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1971 400 Ford timing

13K views 20 replies 11 participants last post by  66GMC 
#1 ·
The timing is about 4 deg. off. I've loosened the hold down but the distributor will not turn. I was just told that on this engine the distributor has to be pulled out and turned 1 tooth at a time... I have never heard of having to do this so I was just wondering if anyone can verify this before I go yank it for no reason. :confused:
 
#4 · (Edited)
Your distributor should turn, spray some penetrant on it. Check your vacuum advance to make sure it still works, I doubt if it does. Also the breaker plates get loose, and the spark scatters all over.

Just be careful while trying to break it loose, the housing could break right off.

Here are the timing spec's for the 429, and 460 from that model year.

Timing 6 degrees BTDC, distributor vacuum hose removed and plugged.

The 400 6.6L was not made until 1974, I believe you have the 429.

The 5th digit of the VIN should be a K on your vehicle, which makes it a 429. Now that is not necessarily a bad thing, is it?
 
#5 ·
how many valve cover bolts are in it? alot of old dizzy's do tend to get stuck i lifted the front end of an old bronco off the ground before i got it broke loose just be careful and it should be ok the 400 did come out in 1971 they didnt use electronic ignition until 1974 just to be clear on that i once was a ford fan but have since seen the light lol
 
#7 ·
Ford 400

To the naysayers; None of my repair manuals, or cylinder head torque books, list the 400 as being available in 1971.

Here is a wikipedia link to the Mercury Cougars, it clearly does not list the 400 available until 1974, after the production changes to the 351C. (this was after a quick search for Ford 400 engines)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Cougar#Second_generation_.281971-73.29
 
#8 ·
carsavvycook said:
To the naysayers; None of my repair manuals, or cylinder head torque books, list the 400 as being available in 1971.

Here is a wikipedia link to the Mercury Cougars, it clearly does not list the 400 available until 1974, after the production changes to the 351C. (this was after a quick search for Ford 400 engines)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Cougar#Second_generation_.281971-73.29
Your manuals are wrong, the 400 came out in 1971 and the Wiki only refers to Cougars. The 400 was designed to replace the FE engines in cars in 1971. It was specifically designed for use in mid to full sized cars. There is even a rare 400 block cast in 1973 only, that has two bellhousing patterns cast into it. It was only available in a 1973 LTD with a FMX transmission. This is the holy grail of Ford 400 engines and one year earlier than your 1974 date.
 
#10 ·
Well, this tennis match of motor size knowledge is highly entertaining. However unless someone has gone through all the trouble to load false info into the data base of Advance, NAPA, and autozone, it is deffinately a 400, and considering the original owner sold it to my father in laws 80 something dad in 02 I'm pretty sure it's all stock and original. It still has the H-85-15 spare in the trunk(never been bolted on) oh and did I mention the owners manuals in the glove box? Now back to my question... Do I pull it or keep spraying untill it turns?
 
#11 ·
dist removal

somewhere on the net I saw test results of penetrating oil, Acetone mixed with ATF worked best so now I buy nail polish remover that is 100% acetone and mix it.... I bought an engine that had the Dist stuck for $ 25 and had to use a 3 ft cheater bar with a 2 ft pipe wrench on the Dist to get it to turn and finally out. I figured I had really tweaked the housing so I bought one for $ 10 at the bone yard and cleaned it up and used it.
 
#12 ·
rebelbill1972 said:
Well, this tennis match of motor size knowledge is highly entertaining. However unless someone has gone through all the trouble to load false info into the data base of Advance, NAPA, and autozone, it is deffinately a 400, and considering the original owner sold it to my father in laws 80 something dad in 02 I'm pretty sure it's all stock and original. It still has the H-85-15 spare in the trunk(never been bolted on) oh and did I mention the owners manuals in the glove box? Now back to my question... Do I pull it or keep spraying untill it turns?
Napa, Autozone, Advance are not right all the time. Yesterday I went to check on some pads and shoes for my 73 Cougar. The computer at Autozone listed the 429 and 460 as options. In 1973 Mercury never used a 429-460 in the Cougar, just a 302, 351C two and four barrel engine. I checked at Checkers and they were the same as Autozone.

Ok now to your original question, try spraying penetrating oil around the base of the distributor. Try to work it back and forth, if it doesn't move you will have to pry it out. You will most likely have to get another distributor if you have to pry it out with a bar. I had a 352 do the same thing, ended up using a pry bar and it broke the housing getting it out. It also pulled the oil pump drive shaft out with it. It didn't matter though since it was a old worn out engine that was just replaced with a 390.
 
#13 ·
rebelbill1972 said:
I was just told that on this engine the distributor has to be pulled out and turned 1 tooth at a time... I have never heard of having to do this so I was just wondering if anyone can verify this before I go yank it for no reason. :confused:
:nono: No it doesn't have to b removed to set the timing. You do have the hold down way loose I hope.

Patience and stuborness will come into play here. Some of these things are a real bear when trying to move them after years of not being moved. I use a small dead blow hammer along with penetrating lubes. Just be light handed when tapping or you'll breakit. Tapping the advance mounting area usually will free them up with patience (I've spent hours doing this to save a dist.). Just continually tap it every direction you can get to it and keep it soaking.

Tony
 
#15 ·
Pack dry ice around the housing and let it sit for a while. That'll shrink it and it may pop right out. Not sure if the distributor goes through the intake manifold or the block itself, but whichever, don't put the dry ice on either, just the distributor housing. Insulate the block/manifold from the dry ice with a couple of layers of towels. If you're real gutsy, after the dry ice has shrinked the distributor housing, play a little flame on the block/intake with a propane torch to heat it up and expand it.

My dad taught me this many years ago. He was a tool & die maker and got some over-thick sheet metal jammed on a 50-ton press one day. He heated the female and dry-iced the male and she popped free.
 
#17 ·
This is from Wikipedia, while not always accurate...this quote is correct according to my first hand knowledge of the Ford 400M.

The Ford 400 engine was based on the 351 Cleveland but was produced with a taller deck height of 10.297 inches compared to the 351C's 9.206 inches. This allowed for a longer stroke while retaining the 351C's Rod-Stroke ratio. These blocks also share the same oiling route in the block. The 400 also featured larger (Windsor sized 3.00 inch) main-bearing journals and had "square" proportions, with a 4.0 in (102 mm) bore and stroke; it therefore displaced 402 cu in (6.6 L), making it the largest small-block V8 made at that time. It was introduced in model year 1971 with a full half-inch (12.7 mm) longer stroke than the 351 Cleveland, making it the longest-stroke Ford pushrod V8 engine. A long-stroke engine has good low-end torque. This was a good compromise given Ford's requirement for an engine to power heavier mid-size and full-size cars and light trucks. The M-block, as it later became known, was the last pushrod V8 block designed by Ford. The M-block also shares some elements with the Windsor engine family: bore spacing, cylinder head bolt-patterns and crankshaft journal dimensions.[1]

The 400 was seen as a smaller and lighter replacement for the big Ford 385 engines, the 429 and 460, in Ford's big cars. Weighing just 80% of a similar big block, it was originally available in Ford's Custom, Galaxie and LTD lines, and in Mercury's Monterey, Marquis, and Brougham. Later, it would power the Ford Thunderbird, the Lincoln Continental, Mark V, mid-size Fords and Mercurys, and Ford light-duty trucks.

The vast majority of 400 blocks use the same bellhousing bolt pattern as the 385 family big-block to make it compatible with the higher torque-capacity C6 transmission used on the large cars and trucks. There were a small number of 400 block castings that use dual bellhousing patterns for mounting an FMX transmission. These castings are rare. The 400 was modified in 1975 to use unleaded gasoline.


Believe it or not, I seen a 1971 400M in a junkyard back in 1985...I thought it was a Cleveland but the tag on the valve cover and VIN told me otherwise. Should have snagged it, it was mounted to an FMX tranny too.

DOH!!! :drunk:
 
#18 · (Edited)
400m

carsavvycook said:
Your distributor should turn, spray some penetrant on it. Check your vacuum advance to make sure it still works, I doubt if it does. Also the breaker plates get loose, and the spark scatters all over.

Just be careful while trying to break it loose, the housing could break right off.

Here are the timing spec's for the 429, and 460 from that model year.

Timing 6 degrees BTDC, distributor vacuum hose removed and plugged.

The 400 6.6L was not made until 1974, I believe you have the 429.

The 5th digit of the VIN should be a K on your vehicle, which makes it a 429. Now that is not necessarily a bad thing, is it?[/



Wender: The 400m came out in 1971 first put into station wagons then into the toriono the 400 was produced in 71 for emissions b/c ford couldn't get gas mileage or pass government regulations and never jump a tooth in timing you will hit a valve.
 
#19 ·
rebelbill1972 said:
Well, this tennis match of motor size knowledge is highly entertaining. However unless someone has gone through all the trouble to load false info into the data base of Advance, NAPA, and autozone, it is deffinately a 400, and considering the original owner sold it to my father in laws 80 something dad in 02 I'm pretty sure it's all stock and original. It still has the H-85-15 spare in the trunk(never been bolted on) oh and did I mention the owners manuals in the glove box? Now back to my question... Do I pull it or keep spraying untill it turns?
You will find that carb cleaner and a little air to blow the crud from around the edges will soak in and get it loose faster than d 40. Also look at the shank on the distributor doesnt it have Flats to put a wrench( big crescent wrench) on? If you get it loose adjust your timing. Dont pull it whats the sense. Carb cleaner man
 
#20 · (Edited)
"400M"
Just look at what you've started Cobalt327! :nono:
(Just teasin' )

Yep, the Ford 400 came out in 1971 passenger cars and was later installed in 1977-82 light trucks.

The last year for the 351 Cleveland was 1974, and it was commonly found in the Torino, Cougar, Thunderchicken platforms.

The 351M was introduced in 1975 -78 passenger cars, and later installed in 1977-82 light trucks.

Wikipedia The M designation is commonly referred to “Modified”, and is derived from the use of both "Cleveland" (block, heads) and "Windsor" (crankshaft) components in the same engine, a modification for the parts' intended application, so to speak.
It was also tagged with the "M" in order to differentiate it between the "C" and the "W".

I know, I know ... it's just about as confusing as a Chevy 383! :D
 
#21 ·
To the OP.

That dist is likely siezed to the block as a result of galvanic corrosion between dissimilar metals.

IF you happen to break it off trying to get it out, consider upgrading to a DuraSpark electronic distributor. It's a drop-in as far as the dizzy itself, but you will have to install a module and do some wiring mods as well.
Search here at HR for a diagram.

If you do decide to go this route, use a dist cap, cap adapter, rotor, and wires from the 1977+ application ... which spaces the plug wires further apart and prevents arcing and misfires.

Ford also released a "campaign" distributor in about 1981/82 which was re-curved in order to cure a detonation / hot start problem. I can't recall the dist tag # (E2TE-12127-AA ???) but the vac advance had a "WIN" label on it.

Good Luck
 
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