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So I am finally tearing into this mystery FE. It’s locked up so removing the crank is difficult. Locked up good, dirt in the lifters as well as in the cylinders. Inside looks clean. So I’m starting from the bottom.
can anyone identify this crank? The “A” is by the rear main and the “12” is by the front main.
malao if anyone has advice for seized engines as bad as this please let me know!
So I am finally tearing into this mystery FE. It’s locked up so removing the crank is difficult. Locked up good, dirt in the lifters as well as in the cylinders. Inside looks clean. So I’m starting from the bottom.
can anyone identify this crank? The “A” is by the rear main and the “12” is by the front main.
malao if anyone has advice for seized engines as bad as this please let me know!
Turns out it’s a 3U which I have read to believe is just a standard 390 crank.
so now I have on my hands a :
390 block 30 over
390 rods
3U 390 crank
c8ae-h heads
4v intake
and a running 352, with a fresh top end. Runs great.
Once out of college I plan on completely rebuilding my 66 including the engine. Want to make it a somewhat aggressive cruiser. Should I sell the 390 components now and buy say a SCAT crank later on and fully build an FE, or sell off the parts since they won’t be used for a while.
As a dad of two college students I do not recommend hauling projects like this around, but that is water under the bridge, and I was guilty of this too(a looooong time ago). FE parts are getting harder to find, hang on to what you have. Once graduated and gainfully employed you may find that this project to be more of a PITA and it sits, but you would still have the stuff to put together a 397. I've been carrying around a 390 short block fully machined, ready to go, for 19 years, no use for it but I have it.
I understand that. After reading that I may keep the crank and rods. What all is involved in the 397? Can that be obtained from the 352 block I have running?
I understand that. After reading that I may keep the crank and rods. What all is involved in the 397? Can that be obtained from the 352 block I have running?
A 397 is a .030 over 390, the 352 can be turned into a 390 by using 390 rods and crank.
sounds good. Sonic checking is almost a must it seems. What if .05 is too much and I go to just .03 over, then use the rods and crank, would this pretty much be a stroked 353?
Is the block in the pics your 30 over 390? Depending on what is wrong you might just use that. Building an FE isn't cheap. Taking what you have, cleaning it up, ascertain what is not useable, and go from there.
"Fresh top end", please define. You can use the fresh top end on the 390.
Yes the block is a .03 over 390 but has some pretty badly rust damage in pistons and the lifter bores.
Fresh top end being rebuilt heads, new rockers, cam and lifters (stock) nothing special. Had heads off to figure out what a ticking was and a domino affect occurred and heads got gone through, new cam, old one had a flat lobe. Nothing special here I know it’s not the best decision but will get me through for a bit.
There has been much debate about whether the mid-sixties 352 and 390 shared block castings, with the 390 being bored .050" bigger. FWIW, my opinion is that they are the same, with the 352 having thicker walls remaining after being finished at 4.00". Of course, a sonic check doesn't hurt, but it does cost money.
Your cheapest route to a 390 is to have the 352 bored to 4.08 and re-use your pistons. ( I have been told that his might not be that much cheaper if the machine shop has to bore the 352's cylinders twice to get to 4.08") Next is to have the block bored to the standard bore of 4.05" which would allow you to use new standard 390 pistons, which are pretty cheap.
The option of a 390 crank and a minimally-bored 352, say to 4.03", will require an uncommon and more expensive piston.
Okay that makes sense. I just found this article about stroking a 352. Really interesting and has me thinking about it. I like the idea of having something different than the typical route (so it seems) of just making a 390 because there’s already a lot of 390s out there http://www.feclubofamerica.com/2018/...er-part-1.html
what about 390 rotating assembly, and .030 over 352 pistons? And then do headers, intake, cam, etc all the goodies.
Last edited by 1966F100SC; Apr 21, 2021 at 11:50 AM.
That article describes a pretty expensive way to get to 400". I admire the ingenuity, though.
A 390 crank will push a 352 piston out of the block.
Eric.
Okay that makes sense. I just found this article about stroking a 352. Really interesting and has me thinking about it. I like the idea of having something different than the typical route (so it seems) of just making a 390 because there’s already a lot of 390s out there FE squared (352 budget stroker) part 1
what about 390 rotating assembly, and .030 over 352 pistons? And then do headers, intake, cam, etc all the goodies.
Different pin height. 3.50 stroke vs 3.78. One could do a custom piston which will also get you to zero deck using the 390 crank, a good ring package and what ever compression one wants and what ever bore size. I did just that recently for a zero deck and 9.0 compression. Engine going on stand today as all machine work finally done.
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