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Old Mar 31, 2004 | 08:48 PM
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Talking 390 Power

I have a friend that is giving me a 390 truck engine for my truck. It is stock right now, but I am planning to do the following:

.030 bore and hone
10:1 pistons
Edelbrock Aluminum Heads, Performer RPM intake, Water pump, 750cfm
headers

If the factory rating was 255hp, what should I be looking at for power and torque? Should I be near 400hp? With the power you suggested along with the fact that I have 4.10 gears and a 4-speed, what kind of numbers should I be getting down the quarter? It's not 4 wheel drive.

Erik
'67 F-250 Ranger
 
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Old Mar 31, 2004 | 09:06 PM
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factory power

where did you get the factory power rating at. I just purchased a 390 and put edlebrock intake followed by a holley 600 cfm carb on top, with some headers and I am trying to figure what it is pumping out.
 
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Old Mar 31, 2004 | 09:28 PM
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Catalog

[QUOTE=76F150390ci4x4]where did you get the factory power rating at. I just purchased a 390 and put edlebrock intake followed by a holley 600 cfm carb on top, with some headers and I am trying to figure what it is pumping out.[/

I found it in one of my parts catalogs for Ford trucks. I think its a 390 made before '72, so it should have the 255hp rating.
 
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Old Mar 31, 2004 | 10:05 PM
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alright

i have gotten a lot of different answers and i am going to have to look in some catelogs for myself. It wouldnt be in the ford restore catelog would it? Oh well. I just got my truck done today and i have to build my exhaust tomarrow, Any suggestions on what i shouldx do, I am thinking just straight with and x pipe.
 
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Old Mar 31, 2004 | 10:26 PM
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Originally Posted by 76F150390ci4x4
i have gotten a lot of different answers and i am going to have to look in some catelogs for myself. It wouldnt be in the ford restore catelog would it? Oh well. I just got my truck done today and i have to build my exhaust tomarrow, Any suggestions on what i shouldx do, I am thinking just straight with and x pipe.
If you are going with duals, then I recommend 2.5" pipe. Allows for great flow, but does not reduce back pressure to much. As for a muffler, I think the FlowMaster is the best. Either 40 or 50 series. Yes...x-pipe is a good idea.

I have a FlowMaster single 3" exhaust for my 390FE using a Big Block 70 series muffler. My preference is quite...but still gets that low growl FlowMaster sound.

Good luck...

 
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Old Mar 31, 2004 | 10:42 PM
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pre 72 390's had a higher hp rateing than the 73 and after 390's due to emissions, you are going to get a lot of different answers because there was a lot of different 390 rateings out there, its hard to tell unless you dyno it yourself even desktop dyno's arnt the greatest
 
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Old Mar 31, 2004 | 10:50 PM
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pre- 1970's 390's had 275 stock Hp from the factory. the 352's had 210 with a 2 barrel and 255 with the 4 barrel.
 
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Old Apr 1, 2004 | 05:17 AM
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Well I was told with my 70 F250/C6 when the motor was completely stock...some said 275HP some said 255HP..So I dont know if there was a 20HP diff. between 69 to 70 or not? -Russ
 
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Old Apr 1, 2004 | 09:20 AM
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The HP ratings will also be lower for a truck motor vs. a car motor.

Erik-you need to take into consideration cam and what heads you are using. you will be "near" 400hp, but I would say 370 would be a more in line number. considering your track times, if you are running the stock F250 4 speed from the truck (long stick and a long shift throw), you can consider yourself safe at mid 15's (that's a lot of truck...)

JMO --Mike
 
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Old Apr 1, 2004 | 05:49 PM
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Thanks Mike. There's a vintage a/c unit in my truck and somehow, the person who owned it before me must have chopped and bent that shifter around to clear the unit because the shifter is lower than stock and all the shifts I make are all short throw. I would prefer the longer shifter over this one despite the long throws because its harder to find the gears or get it into gear. Despite a longer shifter, I am pretty fast at shifting long throwers. I can get the shift done just about as fast as a short throw. I'm running the stock cam and going with aluminum heads w/ 10:1 compression. Would I be able to run on pump gas and what would the lowest octane recommended? With this setup would you still say 370hp and mid 15s? I have a friend w/ an '89 F-150 4x4 w/ 35's, 351W, and duals and he's pulling 15.3 at best. Just to let you know, I live in Delaware, where the tallest elevation in the state is the dump.
 
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Old Apr 2, 2004 | 10:27 AM
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I think you will need to upgrade that cam to get the maximum bang for your buck, otherwise you will be tossing away money on those heads. 10:1 can probably be done on premium fuel. Do a search on "build thoughts" or something similar, there are plenty of receipe sheets for parts on here.
--Mike
 
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Old Apr 2, 2004 | 10:48 AM
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I agree with Mike. Ebock heads with a stock cam is a recipe for no significant change. The stock heads have no problem keeping up with a stock cam, so unless you plan to upgrade the cam the heads become irrelevant.

10:1 with a stock cam will put you on the ragged edge of ping. The aluminum heads will probably allow it, but if you are at sea level a set of iron heads may not.

-Scouder
 
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Old Apr 2, 2004 | 01:03 PM
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I'm not a person who know much on cams or who likes to do cam work. All I know about cams is that for my 390, a full hydraulic roller valvetrain setup would be better than stock. I'm not trying to make a lot of power, but trying to get a 390 truck engine to perform like a 10:1 390 4v in like a Fairlane GT. I at least want to have 1hp/cu. in. Would 10:1 390 get better mileage than a stock compression 390 truck engine?
 
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Old Apr 2, 2004 | 02:04 PM
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Well Erik...

If you plan on going to Ebrock heads and a roller cam and valvetrain set-up...

Be prepared to dump some cash! I bought my Ebrocks @ $1300 for the set and have to save up now to get my block machined! LOL!! But I do have the hedmans and the Holley 750..

And at the end of the month.. I should have the change? for the RPM intake?

Im looking at probably an 18 month build on my 390? (HP=$$$$$$)-Russ
 
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