Info on Ford 400 motor

dangerranger10 · Feb 2, 2011

I have a 1979 Ford F150 Ranger Sport that has the 6.6L 400 motor in it with a new edlebrock 4 barrel carb, edlebrock intake, headers, and glasspacks. I'm wondering if since everything I've read the motor came out with a 2 barrel carb on it if I can pull the 4 barrel off and put an original ford 2 barrel back on the truck and it would get better fuel mileage. I personally hate the 4 barrels because I have never had one that ran as good as the 2 barrel and the one on my truck now gets terrible fuel mileage. This is my dream truck and I am on the verge of having to sell it so I am wanting to see if there is anything I can do to make it get better fuel mileage. If it is possible to put the 2 barrel on the truck what kind of fuel mileage would you think that I could get out of it?

dirttrackracer · Feb 2, 2011

well kindove a correctly tuned 4b carb with the stock motor will give you around 10,11mpg a 2b carb will get you around 15 maybe if you baby it to the max. i have a 400m 30 over je pistons comp cam, etc tons of shit done, had a holly 4b double pumper and i get 6mpg with occasional foot heaviness. it will get 9mpg if babied, i dont even want to say what i got when i had the dual 4's ill say it got less than 5

predator · Feb 12, 2011

look into a fuel injection conversion..expensive? yes. but in the realm of things not really, considering you get better drivability, better tuning available, and slightly better milage, considering what carbs are running new, what it takes to rebuild them and the fact that ethanol gums them up...carbs are on the way out im sad to say :bawling:

pontiacfieroguy · Feb 12, 2011

dangerranger10 said:
I have a 1979 Ford F150 Ranger Sport that has the 6.6L 400 motor in it with a new edlebrock 4 barrel carb, edlebrock intake, headers, and glasspacks. I'm wondering if since everything I've read the motor came out with a 2 barrel carb on it if I can pull the 4 barrel off and put an original ford 2 barrel back on the truck and it would get better fuel mileage. I personally hate the 4 barrels because I have never had one that ran as good as the 2 barrel and the one on my truck now gets terrible fuel mileage. This is my dream truck and I am on the verge of having to sell it so I am wanting to see if there is anything I can do to make it get better fuel mileage. If it is possible to put the 2 barrel on the truck what kind of fuel mileage would you think that I could get out of it?

no its not. you would have to switch intakes. if you have a factory 4bbl intake you have a gem on your hands. we have a 72 ltd with the 400m and the 2bbl and if you wanna swap even then im sure dad would love to have your setup

mhughes165 · Feb 12, 2011

pontiacfieroguy said:
no its not. you would have to switch intakes. if you have a factory 4bbl intake you have a gem on your hands. we have a 72 ltd with the 400m and the 2bbl and if you wanna swap even then im sure dad would love to have your setup

the 400 is a great motor, i have one with about everything u can do to one short of finding aftermarket heads, i was managing about 12mpg with a 4spd and 33's out of mine, and it was 2wd

they just dont get mileage, so once u accept that fact u can tune it to get all the power u can out of that engine

chilsam · Feb 14, 2011

adapter plate

use adapter plate stead of swapping intake does 4bbl have mech or vac seconderies if its vac it should get better milage "keep ur foot out of it" because primaries are smaller than the 2bbls or mabe change the jets n carb smaller on primaries 4 milage n larger on seconderies for power hope this helps! GOOD LUCK!

RatDog8o8 · Feb 14, 2011

The '79 F-150 I had also had the 400m, which I upgraded to a Holley intake/carb setup. It was an 1850/4160 carb; manual choke, vac secondaries. It got about 10mpg no matter what....uphill, downhill, tailwind, headwind. I was running 35s on it with 3.50 gears, too. Just a part of the package.....

85_Ranger4x4 · Feb 14, 2011

ratdog8o8 said:
The '79 F-150 I had also had the 400m, which I upgraded to a Holley intake/carb setup. It was an 1850/4160 carb; manual choke, vac secondaries. It got about 10mpg no matter what....uphill, downhill, tailwind, headwind. I was running 35s on it with 3.50 gears, too. Just a part of the package.....

That is all our '80 gets too, factory everything.

It isn't an ideal milage setup though, T-18, 4.10s and 235/85-16's... she is pretty wound up on the highway. I think a 5 speed would be a massive improvement for milage.

RatDog8o8 · Feb 14, 2011

Mine had a C-6 automatic & manual 4wd. Good thing it had dual tanks, too!

85_Ranger4x4 · Feb 14, 2011

ratdog8o8 said:
Mine had a C-6 automatic & manual 4wd. Good thing it had dual tanks, too!

This one did originally, the front (main tank) developed a hole. We had it sitting beside the shop and somebody stole it.

So since it only has the little rear tank it doesn't miss too many gas stations anymore... :shok:

RatDog8o8 · Feb 14, 2011

There's a guy in Dubuque IA who makes and sells poly replacement tanks, or used to. My CJ-7 has one, and so did my EB. He sells/sold to JC Whitney, Quadratec, and probably other "name" sellers. He might even still do the free shipping to USA, too.

Update: He's still in business. Here's his website link:
http://www.mtscompany.com/

85_Ranger4x4 · Feb 14, 2011

ratdog8o8 said:
There's a guy in Dubuque IA who makes and sells poly replacement tanks, or used to. My CJ-7 has one, and so did my EB. He sells/sold to JC Whitney, Quadratec, and probably other "name" sellers. He might even still do the free shipping to USA, too.

Update: He's still in business. Here's his website link:
http://www.mtscompany.com/

Dad keeps flip flopping back and forth if the truck is worth fixing.

It needs a clutch, it needs an engine, it needs cab corners, it needs doors, it needs front fenders, in needs a bed, it needs a main fuel tank, it needs, it needs...

dirttrackracer · Feb 14, 2011

mine gets 7mpg uphill down hill towin a trailer etc... but i do have a intake with 2 4bb holleys double pumpers on it :icon_hornsup:

when summer comes around in tearin her back out and rebuilding the bottom end

JohnnyO · Feb 15, 2011

A 400 isn't going to be an mpg champ no matter what you do to it. A 4 bbl can give you better mpg than a 2 bbl if you can stay out of the secondaries because the primaries are smaller than a 2 bbl carb.

It's a 70's smog motor with low compression and a shit cam. I'd put in an RV cam from Comp Cams and a better timing chain, higher compression pistons like 9:1 if you can afford it, and it'll be a lot better.

http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/engine/hrdp_0702_ford_400m_engine_build/index.html

klancy · Mar 23, 2011

where would i find one of these elusive 4 bbl intakes?

Info on Ford 400 motor

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