Well I noticed a knocking in my 351M. Not too bad at first I even was hoping maybe it was just a pushrod, I couldnt really tell by listening. So I drove it up to the shop and they comfirmed my worse fear: it is the bottom end. They didnt really specify rod bearing/main bearing but they were sure it was the bottom end knocking. The owner told me to put some Lucas in there and run it till she blew, the lead mechanic said 'it wont make it to the next oil change'. By the time I got back home it was pretty bad. Definitely got worse from driving it up there and back ( 5 miles round trip)

So do I buy a 400 kit and rebuild it? C6 is STRONG but the truck (blue one in sig) is a little rough.

Should I get the 434 kit??

I have a 460 in the garage torn down to the block ready for machine work. I dont have alt/ps brackets, carb/intake, mounts etc. This would be the most expensive way but the most hp avail when I get it done.

Or just scrap the truck and start over.

I'm definitely not interested in patching this 351M, its not my daily driver and I like to mud bog etc so I'd hate to half a$$ fix it then get stranded on a mud road some where.

Well if any one has any experience or advice let me know!! Whichever route I choose i'm sure I will be on this site looking for advice as I go through my project. Thanks!!

 

I suggest you build a 400. You will LOVE the torque you can get, and you will have weight savings over the 460

Get some .030 over pistons, a good cam, something like a comp 265DEH, and work the heads a little, and you will make about 330 horse and 450-470 torque.

Don't give up on that truck, it's a cool old classic, and deserves a heart transplant.

 

Yea thats another reason I'm leaning towards sticking with the 400. I got a 1 year old Weiand 8010 and Edelbrock 1406 on it. Those should work well on a 400, right?

I just called tim at tmeyerinc. Super nice guy I'd sure love to buy that 434 kit. He said he can machine the pistons and get my comp ratio down so I can run the stock heads. Seems like a really high quality kit.

He did say that I would have to cut the welds and take the weight off my flexplate, because his kit is internally balanced. And I get a new harmonic balancer from him with the kit. Any one ever done this before? Is is better to just buy a new flexplate?

What is the power difference between a fresh 400 with nice cam, headers, 8010 intake and 1406 carb vs 434 with the same? The stroker would just be bada$$ though!!!

Another thing is I will take this block to the machine shop before I put any new parts in it. Is there any special machining required to put the 434 kit in?

 

when i called and asked him about the kit he said something along the lines of, you wont get the compelete benifits of the kit without better heads, like pro ported stock, chi, afd, 4v or something like that. i just went with stock 400 crank, rods and his hyperutectic pistons.

 

Man,,,,,I am so leaning towards the 460 here. While a group bench racing might lean towards the stoker kit, simply because it is a "stroker", the 460 still has it beat in the cubic inch dept.
Spend the same money on the 460, and the 460 will rev just as high as any well built engine, and actually with a 3.850" stroke can handle some pretty serious rpm.
This still makes huge torque numbers, and is supported by many aftermarket suppliers.
Yes the larger engine gives up about 120 lbs to the smaller 400, but this is minimal when comparing apples to apples.
Yes the 400 does have some aftermarket support, and there are even aluminum heads available for these, and Aussie heads are the hot ticket for these, but 460 parts are everywhere, and almost as common as chebby parts.
500 hp from a stroker 400 is achievable, but the costs are rather high, 500 outta a 460 is not too hard. 10.5-11-1 static CR, cam in the .218-.224 @.050 .500 lift 110-112 lsa, intake, carb,and headers Port and bowl blend the heads 3-5 angle on valves. Early "straigt up" timing chain ....and you are there. This could not get any easier than this, and upgrades later can only bring bigger smiles to your face.
Just my opinion, but starting off with the largest displacement engine possible is always a wise choice.

 

Well, to be honest, i always said I would do a 460 if I had to build another motor for my 79 bronco. The issue is going to be getting all the bracketry in the right places, and getting a good set of conversion mounts. Some are better than others. If you want to take on a project like that, go for it.

The 460 will be able to make more power in the long run, but the 400 is a GREAT motor to build as well. Your choice.

 

I definitely see what you are saying. I have been lurking over at 460ford.com for a while and those are some awesome engines. My D1VE block is torn all the way down and I was planning on getting it to the machine shop soon, but I planned on being able to take my sweet time on it as my 351 was running great. I was just gonna do a little at a time as money allows. Now this.

And 'strokers' definitely 'float my boat' lol I was seriously considering making my 460 a 514 or 521. But that will run into some serious cash and if I want my truck on the road by winter time I better just stick with the 400 for now. After thats done then I can start sinking money into this 460 a little at a time.

Another thing is that this will be my first engine swap so I think the 400 take out/rebuild/put back in will be simpler and be a good learning experience for me.

What kinda hp/tq numbers will I be looking at for a non stroked 400 with nice cam, headers, valve job, weiand 8010 intake and edelbrock 1406carb? What comp ratio will I get if I get the flat top pistons with stock (76cc i think)heads? Still a huge jump from this 351M with manifolds, stock cam, weiand 8010 and edel 1406, right?

 

Yea, he told me that also. But I think the 'complete benefits' of the kit are like 700 hp. Way too much for what I want to do. He also told me that you would want a single plane intake manifold to get the complete benefits of the kit. Its nice to know that his kit will stand up to 700 hp and high rpm's.

It would last forever for me, making considerably less hp and spinning alot slower.

How do you like your 400 now? What did you have before? What heads, cam, carb/intake are you running?

EDIT: Jbradley, I just saw your profile, VERY nice truck!! How do you get 410 ci, just a 400 .030 over? Do you have any idea of hp/tq numbers on that motor? Plenty of power even with the 39" Boggers? Any broken axles lol? Whats your comp ratio with the 58cc heads and 30cc dish pistons? Maybe you could just sell my your truck?

 

400 build tip=351cleveland pistons have the same pin height, and flat tops are very common for the 351C 2V. Get the small end of the 400 rod bushed for a floating pin, then get the wrist pin shortened and spiroloc grooves cut into the wrist pin holes of the 351C pistons. Still costs $$, but way more piston choice, and the ease of installing/removing pistons from rods.
400's are neat, overlooked engines, but pound for pound, it's tough to beat a factory ci big block.
I always just think of the 460 as a huge cleveland, same canted valves(actually better valve angles), same oiling system, similar valve train...
Even when the V10 came out, motor home owners claimed it didn't hold the power on long hills as good as the ol 460-huge pistons and alot of rotating mass.

Aside from that, you may be able to find a fresh 351M or 400 cheap, or even a short block, or find a good running used one for a song, until you build up your mill of choice.

 

in the 335 series forum on this site my build is in there.... its on the top page because im not done yet. i hope to make 400hp and 450 ft lbs with my newly aquired ported aussie heads. the compression should be 9.5 or 9.6 to one depending on the heads actual cc's. the engine was .030 over when i got it so it went another .010 so thats where i got 410ci. i havent broken anything yet, but im sure i will when the engine gets back.

 

Hell, if it's money 1st, fun later, rebuild yours or buy a cheap 400 mate. I know hat it's like to need the $$ 1st, I spent 5 yrs. on a restoration b4 coming to England & having to sell it & it wasn't finished yet

 

I was in your shoes this spring, I had a toasted 351m and an opportunity to buy and all stock yet fresh 460, I did it and I wouldn;t have it any other way. My friend has a mildly hotrodded 400 and if my truck was geared like his my stock 460 would whoop on it all day long

 

for the record, i bought a good 400 shortblock for $150 around 3 years ago. Most bang for buck in these engines i think is a cam. my boss' is no different than mine except for a mild cam, and his will blow mine off the road.

 

If this were me, I'd build up the 460 instead, since you already have it. Rebuilding the two engines isn't going to be too different in terms of time and cost, so if you're going to go through all that, might as well get the 60 extra cubes for free. Sure the 460 will cost more in fuel, but if you're driving an old Ford truck then you've learned to live with gas prices already.

 

I would either slap some new bearings in your old motor or find another cheap used 351M/400 to swap in and buy some time until you get that 460 all built up.