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I need help picking out parts for a 408C

3K views 12 replies 10 participants last post by  XD408 
#1 ·
I am in the beginning stages of planning a 408C short block. I have the block, that is ready to go to the machine shop, but I want to gather as much knowlege as possible to make a good choices the first time. I want to keep the compression down to 10:1 or slioghtly lower. I am going to use my 2v open heads that are already done. I hope to run a roller cam of some sort, but that's not chiseled in stone yet.
What do you guys suggest I do for parts to keep the costs down and yet get good results? I plan on mostly street driving with an occasional trip to the strip. I am planning on putting this in my 69 mach1 with 3.50 gears and a c-4.
Thanks...Kevin
 
#3 ·
Kevin69Mach1 said:
I am in the beginning stages of planning a 408C short block. I have the block, that is ready to go to the machine shop, but I want to gather as much knowlege as possible to make a good choices the first time. I want to keep the compression down to 10:1 or slioghtly lower. I am going to use my 2v open heads that are already done. I hope to run a roller cam of some sort, but that's not chiseled in stone yet.
What do you guys suggest I do for parts to keep the costs down and yet get good results? I plan on mostly street driving with an occasional trip to the strip. I am planning on putting this in my 69 mach1 with 3.50 gears and a c-4.
Thanks...Kevin
Kevin,

We are about to dyno a customers 408c, it has alloy 3v heads (as used by jon kaase), hydraulic roller camshaft, 850 holley, designed for pump gas.

The mandate from the customer was strict - it needs to make 500plus, and be able to be driven from coast to coast if necessary.

I will keep you informed of the results, and will let you in on the products used.

Will post some pictures shortly.

Regards

Chris Finnin
Bluepower Racing Developments.
 
#5 ·
xrgt said:
Kevin,

I believe the guys on here have not yet reached 408C status... thats not to say you won't get good advice...

try the cleveland freaks at the 351cleveland.net:

http://www.network54.com/Forum/119419
I think so far im the only one to go the 408 route, my bottom end consists of an eagle stroker kit but to suit a windsor as ive got a windsor block but used the clevo 3v heads, the eagle kit came with the nodular forged crankshaft 4.00" , H-beam rods 6.2 in length, and statred off with JE pistons 6.2 but were the wrong pistons to suit the boss setup (needed ones that were canted) ended up with ARIA's forged 6.2s. I know apparently the scat stuff is made in the same factory as eagle so there wouldnt be much difference in quality and the scats are atleast 500 cheaper all up. I personally got gripped on my stroker kit i think from memory cost me 4k but u could easily get a scat kit for $2800 apart from that there were 400 clevelands from factory fitted in select vehicles so u might find a crank cheaper there but it will be hard to find one. Ive gone the solid roller cam instead of the hydraulic as u stated i just went with one that had hell low duration for the longevity of the valvetrain gear and streetability nand went 11.1 compression with the alloy heads which is equivelant to ur 10.1 with cast 2v as far as it goes to fuel octane tolerance. With this cam and 408 setup has netted me 459 rwhp on pump fuel(U98) with more to come when its properly tuned and avgas added and has ran an 11.3 in full street trim in an xd falcon. I hope that helps good luck :)
 
#7 ·
Just finished investigating the 408C kits and eventually went for the 383 being the safer option. THere was to many variables in building a 408 stroker in a standard block. I know...as stated by XD408, it can be very successfully done but forking out all that money to have something that may work was to much of a risk in the end. The 4.000 crank and the necessary 6.200 conrod just leaves no material for the piston to be successful if you have the conventioanl std 9.200" deck height block. As falcon coupe says, the Dart block with the 9.500" D height is a simple fix.......expensive fix at about AU$3600. On the 408 combo a dish piston should be required to give about 11-12cc required but a dish piston is impossbile at the 1.000" pin height that would be needed to fit. The counter weight can be machined down on those cranks (3.750" stroke crank Eagle for the 383 and 4.00 for the 408 ) allowing to run a 6.0" rod and making th piston to fit but the balancing can get all out of wack and very expensive to get fixed. with the set up I am using on the 383, flat tops can be used using a 64cc chamber from a 3V alloy head giving 11-1 comp and this.....hopefull equates to oodles of torque and HP....especially for the street.
BUT....this is my findings only and please if...as XD408 can testify.....it all works for you, go ahead....
 
#8 ·
When building 408 cubes in a 9.2 deck cleveland block, are the pistons generally made to suit an "uncut" or "un decked" block, so the pistons can have that extra 30 or 40 thou further up the hole, and slightly eliminate the amount that the pistons skirts are unsupported when at bottom dead centre.
Just wondering as i have read many debates over the safe amount compression height on these long stroke clevos.
 
#9 ·
AGGHHH PPL!!!! your talking about clevo 3v heads, could someone PLS fill me in on what they are, if they're good or shit or what ever... because after my motor was fully cleaned out and what not... I noticed that the cast mark on the head wasn't a 2, it looks very very much to be a 3. Let me know PLS!!
 
#10 ·
xemeanmachine said:
AGGHHH PPL!!!! your talking about clevo 3v heads, could someone PLS fill me in on what they are, if they're good or shit or what ever... because after my motor was fully cleaned out and what not... I noticed that the cast mark on the head wasn't a 2, it looks very very much to be a 3. Let me know PLS!!
3V heads are the alloy heads produced by CHI http://www.chiheads.com/main.html ).

They are designed to be the ultimate combination of 2V and 4V heads.
 
#11 ·
Bluepower said:
Kevin,

We are about to dyno a customers 408c, it has alloy 3v heads (as used by jon kaase), hydraulic roller camshaft, 850 holley, designed for pump gas.

The mandate from the customer was strict - it needs to make 500plus, and be able to be driven from coast to coast if necessary.

I will keep you informed of the results, and will let you in on the products used.

Will post some pictures shortly.

Regards

Chris Finnin
Bluepower Racing Developments.
Sounds very impressive. Hows about a cost estimate too? :angel:
 
#12 ·
As stated a few days ago, we were in the process of completing an engine, a 408c for a clients XB falcon.

We dynoed the engine at PRE in Campbellfield.

The 408 showed a peak hp of 508.8 @ 5600 and a peak torque of 515.1 @ 4642.

The engine is as follows,

Holley 750 HP carb
CHI 185cc "engine masters edition" small port 3v
CHI "engine masters edition" small port intake
Crow Hydraulic roller cam
Probe forged pistons
Scat crank and rods

The engine idled @ 800rpm, and we used Mobil synergy 8000 fuel.

Will post pics and dyno sheets soon.
 
#13 ·
I think another thing u have to keep in mind which i didnt acount for is the fact that wild cams to suit 351s become very tame in big cube engines, so if what your after is a well mannered torque machine with realiability going to a 408, 410 etc... is a good option, but for maxium power an aggresive cam would have to be used. Ive been looking into combos the guys over in the U.S.A. are using and similar cubed engines with yates and AFR heads and decent sized cams 700though and 290 duration plus were easily achieving 650 - 700 HP N/A out at the end of the day it does depend what your building it for, I honestly believe the 2vs would be letting down such a big cube engine and would be a better option to invest in some decent heads 4vs with tongues, 3vs, yates or the AFRs. ive had absolutely no dramas with my combo at all it makes good power, never over heats and cruises very nicely and is reliable as any car ive owned. Mine will be coming out though in february just to check everything up the compression to 12.5.1 and go to a larger cam with 680-690 though of lift and around 290 + duration and try for between 520-550 rwhp N/A ill be sure to let you's all know how it goes :)
 
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