My guess is the ratings are at the flywheel, and the differences are because of stricter emissions, making changes in head design, as well as different cams and possible changes in intakes as well will change the HP ratings.

JMO

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There is part number on side of dist. post that number ,should be able to tellwhat dist. was installed into and what dist. curve is.
Mr " F" 428 came with duel point mec. dist. I was under impression only 427" and hI-PO 289" came with that style.

I'm running 18-20 degrees initial with 38-40 total all in by 3800 (I think). I have vacuum advance hooked up to the front carb. It's a 428 with a 67 Shelby intake and 2 Holley 600's.

I had the same problems you have until I got a new distributor from Faron R. He did a great job on the curve, but I bet you could do the same job locally.

I can get the exact specs if you like.

Bottom line is, my engine runs a LOT better at 18-20 initial. It barely runs at all at 10 degrees. With the advance curve limited to 16-18, I can run more initial w/out pinging under loads. I've been running 93 octane w/out octane booster.

First off get rid of the octane booster as it just does not work as advertised (even the so called best)your engine is approx 10.8 to 1 so if you are running in a warm climate you simply need better gas for starters. Initial timing of 16 to 20 is quite common for your engine/car just using mechanical advance. Where is the vacuum line hooked up to on your dist? if you have 10-12 initial with mechanical & vacuum you are probably getting 50+ combined which is way to much. These engines like around 35to 40 total depending on a lot of other factors. Get a advanced degree timing light avail at sears for approx 49.00 then check total advance at approx 2500rpm (or increase engine speed until it quits advancing (thats with the vacuum advance hooked up. Then do the same with vacuum advance disconnected. from there you can figure your initial,mechanical advance and your vacuum advance. All ford distributors have an adjustable mechanical advance by taking off small snapring (under rotor & felt if there)also taking off the breaker plate. this will expose the mechanical side of dist. the advance figures will be stamped on top, just see what is being used then to change it simply lift it up after taking springs off then rotating it 180deg. Most of the time with a 18-20 initial and adding mechanical its enough for the engine just do not use the vacuum part of it.

Before you spend much $$. Have your coil tested. I just went through something simular with my FE powered Pick-up. Even after a new Dist. The ping was still there. When I looked at the coil it was cracked and leaking fluid. new coil fixed the problem.

if you are not concerned with originality, contact mean green industries in PA. they have gear drive starters that are smaller and more powerful than the factory ones. i know i put one on my old F-250
with the 6.9 diesel engine and never had another starter problem again.

It is NOT a 428CJ. It MAY be a 428, with that block bored out, but without the CJ heads, intake, carb, etc, it's not a CJ.

Not to mention that in the engine bay, it wouldn't pass as a CJ, except for maybe performance wise with all the goodies in or on the block.

JMO

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In 1965-67, all light truck FE engines were 352s.

The 360-390 FE light truck engines were introduced in 1968.

FE Truck engines differ from FE car engines in that they have notably lower compression. The exception is 1971, when the last 390 car engine was apparently based on the low-compression FE truck engine that year.

I've heard of truck intakes being found on cars before, as they were basically identical castings. Also, about the only difference between a Galaxie and a Mustang engine of the same years is the way the head was drilled to fit the exhaust manifold. All the castings were the same, except where the unibody exhaust manifolds were required. Also, Fairlane/Mustang 390-4Vs in '66-68 got the hotter GT camshaft which also got different valve springs with compatible valves and retainers, but the heads castings were the same as any other FE.

JMO,
Shoe.

I went through the same thig with my 67 S-Code.I had no ides so much was different.The engine I used was also out of a Galaxie a 67 that.I purchased some 14 bolt heads out of Texas,exaust manifold from Florida and an S-Code intake from illinois.the engine mounts are different I needed a 24 inch radiator which I think the Galaxie radiator is the same.I am going to have some left over parts I have 2 more S-Code intakes some exhast manifolds and othr parts.It was a lot more expensive than i figured it woud beBut it gives me something to do. BKM

Dear Jeff,
The balancer used on the 1968 427 Cougar GTE was P/N C8AZ-6316-B. It is 7 inches in diameter and has the casting identification C8AE-A. I purchased a brand new one from my local Ford dealer's parts department last year for $112.00. The same balancer was used on most 1968 390's as well.

The balancer you listed is 7 1/2 inches in diameter and was used on the 1969 and 1970 SCJ version of the 428 in Drag Pac equipped cars.

Royce Peterson
68 GTE 427 XR-7 (two of them)
68 1/2 XR-7 428 CJ Ram Air

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You do not want to open the headers where the pipes hook up. They are way to short to make good power at that point. A good rule of thumb is to open the pipes at a total of 38 inches from where the shortest runner on the header bolts to the head. This was the way we did it in the old pure stock days and it worked good. This system can be custom made at any muffler shop that will work with you.

Seriously though, C4AE (with no suffix on the block) shows in my book as a 64 top oiler 427, and also as 389/391 truck engine.

But with the heads, C4AE-F it shows High Riser.

So, the only question is, Why are you STILL sitting here reading this? :-)

Even if it is a 390, not a 427, that's a pretty good price for a rebuilt engine. I'd say take it off her hands, you can resell it if it's not what you want.