I am ready to start a rebild on a 360. I have fresh block ready to go on the engine stand. I have read here, about stroking them out. What do I need to do, and what are my options?
My parts.
heads C8AE-H
intake C9AE
rods C7TEA
Pistons C8AE
can't find #'S on block and crank.
What have I got since I bought itw/o vehicle

 

Grump, converting to a 390 is the way to go. If you have a 360 now, your crank will have a half moon shape notch in the flywheel flange, and the 360 rods are narrower than the wrist pin on the top. Get a crank and rods from any year 390. The 390 crank will be recognizable by the square notch in the flywheel flange, and 390 rods are thicker than the wrist pin all the way to the top. If your pistons are a slipper skirt design they may be usable with the new crank. The most important part of any FE build is the oiling system, have you addressed this ? We can talk you through it if you don't know how. Tell us more....... DF

 

Thanks for the response. The 390 parts seem like the quickest, and easiest way to go.I am keeping the standard bore. Will I be able to use the same heads, or do they need some work. Also aftermarket cam and lifters, intake, carb, headers planned. Any sugeestions? It's going in a cherry 69 F 100 Ranger. Thanks

 

The heads are perfectly interchangeable. Just make sure everything within the heads are in proper order, i.e. good valves, guides, seats, etc. If you’re spending money on a complete overhaul, might as well do it right the first time.

 

I found the block # C2AC, I'm wanting to stroke this out to the max, 390 + if possible. The pistons say 390 4V on them w/ the skirts notched. I got the funds to do what I need, the block is fresh, the heads are fresh, but I'll go back to have more work done, or search for the parts I need. I acctually have 2 of thease. I for the 69 P/U, and 1 to smoke Chevy's, and dodges. Tell me what I need, and I'll find it ya'll, and keep you up on the way it goes. grump

 

Grump, here are the specs on the cam I'm running, a Melling MTF4.

Dur. @ .050: 204 Int / 214 Exh
Adv Dur.: 282 Int / 292 Exh
Cam Lift: .280 Int / .295 Exh
Gross Valve Lift: .484 Int / .510 Exh
Center Line: 107 Int / 117 Exh

I've also got an Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, Edelbrock 600 vac secondary carb, 2 1/2" duals, Pertronics ignitor/coil, 10:1 CR, windage tray, high volume oil pump, 3.73 gears, etc. with the oil mods. I have tremendous oil pressure and the engine runs flawlessly with tons of vacuum and no noticable lope. I think it's the perfect set-up.....for what I use the truck. It'll never beat Mustangs and Camaros but it sure has some huevos and is super fun to drive.

 

Well passed on my own plans I offer this suggestion as cost effective

390 crank
400 clevland rods
400 chev pistons (4.125 if the block will take it)

about 415 inches

 

I finally started putting this motor together tonight. I decided to stay w/ the 360 ( cost reasons ) I just need this truck for a little pulling, and hauling. It's not going to be a daily driver. The pistons say 390 4V on them, and the book I got said that my compression will be under 8. Is that right ? I hope to have it together tommorow, and back in the truck Sunday. I might have a few questions if I get stumped. The little gasket inserts that go besides the rear main cap were frustrating, but I finally got them in. Going to put the pistons in, in the morning, and keep going from there. The little 7/16 oil gallery plugs left me a little confused, and I have 1 left in the gasket set I bought. I hope I didn't miss one. Are all below the intake, plus 1 behind the cam gear on the timing chain?

 

Well, I ran into a BIG problem today. I had ythe crank turned 10/10, and I ordered the bearings 10/10, but when I installed them I checked clearence w/ plasticgage, and only had less than .002 clearence on both mains, and rods. So I'm shut down till Monday for now. The bearings have .010 on them, and my crank is stamped 10/10, so whats the deal. Did I get the wrong bearings, or is it my crank. What is the clearence supposed to be on the mains, and rods. And what is the stock journal diameter for them. so I can mic them to see whats up.

 

That's loose, but not too loose. Supposed to be .0013 to .0025 on the mains and .0008 to .0026 on the rods. Used can go up to .003 on both. The only way to get them tighter is go grind the crank to the next undersize. It's the crank grinders fault.

Main bearing diameter stock is 2.74484-2.7492. Connecting Rod journal diameter stock is 2.480-2.4388.

Bob
'66 7 Litre, top loader, 3.25 Traction-lock, Sidewinder Intake, SCJ Exhaust
'88 F150 LWB 4x2, XLT Lariat, 302, 5 speed, 3.08
'99 Ranger, 4x2, 3.0, 5 speed, 3.73 posi

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 22-Sep-01 AT 11:17 PM (EST)[/font][p]Thanks for your response. The problem I have is not that it is too loose, but too tight.I couldn't even rotate the crank w/ a 24" handle on the socket on the end of the crank. Maybe stock bearings is what I need. Then I would have .0012 right?

 

I'd start by checking that the rods are in correct, the bearings are offset towards the inner part of the throw so that the bearings come close to touching each other. This is because the crank throw has a bevel and the bearing needs to be away from the bevel.

the easy way to tell is to look at the little oil hole on the side of the rod where the cap and rod meet. It should point to the other bank.

Next, something might be sized wrong. When a crank is reground you should notice a near perfect surface. Maybe the grinder did something wrong or the rods wern't sized properly.

Don't trust plastigauge alone, I did on a set of resized rods from PAW and they showed good clearance. I measured each one several times at different spots, it ends up they were off at the sides near the bolts and that's a place that plastigauge can't check.

Bring it back to the shop! That's why we pay them guys. I had to take 1 rod back 3 times until he gave me another one because it was reading different when torqued vs finger tight and kept twisting. He kept saying it was straight.

The bad machine work from PAW cost me $1,000 in additional parts and machine work, not to mention pulling the engine again!

Take it back to the shop, demand what you've paid for or find a new shop.

 

My block is still on the stand, and I only installed 1 rod to check the clearence there. I've already taken the crank out, and plan on being at the machine shop in the morning w/ my rods, and crank. I bought a exceptially clean 69 f 100 Ranger from a preacher for 500. except the motor was bad. I pulled the heads, and #1 cylinder was cracked due to a dropped valve. I found a complete 360 motor unassembled w/ all machine work done including heads from a local machine shop for $400. Someone had left it, and never came back. I am going to the shop where I got my parts instead of where I bought it, and It will be fixed tommorrow. Thanks for the help. I'm going to get the other 360 resleeved, and rebuild it also this winter to sell, or keep, not sure.