Easy tips

Do you need a valley pan?

Do you need a valley pan?

On the newer design engines the intake manifold incorporates the valley pan, the part that seals the top of the block and heads. If the tunnel ram intake does not have the casting that seals the block and heads to keep oil in and debris out, then yes you need one.

What is a valley pan?

A Valley pan or valley gasket is traditionally used to seal the lower intake manifold to the cylinder heads and engine. This gasket was vital because many of those engines have their coolant crossover built into the lower intake manifold and so the valley gasket was very much like a head gasket in design and function.

What was the horsepower of a 1973 Ford 400?

For example, in the 1973 model year, there were four calibrations for the 400 engine, each with a different advertised power rating (163, 167, 168, and 171 horsepower). On the other hand, sometimes different power ratings are not advertised for different versions of an engine.

When was the Ford 400 engine re-tuned?

The 400 was re-tuned by Ford in 1975 to use unleaded gasoline with the addition of catalytic converters to the exhaust system. The development of the 400 V8 led to a significant design flaw that remained with the engine throughout its production life.

When did the Ford 400 block come out?

There were a small number of 400 block castings produced in 1973 with the dual bellhousing patterns. It had the large bellhousing and the small bellhousing bolt pattern used by the Windsor V8 family and the 351C, though it was not necessarily drilled for both.

Which is the longest stroke of a Ford 400 engine?

In fact, the 400 has the longest stroke of any factory stock Ford V8 engine! Both engine types in the 335 series share certain design characteristics, but the only major component interchangeable between 351C engines and M-block engines is the cylinder head.

What was the length of the Ford 400 engine?

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. Ford called the engine 400 cu in but it actually displaced 402 cu in (6.6 L).

For example, in the 1973 model year, there were four calibrations for the 400 engine, each with a different advertised power rating (163, 167, 168, and 171 horsepower). On the other hand, sometimes different power ratings are not advertised for different versions of an engine.

Do you need a valley pan gasket on a 351 Cleveland?

I know ford and chevy small blocks don’t use a valley pan gasket, so I imagine if your not using an egr, it wouldn’t matter if you ran one or not. 351 Clevelands 351m and 400’s use the valley pan gasket. When the intake is bolted down the raised metal on the pan crushes to a hopefully tight seal.

There were a small number of 400 block castings produced in 1973 with the dual bellhousing patterns. It had the large bellhousing and the small bellhousing bolt pattern used by the Windsor V8 family and the 351C, though it was not necessarily drilled for both.

Author Image
Ruth Doyle