3 blocks, which is best?
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 794
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From: Portland, OR
3 blocks, which is best?
I've got a cracked internal oil passage in my nice 390 that leaks a little oil into the coolant. Was gonna take it apart and try fixing it, but don't wanna risk all the work and not have found the leak. I have 3 blocks that I can use to replace it and would like to use the best one. I have a plain jane D4te block with the small CJ ribs, I have a mirror 105 360 block from a 73 with thick CJ main webs and I have a 64 fairlane 390 block with the crossbolt bosses and heavy CJ main webs. Which is the toughest? Thanks.
Needsmorecoffee.
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,624
Likes: 2
From: CT
I'm with Bear the 64 casting. Early castings were much smoother compared to later ones. Most likely a C4AE-A block it sounds like. Plus you have the option to crossbolt the block if desired. To be fair I'd check the cyl wall cores of each of them and do the drill bit test. The 64 block might surprise you there. Some C4AE-A blocks were used for 406 service blocks and some of those had 427 wall cores. Some just had std 390 wall cores also. It's wise to check them all.
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 748
Likes: 0
From: North US Border, Canada
Yep, the 64 is probably the best. Although I wish I had a few extra blocks sitting around like you do. The mirror 105 makes for a solid block also, for an eveyday build. As mentioned check em all, who knows you might find something wrong with one of the blocks along the way.
Madmike33
Madmike33
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Portland, OR
I know it's in the block. The heads have been off twice and the block came from a junkyard whereas the rest of the engine came from engines that I got running and driving. It's got over 100K on it and going strong, but the oil is leaking more and more. It dumps atleast a tablespoon a week of oil into the radiator and makes for a nasty mix in there if I don't flush it every couple weeks. Getting tired of flushing! Figure I'll just do the works on it again, maybe go to 428" if the early blocks specs out to a 406 casting. I was thinking the early block was probably my best bet. It was in a friends 59 T-bird that will sit unfinished in his shop for the rest of eternity. I got him drunk and talked him into trading for a stock 360 block and a case of beer because he'll never do anything with it. It doesn't have any casting numbers on it, but he pulled it from a wrecked 64 4 speed fairlane in the late 60's so figure it must be a 64 block. Maybe I'll find some crossbolt caps and tell people it's a side oiler...who knows? Thanks.
Dustin
Dustin
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,237
Likes: 3
From: Belleville, Ontario
Originally Posted by averagef250
It doesn't have any casting numbers on it, but he pulled it from a wrecked 64 4 speed fairlane in the late 60's so figure it must be a 64 block. Dustin
AL.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,600
Likes: 4
From: Iowa
I dont think you could go wrong with any of your blocks. The mirror 105 might have thicker cylinder walls than the others. I have two mirror 105 blocks with 428 wall cores, verified with the drill bit test. Then again, I've heard the early blocks dont get the "FE cracked oil passage" problem as bad as the later ones like the mirror 105. At any rate, get whatever block you use sonic checked and have the oil passage fix done.
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