Fitting the FE ford intake

Why call this video Fitting the FE intake? Because that is exactly what this video is about, spending some extra time to avoid some issues after the engine is installed.
Most of the ”problems” builders have after redoing an FE, be it poor drive ability, lack of power or oil/fuel fowled plugs; Typically has more to do with how the intake manifold was installed than any other single thing. If a few precautions are taken and some clearances checked during assembly, there’s a 99% chance that these “plaguing problems” will not happen. in the event you do have a fitment issue you will most likely need to enlist the help of a talented machinist. Even then draw them a picture or sketch, with dimensions indicated, you can always sharpie them onto the intake aswell. Remember manifolds aren’t cheap, especially for these engines. If you have any questions or need further explanation please ask in the comment section below, I’ll do my best to clarify. As always practice your skills or learn a new one, you never know how far they will take you.
Thanks for watching this has been Fab Race Mod Repeat.
Have a great day.

[@michaelwasson5490]

having the knowledge on this type of motor is great to have for someone like me ,I would install the intake and have all kinds of problems. great job and information

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

michael wasson Thanks for watching, glad you found it helpful.

[@michaelbaskinmichael9862]

It wasn’t intake after further review might not even be a 390 someone pulled a switch, but it’s the lifter valley has a crack about 7 “ long wonder if it can be welded or fix somehow

[@Bbbbad724]

@@FabRaceModRepeat You are doing it right. It was genius new. Doing them now you have to plane the head and intake before you start. I bolt it on for a week before measuring for final installation. Jay Brown made Slabs for each side and across the china Walls to fit Cleveland intakes. Well worth it. But Ford deserves the genius award for how they did this. 99.5% on the line installations were just drop, the 80 lb intake was square. Aluminum was a challenge., I wish all of the aluminum ones had been 2 piece, 3 with the tray.

[@Randy-f2z]

That was a nice fitting FE instruction that you gave I never thought about using a flashlight or a feeler gauge

[@Randy-f2z]

That was a nice fitting FE instruction that you gave I never thought about using a flashlight or a feeler gauge

[@mustardstain504d6]

Absolutely an issue on FE engines. Sometimes coolant winds up in the oil, or it pulls oil into the intake. The dowel pin isn't necessary for alignment. However, using the distributor is. On my 427 build I had to square up the intake flanges. I had .010 milled from each side because the heads were milled .025. It also requires the bottom of the intake to be milled. The intake is the most finicky part of an FE build. Great to point that out.

[@grandcrappy]

Good ole youtube, had NO idea of this FE finnicky important detail.

[@michaelbaskinmichael9862]

Thanks it’s not my ride but step son who owns car , rebuilt and starting first time mixes oil and water a lot, bout 9 quarts of mess. Seems like a lot of mix for head gasket , but didn’t think water was routing thru intake have offenhauser intake where back water ports are closed, guess it circulates thru head, installed new pushrods and lifters where water caused a lot of compression, didn’t test the heads but will try some fresh gaskets and see

[@danmyers9372]

Terrible design.

[@kenyonc7162]

What about the Valley pan? Did you forget to install it or is it not that much of a deal?

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

It’s typically better to have it. We may do some intake swapping after this one is up and running. If we do I’ll put it in then.

[@starzanhorse4758]

Good call😂

[@clemm17]

I always wondered wtf they were smoking when they split the head. Nice to finely know the actually had a reason for this.

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

Those old engineers were a creative bunch to say least. Sure it adds some particulars to build however, it got the job done to say the least.

[@danmyers9372]

I also always wondered!

[@kennymcquinkiss8292]

Great video look forward to more

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

Thanks for watching!

[@zappatx]

Thank you!! I'm considering the aluminium manifold. My 58 has the stock cast iron.. Question though for now - I would like to run a PCV system and was wondering if there is an ideal location in the rear of the carb to drill through for a manifold vacuum source?

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

I’d add a 1/2” spacer plate with the large vac connection in the back.

[@wawacan]

One obvious problem with this video is the maker may have test fitted the distributor, but you must never attempt to fit an FE intake without the distributor. The failure to include it in the video is a serious failing. In the next video he shows the distributor being installed, but it is advisable to install it before the intake bolts are inserted, and by the time you are attempting to install the intake it is far too late to find a fit problem at the distributor.

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

wawacan 98% agree with you. However this intake is so used up it didn’t really seem to matter with or with out the distributor installed. Plus we did retain the alignment pin. I’ve also found the MSD distributor seal to be way more forgiving than the older harder ones from years back if you find necessary to install the distributor after the fact.

[@wawacan]

@@FabRaceModRepeat I hear you, and you did mention it, but you presented this a a video to help first time builders from making mistakes. It is a really important step.

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

wawacan I do appreciate your input. We’ll do it by the book on FE Build 2 (hopefully coming later this year) as it will be all new parts. Expect for the timing cover and block plate.

[@wawacan]

@@FabRaceModRepeat It is great to see any videos on FEs. Keep it up.

[@sylumgand]

Now do it still in the truck, with the stock iron. Was hating my soul and the mess I created yesterday, but its just gotta run long enough to get onto a trailer. Aint no way in hell its not gonna leak with how many times I had to adjust it.

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

@@sylumgand I’ve felt your pain 🙃 Done it in truck, done in f600-800 big truck and a few school bus ramp conversions.

[@normanjones5167]

You should use metric flat washers instead of those standard. Flats that look and fit sloppy. The factory used specific flats on aluminum intakes. I do not agree with your intake procedure but you do neat work and I am not putting you down. Depends on who taught you. Luckily I was taught by my uncle and dad both Ford schooled service techs that did not cut corners.You were taught the same it appears, even sharp fe builders have different procedures with very similar results.

[@johnbroughton3401]

When these engines were

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

Indeed! Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@steveconnolly7129]

Remember to put silicone in the corners,silico.the back gasget,oil and vac.leaks,i have been thru the install and removal many times,til i got it right,

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

Thanks for watching. Excellent points. I cover all that in the “installing the FE Intake video.

[@steveconnolly7129]

Good luck with it

[@mikemarch5480]

wish you wouldn't had fast talking when you were saying something at 10:31'ish in the video, reason? I went to break in a new motor, ran great for 2-3 minutes, then heard a noise, shut it down, pulled the valve covers, found the noise issue, fixed it, but had water in the oil, milky, nasty, so I'm trying to figure it out, I am HOPING it is the intake manifold, and I know there is the water jacket right next to an oil return hole.....was hoping to hear what you said there...but cant. Will be pulling intake tomorrow, will watch this video again, just cant believe my 1 year long rebuild has this issue!! Anyway, what did you state at 10:30'ish??

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

Basically passenger front corner and driver side rear corner were tight, IE: zero clearance. The rest of the intake was .006 or more loose down each side. This indicates a warped intake.

[@danmyers9372]

Did you try playing the video back at this timing mark at .5 or .25 speed? Just a thought.

[@mytruthslays1303]

Will this be a common issue with an aftermarket intake as well? Also, will there be a fe build 2 coming?

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

It really is a case by case situation. With a new intake or old It all depends on how much the block has been machined and where the heads are, if they are not new. Tolerances stack. IE if the block has been decked the heads move closer together. This in turn pushes the intake up on the heads. FE build 2 will be coming soon, we are waiting on a few more parts to start that build. Thanks for watching

[@danmyers9372]

Fitting on an FE intake manifold? If that sucker is the OE cast iron piece you better muscle up!

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

Absolutely!!!

[@danmyers9372]

I helped a buddy swap his OE intake for an AL police interceptor manifold on his ‘69 Cobra Jet Mach 1 back around 1974. No fun at all. It took both of our skinny butts to get that sucker off! His car actually sat ~3/4” higher in the front after installing the AL manifold. I recall we weighed it and it was right around 100 lbs!

[@michaelbaskinmichael9862]

Have you ever had one mix oil and water , I mean a lot why what happened

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

Great question! Yes. It’s typically to lower edge of the intake on a fresh build. Usually an angle miss alignment between the head and the intake.

[@ryanarellano4949]

I’m having a problem lining up my intake right now. I see that you didn’t put any gasket on the bridges in front and back of intake. Is a gasket required there?

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

Ryan Thanks for watching, I did install the China wall gaskets, see “FE intake final install” video. Some people use a thick bead of RTV along them. I use the gaskets and a thin bead of RTV.

[@starzanhorse4758]

4 gasket’s

[@anthonypino9976]

I seen a few guys set the distributor in also to align it...

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

The distributor is the main alignment on most FE’s (99.5%) however, sometimes you need to move other intake around a bit. That is the case here. The main thing is to have a fresh seal ring on the distributor. That way the rubber will conform to your intake.

[@SineMacula]

I just put a CJ Pony intake on my FE, had to do it twice and it still sits high on the front and back of the right side of the head, hopefully I don't have problems with the valve covers leaking.

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

If the clearance issue is all on one side it could be quite a few possible causes. Curious question who was it made by?

[@SineMacula]

@@FabRaceModRepeat not sure who it is made by, but it is made in China. I'm going to run it and hopefully it's fine, it's around a 16th off front back right side.

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

Understood However, remember typically on the FE if it’s off at the top, it’s off at the bottom. If you have a unfindable vacuum leak or oil in the intake. Pull it back off and do some measuring. Good luck and thanks for watching

[@SineMacula]

@@FabRaceModRepeat ok sounds good. Thank you!

[@stevenz8397]

What size rating engine stand would you recommend working on the BB FE ?

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

My stand is your typical 1000lb model. It’s served me well for a long time. I use it for most engines. I also a 1500lb twin leg model I you for 385 series engines.

[@stevenz8397]

Thanks for the quick reply

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

No problem Have a great day

[@anthonypino9976]

What is the printo seal part # felpro ???

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

On this build I used the 1246S3.

[@phillippilkington7795]

Where is the valley pan???

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

We left it off on purpose. Don’t usually do that however, we may change out the intake.

[@sequoiaohz]

What gasket set from fel pro is the best for Stock Intake?

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

I use the the printo seals with the blue ring around them.

[@sequoiaohz]

@@FabRaceModRepeat Thank you so much.

[@jeffschwartz5199]

Good luck with that

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

Tho not an ideal intake to use. It’ll be just fine

[@Mikkeyboyy]

IS THERE NOT A FRONT AND BACK CROSS GASKET

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

Indeed there is one on each end. I leave them out during the mock up phase.

[@sylumgand]

Front and rear corks, just swapped in a 4 bbl on a 67 f250. Some people just dont use them and will just use a .5in bead of RTV.

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

It’s up to the builder. If the China wall clearance is real tite but, everything else lines up; I might go straight RTV. However, typically I run the corks. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@charlesduncan5584]

Hi there. I'm curious if this thread is still being responded to. I'm buying a 390FE and would love getting input on refurbishing it, getting it running and sitting it in a 56 Ford F-100 Panel Truck (My retirement gift to me)! Any advice on what cam, heads, manifold, crankshaft, what electronic fuel injection kit to get, etc would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

It’s one of my best video series.

[@charlesduncan5584]

@@FabRaceModRepeat Yes, I'm glad I found it!!

[@michaelbaskinmichael9862]

I think it might be intake

[@michaelbaskinmichael9862]

I was trying to help step son who lost his dad to Covid but it’s his inheritance and looks like someone switched it before we could get our hands on it from machining , crack in block either was there already or we did it somehow . Idk sad though

[@pauliebots]

I saw a guy using silicone instead of gaskets. No good or?

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

Evening, Some builders do the silicone only trick. I’ve never been a big fan of it.

[@starzanhorse4758]

Both

[@danmyers9372]

@@FabRaceModRepeat - Yeah, using a lot of silicone to fix an alignment issue can lead to bits of silicone getting into the engine. Oil pumps don’t tend to like that stuff very much. 😉

[@starzanhorse4758]

Have you a 390 with a large X cast into block?

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

I’d have to look

[@starzanhorse4758]

@@FabRaceModRepeat I have that block! Don’t know what the X means. I’ll send a pic

[@starzanhorse4758]

X is xtra nickel, state patrol motor

[@danmyers9372]

@@starzanhorse4758 - Did those engines typically/always come with the AL intake manifold like is shown in this video?

[@johnterpack3940]

Still planning the stroker build for the 352 in my '59 T-Bird. Looking for all these little details and tricks I can find to make sure the engine is perfect when it goes together. This was immensely helpful.

[@FabRaceModRepeat]

Glad you find the series helpful. Thanks for watching