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Tell me about the "401"

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bughappy View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bughappy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Tell me about the "401"
    Posted: Jun/16/2009 at 11:57pm
O.K. here's the thing, I'm working on 2 AMC projects, a '64 American wagon I'm turning into a "2door" & a "65 American 440H hardtop. I'm fairly new to AMC's and they are both progressing slowly, (they're a HOBBY, not a job!). Was planning to power them both with 350 chevy's & auto transmitions (ya, ya, I've heard it all before.....) ANYWAY, I've been convinced by some of my new AMC friends to power at least 1 of them with a AMC motor, so......... today I bought a 401 from a '74 Wagoneer.

Now, I know a bit about Chevy's but next to nothing about this new 401. What I want to end up with is an engine for a weekend cruiser in the 400 hp class (easy with a chevy), hooked up to an auto trans (727 chrysler what was used?)

BIG QUESTION is, what kind of parts do I need to be buying for a re=build? pistons? cam? rods? intake & carb (or carbs?), Heads or head work? etc ..........

Some of you guys talked me into the AMC motor (wasn't realy very hard) so Please help me get started.............. Thanks, Tom V


'87 Cherokee, '64 American 330 wagon, '65 American 440H

Searchin' for parts is half the fun! Them Chevy, Ford & Mopar guys have it to damn easy!
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DragRacingSpirit View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DragRacingSpirit Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/17/2009 at 9:50am
Originally posted by bughappy bughappy wrote:

BIG QUESTION is, what kind of parts do I need to be buying for a re=build? pistons? cam? rods? intake & carb (or carbs?), Heads or head work? etc .......
It all starts with the condition of your core as to what parts are going to be needed.
 
To make 400ish HP out of that 401 all you are going to need is a stock rebuild /re-ring job with a some head cleanup, a smallish hydraulic cam kit with springs..retainers...etc, some kind of decent intake manifold.....air gap...performer....R4B......free flowing exhaust.....recurved distributor....decent carb. 
 
Anything more than will be nice but not required for that power level.
Best 1/4 mile 8.99, 1/8 mile 5.71, 60 foot 1.27, no power adders
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firecapt321 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote firecapt321 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/17/2009 at 12:17pm
Here is an example if it helps:

401 30 over
10:1 flat tops
eddy ported and polished aluminum heads, flowed 270 cfm @ 550 lift (think I remember right)
port matched air gap
engle 237 @ 50 hyd flat tappet 550 lift
erson rollers 1.6 ratio
eddy 800 cfm carb
 runs on 93 octane

Barry Allen dynoed at 432 HP @ 5700 461 ft lbs @ 3200 and it was a basic flatline on up



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purple72Gremlin View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote purple72Gremlin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/17/2009 at 1:50pm
what year is this 401? since its a 401 out of a Jeep, the Jeep also had a TH 400. but with the AMC bell housing pattern. if you got it, it can be rebuilt in to a 2wd set up. but only thing is the speedometer hole has to be milled......been done before. the crank will have a spacer ring in it for the TH400. the TF uses a different flexplate than the 400. and to run the TF, you have to take the bushing out of the crank, (Try not to damage it, you cant buy them anymore).
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steeters View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote steeters Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/17/2009 at 2:24pm

Tom,

I'd take it all down to the machine shop and see what they say about the condition of the current collection of parts.  Post the results of their analysis and their recommendations and I think people on here will be able to help you build the motor you want.  Keep in mind, there are plenty of people running their motors really hard with cast pistons, stock rods, no oil modifications, stock heads, etc.  There are plenty of upgrades available, it just depends on where you want to say "enough."

Prices vary, but I spent $100 to strip, boil, magnaflux and report on overbore potential of my block.  $60 to boil and mag the rods, but I'll recommend right now that you just buy new AMC I beam rods...it will save you money in the long run...so don't bother having them tested (others will disagree).  I spent $50 to hot tank, mag and measure the crank.  Actual machine work was extra.
 
Steve
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PHAT69AMX View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote PHAT69AMX Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/17/2009 at 4:52pm
For a ~1k mile-per-year hobby car, if an "undamaged" used engine,
just a Ball Hone, Re-Ring, Main, Rod, & Cam bearings, Timing Chain, Cam/Lifters of your choice, imho.
Shops have "their reputation" to consider, and chunk of profit in boring charges.
For a ~15k mile-per-year reliable year round daily driver, or a hotrod or race car, sure, a full rebuild.
Just an opinion.
 
Car Craft made 480 HP with a mild 401 build:
 
 
Seems there is another Magazine article where they made 500 HP, unable to find it just now.
Was in Hot Rod mag June 1998, American Performance folk in FLA in a Spirit.
Yet to find it on-line.  Seems there is still yet another article.
Dang, was sure it was in my favorites, but striking out.
 
 
Cool
 
 


Edited by PHAT69AMX - Jun/17/2009 at 4:58pm
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BassBoat View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BassBoat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/17/2009 at 7:21pm
http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/ccrp_0706_v8_engine_performance_parts/mopar.html
There are some new pistons and rods available from Wiseco/K1 that replace the 30+ year old rods and cast pistons with modern forgings. 
BB
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firecapt321 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote firecapt321 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/17/2009 at 7:31pm
Well, one of your big questions you asked is port work..... if you read that car craft article they put in a lot of head work.. not to mention an HLR intake, big DP on top, custom pistons yadda yadda yadda.... some seem to make it sound like 4 - 500 tried and true hp is easy to gain with these engines. not so much IMHO unless you are talented like a bunch of the guys here on the forums that can do a lot of this work yourself... I mean how much money to the average joe is in that intake and carb, add the head work and intake port work... you got some serious coin and time just in the top end of that motor... please guys, dont take it that I am disagreeing with you guys or am trying to act like I know how to professionally build engines, just simply giving him a noobs realistic look from the outside looking in.... especially since he has said he is from the chebby world,... thats all, just another point of view... Good Luck!! but you will turn a lot more heads with that AMC under the hood, that I can guarantee and attest too!!! 

Edited by firecapt321 - Jun/17/2009 at 7:39pm
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firecapt321 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote firecapt321 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/17/2009 at 7:53pm
Just re-read my post, I really hope it didnt come off the wrong way.. those of you that know me know I didnt mean anything bad or argumentative...Wink 
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amx39068 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote amx39068 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/17/2009 at 11:08pm
For a 400HP engine, the stock rods will work just fine, particularly if the engine came out of Jeep that has never been rebuilt before.  
 
There are a lot of strong feelings on the subject of new rods vs stock rods and many will insist on getting new rods but there are WAY, WAY, WAY more stock rods running just fine and in more 390s and 401s than you can count as compared to engines with aftermarket new rods.  Street engines run fine on stock AMC rods and even run fine with stock AMC rod bolts although new rod bolts and resizing the rods is never a a bad thing. 
 
I pulled together 15 engines for myself and other AMCers last year.  They all have stock rods and not one of them has experienced a problem.  In nearly 40 years of running AMC 390s and 401 on the street, I have never lost a single stock AMC rod no matter how hard I waiedl on them. On the other hand, if you plan to make this a race engine then build it with the latest and greatest parts you can get.  Street racing is not the same as racing as the track so different rules should be applied for the two environments.
Dan Curtis-Owner and CEO AZ AMC Restorations; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amcmusclecars/ & Curtis Real Estate Development
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