Ford 390 FE Finish Assembly Tips and Tricks

[@jesseduke694]

That thermostat idea is good! I've never seen that before? You tought me somethin today. Thank you

[@BlackLabGarage]

You’re welcome!

[@mschiffel1]

On the cylinder head where the exhaust manifold bolts up I had to drill broken bolts. On the upper row I just drilled a slightly larger hole all the way through. Then I was able to use a longer bolt and put a nut on the end to clamp it down. No more broken bolts there. On the bottom bolts I chased the threads with a bottoming tap and used copper anti seize compound on the bolt threads. No issues with them ever again.

[@BlackLabGarage]

I have seen people do that before. I've actually seen them cut slots in the upper mounting hole ears and then use a bolt and nut

[@Bbbbad724]

@@mschiffel1 I put studs in mine and used the nut locks on them to keep them from backing off. The best thing to do is have the head surface milled and the header beads milled flat and put them on with no gaskets stretch the studs and put the nut locks and nuts on get them tight before bending the locks.

[@tonypaul2987]

Oh I have owned black labs also. Crazy I came across your videos sir. Keep up good work sir.

[@BlackLabGarage]

Thank You!

[@MaxDeet7439]

Thanks for the tips! Never heard of the thermostat string trick before. Looking forward to seeing it running.

[@BlackLabGarage]

I believe it will run good

[@martythorpe4192]

I'm another one that didn't know about the thermostat trick, nice to see how much oil is coming up to the valve train after you put the restrictors in oil gally. As all the other videos its a big help with all your tips, I've finally got all the parts and machine work completed, just finishing up the cleaning getting ready to back together. PS. didn't do as good as you did on the prices, went a little over.

[@BlackLabGarage]

It’s easy to go over a budget when putting an FE together! I hope everything goes good with your build!

[@paintnamer6403]

Some good ideas! The Walmart Tech oil is good quality, Project Farm did motor oil tests and it did better than some other name brands.

[@BlackLabGarage]

I’ve never had a problem using it in anything before but I question it sometimes as far as breaking an engine in with it. But anymore I’m not sure that it helps to use one oil over another for break in. I guess we will find out here shortly!

[@jameshopkins145]

Just found your channel. I’ve got a 77 f 250 4x4 4 speed with a 390 that runs well but gonna need a clutch soon so I’m gonna spice up the motor some too lol. I’ll be watching all of your stuff and learnin real soon! Oh and we have three labs, black, yellow and chocolate and a yard full of old tractors. I think we’d get along well! Lol. Looking forward to hearing you fire it up!

[@BlackLabGarage]

I need neighbors like you. Dentside Fords, yard full of tractors, and labs? What more could you ask for? Lol

[@jameshopkins145]

My boy drives a 64 F 100, 223 3 on the tree to boot! Lol

[@tonypaul2987]

I have a tip for you sir .on my 390 in my Galaxie 500 my factory radiator was little small and my engine ran hot little when I was romping on it a little. Found out later my car with extra tank where my thermostat bolts to engine. Holds a gallon or two more coolant.

[@BlackLabGarage]

I always liked the look of the surge tank on the old FE engines.

[@tonypaul2987]

Beautiful paint job sir too.

[@BlackLabGarage]

Thank you for you kind words!

[@BeamBuiltSr]

Great idea on the engine mounts. Can you please provide the part number / source for the elevator bolts used on the engine mounts?

[@BlackLabGarage]

I got them at Ace Hardware. Next time I’m up there I will see if I can find a part number and brand for them.

[@looloo6322]

I bought a 1974 F250 with a 360fe. The valve cover gaskets leaked a lot. I took off the valve covers and the intake gaskets were sticking up about 1/8" causing the valve cover leaks. I carefully ground then down with a dremel tool, replaced the gaskets and that solved that problem. Next up is the pesky intake manifold leak. That one I'll fix over the winter.

[@BlackLabGarage]

I guarantee it was leaking badly if they didn't trim the intake gaskets down! Where is your intake leaking? At the China walls?

[@looloo6322]

@@BlackLabGarage Yes but only the back one, I'm probably going to re-do the manifold during the winter. Not an expensive deal, but just a lot of mechanical wrench turning.

[@BlackLabGarage]

@ do you have a pcv system on it and hooked up? My 400 in my 1979 F-350 pushed oil out the China walls and I discovered they had unhooked the pcv system. I hooked it back up and it quit leaking at the China walls

[@looloo6322]

@@BlackLabGarage PVC on the passenger side, and the tube from the oil filler to the air cleaner on the other side. I will check the hoses and connections today.

[@BlackLabGarage]

@ I have seen the passage on the carburetor spacer stop up before not allowing the pcv to have vacuum

[@ega9831]

thanks for all the good tips from your videos. I just got the 390 FE engine back from the machinist and getting ready to put it back together. I really like the color you have which remind’75 s me the 351 windsor my dad had on his LTD. What did you use to paint it and what was the color code? Thanks again

[@BlackLabGarage]

That is Duplicolor DE1621. It's called Old Ford Blue. I got it at my local Oreillys.

[@tonzi4268]

I’ve tried two different dipstick tubes and don’t fit. New age braided off Amazon and a stock one from CJ pony. Need help

[@BlackLabGarage]

Are they going in so far and stopping? Doesn’t start in the hole at all? What exactly is the problem?

[@tonzi4268]

@@BlackLabGarage Stops about 3/8” in

[@BlackLabGarage]

@@tonzi4268 Just pushing it by hand?

[@tonzi4268]

@@BlackLabGarage I got jammed in there with some rtv. We’ll see

[@BlackLabGarage]

@@tonzi4268 Hopefully it doesn't leak. I was going to say put an open end wrench up against that ring on the dipstick tube and hit the wrench with a hammer to drive the dipstick tube on down in the block

[@Jon-k8z]

Headed are a huge help on a 390. & Dual exhaust

[@BlackLabGarage]

I agree that headers help a lot especially on FE’s. I couldn’t afford a good set of headers at the time which is why I went back with the manifolds but it does have dual exhaust

[@palmbeachautosports]

Where did you get your exhaust manifolds from ?? Thanks

[@BlackLabGarage]

The drivers side manifold is the original Ford manifold. The passenger side is a common aftermarket replacement. It was already on the truck when I got it.

[@palmbeachautosports]

@@BlackLabGarage they look pretty descent, even the one you cleaned up with JB Weld.

[@BlackLabGarage]

@@palmbeachautosportsthe drivers side is an early truck manifold because later they got the ribs cast into them to strengthen them. My only complaint with the aftermarket manifold on the passenger side is it has metric studs and nuts lol

[@buttonysquare8501]

Is it okay if I put some red rtv on both sides of the exhaust gasket on my fe? I'm not worried about looks and mine is pitted bad. I have yet to completely rebuild this motor so it is rust colored. I had to drill out and tap 4 top bolts total unfortunately but they all were successful.

[@BlackLabGarage]

Yeah red rtv works as good as anything on exhaust manifold gaskets. I've even ran red rtv with no gaskets on headers before and it works as long as you let it set up before you install the headers.

[@Crz_hrz]

“Honey… get us a box of Pop Sicles at the store this week”! 🤣

[@BlackLabGarage]

I didn't get it at first but now I do lol. I started doing that trick years ago and it makes it so easy

[@angelgarcia4328]

Was that a stock oil pump?

[@BlackLabGarage]

Yes, it’s just a stock replacement oil pump.

[@prayfawind]

restoring a 66 monterey with a 390 engine, i replaced the distributor with PerTronix Flame-Thrower distributor and a Holly Carburetor but i didn't mark of any ( i am a newbie) now i can't find the correct firing order, tried the google charts but still can't get it to even kick over, any suggestions please?

[@BlackLabGarage]

Are you sure you didn't install it 180 degrees out? Number one cylinder is the cylinder closest to you on the left when standing in front of the car facing the engine. Remove that spark plug and put your thumb over the hole and turn the engine over until it starts blowing your thumb off of the hole and then bring the piston close to the top of the stroke. Stop when the timing marks on the balancer are roughly 10 degrees before top dead center with the pointer. Number one on the distributor cap is the terminal at the 1:00 position. Install the distributor so the rotor is pointed at the number one terminal on the distributor cap. You may have to turn the oil pump shaft with a 1/4" socket to get the distributor to drop all the way down. After that just install the rest of the spark plug wires going counter clockwise. 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8. Your cylinders are numbered from front to back facing the engine. Left side is 1234 and the right side is 5678.

[@prayfawind]

@@BlackLabGarage thanks for quick reply i will try that today, appreciate the guidance

[@BlackLabGarage]

@@prayfawind You're welcome! Keep me posted

[@javierramires2814]

I must confess that I stopped by because I was looking for ideas on installing the thermostat on a 390 engine with a 90-degree elbow.

[@BlackLabGarage]

The string and stick method works doesn't it?

[@Bbbbad724]

How are you doing?

[@BlackLabGarage]

@@Bbbbad724 I’m ok. Just been really busy

[@jesse75]

Best tip of all is get rid of stock exhaust manifold.

[@BlackLabGarage]

I agree. Even with the stock manifolds I got close to 13mpg unloaded so I think if I had put headers on it I probably would have picked at least 1 more mile per gallon.

[@jesse75]

@@BlackLabGarage good long tube headers and 3 inch exhaust works. Not 2 and half inch. FE doesn't like any back pressure. I've got 5 inch pipes off the back of headers on my 68 F 100. I made exhaust from Dodge drive lines and motor home mufflers.

[@Albertgermanaro-fs7yf]

Heres a tip for you, take that old 390 to the junk yard, bet yourself a godzilla, prices are down. and its a hell of a,ot better engine!

[@BlackLabGarage]

@@Albertgermanaro-fs7yf while it may a better designed engine I would have no benefit by going to it. That truck the 390 is in, is a 1974 F-350 flat bed dually. So I can’t go that fast. The 390 has been proven to be durable. I get 13mpg out of it even with the truck loaded. The best part is I have $1300-$1400 in that engine from carb to oil pan including the machine work. There’s no way I could engine swap that truck for anywhere close to that price.

[@Albertgermanaro-fs7yf]

@@BlackLabGarageI have a 79 F 250 4 x4 with a 400 a lot of people don't like that engine I put a cam , intake ànd 4 barrel holley after a rebuild, I'll tell you what I've got 250,000 miles on it ,has lots of power, uses about a quart of oil between oil changes I think it's a great engine.

[@BlackLabGarage]

@@Albertgermanaro-fs7yf the 400 was a good engine with a lot of potential. It was just a victim of Fords early attempts at emissions controls. Low compression, retarded camshaft timing, lazy timing curves in the distributor, and lean fuel mixtures and contributed to it being a lot lower on power than it could be.

[@Albertgermanaro-fs7yf]

@@BlackLabGarage yeah, shame like you said victom of circumferences. I see a few people are hot rodding these engines they make big power.

[@BlackLabGarage]

@@Albertgermanaro-fs7yf too bad they isn’t much of a selection for intake manifolds for the 400 engine.