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1QWIKBIRD · 12-28-2006, 06:17 PM

Matt,

What is your budget to get the motor completed? Without knowing your budget, this is all window dressing. You need to clearly define the budget and stay within it. Otherwise it can and will become a slipperly slope to no where land.....I also think you need to have someone with more experience than yourself look over the bottom end. Did you run a leak down test or at least a compression test prior to popping the heads off? Without that info you have no verifiable way to know the general condition of the motor o ther than the previous owners word???. Can you see any cross hatch in the cylinder bores? Is there a carbon ridge at the top of the cylinders? Has the motor ever been rebuilt, meaning is it already 0.030 over?

I am not being difficult, but you need to know the condition of the bottom end, figure out what can be reused, then proceed with the rebuild. If you stab a nice cam in and bolt on a nice set of vortecs only to discover the bottom end has issues after your money is gone, where does that leave you?

The more homework you do know the more rewarding the outcome will be.

Without knowing your alloted budget, its kinda tough to make recommendations on heads, as that is the main expenditure. Everything else is pretty much a fixed cost, but heads can vary big time in $$$$.

At the very least, I would pop off the main caps and check the bearings for any signs of wear, same with a few of the rod caps. If all check out ok, and there was still some sign of cross hatch in the cylinders, then leave the bottom end alone for now. Money saved. Clean, the head mating surfaces thoroughly, but be gentle don't gouge or grind the surface. Use a composite type head gasket as they are more forgiving if the surface is less than perfect. Run the heads that make sense for your budget, if iron vortecs meet your requirements then so be it. Cam (hyd. flat tappet like what has been suggested) to match the heads. Valvetrain (springs, retainers, pushrods, rockers) to match the cam and the intended rpm range. RPM airgap intake with an MSD 6AL to light the fire (has the rev limiter built in, chips are used to adjust) with the 750-800 cfm carb probably a vacuum secondary for use with the 700r4 and maybe a little bit more economy.

Emissions might be a little tough, but with the right timing and carb adjustment you should be ok.

400 are great motors, make great power. The stock 5.565 rods are kinda weak, but in a street motor they should be good to the occasional 6000 blast. If the short block did need attention, I'd immediatley go to a 5.7 rod/piston combo.

But without knowing the budget......its all.....well...just a guess

Chris

12-28-2006, 06:17 PM	#33
1QWIKBIRD 11 Second Club Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Hamilton Twp, NJ Posts: 855 iTrader: (5)	Matt, What is your budget to get the motor completed? Without knowing your budget, this is all window dressing. You need to clearly define the budget and stay within it. Otherwise it can and will become a slipperly slope to no where land.....I also think you need to have someone with more experience than yourself look over the bottom end. Did you run a leak down test or at least a compression test prior to popping the heads off? Without that info you have no verifiable way to know the general condition of the motor o ther than the previous owners word???. Can you see any cross hatch in the cylinder bores? Is there a carbon ridge at the top of the cylinders? Has the motor ever been rebuilt, meaning is it already 0.030 over? I am not being difficult, but you need to know the condition of the bottom end, figure out what can be reused, then proceed with the rebuild. If you stab a nice cam in and bolt on a nice set of vortecs only to discover the bottom end has issues after your money is gone, where does that leave you? The more homework you do know the more rewarding the outcome will be. Without knowing your alloted budget, its kinda tough to make recommendations on heads, as that is the main expenditure. Everything else is pretty much a fixed cost, but heads can vary big time in $$$$. At the very least, I would pop off the main caps and check the bearings for any signs of wear, same with a few of the rod caps. If all check out ok, and there was still some sign of cross hatch in the cylinders, then leave the bottom end alone for now. Money saved. Clean, the head mating surfaces thoroughly, but be gentle don't gouge or grind the surface. Use a composite type head gasket as they are more forgiving if the surface is less than perfect. Run the heads that make sense for your budget, if iron vortecs meet your requirements then so be it. Cam (hyd. flat tappet like what has been suggested) to match the heads. Valvetrain (springs, retainers, pushrods, rockers) to match the cam and the intended rpm range. RPM airgap intake with an MSD 6AL to light the fire (has the rev limiter built in, chips are used to adjust) with the 750-800 cfm carb probably a vacuum secondary for use with the 700r4 and maybe a little bit more economy. Emissions might be a little tough, but with the right timing and carb adjustment you should be ok. 400 are great motors, make great power. The stock 5.565 rods are kinda weak, but in a street motor they should be good to the occasional 6000 blast. If the short block did need attention, I'd immediatley go to a 5.7 rod/piston combo. But without knowing the budget......its all.....well...just a guess Chris __________________ 1999 Formula 6spd (The driver) 1997 2500 Ext. Cab Dodge 4x4 CTD 5spd (The Earth Mover) 1970 Nova 5spd (The toy)