360/390 heads
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 247
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From: "The Backroads"
360/390 heads
What is the difference in the 360 and 390 mills? I have access to a couple of blocks..are the 360 and 390 heads the same? I am trying to build the 390 and have misc parts for 352/360 and 390 engines. I was told all I need to do is switch the crank and rods to make the 360 a 390. What about the heads, pistons is the bore different or just the stroke? Can anyone help ?What do I need to do to make my 360 a 390?
Freshman User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 37
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From: Bloomfield New Mexico
360/390 heads
What is the difference in the Rods? I recently rebuilt my 360 and installed a 390 crank and Pistons. At the advise of my Machinist, I went with the original rods.
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Tuned
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 374
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From: Dudley, GA
360/390 heads
360 rods are too long, and if used with a 390 crank and pistons will create a total throw that will make the piston collide with the head. Could your original rods have been short rods? Was your engine ever rebuilt before? But as long as it works...
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Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,931
Likes: 12
From: SW Michigan
360/390 heads
Yeah, the heads are the same between 360s and 390s. If the engines were produced in the same year. There are 390 heads from earlier 390s that are slightly differant than what the 360s got, but they will still work just fine. Now the rods ARE a bit differant. The 352 & 360 rods are 6.54 long, and the 390 rods are 6.488 long. Sometimes this can work in your favour. Many 390s (73-79 ?)came with 'truck' pistons. They were actually leftover 410 mercury pistons with a 1.66 pin height instead of the 1.76 height that earlier 390s got. Many replacement pistons are the same. What this does is leave the piston way too far down in the bore. If you are willing to do some mix and matching, the long rods will get you closer to a zero deck height ( a good thing ), and that is probably what the machinist did. DF 1.89 throw + 6.54 rod + 1.66 piston = 10.09 in a 10.17 tall bore, .062 taller than if you ran the short rods in this combo.
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,931
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From: SW Michigan
360/390 heads
some pin heights I know from memory, others you can measure if you have the piston and the pin. Push the wrist pin out so you can measure from the bottom of the pin to the top of the piston. Then subtract half of the diameter of the pin. (FE pins are .975 diameter). Is there a certain piston you wanted to know the height of ? DF, @ his Dad's house
