400 modified?

[hotrod ford]

what did these come in and what are the potential for them?

[TNIceWolf]

I cant remember the exact year but I had a seriously worn out one that had oil return issues in the last year they made the large body LTD .
I have to admit that it moved that huge chunk of metal down the road pretty darned good. Some folks say they are an inferior engine.......but if it works for an individual.....why not? Any engine can be modified to increase it's potential.

[papabug71]

They have the same characteristics as all 335 series motors. They were 1st gen smoggers & the factory retarded the timing 8* (I think) I know guys around here that have built then up for late model dentside trucks & they are awsome. You just have to spend a little money on them to make them perform.

VAI WIKIPEDIA :

The Ford 400 engine was based on the 351 Cleveland but was produced with a taller deck height of 10.297 inches compared to the 351C's 9.206 inches. This allowed for a longer stroke while retaining the 351C's Rod-Stroke ratio. These blocks also share the same oiling route in the block. The 400 also featured larger (Windsor sized 3.00 inch with Cleveland cap register) main-bearing journals and had "square" proportions, with a 4.0 in (102 mm) bore and stroke; it therefore displaced 402 cu in (6.6 L), making it the largest small-block V8 made at that time. It was introduced in model year 1971 with a full half-inch (12.7 mm) longer stroke than the 351 Cleveland, making it the longest-stroke Ford pushrod V8 engine. A long-stroke engine has good low-end torque. This was a good compromise given Ford's requirement for an engine to power heavier mid-size and full-size cars and light trucks. The M-block, as it later became known, was the last pushrod V8 block designed by Ford. The M-block also shares some elements with the Windsor engine family: bore spacing, cylinder head bolt-patterns and crankshaft journal dimensions.[1]

The 400 was seen as a smaller and lighter replacement for the big Ford 385 engines, the 429 and 460, in Ford's big cars. Weighing just 80% of a similar big block, it was originally available in Ford's Custom, Galaxie and LTD lines, and in Mercury's Monterey, Marquis, and Brougham. Later, it would power the Ford Thunderbird, the Lincoln Continental, Mark V, mid-size Fords and Mercurys, and Ford light-duty trucks.

The vast majority of 400 blocks use the same bellhousing bolt pattern as the 385 family big-block to make it compatible with the higher torque-capacity C6 transmission used on the large cars and trucks. There were a small number of 400 block castings that use dual bellhousing patterns for mounting an FMX transmission. These castings are rare. The 400 was modified in 1975 to use unleaded gasoline.

[austin]

my 80' bronco has a 400 modified (not original) its camed with high compression pistons and a dual exhaust and a big air cleaner but other than thats its stock it even has a 2 barrel carb

it drinks lots of gas but it has great power to much for the bronco to have i think they an under estimated motor in stock form they aren't that great but with a few modifactions it can be a mean motor

[fordman]

400 is an abonation to the bumpside god.

[fireguywtc]

400 is a slug. My dad had a 79 Bronco when I first got my bump. Both were in stock form and my truck would run circles around his Bronco with the 400. It also got horrible gas milage and was kept in top shape. I would never own one, and from what I have read and been told 400's can be pretty expensive to make the a good performer. I think your money would be better spent some where else ir you are looking into one.

[Darren]

The first year '71 was a fine engine. I had one in my Country Squire and after a good tune up, it actually surprised me with it's torque. By the book it's 400lb/ft. It will reapond to all the mods a Cleveland will, but uses a different intake. I'd use one in a truck.

[Kraig]

Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords did an article on a 400M a couple of months ago. It was making 565hp I believe!!

[papabug71]

The first year '71 was a fine engine. I had one in my Country Squire and after a good tune up, it actually surprised me with it's torque. By the book it's 400lb/ft. It will reapond to all the mods a Cleveland will, but uses a different intake. I'd use one in a truck.

I had the chance to but a 71 Squire wagon from an older gentleman here in town. The car had sat for years & was junk. It had a 400 in it & a C6. He wanted $500 bucks for the car. I should have bought it for the running gear....

Im kicking myself.....

[ToughOldFord]

The 400 is underrated. Many, many moons ago I had a 79 F250 with a bone stock 400, single exhaust with cat and all of the smog equipment. A friend of mine had a '73 F250 with a mild 390, bored out a bit, mild cam, dual exhaust. My '79 easily walked away from him every time.
And that 400 got 12mpg with a young man's lead foot. And it was a work horse too, I remember hauling my '66 Olds on an equipment trailer one time @ about 80mph on the way home. Hardly knew it was back there.
The 400 is an excellent engine, it's a good mix of economy, power, and mileage. I can only imagine how much it would have woke up without all of the smog cr*p.
And this from an FE fan.

[my2beamtk]

Years ago I had a 79 f 150 SC with a 460 , holley 4 /B , C/6 trans. I used for towing a 16 ft. trailer with. After about three years I replaced it with a new 400 , 2 / b autolite . Big big mistake, The fuel usage was the same, the power was a lot less.the same hills it would shift down in , the 460 would stay in high gear . It ran good , just gutless ,after giving it a year to prove itself , I gave up and put the 460 back in . I put the 400 in an old 79 bronco that needed a engine until I got another pickup to replace the 79 pickup , then I put the 460 in the bronco . I still have the 400 stored in back of the shop. Be glad to dump that boat anchor on somebody .

[fomocoguy]

The 400 is underrated. Many, many moons ago I had a 79 F250 with a bone stock 400, single exhaust with cat and all of the smog equipment. A friend of mine had a '73 F250 with a mild 390, bored out a bit, mild cam, dual exhaust. My '79 easily walked away from him every time.
And that 400 got 12mpg with a young man's lead foot. And it was a work horse too, I remember hauling my '66 Olds on an equipment trailer one time @ about 80mph on the way home. Hardly knew it was back there.
The 400 is an excellent engine, it's a good mix of economy, power, and mileage. I can only imagine how much it would have woke up without all of the smog cr*p.
And this from an FE fan.

I don't mean to argue, but I've never even heard of a 400 getting better than 10mpg at the most in a pickup. We had a 79 Bronco with a well maintained 400 and it got 6-7 mpg with a young mans lead foot, that being mine. Plus it ran neck and neck in a straight line with my buddies land yacht caprice that had an anemic 305 in it and 2.73 gears. I couldn't even get him off the line, even though it had stock size tires and 3.73's. I'm not denying they can be built and perform, but in stock form 72-up 400's are super slugs.

BTW guys, for anyone who doesn't know there is no such thing as a 400 modified. There is the 351 M (modified) and the 400. It is based on the 351M, but Ford never put the M designation on the 400.

[austin]

i didnt know ford never called it a modified i knew 351m block is the same thing as the 400

my grandpas 77 ford flat bed has a bone stock 351 and its a slug im not kidding my 300-6 makes more power than that thing
i hate the 400 in my bronco too i mean it has great power but it burns way to much gas i think i will go to a 302

[my2beamtk]

i didnt know ford never called it a modified i knew 351m block is the same thing as the 400

my grandpas 77 ford flat bed has a bone stock 351 and its a slug im not kidding my 300-6 makes more power than that thing
i hate the 400 in my bronco too i mean it has great power but it burns way to much gas i think i will go to a 302

Yes the 351m is the same block as 400 . I had a 351 m in for a major rebuild and the rebuilder said he could make a 400 out of it for the same cost so I said "do it" . If you read my other post coment , you will see what I think of that engine. I got as good of gas mileage with a 460 as I did with a 400 , bad of course. Oh by the way for those that dont know as it has been mentioned ford never made a 400M only 400, 351M yes and the [ M ] does not mean [ MODIFIED ] it is just an I D. ford used for that engine.