Are you sure you are installing all the bolts in the correct locations? I installed an Edelbrock performer on my stock 390 heads, and the ARP kit has different size bolts. I don't remember exactly, but I think the two rear most bolts, and the two front bolts were shorter. Maybe you installed the short bolts in the wrong position. Other answer may be they gave you the wrong kit if you didn't specify what heads you were using.

Usually the intake bolts will gall the surface on aluminum intakes. I go to Ace hardware and get some stainless washers to put under them. This serves two purposes really. Not only does it prevent the intake from disfigurment but it helps insure accurate and even torgue readings.

http://jcoconsulting.com/ForumFE/reply.aspx?ID=85660&Reply=85635

Since this is your first cam. Be sure to follow the cam break in procedure of holding the rpm's to 2000 for so 5 minutes or what ever is printed on your cam manufacture's liturature then change the oil. This may seem like an odd procedure but truthfully this is where cams usually go bad.

Myself I like to run FE cams a little more agressively than a small block. But to be on the safe side, I'd shoot for 224 degrees @ .050 or less. Dont worry as much about the advertised duration.

Stock guides and rockers will be fine, but the springs can only take .500 or so. Some can slip a little more by, but .500 lift at the valve is a good rule of thumb

The Pertronix only lets you get rid of the points, the advance will still be there, you need it there. You may have got a bad one, but they usually dont go bad, dont be afraid of advance.

You wont "know" if the advance is optimized, however, a good rule of thumb for a mild 390 like you are talking is 10 degrees intial, with vacuum advance hook to ported vacuum. If it pings, pull it back to 8 initial

You could mess with special curves, and having a fancy distributor setup, but to be honest, with the setup you are running it wouldnt add that much. Money would be better spent on headers and a dual exhaust

Call the cam manufucters on this one. You will find that everyone on here has a different cam that they swear by. We all mean well and there are tons of people on hear that know about cams but we can get you into trouble because we do not know if you need vacuum for things like power brakes and an automatic trans and if you have an automatic trans are you willing to invest in a stall converter to handle an aggressive cam profile.

When you call the cam people they will ask you what the vehicle will be used for plus all the questions that I just mentioned with a healthy seasoning of other pertanate questions that need to be considered.

Reason that I am being so thorough on this one is that all new and curious people have a tendancy to put in a cam that is to aggressive the first time and you have never been so misurable with an engine than when you have went to lump on the cam. It can take all the fun out of driving it. Ask me how I know that?

im useing the stock lenth on mine there perfect the heads are great .

Erson makes the best rocker assembly for this application. I am partial to Crane hardened pushrods but I believe Lunati also makes good ones. Search "Erson Rockers" for a ton of information and pictures on this forum.

Royce

Thanks for the help.

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n/m

Tried it years ago on a '64 390/300. Could not tell any difference in way engine ran with or without coolant thru carb spacer.

......like so many "good ideas" some work and some don't.
The Ford engine coolent heated carb spacer is a good example of this in practice.

My personal opinon on this set up is that it was orignaly intended to heat up the carb on cold mornings, but it tends to cool the carb at this time becase of the cool engine coolent...

also when the engine is heated up, when you want a cooler fuel charge it heats up the carb thereby heating up the fuel.

(I'm sure you know the effects of tempature on fuel)

It almost operates backwards of the way that it was intended.

No harm will come of by passing this feature.... most other FE engines did not have this feature and operated fine without it and with the heater core hose going directly into the water pump.

I'm bypassing mine on my Galaxie...

If you are interested I have an idea to use this spacer in a heat exchanger system.

My first post in months. How does it rate?

I had 390 p/u with spacer by passed no promble in stop & go trafic on 110-115 days. Dont if it helped didnt hurt.

Fel-Pro intake gaskets. If so, the flat part goes on the head and the blue print-o-seal toward the intake. Please do not use this gasket. They are too soft and allow the engine to drink oil. There are a lot of people in this forum, including myself, that have had very bad luck with these gaskets. Buy the Victor Reins gaskets from NAPA or Gessford.com. They are cheaper than the Fel-Pro gaskets and you will never have a problem with them. Not just my .002 but the gospel truth.

n/m

Should get close to 400 HP with headers and competent assembly practices i.e. good valve job, good ring seal. Those two items can cost you 50 - 100 HP if done improperly.

The 270H is a great cam for a street deiven car.

Royce