I'll be heading to PullaPart soon to yank a 390 for rebuild by the machine shop. What ways can I identify a 390 from any other FE? Is there anything specific that will set a 390 apart from 360 or 352? Thanks in advance for any help.

 

Unfortunately, no. There is no external way to tell a 352 from a 360 from a 390. If you can take the time it is possible to check the stroke by using short rod, dowel, wire, etc. to find the stroke length. That will separate the 352/360(3.5" stroke) from the 390(3.78" stroke). I have a 428 presently that has 352 cast into the drivers side front cylinder bank!! Check out the FE engine forum down the page a ways, there have been many discussions about ID tips.

 

Putt, ALL FE blocks began life as a 352...they got punched to their finished bore thus the different engine size...ND made a comment to a thread on this topic a few days ago as I had too..


- cs65

 

Thus the justified skepticism when anyone tries to sell a 390.

 

cs65, I believe if you will go and research that you will find it not to be so. While all FEs are the same on the outside as noted, they aren't all poured from the same mold and drilled out to size. The 428 starts out very different from the 352. There are darn few 352s that could be bored out to 428.


John

 

Not all FE blocks = only 352/360/390's.

406/427 are different as are 410/428's.