i want to get rid of the electronic crap on my 400. i have a points distributor in my garage for a 460. will it work in the 400 or do i have to live with all that electronic crap? also with the points distributor how do i wire it?
I have used 400m distbutors in 429's and 460's so it should work. I would put the whole 460 in and get rid of the 400m I never liked those,low oil presser,rod knockin,no balls, gas pigs. When me and my freinds were younger we would get a truck with a 351m or a 400m we would jurk them out first thing. Wish I could help ya with the wiring but Im not that good at that. bret
yeah i know what you mean but the 460 is in my dads 56... i do like the torque the 400 has does great rolling burnouts through all 3 gears plus i got it dirt cheap and the guy that built it did a couple things to it. thanks ill figure out how to wire it... its just one wire so it cant go too many places. i know it eith goes to the + or - side of the coil.
Yes, distributors will swap in and out of 429/460 engines, 351-400M engines and 351C engines. All the same.
Yeah, the 400 is a pooch in stock form. But they can be made to perform admirably with little work since they are an air pump like any other engine. The key is that long 4" stroke, the longest of the Ford V8s. I had a '75 Ranchero driver with one that I overhauled. Short block was bone stock with the exception of a Melling oil pump, Edelbrock timing chain, and a Cam Dynamics shaft (272 duration). Heads were 2-barrel 351C castings (much better pieces than the 400 stuff) that were port-matched and surfaced with roller rockers and springs to match the cam. Up top was an Edelbrock Performer intake with a Holley 750. Exhaust was handled by port-matched exhaust manifolds and 2.25" duals with a balance pipe. The thing would haze the tires at will and would run with a buddy's 5.0L Mustang. Never ran it at the strip but my seat of the pants processor said it should have run easy 13s on the strip with traction.
If its tourque you like then i would really swap out the 400 for either a 429 or an early 460 ,if you get a newer 460 swap out the cam and gears to rev the detune .Also get the petonix kit , i dig mine now w/ no points .
the wiring is pretty complicated...the wire from the dist goes to the (-) terminal on the coil, and a wire from the ingition switch goes to the ballast resistor, and a wire from the other end of the ballast reistor goes to (+) on the coil. if you want to get fancy run a wire from R on the starter solenoid to (+) on the coil too, might start easier.
thanks.. im not swappin the engine im selling the truck.... next trucks going to have a punched out sbf to the tune of 347
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