Im lookin at a 79 Bronco that has the 400 engine in it with a automatic. The trans has some issues such as doesnt want to pull in reverse but you can feel it trying, and slips going into 3rd and tough to get into 3rd but 1st and 2nd are good. Not so much concerned about the trans issues due to the fact that i know someone who can rebuild it or i could buy i reman fairly cheap.
My main concern is my lack of knowledge on the 400. I have been doing some research on it and learning more about it, but still wanted to see if i could get some input on the 400.
The engine has a Edelbrock intake and 4bbl and headers, dual exhaust.
Trans problem, and minor valve cover gasket leak.
Engine runs good. Seems to be a strong engine.
If i get the Bronco it will be strickly for the woods.

Let me know what yall think.
Thanks.

 

Forgot to mention, the 4wd works good.
The guy that is selling said he will take $400 as is.
He has had a shop keep up the maintenance on the truck and has all reciepts and paperwork to back that up.

 

400s have a rep as a pooch of a smog motor, but it sounds like yours has had some work. Without doing a rebuild, the only thing I'd check would be the cam timing set. Make sure it's good, of course, and then make sure it's an early set or aftermarket set that allows cam timing to be "straight up", vs. the retarded cam timing of the stock set up.

If the engine has been rebuilt, maybe the compression was raised and a cam with lobes was installed.

Check out the 335 forums for a constant stream of threads on this engine, and links to TMI, an outfit that sells parts/builds these engines.

 

for that price i dont see the problem. u already know a good built C6 can be had for well under $1000 and since the 400 uses the big block bellhousing bolt pattern you can always swap in a 460 if that motor ends up having issues.

heck the axles are worth 400 alone.

 

Amen to everything Kem just said.

 

It has the ford 9" in the rear and i believe it has a dana44 in the front. so i agree that the axles alone are worth that much or close to it. I dont think the engine has ever been rebuilt, the guy that is selling it has owned it for about 7 years and is friends with the guy he bought it from and to his knowledge its never been rebuilt. the guy who owns it now has just kept up the maintenance until the trans went out then he decided to sell it. what do you mean by the smog motor? i have a timing light and know how to set timing but cna you tell me what you mean by an early set or aftermarket set? can you not advance the timing on some of the factory sets?

 

The 400 and 351M engines were employed at a time when emissions equipment was in its infancy and as a result, a lot of the early emissions equipment robbed power and performance from what should have been a good strong Ford V8. This gave these engines the reputation of being rather sluggish by comparison to other large Ford V8's. Some folks will swear by them if you can rid them of the cumbersome emissions paraphernalia and just let them breathe like they should. Others would just as soon move to a 460 and leave the 351M and 400's to the history books.

 

In order to comply with such smog requirements as Grey already mentioned, the original timing chain on both 351M and 400 engines gives what is called a "retarded" timing, wich offsets the valve openings in a way that reduces smog emissions, but also reduces HP... a lot. So now there are aftermarket timing chains available that set the engine to a proper timing, wich makes this engine a more lively unit (i could bet that mod alone could earn you around 40HP).

 

"smog motor" features:

--add-on air injection with lumps in the ports

--retarded cam timing

--low, low, low compression

--timid cam profile

features differ, and there are more.

 

i see what yall are saying, i wasnt really aware that they got that into it with emessions back then. ill have to look a little closer at everything to see if anything has been done about the emessions, i know it does have aftermarket intake, carb, and headers and dual exhaust but so far thats the only mods that iv seen. i understand that by taking the emessions crap off will restore the lack of HP for that engine but thats really not my concern as far as power goes, im more into the torque any suggestions to build up the torque on this engine? specs say it should be at 300ft lbs stock i was gunna see if i could squeez a little more out of it.

 

changing the cam, uping the compression and having the heads worked over a bit will make that a screamer with gobs of torque. i just dont know what that would cost and if it makes sense over a 460 swap.

 

yea agreed. onyl thing is, from the research iv done the best torque range is found around 1400rpms for that year and engine.

By the way, thanks for all the help and input from you guys.

 

No engine from Ford has the lowend torque the 400 does... at low RPMs, it beats out the 460. I thought it was the best truck motor ever released.

I think the timing just sucked for it. You had the change from gross to net power ratings, so a bunch of uneducated people saw the 351 with 250 or 300hp, and the 400 with 180.. without knowing what they were talking about.

has a 4'' stroke that pours torque in under 2000 RPMs..

the biggest issue was 2 valve heads, 2v intake and carb. Because we all need high HP numbers, especially in mid to highrange in a ... bronco.. (i guess to impress kids and women?), cleveland heads, 4v intake and 4bbl carb would put it above just about any other stock Ford engine, including the 460.

blah.. Ford releases a gasser that performs more like a diesel than any other engine in existance, it's a failure.. then people complain that there aren't enough diesels out there? Spend 20 years buying the car oriented windsor which never belonged in a truck or SUV and wonder why the 350chevy has a better reputation as being a truck motor?

such a sore subject for me.. my 1990 Bronco should have a fuel injected 400 in it, not a 351w..

 

My brother had a 79 w/400 and I drove it a lot. He bought it from a friend that knew nothing about engines. The local ford shop mechanics (under warranty) managed to install a Crane "blazer" series FT hyd cam (110/.500/220) which was almost identical to the old Comp 270 Magnum.. It had an edelbrock 4bbl, MSD, full length, in-frame headers and eventually went to the Holly 670 projection (anyone need the original controller?). Initially it had an issue of bending pushrods frequently, so the Orig owner got tired of it and unloaded it.

Brother got it because we knew a bit about engines and bought it, still under warranty. The pushrod problem continued until one time it bent a valve head from slight contact w/piston. Very lucky it did not pop off in the cylinder.

We found out, very un-flattering to the FMOCO mechanics, that they had not installed the valve springs correctly.
Not to be insulting, but-----PLAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO WHAT I AM TELLING YOU!!! The mechanics had not changed out the "exaust valve rotators" that were the retainers, and the ex springs were just going into coil bind. ALWAYS check the lift figures for valve springs on a cam change. That info was on the cam card, but the mechanics may have been looking through their "glass" eye!!

Dont be fooled by the 2bbl heads, they are bigger that almost all chebby heads of the era and flow almost as good as a 2bbl cleveland, of which they are copies. Unless you are really after HP, these heads work well----maybe a little pocket cleaning etc wont hurt!

That thing was a HOSS! I dont ever recall a bowtie or mopar passing it, damn near including ca-mer-eos and back-er-ruddas.

I know there are quite a few that favor 460 swaps, and thats O.K. but it is not without its headaches. From what I have seen, there are still no in-frame headers available, even from L & L---maybe by now. With a few simple things, a 460 will have to have at least some work to stay even. (Gawd, hope that dosnt create a firestorm!!). Having been in a 400 bronco, my .02 is to fix it up and correct the smog bottlenecks and put a good RV cam in it. You have to fix the C6 anyway, which could be used w/460. In fact, there are a coupla 434's on this site that are probably TOO much motor for a woods vehicle!!!----Is there ever too much?

LOL anyhow---!

 

Sorry to double!!!

But---- ErrorS-- I have a 93 EB w/351. I have 2 400 motor out back in the tall grass and want to do exactly that, just waiting on "roundtuits". Hurry up and do it so I can find out what it like!! The only thing I really need to round up is an E4OD/4R100 with a BB bell pattern.