreciate, the way you spoke up for ME the other day. in reality you said in about 3 sentences what was taking me whatever. you are right. long wind is a defect of mine and i can and will work on it. i am NOT ignoring you. but just this one more time, will you let me slide, why?. as follows. i meant every word i said about Canada.but there is another reason i am following This thread so closely.may i call you Mike?. YOUR MOTOR THAT YOU JUST FINISHED, and have up and running,is so close to what Nick IS building that it is almost uncanny. an almost carbon copy. THIS thread is VERY important to US. period. for example, among other points,the extra precision machine work to ensure she is running straight and TRUE. man, nick and i flat out ROBBED momma,s checkbook to get this done. i will not bore you with the side work we are doing to earn more $$$$ for our project.we all gotta stay warm and eat you know (big smile). first things first.i almost forgot, we HAVE the exact same TMI slugs YOU are runnin now.true story, our heads are identical execpt for the stainless valves.and so on. i need to close but before i do ,if the 4 of you are still with us, in the very near future i have many points to discuss about this Particular BUILD pumps and PAN for ex, okay thanks, just thanks. as always. paul&nick kiernan md later .

 

mike a ps. i am sorry about nothin, i asked for permission to do this ONE more time. for example. i said what i said i am what i am BUT for the record. it IS interesting and informative for me to listen and watch asthe the 3 of you interact on YOUR build. when you guys SPEAK mechanically,it makes SENSE to me and i can FOLLOW what is being said period. NO BS on this particular THREAD. for EX, the recurve on whatever sparky you prefer. this is a REQUIREMENT for strong run. trinoght nows what i think of him. i have AWAYS listened very carefully to every word that has ever came from danlee, particuarly about CAMS. and to be be frank, i enjoy the way YOU speak mechanically. again, you folks make sense to me, fair enough. i for one would give upa whole lot to spend 1 day around the wood stove just talkin ford period. all done now. later me.

 

Nice pics, did you use stock piston bore or did you go 30 over? wont it be more dificult to keep a good temp with the overbore?