302 or 400?
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Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Oshkosh, WI
Remember, you can make a 302 into a 347 pretty easily. The rotating assembly will cost about the same as a good forged 302 rotating assembly so price would'nt be that much of an issue. The cost of machining the block to get the stroker kit to fit would be the only difference in building the two engines.
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From: Alston, MI
the only things that'll prolly happen to the engines will be cam and intake. the rest stays as is (the truck already has dual exhaust). i wasnt planning anything big w/the truck, just something that i could pull stumps with and hot rod every now and then. the 351 that's in it right now is ok. its got the torque to pull stumps, but when it comes to getting up to speed, i'm displeased. i have a bone stock 87 ranger w/a 2.9l and a 5spd that outruns this truck... it's kind of embarassing...
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Well if your running like 2.00 gears with that 351 and the ranger is runnin 3.30 to 4.11( highly doubt a gear that big in a ranger) then yes the 351 will get dusted. Don't forget a these older trucks are comparable to the Titantic in weight haha. There are plenty of intakes and cams available for the 400. I say go for it.
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From: Alston, MI
i also have a 429, which was the original plan, but i figured that it wouldnt be very good in this truck, considering it was only available in cars. but then again, it's a stock 360hp engine (its a 4v) and i have all the gaskets to rebuild it, so maybe i should just drop that in... would i need some truck exhaust manifolds for this engine?
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From: Alston, MI
Well if your running like 2.00 gears with that 351 and the ranger is runnin 3.30 to 4.11( highly doubt a gear that big in a ranger) then yes the 351 will get dusted. Don't forget a these older trucks are comparable to the Titantic in weight haha. There are plenty of intakes and cams available for the 400. I say go for it.
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Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Southern California
Both are good engines, but there is no substitue for CID. As far as parts go, the 400 & 302 have just as many parts available for each!
For MPG's. if you are running mostly hwy, the 302 would be best. For mostly city, the 400 because it has more tq than the 302 if we are comparing apples to apples... but
The 302 can easily be built to hit 300 hp/300 tq
For the same $'s the 400 can reach 400 hp/400 tq
For MPG's. if you are running mostly hwy, the 302 would be best. For mostly city, the 400 because it has more tq than the 302 if we are comparing apples to apples... but
The 302 can easily be built to hit 300 hp/300 tq
For the same $'s the 400 can reach 400 hp/400 tq
Tuned
Joined: Jun 2007
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i also have a 429, which was the original plan, but i figured that it wouldnt be very good in this truck, considering it was only available in cars. but then again, it's a stock 360hp engine (its a 4v) and i have all the gaskets to rebuild it, so maybe i should just drop that in... would i need some truck exhaust manifolds for this engine?
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Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Oshkosh, WI
Both are good engines, but there is no substitue for CID. As far as parts go, the 400 & 302 have just as many parts available for each!
For MPG's. if you are running mostly hwy, the 302 would be best. For mostly city, the 400 because it has more tq than the 302 if we are comparing apples to apples... but
The 302 can easily be built to hit 300 hp/300 tq
For the same $'s the 400 can reach 400 hp/400 tq
For MPG's. if you are running mostly hwy, the 302 would be best. For mostly city, the 400 because it has more tq than the 302 if we are comparing apples to apples... but
The 302 can easily be built to hit 300 hp/300 tq
For the same $'s the 400 can reach 400 hp/400 tq
I am going to respectfully disagree with you here on the price/horsepower part of your statement. The aftermarket is absolutley gigantic for the 302 and the 351 windsor, and almost non-existant for the 400. Ford along with the drag racing community made this possible.
Tell me how many people you see with 400's in their drag cars/hot rods. The concept is the same for our trucks.
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I am going to respectfully disagree with you here on the price/horsepower part of your statement. The aftermarket is absolutley gigantic for the 302 and the 351 windsor, and almost non-existant for the 400. Ford along with the drag racing community made this possible.
Tell me how many people you see with 400's in their drag cars/hot rods. The concept is the same for our trucks.
Tell me how many people you see with 400's in their drag cars/hot rods. The concept is the same for our trucks.
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Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Oshkosh, WI
I bet I can find more sets of aftermarket heads, cams, intakes, rotating assemblies, headers for a 302/351W than you can find for the 400. Just stating facts, not looking to argue. Take a look at what people are running in the NMRA alone. I'll bet you won't find too many 400's.
$ for $ you WILL be able to make a 302 with more rear tire HP than you will be able to with a 400.
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I'm not looking to argue, but read it again..... "almost non-existant" especially compared to the 302/351W.
I bet I can find more sets of aftermarket heads, cams, intakes, rotating assemblies, headers for a 302/351W than you can find for the 400. Just stating facts, not looking to argue. Take a look at what people are running in the NMRA alone. I'll bet you won't find too many 400's.
$ for $ you WILL be able to make a 302 with more rear tire HP than you will be able to with a 400.
I bet I can find more sets of aftermarket heads, cams, intakes, rotating assemblies, headers for a 302/351W than you can find for the 400. Just stating facts, not looking to argue. Take a look at what people are running in the NMRA alone. I'll bet you won't find too many 400's.
$ for $ you WILL be able to make a 302 with more rear tire HP than you will be able to with a 400.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Irondale, Al.
If it was for a car then stick with a 302, but for a truck I'll stay with my 351m with a 400 crank, .030 over, TMI pistons, Edel intake, Comp cam 255 deh and not have to change brackets, trans, etc. Horsepower: 339, Torque: 478
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Posting Guru
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From: Alston, MI
nice! thats what i wanna see!
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From: Oshkosh, WI
I'm not callin you out or anything here but frankly i think your wrong, the head start alone the 400 has on the 302 CI wise is a huge factor. I did the math and you can make the 400 produce just under 500 HP for around $3,500 without stroking or boring it. Now throw a stroke in there to make around 434 or some CI then bore it you would be making gobs and gobs of power. Stroker kit cost around $2,500. The biggest stroker kit for the 302 would stroke it to 347.
A 302 can be made into a big bore 360.
I made 331hp to the wheels, now add roughly 15% and you'll get what it made at the crank, with a 306" stock rotating assembly, solid roller cam, vic jr intake, 750 holley duel feed, with a set of $1500 TFS tiwsted wedge heads. Then I made that same engine into a 347 with all the same parts and it made 373 to the wheels. For torque I'd have to look back at the dyno sheet.
Had about $2500 into the whole deal for the 306......if you can do that with a 400m then I will be a believer.
Now you talk about the head start the 400 has on the 302.......ok I'll still take the 351W over that 400m ANY DAY!!!
I'm just trying to help with the knowledge I have through what I have already tried.