Well, my quest for more oil pressure is officially under way. This is my old '70 F100 with the 390. It runs great, has good compression, but has low oil pressure due to a bad front cam bearing and a 32 year old oil pump. I'm replacing both of those, and mabye installing a crank kit. I won't know until I uncap some bearings.
While I'm at it, I'm going to re-install a points dizzy and throw the Duraspark system on the shelf. I'm returning my truck to what it was when I bought it. And I kinda miss setting the points every month!
I've got the engine half tore down(top end), and the bottom will follow soon. I'm removing as much as I can before I pull the engine out of the truck. I might be doing it the hard way, but it's my way.
Enough for now - mabye I'll post an update later.

Jason Kendrick "390FE"
KC0MFW

 

Hey..... Take some pictures for us as you go!!

__JOHN__ô¿õ
1972 F-250
ICQ# 6030753

 

Will do, John. Too bad I hadn't thought to snap a before pic, but just about everyone has seen an old greasy 390.

Jason

 

I started a bebuild on my 390. Found a burned piston and broken rings in one cylinder. That cylinder would need to be rebored, I called t check around and they want $15/$20 to rebore a cylinder. Called all of the area salvage yards and they don't have any FE block. Started to panic deciding what to do. I called a small local yard that I get a few parts from and he asked what I wanted, turns out he has 10 390's and an assortment of others. He has a good shortblock for $200 that I am going to look at tomorrow. Then its on to getting the rebuild done.

bob

 

 

Well, time for an update! The old '70 F100 Custom is back on the road, with both better oil pressure and a bit more power. I pulled the engine out of the truck and put it in the stand. The crank was in very good shape, but the bearings were about 32 years old, as was the oil pump.
I installed new rod and main bearings, a new rear main seal, and a new front cam bearing. The old front cam bearing was destroyed by a camshaft that broke years ago.
After I got the engine put back together, it took just 24 hours to get it back in the truck and running. I primed the oil system with a 3/8 drill before firing the engine, and after messing with the dizzy a bit, got it fired up! Break in the cam-2000 rpm for 30 minutes-and then start tuning.
I think it was Tuesday before the truck hit the street, but it certanily does have more power thanks to the 268H grind from Comp Cams, and the Holley 600cfm vacuum secondary carb.
I still have a lot more work to do on it before I'll call it done. More tuning, add an insulated carb spacer, re-install the air cleaner assembly and pcv hoses. I also need to work on the transmission linkage. Somehow it got tweaked and now the shifter won't go into first gear... No biggie.
Oil pressure?
Hot before: idle=0 2500rpm=22psi:-(

Hot now: idle=10psi 2500rpm=42psi