351m/400 in a B2!!!!!!!!!!!

[pugsly89bii]

:icon_confusedk guys here's the deal. i have an 89 B2 2WD sittin in my yard that i cant get legal. (paperwork issues....dont ask) anyway, ive been thinkin about making it into a race truck, but not sure what engine to stick in it. iv built a couple of mud trucks in the past and have yet to do a race truck. anyway i came across a 351m/400 block in great shape for $25. couldnt pass it up. i know alot of ppl think they are only good for boat anchors but i want challenge. any advice/tips would be greatly appreciated. thanks:icon_hornsup:

 

[Mac]

You just know you are going to get a lot of flack for even thinking about it. The 351C and even a 460 has been stuck into a Ranger, anything is possible. You're the best judge of your skills to do it. Myself, even free I'd of passed on it.
Dave

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

351M = Pass
400M = Tempting
400M + 351W + some other parts = 400W mutant = very tempting

 

[fordmike1]

351m & 400 are fantastic engines.They are the same as a 351c with just a taller deck height.These engines can easily make alot of HP & TQ with the right combonation.There is a book out that tells what to use and not to and gives a couple combo's for making power.I have rebuilt quite a few of these engines for trucks and have been impressed with the HP & TQ with just a milded RV type build. Dont let anyone talk you out of this engine as they are a good engine to build, just not very popular. Engine masters did one of these for compatition and won with it.:icon_hornsup:

 

[Mac]

Lots of torque and horsepower but how hard to stuff in a BII? The 351W is a tough fit.
Dave

 

[fordmike1]

Lots of torque and horsepower but how hard to stuff in a BII? The 351W is a tough fit.
Dave

The 351m & 400 use the same trans as the big block 385 series (429-460) engines so it would require alot of modifacation to make fit and custom exhaust headers. Would be a very cool and diffrent build.Oh yea these engines are heavy so use as many aluminum parts as posible.(Heads, Intake, Water pump & pulleys) to name a few.

 

[baddad457]

351m & 400 are fantastic engines.They are the same as a 351c with just a taller deck height.These engines can easily make alot of HP & TQ with the right combonation.There is a book out that tells what to use and not to and gives a couple combo's for making power.I have rebuilt quite a few of these engines for trucks and have been impressed with the HP & TQ with just a milded RV type build. Dont let anyone talk you out of this engine as they are a good engine to build, just not very popular. Engine masters did one of these for compatition and won with it.:icon_hornsup:

351C ? Yea, 400M, ditto, 351M ? Don't waste your time and money. The 400 is the more difficult to build due to there not being an off the shelf piston that achieves a zero deck. That means you can build a mild compressioned motor that requires more octane to achieve what you can with a higher ratio in other engines wuth less octane.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

The 400 is a good engine.

The 351M/400 use the same block. Basically the same engine except the 400 has a longer stroke, and makes more low end torque. Neither one are very rev happy, both were originally designed for B-I-G cars and trucks, so low end torque and lots of it was the goal.

If you were building a pulling truck, i would say go for it, but in a race application where you need revvs, a Windsor based engine would be better.

I have a 400 in my 78 1 ton, with a RV cam, headers, Edelbrock Torquer intake and 650 Edelbrock carb, T18 4sp and 4.30 gears it scoots right along untill about 70MPH. Like i said before, TONS of torque, not much horsepower.

Have you ever riddin in a F series with the 300 Inline 6? Thats basically what a 400 will be like, they have the same cam profile, same bore and stroke, the 400 obviously is more powerful because of its extra 2 cylinders, but like a 300, they have all kinds of low end (below 3500rpm) but fall on there face after that.

There is also little to NO aftermarket support for them.

But it would be Uber cool to see what one would do in a BII. Just build it to be a 400, not a 351M. Like i said they use the same block, just diffrent crank and rods. So use the 400 rods and crank.

later,
Dustin

 

[pugsly89bii]

ok. for all the doubters here is some stuff i found that might change(or blow) some minds!!!

http://www.popularhotrodding.com/enginemasters/articles/0902phr_2008_jegs_engine_masters_challenge/index.html


4 of the TOP 10 engines are 400's

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

ok. for all the doubters here is some stuff i found that might change(or blow) some minds!!!

http://www.popularhotrodding.com/enginemasters/articles/0902phr_2008_jegs_engine_masters_challenge/index.html


4 of the TOP 10 engines are 400's

For someone with a small engine bay and a budget there are better choices. If you have enough money you can make power out of anything.

 

[baddad457]

The 400 is a good engine.
There is also little to NO aftermarket support for them

But it would be Uber cool to see what one would do in a BII. Just build it to be a 400, not a 351M. Like i said they use the same block, just diffrent crank and rods. So use the 400 rods and crank.

later,
Dustin

There is aftermarket support (excepting the pistons, which is THE most important step in correcting the 400's deficencies) And the 351M and 400 shared the same rods. The pistons were the difference between the two.

 

[baddad457]

ok. for all the doubters here is some stuff i found that might change(or blow) some minds!!!

http://www.popularhotrodding.com/enginemasters/articles/0902phr_2008_jegs_engine_masters_challenge/index.html


4 of the TOP 10 engines are 400's

There are no doubters as to the 400's capabilities. It's the 351M that's the turd here. The only thing wrong with the 400 is the open chambered heads and no pistons for them.

 

[Rico]

A 351m can make alot of power and has enough aftermarket support to back it up if you look. However if you build a 351m for power you should be looking at making it a 400m just purely for the fact of more cubes= more power. Believe me I have a 79 f150 with a 351m but i like the smaller motor just for the reason I don't have a NEED for that much power.
Oh and I agree with those who posted the engine masters quote. For those of you who call this a boat anchor let it be known that the 351m-400m series motor is very close to the design of the 351c which is related to cobra jet and super cobra jet motors. And don't get me started on the 70's era smog control devices which killed nearly all the cars hp.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

There is aftermarket support (excepting the pistons, which is THE most important step in correcting the 400's deficencies) And the 351M and 400 shared the same rods. The pistons were the difference between the two.

The 351M is a destroked 400 right? How do they make up stroke with a piston? Unless its taller or something on the 400.

later,
Dustin

 

[v-8power]

The 351M is a destroked 400 right? How do they make up stroke with a piston? Unless its taller or something on the 400.

later,
Dustin

With the wrist pin location.

 

[baddad457]

With the wrist pin location.

Exactamundo ! They had very tall & heavy pistons, that was part of the problem with the slow reving of these engines. The retarded cams didn't help either. If I was to build a 351M, I would substitute longer rods and use shorter pistons. But unless you're limited to a certain cube limit, there's really no point in doing a 351M, when the other 351's are plentiful as are 400 cranks.

 

[pugsly89bii]

if anyone has any advice for me regarding fitting issues, suspension, steering, etc. it will be greatly appreciated.:icon_confused:

 

[Psychopete]

if anyone has any advice for me regarding fitting issues, suspension, steering, etc. it will be greatly appreciated.:icon_confused:

I would see what some of the BB guys are doing, like dalpilot or BigBlockRanger/JP3 (Google Search), they have some good write ups on their swaps. Should give you some ideas on what they did about cooling, steering, exhaust, trans, etc. It's not specific to your exact swap, but then every swap is not going to be the same. The point is to install it the way you want it. When you get stuck, then look for ways to resolve.

I'd probably start (if serious about it) by pulling the engine out of the recipient and test fitting the donor and go from there. Keep everything in good order so that if you need to go back to stock, it won't be a big hassle (like cutting the fuel lines, etc).

Pete

 

[347 Ranger]

The guys that tell you that there are no parts avalable for the 351 M 400 engines should do a little more research. Most of the parts that fit a 351 cleveland will work on a a 400 even the flat top or dome cleveland pistons can be used by bushing the rods to .912 pin size and using a floater pin .
A 4 barrol big port head on a 400 makes for a strong contender that will hold its own aganst any engine . I run a stroked and bored 400 in my 82 mustang because it is cheeper to build and is like a factory stroker cleveland . M y engine had dynoed at 468 hp at 6200 rpm . I have mo problem with a 400, I don't think it is a good choice for a Ranger or Bronco . A stroker 302 would be a better choice as the 400 will be a tight fit and packs a lot more weight.