Mild build up of a 400.
 

So I picked up a 400 for a couple hundred bucks that has had some work done but was never finished. It was bored .060" over but essentially stock pistons, had some valves replaced in stock heads, and lifters replaced. I took the heads off because that is what had not been finished and found one cylinder had held water at some point after assembly. It appears to just be surface rust and I am going to try and clean it up and run it. I need to clean up everything anyway because the person that was assembling the thing apparently smoked cigars like crazy and didn't care that the ash got everywhere.

The idea is this is a stop gap engine, but with a little more pep than stock. I will be swapping it in until I can rebuild the engine in my pickup the way I want eventually. My set up is a '78 F150 SB 4x4, C6, 3.50 ratio and 33" tires that sees 80% highway, 20% light offroad/light hauling. I will be finding a 4x4 oil pan, pump pickup, and main stud. I plan on a multi keyway roller timing set. I might use some Scorpion full roller rockers as the stock ones are not in great shape. The cam appears to be the original one, and shows pitting. Since the lifters are new, I plan on replacing the cam only. I could use a little advice in this area. I have and Edelbrock intake to install. I will put a 2 barrel adapter on for a little while to run the 2150 until I can afford one TBI setups, probably a Holley Sniper and eventually a dual sync distributor. Currently set up with exhaust manifolds and true dual 2.5".

I want to keep a hydraulic flat tappet. I don't need lope, just a bit more power for awhile.

On a stock type rebuild, I'd put my money on a Comp Cams 255DEH or something similar. The Scorpion rockers are a good choice - running them myself!

.060 is a lot to bore a 335 series engine. I wouldn't be surprised if a cylinder wall is cracked.

I think that is a lot of overbore too, but I do work at a machine shop/repair shop. Getting the block checked would not be a problem. The guys I work with keep trying to get me to swap a 460 instead. I don't want that much hassle on this pickup as I am already planning on swapping an engine into something else that was never intended to have it under the hood. This is really my back up rig which needs to be reliable while I rebuild the suspension on my daily. If this block turns out to be crap I will have a bunch of good parts for a couple hundred so not a huge loss.

Let us know how much wall thickness you have, i.e. sonic check. A crack might be hard to see by eye.

I finished tear down during lunch today. After work I worked at the rust a little with Emory cloth and where the water had pooled was cleaning up nicely. The part of the cylinder that was exposed, however, is badly pitted. I'm not even going to consider a sleeve so I will be looking for another block. I will reuse the major components I have on the next one except the pistons. Since the next block will likely need machine work I might as well get a piston set from TMI. I will upgrade the heads at a later date. Thanks for the advice given.

don't fear the sleeve. when done right its a viable meens to fix a block with a bad bore.

I'm not against a sleeve, but for $122 I pulled a complete virgin short block with correct oil pan and a power steering bracket off a 1980 from a junkyard today.

cool cool, I get it now.

54Hydro,

Unless you want more than 400HP, I would work with the factory heads.

IF, I ever get around to aluminum heads, it would be way in the future. Now that I have another block I will take it to work and clean it up so I can figure out what overbore I will need to get from TMI. I will use the heads off the first engine after some cleanup and maybe some light exhaust port polishing. I'm going to try to sell the rotating assembly I brought home today to a former coworker with a '78 Bronco and 351M. He was always asking me how to get more power out of his engine and it is in need of a rebuild as well.

saweet! Nothing says friendship like helping someone stroke there 351 into a 400!

Check the align bore in the block. Make sure they are round and don't have any taper. 351-400's usually need a align hone when it is time for a rebuild. Also check push rod length. You want to make sure the valve train geometry and lifter preload is right. After machine work and parts changing is done, stock pushrod length probably will be wrong for your engine.

Well, I'm back. The second block went in the oven this evening.

In the mean time, here is my plan;
Barring any major faults with the second block, it will require a overbore at a minimum. I'm assuming .030". I will have the alignment of the mains checked and maybe have it decked.
I will use the crank out of the first block. Since I don't know who did what machine work I will check the journals just to be sure everything looks good and make sure the galleys are clean.
I will reuse the rods from the first block, get some TMI pistons, a new flex plate and balancer. I will have everything balanced. I think for peace of mind I will get ARP rod bolts.
I will use a multi-keyway timing set, probably a Cloyes, and degree the cam.
I will use the heads from the first block, but have the exhaust ports polished a bit. Nothing extreme.
Haven't decided on a cam yet, but will get matching valve springs and lifters.
I don't have any flex plate bolts, so ARP again.
Fel-pro gaskets.
Brass soft plugs and block drain plugs.
New motor mounts.
Oil pump and fuel pump from the first block were new, so those will be reused.
Comp oil pump drive. Had a factory one twist in dads pickup.
I will use the distributor that is currently in my pickup until I can get a dual sync to match with the EFI when I can afford it.
New spark plugs.
Rebuild the two barrel that came with the first block for now.
Surface and use the exhaust manifolds from the first block for now, headers in the future.
I have Hydro-boost, so minimal vacuum lines.
I have some cast aluminum valve covers and an Edelbrock manifold that will be used.
Ford Dark Blue. I know it is the wrong blue but it is my preference.
Push rods as needed.
Scorpion pedestal rockers.

Still going to call this a mild build. I want good street manners, strong running, and something I could in theory jump in and drive across the state comfortably. I may swap in an overdrive auto in the future. A little lope is ok.

Finally getting back to this. I lost my job at the end of last year when the business sold, had a new job for 4 days that just was not a good fit, and ended up back and the dealership I was at before the job I lost five days a week and doing small engine repair one day a week. Things are starting to get to where I am getting settled into the new routine. I gathered the ARP rod bolts, flex plate bolts, a flex plate, and balancer. My TMeyer pistons showed up after a payment snafu (my fault) and had one that was damaged. There was no damage to the packaging at all so it probably happened when originally boxed. Mr. Meyer helped out and was able to get me a new piston. At the same time I ordered one of the thermostats he carries just because. I have a few other assorted parts gathered up as well for later phases of the rebuild. I will get my lower end to the machine shop this week I hope for balancing, boring, and double checking the crank bore/deck surfaces.

Since I am going this far now, rather than my initial plan in the first post, I have been thinking of a roller cam conversion. Since I won't be doing any high RPM winding or extreme loading on this engine, I am not adverse to a reduced base circle conversion cam such as a COMP with a OEM style 5.0l lifter setup. I will be doing more research on those before I decide on a grind.