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fordtrucks-digest Digest Volume 97 : Issue 60

Today's Topics:

Re: FE blocks [sdelanty sonoma.net ]
Re: FE blocks [sdelanty sonoma.net ]
NEWBIE with a few questions. [Mark Goods
An end to front end blues! ["Jim" ]
Delete my e-mail delivery ["Blash Edward" ]
360FE Engine Code [John Strauss
FE block identification [John Strauss
'61 F100 Production Figures [John Strauss
Flareside? Styleside? [John Strauss
Re: Mufflers and the 7.3L Diesel [silent.bob juno.com ]
Holley Carb [Gerald and Lisa Hoel
Re: Mufflers and the 7.3L Diesel [Larry Wiandt ]
Re: FE blocks -Reply [PAYNK (Ken Payne)
Inline 6 vs. V8 [Gerald and Lisa Hoel
1979 F150 For Sale [John Strauss
Re: Muffler's [LA46544 aol.com ]
Re: driveshaft slack [LA46544 aol.com ]
Re: 1995 Ford Ranger 4.0L Questions [LA46544 aol.com ]
Re: Tires Choice for '80 F150 [LA46544 aol.com ]

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Date: Tue, 22 Apr 1997 23:31:20 -0700
From: sdelanty sonoma.net
To: FORDTRUCKS lofcom.com
Subject: Re: FE blocks
Message-Id: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

>
>Date: Mon, 21 Apr 1997 20:31:47 -0500
>From: Daver
>To: fordtrucks lofcom.com
>Subject: Re: FE blocks
>Message-ID:
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
>

Daver writes:

>If it has a Smog pump it is probably no older than 72 (I believe that is
>when the state of California began requiring them).

Naw, we wish. California had smog pumps as early as '65, and many (most) vehicles by 67-68. Been there, drove it, wrenched it, owned it, etc.

>I personally threw
>the points setup away the Mallory Unilite is far supperior, more acurate
>and not as worn.

Yeah, I agree, most any setup that does away with the points is a good thing.
I went with the stock '76 FE duraspark dist(
Works very nicely, cheaply, I and don't miss changing points/condensor a bit... (-:

>If he goes to the Unilite tell him to get the fully
>mechanical distributor it's one less place for vacuum that doesn't
>work.

The *correct* mechanical (centrifugal) advance curve is very important, but some vacuum advance on top of it buys extra low/ part throttle performance and fuel economy. When vacuum is high and cylinder pressure is low, more advance is good.
Straight mechanical (centrifugal) doesn't give You any.
It all depends so much on cam/compression/etc, but generally on street engines, some vacuum advance is Your friend... On my FE390 I wouldn't run without it.


Use the hot plug (if the engine is the stock veriety)

I run the stock heat range (autolite 35's) heat range on my 390. A hotter plug only invites pinging when hot. If You run higher comp ratio than stock You may need a cooler plug. Remember that fuel ain't what it was when these motors where built..
Insulator color is very good on mine with stock heat range autolite 35/45's.
My uncles '62 352 has higher comp than my 390 and doesn't like hotter plugs.
A hotter plug's not likely to help unless it's an oil spewer and has trouble keeping them clean.

>and run 6
>to 8 BTDC.

Yep, the stock setting works real good with stock cam. With my cam (218/228 .050") I get best results with 11-12 BTDC.

>Put a vacuum gauge on it on the manifold tree (probably
>located on the rear passenger side) then carfully screw the (driver
>first) mixture screw in until the engine begins to miss then screw it
>out (watching the vacuum gauge) until the needal is at it's smothest
>point then repeat this on the other side. When the mixture is right the
>vacuum should read a very steady 13 to 14 inches; if not, adjust the
>rest out by slowly advancing the distributor. it is less important to
>get 13 to 14 inches than it is the see the needle rock solid.

13-14" is pretty low. It would bug me unless the cam was pretty silly or the motor pretty worn out.
I get 18-19" (warmed up) at 800rpm, with a 270/290 (218/228 .050")[.495"lift] cam.
I would expect at least that from the stock cam, unless something's up.
The 352 in my great-uncle's '62 merc still pulls 18+" idle and it's got 165,000 miles...


> Also note
>if you exceed 10 advance (BTDC) you must increase the richness of the
>mixture put the light on it(important) do not adjust by ear you are not
>use to this particular engine.

And watch those plug colors.

Happy motoring,


Steve Delanty (sdelanty sonoma.net)

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Date: Tue, 22 Apr 1997 23:31:25 -0700
From: sdelanty sonoma.net
To: FORDTRUCKS lofcom.com
Subject: Re: FE blocks
Message-Id: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

>
>> I've heard that *some* 390 truck engines and/or replacement blocks have
>> enough meat to open up to 428 bore. (anyone got a 428 crank laying around? :-)
>> Is this true? Anyone know how to I.D. these blocks?
>>
>
>According to my books the 352 and 390 FE's can go 4.13 bore.

Hmm, my understanding is that only *some* 390 blocks can go to 4.130" That's .080" over the 390's 4.050" and 0.130" over the 352 stock bore!
0.130" is a metric shitload of overbore.!
FE's are beefy, but +.130" seems unlikely.
Is 4.130" really possible for all these blocks?

>The 428
>crank can be found but why? bore the thing to 4.13 and find a 427 crank
>(this combo builds a 406).
>The 427 crank is basicly identical to the
>390 except they are either nodular iron or forged steel and can be
>modified to rev in excess of 8000 RPM. Big bore short stroke = fast.

Yeah, but big bore, long stroke = faster.


If I can really go 4.130" on my block, I might use my 390 crank for 406cid.
If I'm gonna bore to 4.130" *and* get a different crank I'd get the 428 crank and end up with 428 instead of 406...
I'll bet that 428 cranks are easier to find than genuine 427 cranks.

Besides, I'm not looking for rpm. That kind of FE rpm is big time expensive.
My heads/intake/carb/ exhaust aren't going to support 7-8000 rpm.
My stock 390 rods aren't going to like it. My valve train is gonna freak...
I'd have to spend thousands to make it all work at 7-8K.

My T-18 tranny gearing is totally inappropriate and rear end gearing as well. I don't want to spin it up to get my giggles. 8K rpm motors are fun, but not appropriate for
my work/play/daily driver truck.

I want to step on the gas at 1200 rpm in top gear (30mph), and have it just walk away from everyone else all the way up to 5000 rpm. By then I'm going 120+mph and that'll do me.
Horsepower is good, but torque rules the road. I want lotsa torque. I want it across the whole rpm range. I don't wanna downshift and spin it up to pass a motorhome that's going 45 mph up a hill. I just want to push the pedal and let that big torque pull me. I like what a long stroke does for the area under the curve.
The 390 serves me quite well, but more CID is always appealing.

So... does anyone know for sure about max *reliable* 390 overbore?
Or how to identify the different blocks?

Happy motoring,


Steve Delanty (sdelanty sonoma.net)

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Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 07:59:07 -0400
From: Mark Goods To: "'FORDTRUCKS lofcom.com'" Subject: NEWBIE with a few questions.
Message-ID:

I am new to the group so if I do something wrong, please forgive me. I own a 1968 F100 Ranger long bed. The guy I bought it from put a 351C 4V in it from a 1973 Grand Torino( I'm assuming that what he said is ture). He also put in a different steering column, from where I do not know. There are many problems with the truck that need to be addressed. I hope someone out there will help me with the questions I have. I will list the problems, then the questions:

1. The engine is leaking oil from the bottom of the engine. (oil pan and/or rear seal probably)

2. The wiring under the dash has melted. It even smoked when I first got it. I disconnected some wires and it stoped. Now the rear part of the trucks lights(turn signal, brake lights, emergency lights) don't function properly.

3. It gets very poor gas milage. It has a Holley carb, no choke.

4. The exhust pipes from the manifold back have rusted completely. There are holes throughout.

5. There are fumes in the cab that I can not identify.

Questions:

1. Is this truck worth saving. The body has a few spots that need a little work but over all the body looks good.

2. Assuming it is worth saving, should I keep the engine that is in there and fix the leaks or should I go with another engine?

3. What do I do about the wiring problem? I would like to fix everything myself if I can. Do the make a wiring kit for this model truck?

4. What can be done about the gas mileage?

5. What was the original engine in this truck?

I really would like to keep the truck and restore it, maybe not a complete restore but, to the point where it looks and runs good. I do drive it once in awhile but, it leaks to bad and the gas mileage is so bad that I can't drive it everyday, which is what I want to do.

I apologize for the long message. Any help or ideas you all can give me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.


Mark Goods

***************************************************************** Mark Goods goods vaxrb.niehs.nih.gov

Team Low Bucks "We're just happy to be here..." *****************************************************************

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Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 05:46:01 -0700
From: "Jim" To:
Subject: An end to front end blues!
Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

The other day I was greasing the front end on my truck when I noticed the left lower king pin's grease fitting was plugged. I disassembled the grease fitting and plug cleaned out the hardened grease, checked the pin, axle and spindle, no damage was found (hmmm, this isn't my luck), reassembled and greased it, everything is working fine in that area. further inspection I noticed the steering Flex coupler was shot.
I bought my truck 4 years ago, it was in bad shape but I needed a ride. It had wood racks and leaned to one side. When I started it up it sound more like a military funeral, then an engine. It didn't have a straight quarter panel, it was ugly green and those wooden racks had to go! It had no eye appeal at all, but it was 100% there and 100% Ford. A never say die 302, C4 Trans and a 9" rear, I'll Take it! That day it seen it's last Tow Truck.
The Tow Truck was a Ford so it was like a brother just helping a brother home. My wife Teddi (Yes, it's her real name, and she is a she and always has been!) thought I had... (OK for the past 17 years she's been a she, before that I don't know :) ] )... lost my mind! I told her it only needed a tune up and a muffler. She doesn't believe me!
Off I went to the parts store. I bought every tune up part there was, I knew it needed every one. Living in a condo and doing the tune up out side in the no parking zone, brought my project under the scrutiny of many a non believer. The quest I had, to get this truck driveable with just a tune up and a muffler.
I could hear them talking " He was a quiet man." "I don't know! He kept mainly to himself." and " Ya, he told me it just need's a tune up and a muffler." "Is he a Vet?". The next day after a trip to Speedway Muffler and the You Do It Car Wash, they ate their words!
After that day in the sun, I did little else to it. Tune ups and fix little things, put in some sounds but just mainly drove the sh...tuff out of it! It always had a quark, it would drift one way then the other (Hay!
I'm back to the point of all this!), not bad but noticeable. I drive it straight, but when I get into my wives Aerostar it would be " Sir would you please step out of the car! Have you been drinking? " No. I don't drink!" "Do you know your weaving?" "Yes!" "Why were you weaving?" "Well, when I learned how to drive I did drink, and that would have straight back then!" wow! Bad crowd here tonight :)! Anyway that is now fixed!
I called around town, nobody had one. that's impossible! This would be a common maintenance part and sure to be a rack item. I head off to Pep Boy's down street and there it was in the rack of red package all the other parts you need. $40.00 are they out of their minds? Must be, takes one to know one!
Then next to it a rebuild your flex coupler package, $7.00! OK! I can live with that so I buy it! I also see a can of Mother's California Gold car wax, I remember someone recommending this. I buy it to. At home I had to try the new wax. I spread some out on my buffer add a little NU-Finish (Why? I don't know, I read the directions on the buffer.... This came close enough for me!) and did half of the hood, changed pads on the buffer...
Man! this works good! I do the other half and my wife comes out "WOW! That looks good!" It could Ruin my anti theft deterrent, thank God it can't put paint on Bondo, I would need to lock it! I try some on the Yamaha (the reason I bought it, and it wouldn't be the guinea pig!) For those of you who haven't seen an 83 Seca they came in to colors (I could be wrong on this. Although I believe I'm correct I will require this disclaimer!) black and red. mine is the red. The red is that dark blood red. NU-Finish made it look beautiful. The Mother's made it look like you could pour it into a wine glass and drink it! (umm, kind of got away again didn't it! Sorry!)
First I couldn't find in the manual the procedure for removing it, I may have done some unnecessary disassembly. I tend to do that, I like repairs to upgrade the original when ever possible.
1) I remove the bolts securing it to the steering shaft and the bolt in the clamp on the gearbox side.
2) I loosen The column and pull it back as far as it will go.
3) I remove it from the gear box. (After 25 years it didn't want to go, it went!)
Next came a new problem. they are not made to be rebuilt! the pins are pressed in and mushroomed on the O.D. and must come out to remove the old and install the new (Dampener, Grommet black flexible thing?) I used my angle grinder and cut off the mushroom end then knock them out with a drift. Painted the parts that will be reused and then I opened the package and took out the (see above) and lined it up with the pin holes on the clamp and everything looks fine. I take out the new hardware and one of the pins is half the thickness of the original though it would work, I used the original. the other is fine and use it. The new pin is threaded and has a nut, so I install it first and use the forever and then some lok-tight on the nut. If you do this remember you have a bolt in the clamp and if you use the new pin with the forever and then some Lok- Tight on the same side, you can't get the bolt in with out using your angle grinder and taking off ....

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