390 build
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2015
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From: Bismarck, ND
Okay! So several discoveries in the past few weeks, totally forgot about the forums. I got the intake and heads pulled off my 390 and I discovered that my seats were not sealing on my heads, and the stem seals also were not sealing. That gives me enough reason to take bad rings and intake angle problems out of my equation. Dropped off my heads about a week ago so hope to see them by next Friday! All I have left is clutch adjustment still.
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2015
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From: Bismarck, ND
I was also having issues with my throttle linkage refusing to line up correctly, so decided to purchase a lokar throttle cable, bracket and pedal. Overall worked out very well and the pedal has a large area for adjustments with your carburetor to position the pedal on the floor to match WOT with the carb. It also single handily cleaned up my engine bay a lot. Only issue with it is where the cable has to enter the cab through the firewall puts it VERY close to driver side valve cover. However I can still pull valve cover off with everything connected. Would you guys like to see how the setup went?
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2015
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From: Bismarck, ND
Ignore the messy pickup, currently have the dash taken apart for some more mods for me. Sanding the paint down to bare metal and clear coating the dash. All in all even with the price tag of the lokar setup it’s VERY clean, easy to setup and actually makes the throttle a bit more responsive. All I purchased was the bracket for my corresponding carb, bought a universal 24 inch cable kit which you can cut to your desired length (only need about 12 realistically) and then the pedal which was a bit steep in price. Lokar will also sell a Kickdown kit so you can connect your kickdown to another cable
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 422
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From: FL
I was also having issues with my throttle linkage refusing to line up correctly, so decided to purchase a lokar throttle cable, bracket and pedal. Overall worked out very well and the pedal has a large area for adjustments with your carburetor to position the pedal on the floor to match WOT with the carb. It also single handily cleaned up my engine bay a lot. Only issue with it is where the cable has to enter the cab through the firewall puts it VERY close to driver side valve cover. However I can still pull valve cover off with everything connected. Would you guys like to see how the setup went?
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2015
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From: Bismarck, ND
Well, this might be my last post about my 390 build due to issues either with my own assembly or just bad luck
After waiting a month for my heads to get back, they required the valve seats, seals and guides to all be redone due to being absolutely terrible from the other shop I purchased from. Pickup no longer burns any oil and runs VERY good, besides one fatal flaw, there is a very prominent knock that can be heard, I used my stethoscope, and can be heard the loudest at the valve covers, and at the header flange, I will be checking out any other possibilities that could cause the knock before I give up for good. But for now this is my end to a lot of dedication
After waiting a month for my heads to get back, they required the valve seats, seals and guides to all be redone due to being absolutely terrible from the other shop I purchased from. Pickup no longer burns any oil and runs VERY good, besides one fatal flaw, there is a very prominent knock that can be heard, I used my stethoscope, and can be heard the loudest at the valve covers, and at the header flange, I will be checking out any other possibilities that could cause the knock before I give up for good. But for now this is my end to a lot of dedication
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2015
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From: Bismarck, ND
I will, with how loud it is at the top end of the engine I’m hoping by some stroke of luck it’s just some weird rocker arm knock or pushrod length being incorrect. I do have forged pistons and they do knock when cold but this pickup knocked regardless, first 5 or so seconds of running every time I started it it didnt knock at all
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Joined: Nov 2005
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From: FL
Well if it doesn't knock for the first 5 Seconds that means .. something has to heat up before it causes the problem as in no oil getting to something like a Bearing??
and/or something swells up due to the heat and causes the knock.. as in too little clearance for piston rings
Please don't take me too seriously, I am really an amateur at diagnosing engine noise, but it still is a challenge to try.
Hopefully it is only something in the head, since you just got them redone something on the head or as you mention loose rocker arm, lifter, push rod length.
and/or something swells up due to the heat and causes the knock.. as in too little clearance for piston rings
Please don't take me too seriously, I am really an amateur at diagnosing engine noise, but it still is a challenge to try.
Hopefully it is only something in the head, since you just got them redone something on the head or as you mention loose rocker arm, lifter, push rod length.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 445
Likes: 0
From: Bismarck, ND
Well if it doesn't knock for the first 5 Seconds that means .. something has to heat up before it causes the problem as in no oil getting to something like a Bearing??
and/or something swells up due to the heat and causes the knock.. as in too little clearance for piston rings
Please don't take me too seriously, I am really an amateur at diagnosing engine noise, but it still is a challenge to try.
Hopefully it is only something in the head, since you just got them redone something on the head or as you mention loose rocker arm, lifter, push rod length.
and/or something swells up due to the heat and causes the knock.. as in too little clearance for piston rings
Please don't take me too seriously, I am really an amateur at diagnosing engine noise, but it still is a challenge to try.
Hopefully it is only something in the head, since you just got them redone something on the head or as you mention loose rocker arm, lifter, push rod length.