Is A Ford 400 A Good Engine?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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A well maintained 400 can last as good as any Ford

. When Ford first started installing them in cars and trucks they unfortunately didn't live very long in my area. The locals were used to regularly winding up their Windsor small blocks and their big blocks with no problems.

Is Ford 400 a big block?

Ford billed the 400 as the 351C's

big brother

. It was designed to provide brisk acceleration in medium to heavyweight vehicles in an engine package that was smaller and lighter than the FE V8 Engines and the 385 Series Ford V8's. The Ford 400 engine was based on the 351 Cleveland.

What engine family is a Ford 400?

The Ford 400 engine was based on

the 351 Cleveland

. It had a half-inch (12.7 mm) longer stroke than the 351 Cleveland, making it the longest-stroke Ford pushrod V8 engine. The 400 had “square” proportions, with a 4.0 in (102 mm) bore and stroke.

How do I identify a Ford 400 engine?

The 351M and almost all 400's have the large bell housing pattern like the 429/460. The only 100% positive way to tell if you have a 351M or 400 is

to drop the oil pan and check the casting numbers on the crank

. They should be on the side of the first counterweight. A 400 crank will have 5M, 5MA or 5MAB casting code.

What is Ford's most reliable engine?

The

6.7-Liter Power Stroke Turbodiesel V8

is a Ford truck engine most reliable.

What's the difference between a Ford 351M and a 400?

To compensate for the shorter stroke the pistons for the 351M have a taller compression height so that it could use the same connecting rods as the 400. The result of the 351M using the longer 400 connecting rod was a higher connecting rod-to-stroke ratio of 1.88:1 than the 351C and 400's of

1.65:1

.

What does 351 4v mean?

4v =

four valves

(per cylinder) “Venturi” is UPPERcase and “valve” is LOWERcase. And as for the term “barrel”…..

How can I tell how old my Ford engine is?

Read the first two digits in the identification tag to find the year

the

engine was made. This will be a letter. If the letter is a “B,” it means that the engine was built in the 1950s. Each decade after that has its own succeeding letter; “C” designates the 1960s, “D” designates the 1970s, and so on.

How do I know if my 351 is modified?

There are several external differences that can help to distinguish between the 351W engine and the 351C and M engines: The 351W has three bolts attaching the valve covers on the exhaust manifold side; the 351C,M has four. The 351W

has the timing cover bolted to the block

.

Is the 351M a good engine?

The M-series engines weren't great performers in stock form, mainly due to low compression, dismal cam specs and tons of smog equipment. Luckily, it's just a matter of bolt-ons to wake them up some. The

motor seems in good shape

, but looks like its only about 8:1 compression.

What truck has the longest lasting engine?

  • Honda Ridgeline. The Honda Ridgeline comes in at first place in the category of trucks most likely to last 200,000 miles. …
  • Toyota Tacoma. The Toyota Tacoma is another midsize truck that can provide reliability and longevity. …
  • Toyota Tundra. …
  • Chevrolet Silverado 1500. …
  • Ford F-150.

What is the best engine ever made?

  • 1) Small-Block V8: Chevrolet. The iconic American V8 engine has been sold in more than 100 million vehicles. …
  • 2) Flat 4: Volkswagen. …
  • 3) Model T Engine: Ford. …
  • 4) Fuhrmann Engine: Porsche. …
  • 5) B-Series: Honda. …
  • 6) XK6: Jaguar. …
  • 8) 22R/R-E: Toyota. …
  • 9) S70/2: BMW.

What is the best truck engine ever made?

  • 10 1969-1998 Chevrolet 5.7-Liter Small-Block V8. …
  • 9 1964-1987 3.7-Liter Dodge/Chrysler Slant Six. …
  • 8 1991-Present Ford Modular V8. …
  • 7 1989-1998 Cummins B 5.9-Liter Inline-Six. …
  • 6 1965-1996 Ford 4.9-Liter Inline-Six. …
  • 5 1972-1978 Dodge 7.2-liter Big-Block V8.

Which engine is better 351C or 351W?

“The 351W is a basic 302-type engine. The 351C engine got all the hype, but what we race today is the basic W or a combination of the two. The

W is a better engine for long-lived low RPM power

. It needs proper preparation to race, and, as it has the better torque curve on the low end, it is not a high rpm engine.

What is the difference between a 351 Cleveland and a 351 Cobra Jet?

Bore and stroke were the same on the 351W and 351C, though the block was completely different. A quick way to tell the two apart is that

the 351C has the water pump housing cast into the block

, while the 351W block is flat at the front.

Did Ford make a 351 big block?

The 351W is named for

the factory in Windsor, Ontario

that produced them. It is part of the long-running Ford small-block Windsor V8 family, which also includes the venerable Ford 302 (5.0L) V8. It shares the same small block V8 bellhousing pattern and motor mounts of the August 1964+ Windsor engines*.

David Evans
Author
David Evans
David is a seasoned automotive enthusiast. He is a graduate of Mechanical Engineering and has a passion for all things related to cars and vehicles. With his extensive knowledge of cars and other vehicles, David is an authority in the industry.