I was given an FE out of a 1972 Ford 3/4 ton pickup. The previous owner thought it was a 390, but was not sure. I know about checking the stroke, 3.50 for a 352 or 3.78 for 390. What can I check on the exterior to see if this is truly a 390 or possibly a FE truck motor? I want to do a performance rebuild, and replace a 352 in a 64 Galaxie. ANY information would help.
Nothing out side of the block is going to give you a reliable idea of what cubic inch it is. It could have been bored and or stroked by a previous owner.
If you are going to do a rebuild, it really does not matter if it is a 360 or 390. They both had the same bore. If you want a 390 and it is a 360, just add a 390 crank, rods and pistons. Or if you have more money in the piggy bank, just install a stroker kit.
Have fun with your project.
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2006 F350 PSD,4x4
2007 Focus
1960 Falcon, 428SCJ, 660 hp
1997 Explorer 4x4
From what I understand is that to upgrade the 360 to 390 convert only the crank and rods from the 390, if you were to include the pistons it would hit. Correct me if I am wrong.
From what I understand is that to upgrade the 360 to 390 convert only the crank and rods from the 390, if you were to include the pistons it would hit. Correct me if I am wrong.
No... The blocks are basically the same. If you put a 390 crank, rods and pistons in it you would have a 390. It would not "hit the heads"
The 360 rods are longer than the 390 rods.
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2006 F350 PSD,4x4
2007 Focus
1960 Falcon, 428SCJ, 660 hp
1997 Explorer 4x4
From what I understand is that to upgrade the 360 to 390 convert only the crank and rods from the 390, if you were to include the pistons it would hit. Correct me if I am wrong.
Here is a little FE 360/390 101...
The 360 and 390 blocks are basically the same with a stock bore of 4.05
The main goal of an engine is to have the piston come up to tdc top dead center without going above the top of the block or be to far down in the cylinder. Since 360's have shorter crank throw, 3.5 vs 3.78 they get the piston up to the top of the cylinder with a longer rod. The piston is matched to the rod so that the piston does not go above the deck of the block. "distance from the piston pin to the top of the piston is longer than a stock 390 piston".
Now for the 390, since the stroke is longer, Ford could not use the 360 rod or the piston would be above the deck, so they made shorter rods and adjusted the piston pin location so that the piston would end up at the desired height in the cylinder at tdc. With the longer stroke, you can visualize that the 390 piston goes down the cylinder further than the 360, thus creating more volume in the cylinder between the top of the piston and the head, in this case approximately 3.75cubic inches per cylinder.
3.75 x 8 = 30
I hope this helps.
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2006 F350 PSD,4x4
2007 Focus
1960 Falcon, 428SCJ, 660 hp
1997 Explorer 4x4
Fred, You need to count on it being a 360 and be very surprised to find it a 390. While there were a few truck 390s they are a very small percentage of FE installs. IMHO
Of course we all know, They all are 390s on sale day.
John
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In the cool still quiet hours of night, you can hear chevies rusting away.
What's with this "basically the same" crap. The 360 and 390 blocks are identical, which isn't basically anything, they are the same.
Not all 360 and 390 are exactly the same. You should heed your own advice... I am older than you are...
What does that mean,,, It means I am closer to senility.. LOL...
I chose my words wisely because I did not want to say what you just did and be wrong. In 1966 some 390 blocks ribbing was added around the sides of the block to strengthen the area around the water jackets.
About age,,, we are old and soon the kids will know more than we do because we will not be able to remember crap.
I would love to listen to Jack Roush, Robert Yates, Holman and Moody, etc. because they forgot more than I know about FE engines. There are some knowledgable FE people on this site, and we can all learn from each other. None of us knows it all.
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2006 F350 PSD,4x4
2007 Focus
1960 Falcon, 428SCJ, 660 hp
1997 Explorer 4x4
For the years of production of the 360, it WAS the 390 block with a 352 crank. As variations, if any, in the 390 would so, so would the 360.
As for the piston/rod thing, check this forum for anything labeled "360" and everything labeled "360 to 390".
The 360 had the piston sunk in the hole at TDC, adding to the dogginess of low compression. When using a 390 crank and rods, the 360 pistons produce a decent 9.5 or so CR. A couple of members have posted more precise info, hence my suggestion to peruse the threads here.
Has anyone ever seen a ribbed 360 from the factory? I have seen ribbed 390's and 428's but no 360 ribbed blocks.
There has to have been one or two out there.
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2006 F350 PSD,4x4
2007 Focus
1960 Falcon, 428SCJ, 660 hp
1997 Explorer 4x4
Not all 360 and 390 are exactly the same. You should heed your own advice... I am older than you are...
What does that mean,,, It means I am closer to senility.. LOL...
I chose my words wisely because I did not want to say what you just did and be wrong. In 1966 some 390 blocks ribbing was added around the sides of the block to strengthen the area around the water jackets.
About age,,, we are old and soon the kids will know more than we do because we will not be able to remember crap.
I would love to listen to Jack Roush, Robert Yates, Holman and Moody, etc. because they forgot more than I know about FE engines. There are some knowledgable FE people on this site, and we can all learn from each other. None of us knows it all.
Don't bet on being older than me, slick. I was around long before the FEs ever came out. But 360 and 390 blocks are identical in all important dimensions; bore, bore spacing, deck height, all bearing diameters and spacing and anything else than matters. They are totally interchangeable. Any external differences mean nothing and is the reason you can't tell what the hell is inside without measuring.
Has anyone ever seen a ribbed 360 from the factory? I have seen ribbed 390's and 428's but no 360 ribbed blocks.
There has to have been one or two out there.
I've never seen or heard of a ribbed block earlier than than late 68. Most of them after that had them till late in the 70's production when they were dropped for some reason. Possibly new molds to finish production. Besides your story on the ribs I've also heard it was to help support the old aging molds. Neither story (that I know of) has proved to be true or false. If you've seen them on a 66 block that's interesting to hear. Other than the HD webbing and beefy cranksaddle area's the 360-390 (apples to apples) I've never noticed a difference between the 2. The last batch of NOS 428 service blocks I had were all 71 castings and all had the ribs. C6AZ-6010-F was the part number on the box. Was the 66 ribbed block you had/saw a 427-428 or 390 etc...?? One thing you can never say never with the FE's.
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68 Mercury Cougar XR7. Sumthin FE under da hood.
Don't bet on being older than me, slick. I was around long before the FEs ever came out. But 360 and 390 blocks are identical in all important dimensions; bore, bore spacing, deck height, all bearing diameters and spacing and anything else than matters. They are totally interchangeable. Any external differences mean nothing and is the reason you can't tell what the hell is inside without measuring.
LOL...
Well Kid,,, I'll take that bet... Your signature says you were born Jan 12, 1947. I was born May 1st 1946. Get your dictionary and look up the word exactly. That is why I used the term basically. And yes you are right most all the blocks were used for both the 390 and 360 but not the ribbed block. Soooooo basically they used the same block.
Life is short, and getting shorter for old guys like us, so lighten up kid.
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2006 F350 PSD,4x4
2007 Focus
1960 Falcon, 428SCJ, 660 hp
1997 Explorer 4x4
I've never seen or heard of a ribbed block earlier than than late 68. Most of them after that had them till late in the 70's production when they were dropped for some reason. Possibly new molds to finish production. Besides your story on the ribs I've also heard it was to help support the old aging molds. Neither story (that I know of) has proved to be true or false. If you've seen them on a 66 block that's interesting to hear. Other than the HD webbing and beefy cranksaddle area's the 360-390 (apples to apples) I've never noticed a difference between the 2. The last batch of NOS 428 service blocks I had were all 71 castings and all had the ribs. C6AZ-6010-F was the part number on the box. Was the 66 ribbed block you had/saw a 427-428 or 390 etc...?? One thing you can never say never with the FE's.
No, my ribbed blocks are 428's. A friend of mine owned a rebuild shop (Lansing Engines) and I always enjoyed going through his blocks to see if I could find a diamond (427 or 406) so I did see a few 4.05 bore ribbed blocks. I do not remember what year they were, but I remembered reading about them years ago, so I went and dusted off my books and found the information.
1983 edition of
How to rebuild Big Block Ford Engines by Steve Christ.
Pg. 29
Says that the 390 ribbed blocks first came out in late 1966 for 390 ci. engines.
But again, as you say never say never, so maybe there is a ribbed block out there with 360 rods,pistons and crank from the factory, it is just that I have never seen one nor heard of one, but who knows...
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2006 F350 PSD,4x4
2007 Focus
1960 Falcon, 428SCJ, 660 hp
1997 Explorer 4x4
