I'm following along as I also have a strange noise in. 390 in my 67 galaxie. I will attach the link to my thread.
I have not had time to dig into it yet.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-in-390-a.html

 

Nutter, yours could be exhaust but it sounds kind of metallic. a weak lifter, bent pushrod or just worn components can cause slack in the valve train. the only way to check is to bring it up on the base circle and see if you have any preload left in it. if you don't it will clatter.

A collapsed piston, usually from insufficient clearance on a rebuild will smoke. a rod bearing will knock mush worse on deceleration.

 

I have been trying to post a video of the engine running, but I cannot upload the video.
This website seems to only be able to accept photos.
I have looked around the sit for any info on how to do this, with no luck.
Is there any way to post a vide on this forum?
Thanks!
-John

 

John, you can post a video, but there is a size limit.

good luck.

 

Upload it to youtube and then post a link here.

 

I would rather not do a youtube, no experience in that.
Was able to pare down the video and got it to upload I think.
The link showed up in the advanced version in the manage section but I do not know how to transfer it to the dialog window as a video.
Any other ideas?
Appreciated all the help.
-John
ford noise4.mp4

 

I had a noise like that 35 or 40 years ago in a 352 couldn't figure it out and one day it developed a lot of blowby so I pulled it out and scattered it and found one piston that the snap ring that holds the wrist pin in had come out and it machined the prettiest groove you ever seen in the cylinder wall I found my noise lol.

 

Ok, looks like my vide is viewable, glad it worked!
I drag and dropped the link from the management window as it was the only thing that seemed to work.
Do the Ford 360/390FE engines have a wrist pin that is held in place with snap rings or is it pressed into the piston rod?
Thanks!
-John

 

Yes , they have locks .

Hard to tell from your video, there are a dozen things it could be. what makes it better or worse like RPM , load, ext can help weed it out.

 

That almost sounds like alternator bearing going out to me. Easy to check- just pull the belt and see if noise goes away.

 

I first noticed the noise after I replaced the right bank exhaust manifold gasket which was blown out near the thermo choke heating section.
I at first thought it was a slipping belt caused by a bent accessory sheeve, so I removed all of the belts from the motor and ran it. The sound remained.
I pulled the right bank valve cover and checked for broken valve springs, bent push rods. I found about two which may be slightly bent by spinning them in place unloaded but have not rolled them on glass. I checked the arms for play in the shaft unloaded and the shaft springs, all good. I then ran the engine and connected a noise tracer to each of the rocker arms. All sounded normal and none synced up with the noise that I have been concerned with. I did a visual check on the right exhaust manifold gasket, no cracks or carbon tracing.
The noise is most prominent when first started, cold. The noise is inaudible at idle at any temp. The noise is most distinct on acceleration. The noise is least distinct at high RPM, (no surprise). The noise increases in pitch and rapidness with RPM. The noise gets quieter after the engine gets to temp.
The engine has been gone through at one point, as evidenced by the over spray of Chrysler blue and the lack of varnish I have found under the covers.
The engine performance power is ok. the truck is geared low at the dif with a top speed of about 55, the transmission is a four New Process with granny first, usually start off in second so more a three speed. In shifting on hills, the engine will tack out to shift, when I release the clutch, the engine will bog a little but then come back up. Not a performance truck, more like a tractor.
One other thing also puzzles me on this truck (not to confuse the issue further). I am having a hard time bringing the idle down. If I back off on the screw too much the throttle valves start to stick. When I got the truck the PCV system was pugged with the valve removed and a bolt stuck in the grommet and the port capped off. Seems like the previous owner was having the same issue. At idle when I plug the PCV the idle does drop. I tried spraying starter fluid all around the base of the carb, and the throttle valve shaft with no change. I have no idea how the extra air is getting into the engine. The only way I can truly drop the idle is to run in the mixture screws, but then the truck performance drops. Only thing I can think of is the carb may have been taken totally apart, even the valve blade stake screws, and not re assembled so they seal properly closed. The truck was built in San Diego, and used to have an EGR system which was removed, but the aluminum plate is still in place, the port capped.
Thanks, all
-John

 

Exhaust manifold leaks are worse when cold and worse under acceleration.

Piston slap is reduced with a warm engine.

When you slowly cover the carb with a rag at idle doe it speed up or die?

 

I did that once in the '70s, used aluminum to block off an unwanted EGR, exhaust burnt through the aluminum in a few months.

 

May be a long shot but, right behind the alternator on the end of the head is about a 3/8" port for pollution emissions tubing. On a emissions delete truck a 3/8" freeze plug looking thing is inserted. Mine started rusting out and it sound like something lightly tapping inside the engine.
I have an old stethoscope and put a long piece of 1/8" tubing in and found it that way. I cleaned the hole , tapped it with a 3/8" tap and put in a galvanized plug.

 

The first thing that came to my mind after I read original post was wrist pin keeper let go. I was service manager at a Ford dealership from 1973 to 1991. We replaced a lot of blocks under warranty for this problem. We were told by factory service rep that Ford was going to discontinue the FE engine and they let the quality go down.
If you can get a bore scope, check for grooved cylinder wall. Another thought is rod bearing clearance. Can start out as described. Usually when blipping the throttle there will be a double knock if rod bearing loose.