Missing while Under Load or Accelerating
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Joined: Mar 2013
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From: Phoenix, Az.
I took the Valve cover off and I found nothing out of order under there. I did check the torque on the Valve train bolts and one of them was pretty loose and I torqued them all down to 45 Foot Lbs. Its still missing and Im at a loss. I guess if I had a bad valve it would be impossible to see without taking the head off. unless I wanted to get one of those Crazy Camera's that you can snake down a hole.
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This is probably going to sound like a really stupid question. This truck has one of those Resistance style wires that goes to the Positive on the Coil on this truck. Is it possible that it needs to be changed with a regular wire being that I have changed out the Ignition System?
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I was able to spin one of the push rods but the other was under load so I have no Idea if it spun or not. All the pushrods on the valve bank were snug but I could spin all of them. I guess I should have Turned over the Engine and Watched the valve bank to see if all the valves were opening and closing... I need someone to crank it for me so I can watch. The Pushrods seem to be ok, no bends or problems I could see.
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 14,255
Likes: 199
From: Phoenix, Az.
This is probably going to sound like a really stupid question. This truck has one of those Resistance style wires that goes to the Positive on the Coil on this truck. Is it possible that it needs to be changed with a regular wire being that I have changed out the Ignition System?
Do that and then drive it for a while. Let's see if the MMO and some exercise doesn't help. After a couple hundred miles you might "read" the plugs.
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So I decided to take the other Valve cover off to check the Torque on the valve rail and I found one of them stripped, and its the Oil feed bolt. Unfortunatley its stripped in the head. I found a place that sells FE 390 Heads for like $277 a Piece and I am about to pull the trigger on this. I was thinking maybe what I should do is pull the engine apart and do a Hone Job and put some new rings in it and with the rebuilt heads I cant go wrong. SD Parts - 2F20 FORD 360/390 CYL HEAD Engine Cylinder Head I could maybe put a new oil pump in it and a new cam. This kinda sucks but its not a huge hit just a pain having to pull the engine... Think I might put an Aluminum Intake on it as well.
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I found a guy that has a Complete 1973 FE390 and he has the Paperwork from it being Rebuilt. He is having to scrap out his Shop because he is Moving and he is going to sell it to me for a great price. This will also make cleaning and painting the Engine Bay that much easier. I sure hope its exactly as the guy described to me and is on the level with me. Keeping my Fingers Crossed.
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I would also like to thank all of you who have spent the last several days with me trying to get this Engine Running Right. I look at it as a great learning experience and I got to learn new ways of Troubleshooting Engine Issues with different techniques... I will post pictures of the New Engine and of us Dismantling the old engine and see what the real problems that was plaguing the Engine... I'm guessing I have a Valve issue in #6 and now I can tear it apart and see what is really going on.
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Ok, So Im going to take bets on What is wrong with #6 on my 390. Im guessing either recessed Seat or a Burn or warped Valve or possibly a Bad Lobe on the Cam. Could be a bad Lifter but I kind of doubt it because when I spun the motor over I was able to spin both of the Rods When Seated, if it were an bad Lifter there would have been a lot of slop in the push rod.
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2013
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From: Phoenix, Az.
I still think it's in the rings. Stuck or broken. You had a steady vacuum gauge needle. But you never told us if you have any blow-by coming out of the valve cover with the oil cap removed. Engine idling.
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I will put the Valve Covers back on and Run the Engine to see if I have any blow by coming out the Oil Fill. I am thinking about fixing this Engine and selling it no matter what I find. The main Reason I want to get this other engine is because he has the Documentation and It was rebuilt in a time where Hardened Valve Seats and Stainless Valves were used in the Rebuild Process. I have heard lots of nightmare stories about the effects of the Ethanol on the Older Materials used when these motors were built. I really Appreciate all your Assistance in the Troubleshooting of this Engine and I can tell you I have learned a Lot from the Experience. One question though, If this was a ring issue wouldn't the Compression Go Up when I did the Wet Test? Because it stayed steady at 120 and I did the test twice to see if maybe I didn't put enough oil in to make the compression go up.
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 14,255
Likes: 199
From: Phoenix, Az.
I will put the Valve Covers back on and Run the Engine to see if I have any blow by coming out the Oil Fill. I am thinking about fixing this Engine and selling it no matter what I find. The main Reason I want to get this other engine is because he has the Documentation and It was rebuilt in a time where Hardened Valve Seats and Stainless Valves were used in the Rebuild Process. I have heard lots of nightmare stories about the effects of the Ethanol on the Older Materials used when these motors were built. I really Appreciate all your Assistance in the Troubleshooting of this Engine and I can tell you I have learned a Lot from the Experience. One question though, If this was a ring issue wouldn't the Compression Go Up when I did the Wet Test? Because it stayed steady at 120 and I did the test twice to see if maybe I didn't put enough oil in to make the compression go up.
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I didn't know you did it twice. As a matter of fact I was also thinking you didn't squirt enough oil. So, in theory, rings are out and so is the valves sealing. Since you had a steady vacuum gauge needle. That would lead to the valvetrain not opening the valves far enough. Cam lobes, lifters, pushrods, and rocker arms.
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OK so there is no blow by out the Oil Filler hole. So I think the next thing I am going to do is do a measurement on #6 on the travel of the Rocker as compared to the travel on #5 and see what I get..