sup guys! I just inherited a 71 ranch wagon w/ a 400 and i'm not sure what else, my question is, is the 400 a decent motor for towing (hoping it will pull a small trailer w/ my toyota on it)? Im getting mixed reviews from everyone around here, some say the 400 is worthless, some say it will tug anything i can put behind it.
what do you think?
thanks,kyle

The 400M will suck the fuel down, but then again what big block doesn't?
It is a good low rpm puller but the 460 is better(and bigger,duh).
If the motor checks out ok with a compresion test and a leak down test then use it.





Eric

Bad............

And to top it off, it doesnt exsist...............:flipoff2:

Originally posted by The Chad
Bad............

And to top it off, it doesnt exsist...............:flipoff2:

WTF 'doesn't exsist'????:confused:

1971 was the first year for the 400. It was a smog motor for the big luxo-cruisers in the Ford passenger car line-up.





Eric

Originally posted by Alpo23


WTF 'doesn't exsist'????:confused:

1971 was the first year for the 400. It was a smog motor for the big luxo-cruisers in the Ford passenger car line-up.





Eric

The 400 yes, but there never was a 400M.....

Only a 351M........;)

Originally posted by The Chad


The 400 yes, but there never was a 400M.....

Only a 351M........;)


picky,picky,picky.





























:flipoff2:










Eric

yeah well they both sawk IMO:flipoff2:

I loved mine, until I killed it. I considered swapping in a 460(and I may still, later on), but I'm going to build mine instead. Get a stroker crank(soon as I find one) longer rods, and get myself 400-450HP and about 500-600lb/ft of torque

Not bad for a mildly built small block. And my 400 didn't get any worse gas mileage than any other big block, and I know there's room for improvement.

Check out www.projectbronco.com for info on the 351M/400 engines. Some of us are planning on using Hot Rod's 400 buildup article as a guideline to get more power out of our small blocks

the major problem with the 400 is compression, if you can find custom pistons out there to raise its compression it'd be a decent motor. With that long stroke length you'll be able to make great torque. I had one and fiddled and fiddled and got it to run really well, with moderate power (it was no 460 thats for sure). But it sure as hell never got good gas mileage. Like 8 mpg, that was with big ole tires though. Do some head work, build some compression (shave heads, block, use some domed pistons) and you really can beef them up. Great design, just lacks in areas because of the smog rules of the 70's.

cool, thanks for the info, guys. Since i got the car for free, i'm not planning on putting much money in it. I was just wondering if it was going to tow better than my paseo, lol. soon as i pay off my credit card, i'm gettin a super duty baby!
kyle

ohio pistons makes a set of 9.0:1 for the 400. they are .030 over. Shave the block and heads and you can get more compression if you want to run preium fuel.

M blocks make decent torque, althought not a 460 they are still decent motors with a few oiling issues on the crank and rod bearings.

71 is the high compression year (9:1), it is also the year that may have a small block bell housing. And yes it is a 400, why because the 351m/400 are derived from the 351c. The "Mod" stands for a modified Cleveland. Only the 351 got the Mod so you knew if you were talking about a windsor/cleveland/modified cleveland. So you are correct in calling it a 400, 400 mod, 400 Cleveland.

And for 71 with a 2bbl 260 hp@4400 and 400 ft lbs @2200

You can't polish a turd no matter how hard you try, if it runs good, run it, when rebuild time comes around, sell it to some guy with a boat he wants to keep in one place for a while and look for a 460, then go through all the Ford "which day of the week was my motor built so I know what trans I can bolt up" bull and be a happy happy trailer towing mo-fo.