I'm building up a 400 for my '79 F-350. I've just received custom piston the other day and my engine builder would like to have floating pins in them in order to be able to put the piston/rod togather to see how they fit with the Aussie heads and shaved block (clearance wise) and be able to take them apart to be balanced with out the danger of ruining a piston with a press fit pin (these are custom forged pistons = $$$$) The question I have is anyone done this with stock 400 rods and if so, what is your source for the bushing or did you go metal to metal with some prvesions for oiling? The engine will see max of 5500 rpm.
Thanks for all the info you all have given, Mike B.

 

what's the pin size on your pistons? do they already have grooves for pin locks?

351C pistons are frequently used in 400's - the normal way to do it is to bush the rods down to 351C size, plus clearance, for floating pins.

 

Bronze bushings are used. It is a common modification.

 

if your pistons are sized for 400 rods, then i don't see how the rods could be bushed for floating pins - in that case, it seems to me that the only thing to do would be to hone the small end of the rods out for clearance, cut the pins shorter, and cut grooves for spiro-lok's in the piston pin bore.

 

The pistons are custom made and fitted with grooves already at the end of the pin bores for floating pins application. Yes we'll have to hone out the small end of the rods and my builder thinks the bushings for a FE block is sized about right to work. Mike B.

 

>The pistons are custom made and fitted with grooves already
>at the end of the pin bores for floating pins application.
>Yes we'll have to hone out the small end of the rods and my
>builder thinks the bushings for a FE block is sized about
>right to work. Mike B.


If you don't trust your builders opinion why did you take it to him in the first place

 

>>The pistons are custom made and fitted with grooves already
>>at the end of the pin bores for floating pins application.
>>Yes we'll have to hone out the small end of the rods and my
>>builder thinks the bushings for a FE block is sized about
>>right to work. Mike B.
>
>
>If you don't trust your builders opinion why did you take it
>to him in the first place

I do trust my builder. I don't see anywhere in my message that you quoted that I stated or gave any idea that I didn't trust him. That message was a reply to the previous message. Anyways, my builder wanted me to ask around to get other opinions and when we talked a couple of days later he had already looked up the differant bushings Ford uses and came up with a solution. :7 Mike B.

 

sounds like a neat buildup - any details you'd care to share?

i'm especially interested in the pistons - did you get a custom compression height so that you'd get zero deck (or close) for quench? did you get a reverse-dome top, to lower the compression without loosing quench? who made them? was the cost fairly reasonable? forged or hyper-U ?

what about the rest of it?

 

>sounds like a neat buildup - any details you'd care to
>share?
>
>i'm especially interested in the pistons - did you get a
>custom compression height so that you'd get zero deck (or
>close) for quench? did you get a reverse-dome top, to lower
>the compression without loosing quench? who made them? was
>the cost fairly reasonable? forged or hyper-U ?
>
>what about the rest of it?
Sorry about not geting back to you earlier, been alittle busy lately.
Ok, pistons first: They are from Ross Racing pistons and are custom forge. They took Cleveland reverse "D" domes and mod. the reverse dome (read deepen) to get the compression down to 9:1. Cost, will what do you considered resonable? They cost me alittle over $800.00 shipped with fitted pins. The builder did shave the block down.
The heads are Aussie 302 Cleveland heads, ported and polished and fitted with 4v valves. The rocker arms Scorpion roller rocker arms. I'll have to use harden push rods with guides.
The cam I selected is from a company called Wolverine cams. They are a subsidary of Crane cams that try out new grinds and see how the market will accept them with out ruining Cranes reputation. The lift are as follows: Int.-.484 and the ext.-.497. I'm not sure on the duration, I'm at work and don't have the papers in front of me, but I do remember that the computer dino est. the torque curve starting at 2000 rpm. with 464 ft. lb. and going to 480 ft. lb. at 4000 rpm. A really strong flat torque curve coming on early was what I was looking for. Hp. was 360 hp at 4500-5500 rpm.
I had a company in Florida modified a Eldibrock Performer manifold with multi point fuel injection controlled by a Holly Commander 950 engine managment system. This ECM will not only control the fuel injection but also the spark timing, electric cooling fan.
I'm planning to use MSD ignition system (dist., coil,wire) which I've been informed will work in concert with Holly's system.
I've got a meledon(?) blue printed high out put oil pump with the by pass hose and the restrictor kit for the crank journals and a 8 qt.oil pan (actually 7 qrts. with 1 more for filter).
True TDC double roller timing chain and a fluid dampner.
I've got a Be Cool cross flow radiator with duel electric 11" fans to keep it cool in the summer time while pulling a 4000' mountain passes with a camper and boat in tow.
After reading what I just wrote, I figure I'm certifiable crazy. God I hope this works. Oh well.
This is going in my F-350 Supercab 4x4 that i'm rebuilding. I know this is not the cheapest build around, but is cheaper than a new Powerstroke and my goal is to have some sort of fuel economy and the power to get 16,000 GCVR over the hill, and have something alittle differant. I've had the truck since it was new and still like the style. I've order a gear slitter for the truck also so I'll have a overdrive and get rid of the large rpm difference between 3rd and 4th gear in the NP 435 tranny. Will it's getting a little long and I know I've left out some details, so if you have any questions,let me know, I'll keep the answers shorter, hopefully. Mike B.

 

>...I figure I'm certifiable crazy. God I hope this works.

crazy? sounds pretty nice to me! but $800 for pistons is way out of my range - it looks like the KB reverse domes are still my leading candidate

was that flat-tappet or roller?
what happened to the torque curve when you tried it with more lift?
did you get your heads flow benched and put those #'s in DD, or get #'s for 2v heads w/ big valves off the web?

 

>>...I figure I'm certifiable crazy. God I hope this works.
>
>crazy? sounds pretty nice to me! but $800 for pistons is
>way out of my range - it looks like the KB reverse domes are
>still my leading candidate
>
>was that flat-tappet or roller?
>what happened to the torque curve when you tried it with
>more lift?
>did you get your heads flow benched and put those #'s in DD,
>or get #'s for 2v heads w/ big valves off the web?

The lifters are flat-tappet.

The cams that we had input into the program were actual grinds that are available over the counter. Most of the other ones, I think 9 of them, had higher lifts but there was other differances. Most of the higher lifted cams made more horse power in the upper rpm range, but that wasn't what I was looking for. What I was looking for was a engine that pulled hard right off of idle with alot of torque and the cam I picked came into the beginning of the chart (2000 rpm) about as level as can be, I can only imagine the torque coming on strong right off of idle and for all intense and purposes remains straight until 3500 rpms.(484@2000 rpm - 477@3500 rpm). All the other cams were less torque and coming up in there torque curve at 2000. The hp. rating for my cam was still increasing @ 3500 = 318 until it peaked at 5000 = 377.

The input for the heads was Big Block, Pocket Porting, Big Valves, Intake Dia. = 2.190", Exhuast = 1.710".(Actual sizes)

Not the ultimate engine, but good enough for me if it all works out right. Mike B.