A friend of mine has a 1970 f100 with a 360 bored 30 over and we are trying to find out what year the motor is, biggest problem we can't tell what the right size push rod to put in it. Second ? is when you start the truck in the morning oil pressure sits at 40 untill you start driving down the road and it drops to 25 and stay at 25 is that a problem.


any help would be appreiciated

thanks

Scott
LowCoutry Swampers

 

I do believe all of the FE rods are the same length, at least for the 390 on up. Your oil pressure "problem" is because your oil is thicker on startup. It is natural for pressure to drop when an engine gets warm.

 

If you let the truck idle for about 20 minutes and not move the pressure will not move but a soon as you start driving the pressuder drops that is what is puzzling.

thanks for the repsonse

Scott
Lowcountry Swampers

 

those pressure numbers are not a real problem for an engine with miles on it. Typically, if pressure drops as you run the engine faster, you are throwing off the oil. This means your oil clearances are too large on the crank/rods

 

 

Year of motor is irrelevant when concerned about pushrod length. The standard length is 9.59" and you can also get +.03" and -.03" lengths. Oil pressure is not static, rather it is always fluctuating, but the factory spec for a 360 or 390 is anywhere between 35-60 psi at 2,000 RPM. I've heard some people say that they only get around 5-10 psi in some of these FE motors. I'd be scared in that range.

 

Scott, The design of the oil flow in the FE causes that problem. My fresh 352 does the same thing. I have let it idle for 20 min and the oil pressure dropped to near 0 and the engine got rather warm. Get it going again and the temp will come down and the pressure will go back up to abound 25.

John
jowilker
[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker|Club FTE since 01 01]

[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker/NCFTE.html|NC Truck Owners]

66F100s Rule
In the cool still quite of night you can hear chevies rusting away.

 

Scottlow, there should be casting #s on your block and heads that show what year the engine was made. IMO, the design of the oiling system is fine on the FEs, however, the execution by the foundry is less than wonderful. I would be nervous with 25 pounds. If you're interested, this is a fixable problem DF

 

i always thought you should have 10 pounds per 1000 rpm's so if your at 2000 on the tach you should have atleast 20 lbs, i always like to see a oil pressure gauge read high tho, it sure beats having a gauge that reads low, how much lube is to much ?

 

dina would like to here on how to fix this problem? also where is the casting numbers on the block?

Scott

 

Scott, what makes you think the motor is not the original '70 motor?

The 360 was produced and installed only in light trucks from 1968 to 1976. Casting numbers will most likely do you no good in pinpointing a year. For example the block casting numbers C6ME or C8AE are found on most all 360 blocks from '68 to '76. These same numbers are also found on 390 blocks and 410 blocks. You will also find these numbers on some 427's and 428's. The "C" means 1960's and the second digit signifies the actual year in that decade, i.e. C6 represents 1966 and C8 represents 1968. Likewise, the letter "D" was used to identify components produced in the 1970's.

 

where are the casting numbers located on the block so we can tell what the year is?

Scott
LowCountry Swampers

 

Scott, if you jump over to the FE forum there is a thread about catastrophic engine failure, about an FE without the proper oiling mods done. jbhf250, with more computer skill than I have, has pasted my oiling mods into a reply. To do the whole job the engine would have to be removed, but if you are willing to pull the pan, you could do some of it. The rocker shafts could be dealt with with the valve covers off. DF