Looking for some schooling on this... Basically the use of COAE heads in hand yields little hope for a pump gas motor out of the Merc 390 build so...

The "?" is with a stock set of rods and a 390 crank 10/10, TRW-L2291F30 4.080 pistons(which I assume is what is in Barry's kit) and the heads at an approx 57cc the CR is about 10.95:1 based on he kit's std parts list "as per Barry"

My question is 2 fold really,
1. What options are there to remedy the CR to run this on pump gas and not be a total fudge package.

2. If the choice to go all out strip is made, what can these pistons and a stock crank 10/10 handle ? (CR,FUEL,CAM)wise sorry if this gets loopy..
but I am wondering about the mix of it all, pardon my ignorance..

when is the CR so high the fuel needed is rediculous or requires a chassis that is not the normal weekend warrior strip type.

Basically I guess my question is what is my window for a stock 390 crank rods, cheap frgd .030 pistons, 57-61cc port/polshd heads-w-stk vlvs, std-shim head gaskt, solid cam/roller rocker/hd shfts w end stds &bllt cntrs..

Cause thats gonna take a bank robbery if i DONT HIT THE LOTTO!!!

No really looking for some serious feedback on this to help put 2 & 2 together and get this **** over with!!

TIA Bob

 

There's no reason you can't run it on pump gas. All you need is enough cam to bleed off compression.I've done two 390's with 10.25 to 1 and one ran on 87, the other on 89. The one running 89 had C8AE-H's, the other had C6AE-R's. The C8 headed motor had a Crane 272 degree Energizer, the C6 motor had a Cam Dynamics 296* grind with .526 lift.(Been 20 years since that one, so that's all the specs I can recall) The C8 headed motor was in my 68 Merc and it had 12* initial timing with the stock 68 Merc distributor and a Pertronix I unit.

 

Well Bobby, I just read a good article on what your Dealing with on the 332-428 Net54 site...

12 to 1 is really going to be too high on California 91 octane gas...with Iron heads to boot....But your going to need a cam with some duration to it to bleed off some of the Compression ..... I think Polcat is running somewhere around 12 to 1 cr...with iron heads..but I cant for the life of me remember what cam he is running? I know he has said he runs 93 here on the east coast for the street, and then runs 110 at the track...

But Barry should be able to help you out on a good cam selection.... JMO being he's an Engine Master winner....and he knows his FE's...

RJ

 

Yup, call Barry... He sold you the package and knows what cams will work and not work on the octane fuel you want to run.... A bottle of 104 octane booster with each tank full would help a lot, and the cost isn't that high unless you're trying to run it 100 miles a day or something!!!!

 

Barry hasnt sold me the package yet I inquired via email for his input which he gave. But we didnt really rough the edges so maybe a ph call is in order to really get to the knityy gritty.. Meanwhile Hyp is up on looking into those C4's he ran across in the pyard...

I tell you the patience needed to put one of these things together is beyond my scope LOL.. I think thats why my favorite hobby, "sex with a hooker for a reasonable price" is just the bomb..."INSTANT GRATIFICATION" without the wondering LMAO!!

 

LMAO! You get years to wonder if she gave you AIDs. I forget the exact number, but Mrs Hypoid told me if I ever stepped out, it'd be X number of years before I stood a snowball's chance of stepping back in. Good thing I'm a patient fella.

It's my weather tonight, nice COOL breeze coming in from the North. I should be able to park up close tomorrow.
OOOH-RAH!

 

Are those TRW's dished or flat tops?

 

Dunno, he mentioned valve reliefs and needing to take out another 8cc dish (3" x .070) to get it to 10:1 which sounds $$$pndy....makes me wonder..isnt there a car and a truck piston ? would the truck piston help out here ? and is there such thing as a 410 piston ?

Crossing the fingers Hyp has a streak of luck, wasnt a single FE in the bone yard today sep'tha® all or nuthn sucker wagon of course lol

Barry: "The kit would put your compression at 10.95:1 - - really too high for any kind of pump gas on an older iron head - or on a non-EFI aluminum for that matter. The pistons are thick enough to dish somewhat, you'd need to get another 8cc out of them to get compression down to 10.0:1. I think that would be a 3" x .070" circular dish....but the valve pockets already there would mean a deeper cut - maybe .100"....which is about as thin as I'd be willing to go."

 

there is a 410 piston , but you would have to look hard for a forged piston, there is a forged dished piston available, why not try propane and bump compression up to 13? works great, fe's love it!

 

Bob, JHO.... just wait for another either set of C4's....or at least one more.....Instead of trying to crack the Davinchi code.....lol..Just make it easier on youself...

RJ

 

yep thats the plan.. then to find someone who has a real use for the COAE's / or hit PYP on a .5 day and buy another pocket wrenching project LMAO!!

 

Well I think bob, that maybe if you adverised then in some of the classified forum section, you should have any problem unloading them.... Like maybe the FE forum on Net54?

Just a guess? and when you have a good set of C4's after the port work have some CJ size valve's install .... JMO..

RJ

 

T-Bird:2 Mikey:0


After taking cared of a few errands, and a few more honey-do's, I had about 90 minutes to get through this:


Four stinkin exhaust manifold bolts left! The last time I tore down a T-Bird engine, it was out of the car:


Hey Bobby, it looks like #8 had a gasket leak. In person the residue had a greenish tint, you couild see where the gasket failed. Probably the reason the car was parked:

Overall, I have a good feeling about these. The odo had 77k, the pushrod ends were still round, the intake ports looked like she was running fat, the rockers and shafts LOOKED to have minimal wear, the valve tips looked pretty square. The cylinders did have a slight ridge, not the worst I've seen.

I had big plans for the day, got skunked. I'll go back after work tomorrow. If y'all see something you gotta have, email the addy in my sig. This car will probably be crushed next week.

 

You Da Man Hypoid!!! shoot me an email when you can so we can get the $ out of the way.. if you want to have them magged locally before shiiping I'll be glad to pay for it beats shipping those SOB's with cracks lol PYP here was little help, thinking these D2's are paper weights so it goes...

 

Hey Hyp I keep getting VM on the cell ph# ? shoot me a call/eml Bob