I am in the middle of a rebuild of a 390 for a super camper special and was looking for advice from people that do this regularly or just know a little about these engines. I am just looking for a good tough sound and a little more than stock power. I dont plan on racing and the only thing i will haul is a 3000lbs boat.

I am going to take it to the machine shop and have the heads worked and the crank shaft run out and polished. I took it down to the crank and cam and the cylinders look very good, no grooves or rings where the piston stops at all.


This is an idea of the parts i was going to buy and install so any input would be great:

Sealed Power 205-601M000 Federal Mogul re-ring kit
Comp XE262H cam kit (P/N K33-238-4 on Summit)
Summit 600 CFM carb
Edelbrock performer intake
New high volume oil pump

Thats about all i was planning on doing to it. I would like to know if my stock push rods would work with that cam and any other pointers would be appreciated. Thankyou for your time, Justin.

 

You probably won't notice a lope with that camshaft. Your. 390 will swallow it up. You can go with a little more duration I think Summit has a house brand cheaper that should work nicely. I am assuming you have headers? If not you will mess your pants by bolting on a set. ( that much difference). If you have automatic then I would be careful how big you go on the cam and have the machine shop set your spring height with new springs you get if you are unfamiliar with doing that yourself. I just rebuilt my 360 and ordered most of my parts from Competition Products. I went with Elgin cam, not my first and won't be my last. Just don't get cam / spring kit from them. Their springs are to stiff for cam and almost impossible to get pressure down. I like comp but find them pricey. Oh well each his own. Also, I always use regular volume oil pump. With mostly stock I don't need problems high pressure can cause. I'm sure someone will respond with why that is wrong too. Personal preference. Good luck!

 

You should always check pushrod length but stock should work fine.

 

Hey thanks man, i have a 4 speed manual tranny and ya i forgot to say it does already have headers on it. I will look at those summit cams. What about the carb? do you think thats enough?

 

Yetiman i just looked at that Summit cam and your right,Duration 276/276, Lift .533/.533, I think i will go that route, 150 bucks in stead of four hundred. I think my stock timing chain and gears are still in good enough shape not to replace them anyway. I think i will just tell the machine shop what cam i am putting in there and let them replace the springs for me. Thanks for your suggestions

 

Timing chain and gears are cheap enough that, that is not a short cut I would take esp. considering the consequences.

 

I think your right cj, i saw a standard one on summits site for like 40 bucks. Is there anything that has to be done to put a double roller set on.

 

I would seriously consider getting a set of 360 pistons if I were you. If you happen to have a large supply of FE parts like some of do, 360 rods with bump the compression ratio a little.

On a side note, I think a longer rod is supposed to give you more torque (not that it would be noticeable). It was something I read a while back and can't remember the reasoning.

 

I thought 360 and 390 pistons were identical???? I thought the rods and crank were the only real difference.

 

You will need a double roller timing chain. That cam would stretch a stock one. I would ask tech at Summit about a recommended valve spring. The cam should come with specs for installed height.

 

As issued in pickup motors, the piston rundown is:

360: Uses the longer rod of the 352, but uses a 390 piston, usually the same spec as a late '60s "Regular Fuel" 390 2bbl. These have a slight dish with valve reliefs. In the 360, they end up over .100 down the hole and produce low 8s compression, if that. In the late '60s 390s, they were good for an advertised 9.5.

People also report finding the 390 "Premium Fuel" flat top pistons, which were good for 10.5 in the late '60s motors.

390: Pickup 390s used the Mercury 410 piston on the 390 length rod. This again, due to the short compression height of that piston, resulted in the piston being down the hole about .100. Again, low 8s for compression, vs. the 10.5 found in the 410.

The loads you are talking about would be no higher than what a typical Ford wagon would be saddled with, so, in my years-removed from an FE, internet opinion, you would be fine with 9.5 compression, or 9ish, however it sorts out with your heads. Torque and some fuel economy will be gained.

 

So if I kept the rod length i have right now but got a taller piston my compression would go up? I could look at doing that. Now i wish i would have checked that before i tore it down. I still havent measured my bore yet though so i am not sure if it may be bored already. I it is i will probably get new pistons just so i know what is in it but if it was stock i was going to leave it.

On another note, what is the major difference in the edelbrock performer vs the performer RPM? The only thing i notice was the performer is rated from idle and the rpm starts at 1500 but goes to 5500.

 

On the piston, yes, you keep your 390 length rods (6.49") and put on the taller car spec piston, compression height 1.77", vs. the 1.67" compression height of the 410 piston Ford used in pickup 390s to lower compression.

This is '60s car stuff, but it is the stuff Ford mixed and matched to make the pickup 360 and 390 motors:

FE Series Engine Specification Chart

As always, do the math and if you block has been decked, do the math 3 times.

 

Just buy the complete set. I'd never put a single roller back on if left to choice. Another thing to have done while at the machine shop is to have the oil journals chamfered. I also used a hi-volume, not hi-pressure, oil pump.

 

The performer rpm does not have the exhaust crossovers, so they will have to be blocked off at the head. X2 on the timing chain. I just installed the cloyes double roller, in place of my worn out stock set. It is a nice piece. Good luck.

Kurt