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I've been lurking here to learn a little about how you guys are getting powerout of these. I'm starting with a 76 4V motor. I'll have the heads apart for some re-seating and 3 angle valve job so I'll do a lil bowl work and thin the stems but no port enlargement. From what I gather here the trick is to use the 360 rebuild kit. I'll upgrade to the RV cam and find a used dual plane and headers.
Should I deck the heads to get rid of some of the recess?
Will this combo get me over 300hp reliably?
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59' Fairlane 500 Galaxie 332 auto (project)
76' 2wd F150 ECLB 390 auto (project)
96' 4wd F250 ECLB 460 auto (DD)
96' 2wd F250 ECSB PSD auto (DD)
2000' 4wd F350 CCDRWSWB PSD Limited Edition Lariat (Tow Pig)
My opinion is to scratch the rv cam and go with something a little more agressive, rv cams suck with higher compression like that 4v motor, you'll get more power and better mileage.
Joedaddy, How are you going to use the engine? If you have a 76 4V engine, it is a 390 already. Adding a little cam & headers will make it pull better.
If you are wanting high rpms you will want to go in a different direction.
John
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In the cool still quiet hours of night, you can hear chevies rusting away.
If you deck the heads the intake will need decking too. And the push rods..
Not always true. Intake fit should be checked after a head mill and before milling the intake. I've had two motors with milled heads that needed no intake mill to amke em fit.
Not always true. Intake fit should be checked after a head mill and before milling the intake. I've had two motors with milled heads that needed no intake mill to amke em fit.
The only gotcha is that the cork end gaskets can be thrown in the garbage
As for a 390 with some "grunt", the original poster is on the right track.
An "rv" cam is a toss-up though - post what cams you're looking at and these guys will pick 'em apart
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- art k. - Moderator for the Superduty, V10, 6.2L and FE forums
'13 Taurus SHO 3.5L Ecoboost w/Perf Pkg
'01 F250SD SC SB XLT V10 4x4 Volant CAI Hedman headers 5-star custom tunes on SCT X3
'97 Cougar XR7 30th Anniv Edition 4.6L
'74 F250 Highboy FE390 deceased! I've been wrong before, I'll be wrong again. Just wait and see. Ž
Might be cheaper to get a set of car pistons, check it out but as I appreciate it they are .1" taller.
puttster
Hence the reason to go with a 360 kit. The 360 uses the .100 higher CD pistons that were originally 390 pistons. This combo nets 9.3-9.5:1 CR with the later model heads.
As for the OP looking for a good used dual plane intake, the factory iron manifold will work just fine up to around 5500 RPM. Save your money, unless you happen across a killer deal. That money could be used for other stuff that would have a much better end result, like headers or better cam/lifters/timing set.
Granted, the iron manifold weighs about 45-50 Lbs more than an aluminum one, but how often do you plan to pick it up?
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1980 F-150 300 I6, C6 & 9" rearend. The workhorse. 300K+
1974 F100 Ranger XLT 390, C6 3.25 axle. Dad bought it new, drove it over 500K. Now that he can no longer drive it came to me. Value: Priceless.
1983 Mazda RX7 1.1L Rotary. The show/autocross/toy. 231K
1995 Mazda B2300 (undercover Ford)
OEM 1974 Breakerless Electronic Ignition
11 Degrees Initial, 36 Degrees Total Timing
Autolite 45 .036 Gap
C6 Auto
Stock Converter
3.00:1 Gear
31" Tire
Nothing done to the heads (C8AE-H) other than lapping the valves with an electric drill, they already had hardened exhaust seats. I tow 4000lbs 400mi. to the drag races in Topeka a couple times a month with it in my 68F100 and get 10mpg at 65mph/2100rpm. I can get 14 on the highway without the trailer at 60. The truck just walks up some pretty good hills, even with last week's 40mph headwinds (took my mileage down to just under 9).
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Peter B
'68 F-100 Ranger, Iterations:
1999-2005 - 240, 3 Speed Manual
2005-2011 - 302, C4
Born 10/21/2011 - 390, C6
I overhauled the 4 bbl 10 to 1 390 in my 68 Merc with a Crane 272* Energizer, left the C8AE-H heads as is, topped it with a 428PI intake, 3310 750 Holley and went with FPA headers. This combo would burn 89 octane fuel, idle had just a hint of a lope when cold, pulled from idle to 5500 rpms. The big Merc (4200 lbs) ran 14 flat @98 in the 1/4 with a 3.70 geared open diff 9" thru the stock C-6. I had a identical build in a 70 F100 in the 80's but with a 296* .516 lift cam (Cam Dynamics) and would run on 87 and run the 1/4 in 15's with a 3.50 rear.
I used the Fel Pro Permatorque Blues. Stay away from the Print O Seal (P.O.S.) I also liberally coat my head gaskets with Copper Coat before using them just as extra insurance.
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