So I asked this in the 73-79 forum and they said to ask it here so here it is.

I have never worked on an FE block besides the external stuff. With that said I have built a few engines in my life, but I never remember seeing this when I was doing my cam selections " Will not fit factory Ford FE solid lifter engine blocks". I know that there was work done to the engine prior to me owning because it has a kinda rough idle cam that sux off the line in it now, which is my concern for such a heavy truck. My 351m in my 77 had a cam good for making peak power @ 2300-5500, kinda stupid..... I want to put a rv style cam but this * thing keep popping up. It has me a little confused. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

For further info, I have a 1976 F150 4x4 auto, the 390 is not the original motor so I am not 100% on what cam installed or work that has previously been done.

 

Your motor was most likely a hydraulic motor to start with. You going to step up to a roller cam?

Solid lifter blocks would have been 406 and 427s, with a relative handful of 390 Police motors in the early to mid '60s.

 

Not sure if I want to step it up to a roller cam, although the thought sounds nice. I want to give it more of a rv/towing cam for more low end torque, the truck is a little sluggish off the line, then kicks in around 2500 rpm. Feels kinda like my old Banshee, with the 2 stroke power band. I just want to smooth it out some, it does have a mean sounding idle, but it has some serious drinking problem as well. Probably because it takes half a pedal to get going. If it weighed in at 2500lbs I'm sure it would be a rocket ship.

 

To better answer your question, solid lifter FE blocks didn't have hydraulic lifter oil galleries drilled to use hydraulic cams. You can use a solid cam in a hydraulic FE block but not the other way round.

 

What do you have the initial timing set at ? If it's retarded, that will also cause it to be sluggish off the line. The intake design and carb used also have a lot to do with it as well. What intake and carb are you running ? If it's sluggish to 2500, then it would be as well with 2500 lbs weight.

 

Running an Edelbrock Performer and I an Edelbrock 600CFM. Not sure what the timing is set at, been to cold and snowy up here for me to really get around to playing with it. I also want to clean up the wiring, previous owner installed a MSD box and dist, but wasn't very clean about it..... I will do a full tune up and clean up the second we get two straight days of nice weather.