You guys (and ladies I'm sure) have no clue how happy I am to find this bulletin board forum. I've got a problem and nobody seems to be able to help me out with the basics. I'm clueless on the Ford 360 engine so with that said...

The engine I have in my truck is "weak". I'm talking very weak. I have a 74 4X4 chasis with a 79 body. The engine is a 360 that was supposedly rebuilt before installation into the truck some 50,000 miles ago.

The engine has absolutely no power. It will pull a trailer, but Dodge Spirits pass it going uphill and if I use the auto tranny like a std shift it just is decent power - in other words making it rev a little. No torque, there is no way that it will ever-ever spin the little 31.5" tires that are on it.

It is a 2bbl with headers and newly rebuilt tranny.

The engine just has no guts (torque) what so ever.

I want to know if anyone has an idea on this. It cranks okay considering there is no choke. It idles fine like there isn't any problem with the engine, but no hp/torque.

Could it be a timing problem? A mechanic suggested that to me recently in conversation, but it cranks/idles fine.

Could it be the 2bbl holding it back that much? Could I need to put a 4bbl on there such as a 600cfm spread bore so that I can still get halfway decent mileage (maybe even better) and then have the extra carb for power when I need it?

Also, when I've searched sites such as ebay for manifolds, I have to admit I'm in the dark about the fact that I find tons of manifolds for the 390, but not the 360. Aren't they the same?

Thank you very much and looking forward to hearing your responses.

Mike Patrick / N.Georgia

 

Another note about the engine. It has a knocking sound, but it doesn't sound like a rod. Someone suggested that the fuel pump was making all the noise. It sounds like a rod, but it's too audible like it's out in the open or something.

Any suggestions you have would be appreciated. I'd love to get this thing running the way it should so some of these guys running around with bowties weren't looking so smug!

Mike

 

The manifold for the 390 will fit the engines are almost the same. I don't think the carb will make it have more power alot of people I know say the 2bbl has a better throttle response because the bores are bigger and they say the 4bbl get better gas mileage if you stay out of the secondaries. Eric

 

Not having power sounds like a air/fuel/timing problem. Advancing the timing will give more power, retarding saves gas. The only real difference between 360 and 390 is the crank. That sound your hearing could easily be an exhaust manifold leak. I have the same problem. I've replaced the manifold gaskets and donuts and six months later its popping again.
Dave,
79 F-150 4x4, 390 w/C6, Edelbrock carb, 33X12.50 never will be finished.

 

The only differences between the 360 and 390 are the cranks, rods, and pistons. Everything else should intermix.

I wish I could help you with your problem, but I don't know much about engines.

Good Luck!

Matt
1974 F-250 4x4 Highboy

 

Hey Mike, welcome aboard. You should get some good info here regarding your post.

Here's what I'm thinking. Inherently the 360 is not a super high HP/Torque engine. As a matter of fact in '68 it only put out 215 HP and 325 ft/lbs torque (probably less in '74 with more emissions). If you have a couple hundred $ burning a hole in your pocket, install a 390 crank, rods and pistons, beef up the cam to about 1/2" lift, install electronic ignition, go with a reasonable 4bbl like the 600 CFM you mentioned and put a nice set of 2 1/2" duals on. You also might need a little lower gear ratio, say 350-373's in the rear. All of these in unison should get you the performance you are "envisioning."

Good Luck.

 

Mike- you might try playing with the mixture and timing, but don't expect miracles. Yes the 390 manifolds will fit. Part of your problem may be the fact that 360's were built with low compression, 8 to 1 or less and they just don't have the power they should. Who rebuilt this engine anyway? A thoughtful rebuilder would have suggested making it into a 390, which makes a dramatic improvement, or using flattop pistons from a 390 car engine to increase compression and therefore power. If you change the crank and rods, and keep the pistons you have now, you'll have 10 to 1 or more. DF

 

With an unknown compression ratio, I'd do a compression check. I rebuilt a 360 in my other truck and it hauls. All stock, 2V, w/ headers, stock points... It has plenty of power.
I'd check the overall condition of the engine. Check vac at idle, check compression (should be 140~160), convert from points to ele ign (Pertronix), check the condition of the carb by reading the plugs, check for vac leaks, timming (check for advance). Maybe it's time for a complete tune up (new wires).

Did the engine ever have power? You should get scratch with 31" tires. If you never got power from it, I'd go for the 390 4V.

 

If your 360 is in tune and has good compression, your final drive ratio could be your problem. My stock 352 with a 4.56 could tow a house, but revved a little too high on the freeway. You can find a happy medium.
Eric

 

Living in the little town of Blairsville Georgia there are only a few mechanics. If some of you can give me some stats so that I'll know what I'm talking about when dealing with the mechanics here it would be appreciated.

What should vacuum be on this truck?
What PSI should it be?
What should the timing be set at as far as degrees etc...

Any info like that would be appreciated so I can have someone diagnose the truck and get back to you guys so you can clue me in a little better. I still have mechanics here telling me FE stands for Fuel Enjected LOL Yeah-yeah it's Injected, but they insist that is what it stands for. *grin*

Thank you very much for all the insightful comments. I might just start looking for a 390 crank to go with the stock pistons as mentioned. Thanks to the guy that informed me that this would give approx 10:1 compresion ratio. That would certainly put me in the mood for a better intake that's for sure.

I've been concerned about the gear ratio, but I noticed that in low or 1st (it's an auto) that it runs out to approx 40+ mph. I dunno what the ratio is but will find out. I just had a sleeve put in the rear axle because it was leaking.

Thanks again in advance for info. If you can give me any of the stats so I can compile them and speak intelligently with the mechanics around here it would be greatly appreciated (as already mentioned above).

After we get this fixed, we'll get on to the steering! *grin*
Mike Patrick

 

Mike as posted above, The 360 aint no 390, but should still have plenty of power for your towing. The 360 has the same bore as the 390 but has a 352 crank. It was detuned for early smog concerns. The two barrel carb is plenty for a daily driving truck. The FEs were never starving for gas with them, if you gotta go with a four barrel stop at 600 cfm. Can't go against the 390 upgrade suggestion, changing to a different cam could be a lesser expensive power upgrade. Before you open her up do check out the vac leaks and timing setting.

FYI FE is for Ford Edsel The FEs were first introduced in the Edsel in 1958 and was built for that new product line. It did have one hella of a motor, even though the rest of the car was ahead of it's time.


John
jowilker
Club FTE since 01 01


66 F100s
In the still cool hours of the night,
you can hear chevys rusting away.

 

Stock vac should be 17~20, adjust timming and A/F mix to give max vac at idle.
Compression should be 150~160 but 115+ is marginal for a worn engine, 175 is good for a fresh engine.
Timming should start at about 10~12, but for max power, look at the vac and run the engine under load, check for pinging. Adv the timming until you start to get pinging under load then back off 2 deg. This should give 17~20 vac at idle.

40MPH in 1st gear! WOW! That's a HIGH gear! What RPM do you run at 60MPH on the freeway? Sounds like a gear change will change your truck! Really, 40MPH sounds way too high for 1st gear! I think autos usually got the 2.75~3.25 range and you'll want to change your's by about 15%, something in the range of 3.0~3.5 (double check these, I'm guessing)

 

I have a 70 ford ranger with a 360(according to the VIN), or equivilent FE. My Idle is too high and I dont know the idle speed specs. I have a automatic Tranny. Autolite 2100. wht is the speed?

 

550 RPM with tranny in Drive.

 

How about stock timing is it 6 btdc? not sure for 360/390?