oh yeah, its a 3:50 posi also
thanks

You really only have to be concerned when you are on slicks. You'll never generate enough traction on street tires to overload the pinion support or the case assembly. Street tires will just flywheel, which puts very little stress on the rear.

Not 100% positive on the "No Vehicles in the yard" rule.

www.fordpowertrain.com might be tinkering with some sellable prototype shorty headers for your car, but I'm not sure.

I understand that header clearance is a real issue in the FE T-bird.

Give 'em a call and put a bug in their ear.

Shoe.

I was completely unaware that DIF would be making FE blocks once MCC took over.

DIF seemed to have "washed it's hands" of the FE, in favor of newer engine familys, once FE engine machining moved completely off-site to Clifford Manufacturing (Clifford, Michigan) from 1973 to the end, but we now see this is not entirely correct.

That DIF was retasked (or still tasked) with casting the FE so late is unexpected, and great info to learn. It adds dimension to the complexity and versatility of the operations at Ford.

The D2TE maincaps make good sense, as the FE was no longer available in cars in 1972. Since FEs only went into trucks in 1972, the truck number was the only possibility for a casting number.

I'm also interested in seeing a D2TE-AA head made somewhere other than MCC, as I presently suspect (with reasonable doubt) that ALL D2 heads were MCC heads.

It does sound like a great block you've got. I suspect that many FT 361/391 blocks got water jackets with the "428" marking in it, but I suspect none were from MCC, as MCC just didn't deal directly in the 352/428 era, having opened it's doors in 1971 for supplying steel billets and ramping to castings in 1972, making MCC blocks dedicated to the "105" marking for every block FE or FT.

Later 428 blocks cast for industrial apps seem to have inherited variations on the "X" theme, where they may be "X", "XX", or "CX" blocks, as well as the occasional "C" lholdover. I remain approximately clueless as to the purpose of the rear-face text scratchings, but they are developing a neat personality as time marches on. I've got a great FT casting, sonics to 428 plus, so rear-face markings are not necessary for the "good" stuff.

There is one theory that all MCC blocks got the three cranksaddle ribs. I don't know that I buy this, but it's an interesting though. I need to check the garage sometime, to be sure.

Maybe "industrial" FEs were still contracted at DIF, and only the truck (pickup and heavy) FE/FTs went to Clifford, MI, though the SCJ goodies in your shortblock indicate maybe there was a narrower focus at DIF to produce only CJ service shortblocks.

Food for chewing on. Thanks for the info.

Shoe.

It was Dearborn Marine (owned by Eaton Corp and apparently closely allied to Ford) that offered the "all Ford" lineup of Interceptor marine engines.

Before the FE was born, Dearborn Marine had inline-6 and V-8 Y-Block Fords listed as the Interceptors, and the Volvo line of 4-cylinder marine engines they sold did not get the Interceptor name. When the FE came on line they added the 352 and 361 engines in their wide Interceptor lineup. As bigger FE engines became available, so did the FE selection sold by Dearborn Marine.

JMO,
Shoe.

I've got "supplement SM-2562" to the Eaton Interceptor service manual (not the whole service manual - whateverthehell that is) for the 352, 361, 390, 427 Interceptor Marine Engines. It lists valve lash straight outta the Ford car manual: cold I&E 0.028" and hot I&E 0.025" for 390 Police and 427. It does not list solids for the smaller engines, but this may depend on what year the manual was published - and this one is completely dateless. The 289 is listed in this generic specs page (I don't think there was much attention paid to this supplement's specs page), offering a date range based on available engine displacements.

The listed cam for the 390 is the Police 390, the mild mechanical cam with .263 lift, and the 427 is the .298 lift (I&E) jobby. This could be a typo based on apathy, as, again, this is a generic page from a car shop manual.

Just passing info on.

Shoe.

I set intake and exhaust to 0.025" cold reagardless. I think that is Crane's number for their solid cam gear. Anyway, I know there I could wring out more power through experimentation, but I think it would mean more to skip MacDonald's before going to the track.

.030 i,d say is for all out racing,for wen things get real hot,the lower numbers are for normal usage,most of the boat engins with lower compreshions wer for export, wher the gas octain is questionabel.

Greetings,
I just purchased a 67 Century with a 285 horse Ford 390 and am looking for the correct manual. Any idea where I can find this info (copies of anyones would help).

Steve

A lot of good input here. Let me put in my two cents worth:

1/ Marine Engines run hotter as they are always under load. So up from the minimum I'd say.

2/ I use the 0.025 Crane cold specs.....works for me. Both intake and exhaust.....the difference between Intake and Exhaust clearances is merely a pain during adjustment for all it really does.

3/ 0.030 seems awfully high

4/ Because of the large dispacement, the difference between you lowest spec and your highest spec isn't actualy all that much. On an 1800cc 4-cyl, you'd notice it. Not likely on an FE, especially in a marine application. Leave those 2-4's of beer off the boat....for automotive applicateions....don't go to MacDonald's before the race as a follow-up said. It'd make more of a differance.

5/ Your engines are probably worth quite a bit....hope you have heat exchangers installed. Blocks dont' last long with salt water...longer with fresh, but not nearly as long as with anti-freeze.

6/ Wringing the last bit of power in a constantly loaded engine (marine use for example)is a mistake.....run it a bit rich.....run it with the timing a bit retarded...run it with the valves a bit loose.....longevity and your pocket book will admire you for it.

Nice boat....you are right....that's quite fast for a boat that size. Do you really need more? Plus, if you've always had success with your meticulous adjustments so far, whny change? The boat has been around for a long time with no trouble...why change? Besides, maybe (though unlikely) CC knew a bit about these engines in their boats.

I'm assembling a 428 Interceptor engine and need to know what the specs are for gap on the rings.

The secret to getting Fe heads to seal lies in the fact that they have two different exhaust port positions, and no one has EVER written about this issue, except in the forums.

The emissions era of 1966-later is when the small intake runner showed up on many/most FE heads, and with the small "velocity" runner came an exhaust runner which was 5/16" lower than all previous FE heads. The dimensions of the port were the same, but they exited the head at a lower position.
To confuse the issue, 427 heads, 428CJ heads, and the C6AE-R head casting (found on maybe 1/3 of FEs in 1966-67 only), kept the large pre-emissions intake runner and higher-exit type of exhaust.

The C6AE-R was sorta special, in that Ford cast an little dam into the outermost roof of the exhaust port to prevent leaks across the top when used with 390 Fairlane/Mustang exhaust manifolds (which only fit the late-position exhaust port). Note that removing this little dam with a grinder will yield the early position exhaust runner.

Hooker only makes headers whech fit the early style of FE head (by extension, Hookers will fit C6AE-R, 427, and 428CJ heads beccause they retain the early position), but Hooker doesn't advertise this limitation and will sell you headers that mismatch the head and leak to high heaven, since the header gasket is sealed by the weld bead of the header pipe, and the weld bead can't crush against the bottom of the port if the port is lowered 5/16".

FPA is the only header manufacturer who understands the FE exhaust, and if you properly identify your engine to them you can be assured the headers will fit, flow, and seal really reliably.

Note that emissions-era heads typically have casting numbers of C6AE-J, -L, -U, -Y, C7AE-A, C8AE (no suffix), C8AE-H, and D2TE-AA. I think this covers about 99.999% of the low-exit head castings.

JMO,
Shoe.

http://fomoco.com/contact-fomoco-obsolete.shtml

The Z code on the 1961 full size Fords was used on the 300 horse 390, the 375 horse 390, and the 401 horse 390. There are ways to tell the 300 horse car from the 375/401 cars even without the engine in place. The brake line on the 300 horse ran under the engine attached to the crossmember. The 375/401 brake line ran across just behind the radiator attached to the front crossmember. The brake line mounting holes in the engine crossmember are drilled no matter which engine was used but they are not threaded on the 375/401 car.

The 300 horse used a 5/16 fuel line while the 375/401 used a 3/8 fuel line. The 300 horse was available with either vacuum or electric windshield wipers. The 375/401 was only available with electric wipers due to the larger camshaft causing lower engine vacuum.

As a side note, the 401 horse engine came from the factory with the 3x2 set-up in the trunk. The mechanic at the dealership installed the 3x2's as part of the new car prep. I just wonder how many customers got the single 4 intake set-up when they picked up their new car? Or how many mechanics took the 1x4 aluminum intake set-up home?

The 1961 engine code Z could be a regular performance 390-4V rated at 300 horsepower. This engine was available with cruisomatic, 3 speed standard or 3 speed with overdrive. A Z code '61 might also be a High Performance 390 rated at 375 horsepower with a single 4V Holley on a unique HP aluminum intake manifold or it could be a 401 horsepower rated 390 when equipped with the dealer installed tri power induction system. This tri power option became available in April, 1961. The Ford was shipped from the factory as a 375 horse HP 390. The tri power was in a box in the trunk for dealer installation. Transmissions available to the HP 390 were limited to 3 speed standard or 3 speed with Overdrive both column shifted. The Borg Warner 4 speed became available in April of '61 along with the trio of Holleys. It too was dealer installed with quite and extensive kit that included a floor hump, a column shifter tube replacement and other small parts, like a shifter. Very very few of these were sold. Guys like Les Ritchey, Gas Ronda, Bill Ireland were getting preference on these trannys.

The 1960 HP 352/360 horsepower engine had the same VIN engine id as the standard performance 352/300 horse, a Y code.

How can you tell if your '60 or '61 is a genuine High Performance car? A sure fired quick check is the fuel line size. An HP car will have a 3/8" line all the way vs. the standard cars which had a 5/16" line. An HP Z code car would never have power steering or brakes. And the brakes on an HP car either '60 or '61 will be the larger station wagon/police brakes, 2 1/2" rear and 3" front.

There are numerous unique parts that were used on the HP cars of '60 and '61. They are very rare. Ford was just getting back into or really just entering the high performance market. All '60 and '61s were built on a limited production basis that on the build sheet is indicated by a DSO of PAO. Police cars were built on this same program which essentialy meant that such a car may be built when all regular production is caught up.

There are no other VIN engine codes for '60 HP cars than Y and no other VIN engine codes for '61 HP cars than Z. The M code was the engine code for the early '62 tri powered, this time factory installed, 390-401 horsepower car Ford Galaxie/Fairlane. Of course M became the VIN engine code for the '63 tri powered 'bird too.

Hope this helps you.

302-4V with Thermactor emissions in 1968 standard transmission Mustang / Cougar / Fairlane/ Comet or 69/70 Meteor with 302/2V standard transmission (Canadian built). With a date of 8K9 (1968, October 9th) I would say it is for the Canadian Meteor.

Royce

I was unaware that any FE-era vehicles had the overflow tank as standard equipment. I know an aftermarket jug is needed to run the dragstrip, but didn't know they were ever stock.

Shoe.

The puke tanks were not on 60s Fords. If you don't overfill the radiator it won't overflow. (It should be just enough to cover the radiator core fins inside......that allows for the expansion) I put a overflow tank on my 69 Cougar using a 68 Cougar plastic washer tank (so it looks stock) and LOL it's dry since it's never been overfilled.