What type of heads are they?.The intake should be o.k depending on the type of heads.The 390GT intake is also a decent intake(not as good as a CJ intake).The adjustable rockers are a nice bonustoo.Don't be fooled into thinking the rods are CJ rods because they have the C7AE-B casting in them(standard C7AE-B rods have 3/8 rod bolts,the CJ rods have 11/32 bolts).the rod and crank are or should be good as is.Hope this helps...John

Hi,

I've got a 427 and building a 410 too. Mine runs hot too in traffic. But, one thing you should know is try the 428cj waterpump with larger impeller. C9AE-B? I believe. Or just buy an Edelbrock alum. waterpump. Havent tried it yet. I also run a 160degree thermostat. Ive heard if you drill a small bypass hole in the thermostat it helps alot, although this wasnt on a FE, not sure if theres room on FE thermostat. I also had my 2 core radiator recored to a 4 core. Superior radiator in mount clemens,mi. Most rad shops say they can only add one extra core, but this place can do it.
good luck./
kevin

You may want to try Water Wetter or ProBlends line of products I've heard great things about them.
The timming can effect the operating temp as well. The Ed Alum pump is a good investment at about $150 and should help. Don't forget that water / antifreeze ratio should be about 70% water. Water cools much better that antifreeze and don't forget about bleading air out of the system. If the engine sits above the rad or if you have a side-to-side flow type, you should have one of those expansion tanks to allow the air to rise.
Milodon makes a 160 deg high flow for about $10

I believe there is a specification for this in
inch/lbs but am not sure what it is. it will feel
tight but smooth.

What is your crank thrust as measured with a dial indicator or feeler guages? If the repaired thrust face on the crank is too thick, or built up now, your thrust will be too small and the crank will be tight. You can also check all bearing clearances, not just one or two. Found that a machine shop had installed a number 4 bearing cap from another block on a fellow's 428 once and it was tight as sin due to cap mismatch. So you must check everything.

U can use plastigage, sold over any parts counter. It's do it your self & inexpencive.

We've got it covered. The repaired portion of the crank had been too narrow (on the money Rob) and it's been taking care of. Thanks to all who responded.

I mainly use pinging, visible steam, and the red idiot light guide me, but I suspect you're in good shape at those operating temperatures.

Sorry if I don't go into detail, but I really don't know what proper temp numbers are. I do believe that 180-190 is right where I'd like to see my numbers unless I was racing, at which time I'd expect it to go up 10 degrees at a minimum.

Yes, it's wise to wait for a real opinion, but I figure it wouldn't hurt to step in with mine about now.

Shoe.

My brother had similar problems on a new 390 a while back and he had restrictors ( cutoff chevy pushrod.) He endedup with pc seals but I don't recall numbers. He was using a high volume pump and I think this is more of a problem than and aid as I sure don't see many 390's with bearing problems with a stock oil pump. Pumping all that oil takes power and builds heat in the oil too.

Bill, I'm running #80 jets in the oil passage to the rocker arms. No trouble yet. Of course, my oil pressure is really low, anyway.
JasonK

Bill, I first have to ask if your Valve covers were vented with the PCV valve? Did you put a direct pressure gauge on it? If so what was the pressure? Do you have the standard rocker/lifters and were they known good before the rebuild? To me running the engine with the valve covers off with no little clips to slow down the oil flow will make guite a mess. A guart in a minute or two would be normal to me with both covers off. You say is smokes and burns a quart every 75 miles. Does is smoke on acceleration or deacceleration? Smoke bad when you first start it? With this kind of oil burning you should be able to see it on the plugs? I'd do a compression check to see if the bottom end is good. Is the oil on all the plugs or just a few? I'll take a guess if it's got good compression say around 150 across all cylinders and say it probably the valve guides and seals if all the plugs are oil fouled. Guides are hard to get knurd right. Hope this gives you some more Ideas? RC

n/m

What problems are you having, Mike? Is the engine installed in a Studebaker pickup or something? If engine is installed in an original configuration, then you can get Summit or Jeg's to special order them for you. Just because you don't see the product in the catalog doesn't mean they don't exist or they can't get them. Just start your order with..."I need to make a special order."

I tried them they do not carry them or can they get them.

Mike,
Try FPA www.fordpowertrain.com/ They carry all the correct header flanges for both high and low exit exhaust ports and should have what you need.

Good luck
Ken

You can get ahold of Lightening Bolt headers, from Krites Restoration, in Ohio. Phone # 740-983-6428.

Cris, I'd first do a compression check see it any valves are leaking. You have to have enough cylinder pressure (usually 150 PSI or more on a new engine depending on the altitude) to have Torque or HP. Their are several different lengths of pushrods available to adjust valve lash hence their is no adjustment on the FE style rockers. You might have too long a pushrods causing the valves to bleed of the cylinder pressure causing lack of power due to lack of compression? Does the engine backfire? how much vacuum is it pulling (should be at least 17" 19" or 20" at 750 RPM is norm)? With NO 1 TDC on the compression stroke where is you rotor button pointing (should be just before the NO. 1 port on the cap due to you initial timing set around 8 to 10 degree? What is your initial timing set on (Should be around 8 degree)? maybe this will help some. RC

some thoughts on your timing.hope this may help.1. its is very commen for the timing ring to slip on the crank pully, i was made aware of this in a article by ponycar carbs in cazenovia ny. Apperently when you go to time the car with the timing light your lining the timing mark up to the factory specs, but the ring has slipped on the pully reletive to top dead center on the crank .So in essence you are not timing any thing at all. Ponycars solution is basicly to advance the timing to the point the car stumbles at idle then back it off a few degrees. I assume the you would do this with the vacuam advance dissconnected. At this point you will have acheived about as much advance as the engine will tolerate. you can then test drive the car with the vacuam advance still diconnected and see it it pings. if it pings back off the timing in 2 degree increments till the pinging stops. assuming this all works this would be your new intial timing setting. Now if you have a adjustable vacuam advance unit you should connect the hose and road test the car in high gear under load. using your allen key inside the hose fiting on the advance unit adjust the vacuam advance for the most advance with out pinging. reset your base idle on the carb and your done. NOTE if you disconect the coil and pull the #1 spark plug you can put a pen or pencil in the spark plug hole and have some one turn the engine over by hand with a socket and breaker bar untill your feel the piston hit top dead center. at this point the 0 degree mark on the balancer should line up with your timing pointer.[ if the piston is on the top of the exhaust stroke you may have to give the crank another turn to get to top dead center on the intake stroke, I"ll be damned if i can remember if it lines up every revolution or every other one] this should give you indication if the balancer has rotated relative to the crank. With #1 piston at top dead center is the distributer rotor pointing to the #1 spark plug lead on the cap? it should be....if not. the distributer is probably off by a tooth 3.I questin your timing figures of 40 degrees and 76 degrees total advance. you figure out your timeing by taking your intial advance i.e the 10 degree factory setting and mutiplying by 2 then adding the amount of advance in the distributer.{typicly about 12 degrees} or in other words 10/2+12=32 degrees total advance. Ford often stamped the amount of distributer advance on the breaker plate if you pull the cap you may see a 11 or 13 stamped inside. There is also a chance that somehow the cam sprocket was installed a tooth off.if your rebuild included new rings it may take about 600 mi to break the motor in. you will also need to reset the timing, idle mixture and curb idle once the motor has settled in. Unfortunatly is sounds that it is very likely that the cam timing gear may be off by a tooth. But i would definatly make sure tha it is not a ignition or carb problem first. Also have you checked the intake and carb base for vacuam leaks? Last but not least is the simply let the motor run at the advance curve it runs best on Reguardless of what the Factory Specifations say. Some of this may seem real basic but i dont have any idea as to what type of automobile knowlage you posess. 70 Ltds are cool! 390 2V is an excellent all around engine and if you didnt tell any body riding in the car they would assume that it had a 4V from the way they run. let me Know how it works out and good luck. gotta go my 1967 colony park wagon has a 390 2V but by any luck buy tommorow it will be a 390 with a 1967 s code 4V manifold, a 1966 police inercepter autolite carb. a 428 cobrajet cam with a 427 HV oil pump and a 427 lowriser oilpan. hey what can i say its gotta trailer hitch. Airstream eliminator Anyone?

Chris,
I somewhat agree with Robert. I don't think your engine would even start with 76 degrees of timing. Most FE's in general like 36 to 38 degrees of total timing. Make sure your damper hasn't spun & giving you false timing. However, you want to multiply what's in your distributor x 2 and add your initial timing to it to arrive at your total timing, which would now be 34 instead of 32 degrees as in Robert's example. I run a Vertex Magneto and this is how the theory is applied, I don't believe it's any different for a distributor. Also, your rotor should be pointing at the #1 cylinder if the distributors in right. But if someone installed it a tooth off and the rotor now points at #2 cylinder, someone could have simply started the firing order on that cylinder by designating the #2 as #1 cylinder, just something to be aware of. If this is a performance engine I'd do away with the vacuum advance, it's basically for gas mileage. If it's a daily commuter the it's a good idea. As for your adjustments once you're dialed in, Robert hit the nail on the head as he did on what to troubleshoot for.

Good luck
Ken

I would offer you $40 for everything, I dont know if you would let them go for that cheap(I was wanting to experement with different size booster Venturis in my current carb(4100) I am looking for the smaller and larger size 4100's you have a 1.08 that I would like to buy.). Even if you don't want to sell them that cheap, it was worth a try anyway.

I grew up in Colorado and I know your pain. Have you considered a Predator carb or Holley fuel injection?

BTW, the Alps or the Rockies???

I have a 850 Speed Demon on a stroked 427 and while I suspect it is a little too big, I haven't had any trouble. I have driven the car over the Sierra's (7200ft) without any problem. I would think that a carb is a carb though and don't see why a Holley couldn't be made to work OK.