ford 400 help?

mark's56f100

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Good morning, I was just looking for anybody that has knowledge of the ford 400, I have always been just into big blocks and the old flatheads. Never got much into the 351m or 400 engines. Thanks for all your ideas and thoughts ahead of time
 

old96stroker

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I don't know how much knowledge I have but I had a 400m in a 1980 f250 and that was a strong, strong motor, I could pull anything with that old truck had a four speed too, miss it but when you hit a cow at 50 miles an hour on the road that will kill any truck, only problem ever was it broke the cam about half way down but a mild rebuild and kept going, I love that f100 man it is slick!
 

Tom S

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What are you wanting to know and where are you wanting to go.
 

fine69

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If you were smart you would stay away from both the 351M and 400M. They both cost a fortune to make any power. I'd stick to a Big Block.
 

mark's56f100

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It's kind of hard to get away from the engine I have since it did not cost me anything, it has been re-built but with what I understand to be nothing high performance wise on it, I have heard all the horror stories just trying to get other peoples ideas on the engine and how good it was or can be with some minor mods!!! Thanks
 

Tom S

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So you have a fresh 400. What kind of budget were you planning on for that part of the project. I am sure these guys can fully recommend set up based upon that to go from a fresh long block to a a nice running motor with some zip. What trans is going behind it.
 

old man dave

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As I recall, from my 460 days, the 460 is a bolt-in proposition for the full sized 351M Broncos, at least for the carbed ones. Should be the same for the F-100s. Not what you wanted to hear, but interesting anyway.:pimp: I had a 79 F-250 with a swapped in 460 Ford Marine engine which was just a low compression 460 CobraJet. And judging from your sig, you already know about the 513/521 stuff. Are you wanting a torque motor or a horsepower motor?
 
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sgleshot

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It's kind of hard to get away from the engine I have since it did not cost me anything, it has been re-built but with what I understand to be nothing high performance wise on it, I have heard all the horror stories just trying to get other peoples ideas on the engine and how good it was or can be with some minor mods!!! Thanks

I would do an intake, something around a good edelbrock performer , a good cam, with matching springs and a set of headers will wake the motor up well. They are a 2bbl emissions choked out turd until you open it up and let it breath. I'd recomend a comp 268H, I did a mild build with one a few years ago and it worked very well. Ditch all the emissions off the motor and get a good 4bbl carb, something around 600 or so cfm and itll be good to go.

460's are without a doubt a direct bolt in, if its a 4wd chassis you can either spend the big bucks for the L&L mounts or just run a set of mounts off an early 70's 4x4 with a 360, direct bolt on and work great, if its a stick run a flywheel and a clutch off of a 390, internally balanced and accepts a 12in clutch, or if its an auto, just a flexplate and converter for the 460. There are alot more power options with a 460, but if your lookin to make what you got work theres ways to do so fairly easily.

One thing I will say is run quality oil in the 400, they have been notorious for poor oiling systems and your lucky if you can knock over 40psi consistantly. In a perfect world they would have put restrictors in when they did the rebuild. If your going to be running it hard I recomend running a line from the oil galley plug right above the fuel pump up over the intake back to where your oil pressure gauge is behind the intake. These motors were known for poor oiling on the rear bearings, by running this line it solves this issue and gives you more stable oil pressure.
 

littleredstroker

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my first motor was a 400 in a 78 f150 2wd. when she retired she had 298k miles on her. and ran like it too. we had to run straight 40 w oil in the summer because after idiling at a stop light when it was 90* outside the trucks oil pressure gauge would drop way BELOW the low dash... im talking like where the needle sits when the truck is off! ran good and was dependable. my BIL is slowly changing my mind about big blocks. if ur looking for a mudding high tq low speed motor im almost convincd the 300 straigh 6 is the way to go..
 

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