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Old Feb 13, 2003 | 02:58 PM
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330 vs 390

I have a 330MD I want to Duraspark. It turns out 360/390 distributors and 330MD distributors are the same EXCEPT for the spark curve, yet when I look in the autoparts store for a reman distributor, they list the same number.

The 330 has much less advance in both the centrifugal, and vacuum. Why is this? Different cam timing? Would it matter if I put in the distributor with greater advance? Will it burn more fuel?
 
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Old Feb 13, 2003 | 04:32 PM
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330 vs 390

I would think that most 330s have govenors on them so that they dont rev very high and with that you wont need that much advance , Just my thoughts please correct me if I'm wrong
Jon
 
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Old Feb 13, 2003 | 04:43 PM
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330 vs 390

That is probably the biggest factor chas. Also the FT breathes in a completely different manner than the FE. The cam is a good deal smaller. The compression is lower. The heads flow substantially less volume. I would have thought the 330 would have used the bigger shaft FT distributor. Might check into this. Autozone might be wrong. I know..... it would be a first.
 
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Old Feb 13, 2003 | 05:03 PM
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330 vs 390

Autozone wrong ..never LOL .Those are the other rev limting factors of the FT engine they (as ratsmoker basically said) were never designed to be high rpm screamers just low reving truck engines.
Jon
 
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Old Feb 13, 2003 | 09:08 PM
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330 vs 390

The medium duty 330 is the same as the others, not sure about the heavy duty 330. The trucks are governored between 3800-4000, which I thought was usually towards the high end of RPM. I mean what do you guys usually run for street rpms, I know racers are 8k and above. I mean will a stock 390 F100-350 from the factory ever get above 4k from the factory anyway? That's why I'm wondering about the spark curve. Will more advance hurt the engine?


The truck is running way too high because of a low rear, which when it warms up hopefully a 2 speed is going in. I'm running about 3000 at 50 mph, and the truck almost never goes above 60 mph. For a 9000 lb truck at that rpm I still get over 9 mpg.
 
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Old Feb 13, 2003 | 09:40 PM
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330 vs 390

my buddy's stock '73 f250 4X4 with a 360 500cfm holley and duel exhaust (stock manifolds) would be hard pressed to turn more then 4500rpm..I dont have a tack in my truck but I would say mine turns about the same maybe alittle less due to my stock carb and exhaust. I think it depend on the conditon of the engine and your driving habits . I had a '78 bronco C6 and a modified 351M it would pull easly to 5500 rpm due to the cam and the 4bbl carb (sweet sound) it would bury the 85 mph speedo in second gear . I would never try that with my F100 (4speed) stocker.
 
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Old Feb 13, 2003 | 10:25 PM
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330 vs 390

I remember see a '78 f350 with a 330md..See if there is a duraspark dizzy for that .
Jon
 
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Old Feb 15, 2003 | 01:32 AM
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330 vs 390

According to Steve Christ's book "How to rebuild your big block ford", the 330MD uses the standard FE distributor, not the big shaft FT unit.
 
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Old Feb 17, 2003 | 09:36 AM
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330 vs 390

I think the 330 for public consumption was ended with the 390, and those later 330's are U-Haul trucks, which maybe hard to find.

I've read that RPM = Ruins Peoples Motors, which is why I never understand why everyone in these groups are always thinking everyone has to push 8000 rpm to go get groceries....
 
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Old Feb 17, 2003 | 05:00 PM
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330 vs 390

my reason for 8000 rpm...it sounds so sweet!!
 
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