after spending another 400$ in parts and shop rental fees with a grand total of about 680 im pretty shure im done trying to make this engine thats in my 66 250 run good, obviously im having some sort of cam issue or valving problems possibly distrubtar drive.

the engine is a 359 heavy duty long stroke truck engine. i just put a new oil pump to replace the older HD one that was in there so i could use HEI style disrtibutar(the distrubtar drives are not the same). it still runs like crap and sometimes even worse, while pulling up hill the engine likes to cut out and miss every once and while. im using larger jets i think like a .72 on a new holley 4412 and i think ive got a stock power valve of 5.5vacum. we tried alot of different combinations with no luck. i have no idea what jets to be running in here it feels like its starving for fuel and gets even worse when theres a load on it. i replaced the vacum pull off valve and got it functioning. i set my mechanical advance at around 14.
i cant seem to get this carb to tune up right, i cant seem to keep a steady timing in it, one day it runs awesome the next barely at all. my mechanic friend and i were stumped had no idea what was going. i work on big EUI diesel like 4000hp ones in heavy equipment so small gas engines are not my strong point. but i wasnt the only one working on it either

making along story short, im tired of jacking with the engine. i wana put something in there i can trust and count on. sence this is not a daily driver i wana say bigger the better with out going into the 427 $$$ range. i was thinkin about like a supercharged 460 would be fun. but what year? or diesel swap like detriot 6v71 or any diesel that would fit. ive seen a few of those in larger chevy trucks... im open to ideas wana start lookin for something soon. tired of seeing my projest just rust away and not running.

thanks!

 

It's probably time you do a compression test to see if the engine has issues. You are saying some days it runs great and some days like crap. Well, I doubt that it is an engine issue. It would be running like crap all the time. Look at something different. The 359 is part of the FT family of Ford Heavy Truck Engines. Low revving & low compression. Not really good for a truck like yours. I wouldn't doubt it your carb is all screwed up. What kind of carb do you have on there? What kind of intake. Is there a distributor problem. Check for a sloppy distributor. I have seen the bushing wear out and really screw things up, most of all it is hard to find. Most people don't think of looking at the dizzy as the problem especially if they are wearing out onthe inside. Possibly a fuel delivery issue also. Find another carb, a known good carb and put it on there. See what happens. If you don't like that FT engine, than look for a 360 or 390 from a car or light truck and it will bolt right up and you will have your self a decent engine with plenty of grunt to get you moving. I don't know of many people that would use a 359. They are kind of a pig. Good luck!

 

I would have gotten everything to stock in the carb and distributor before i decided on upgrading it. could be all kinds of issues now. engine could not like the carb set up you have, blah, blah, blah. but your right sounds like you should quit worring about this engine and get something in there your good at and going to have more fun with anyway. as far as major engine swaps in these trucks for diesels. i've seen cummins 12 and 24 valve conversions. I've even seen a ford/international 6.0L engine in one. get something fun and quit wasting your time with something your going to replace in the future anyway. anyway sounds like your on the right track is all im saying for what you want for it.

 

well its got a new holley 4412 on it, new distrubutar, new oil pump, doesnt have a new fuel pump but fuel pressure is good all the way through the load the oly thing i know is there i may have a bad valve because the vacum guage bounces kinda bad, i only pull about 14inches of water and bounces real fast between 10 and 14. i was also thinkin it had a bad timing chain or is strecthced to far. i think that would also give the eratic time. its also got a few bad exhaust manivold leaks.
does that old 359 engine make for a good builder? the local machine shop in town says they can line bore and punch it out to what ever i want as long as the side wall can handle it for about 700$ and than a roating assembley. theres a few on ebay, or strokeing out to a 390. or more something like a stock configuration.

 

You may also want to do an exhaust gas test to see if that thing is running rich. The jets sound big to me. If I remember, mine were 52/54 when I ran a holley on mine. Check out the link explaining the differences between the two. You are best to search for a 360/390 FE and go from there. It will be worth it in parts and power.

Ford FT vs. FE - BumpWiki

 

You might want to check fuel delivery system from the carb all the way back to inside the fuel tank. I had a back half of a big yellow bumble bee inside a tank in a 66 F250 I had. It played havick with fuel delivery depending on how much fuel was in the tank and time of day. It took a while to finally figure out what was causing the problem it finally stuck in the opening and caused the truck to stop running completely and thats how I found it. Till then I remember it being a real PIA.