352 or 390?
Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
From: TX Coast
I have two FE motors. I can not find a number anywhere on either block. I went by the crank #s to find out they were 360's. There is supposed to be a # in that general area, topmoo, but don't be suprised if there isn't.
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,613
Likes: 6
From: Coal country
The difference between the 352 and the 390 is both bore and stroke. The 352 has a 4.00 bore with a 3.5o inch stroke.
The 390 has a 4.05 inch bore, and a 3.78 inch stroke.
Here's the easy way to check the stroke without removing the head. Get a straight 12 inch piece of white electrical house wire or coat hanger wire. Get a magic marker. Remove the number 1 and number 8 spark plugs. Turn the engine over until the timing mark is at TDC. Put the wire in the number 1 spark plug hole with wire resting on the top of the piston. Make a mark on the wire even with the lip on the valve cover. Now move the wire over to the number 8 cylinder and mark the wire again, at the lip. Measure the distance between the two marks.
For those that don't know: 3.98 is the stroke for the 410 and 428 engines; 3.78 is the stroke for the 390, 406 and 427 engines and 3.5 is the stroke for the 352 and 360 engines.
If you have a stroke of about 3.75 inches, you have a 390. If it is 3.5, you have either a 352 or a 360.
The 390 has a 4.05 inch bore, and a 3.78 inch stroke.
Here's the easy way to check the stroke without removing the head. Get a straight 12 inch piece of white electrical house wire or coat hanger wire. Get a magic marker. Remove the number 1 and number 8 spark plugs. Turn the engine over until the timing mark is at TDC. Put the wire in the number 1 spark plug hole with wire resting on the top of the piston. Make a mark on the wire even with the lip on the valve cover. Now move the wire over to the number 8 cylinder and mark the wire again, at the lip. Measure the distance between the two marks.
For those that don't know: 3.98 is the stroke for the 410 and 428 engines; 3.78 is the stroke for the 390, 406 and 427 engines and 3.5 is the stroke for the 352 and 360 engines.
If you have a stroke of about 3.75 inches, you have a 390. If it is 3.5, you have either a 352 or a 360.
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