FE FoMoCo help.....

[Moneypitt]

you're gonna replace one piston??
Yepper buddy. This is my truck, remember? Never sees over 3500Rs, and rarely over 3K.......I aint spending a boat fortune here, just putting it back in service with a new tranny and fresh heads.........I can't keep it down for long so I don't have the time (or $$$) to bore to .060 and forged piston it. Hell, it's only a truck, if I do too much to the motor I'll have to paint the hood!! Then who knows what? interior?? Wheels? Tint? OK, OK, I'll do the brakes!! Ray

[058]

Alright guys, thanks. just FYI, the H heads are vertical only exhaust pattern, and I don't see any air holes either.....Found one scalloped piston, so it is out waiting for +.04 replacement,(factory floaters!) and these slugs are down in the hole, maybe .075/.100, with a .05 or so dish in the pistons? ...MPTypical rebuilder pistons, They fit 360 and 390, Good for inventory control but not good for detonation control being that far in the hole. Heads are for a full size Ford or Merc. thats why the verticle bolt pattern. Some are drilled for air and some are not depending on if it was a Calif. car or a 49 state car.

[Moneypitt]

Typical rebuilder pistons, They fit 360 and 390, Good for inventory control but not good for detonation control being that far in the hole. .
OK, the heads will work. Now I'm a bit confused with the 360/390 comparision to the 428 pistons. Surely the stroke difference would not allow the use of these pistons in the (+.080) 360/390 engine? I see some TRW (very old catalog) remarks about recesses in heads, (.165) for some 428 piston applications, and also see .056 recessed pistons w/ 4 valve reliefs. Is the .056 a dish, or is it a reference to .056 in the hole....Maybe I'll try to find a Federal Mogal on line catalog....Thanks for your input, it bugs me not to be able to figure out what other people have done to an engine in the past, and then try to figure out why........Ray

[058]

OK, the heads will work. Now I'm a bit confused with the 360/390 comparision to the 428 pistons. Surely the stroke difference would not allow the use of these pistons in the (+.080) 360/390 engine? I see some TRW (very old catalog) remarks about recesses in heads, (.165) for some 428 piston applications, and also see .056 recessed pistons w/ 4 valve reliefs. Is the .056 a dish, or is it a reference to .056 in the hole....Maybe I'll try to find a Federal Mogal on line catalog....Thanks for your input, it bugs me not to be able to figure out what other people have done to an engine in the past, and then try to figure out why........Ray
Ray, simple, there is no compairing 390 and 428 pistons, 428 bore is 4.130" and 360/390 is 4.050" the ability to use the same piston in a 360 or a 390 is the 360 rod is longer [6.540"] and the 390 as well as the 406, 410, 427,428 rods are all 6.488" The rebuilder piston mfgs consolidated the 2 to reduce inventory. As far as boring a 360/390 .080" over is not recommended as the cylinders are too thin and throw in some core shift and then ya got real problems. Not to say that its never been done, it has but those blocks that have enough material to bore that big are rare. Don't forget the comp. height is unique to 410/428 pistons too as they use the same rods as the 3.78" stroke engines.

[Moneypitt]

Don't forget the comp. height is unique to 410/428 pistons too as they use the same rods as the 3.78" stroke engines.
So, in your opinion, what combination created the "in the hole" situation these pistons display? Or are you agreeing with the shop, that this is a normal 428 piston configuration? Also, the Fed Mog site shows only "forged pistons", but the seal power +.040 number ends in NF, which I though was the cast designation.......as I seem to remember 30, 60, 90 were forged and most if not all +.040 were cast........Thanks for your insight, Ray

[fc-pilot]

Wow, reading all this really makes me like GM stuff. I am not smart enough to remember all of this. You guys really impress me with the details that you can remember.
Paul
And no I am not trying to start the GM, FoMoCo, and Mopar battle.

[Moneypitt]

Wow, reading all this really makes me like GM stuff. I am not smart enough to remember all of this. You guys really impress me with the details that you can remember.
Paul
And no I am not trying to start the GM, FoMoCo, and Mopar battle.
Paul, I figured I would wait and keep looking for an aluminum intake and just change it later.......Wrong! Imagine having to pull the v/covers, rocker shafts, push rods, and distributor, just to change an intake!! The push rods actually go through the intake manifold!!! And that cast iron piece is damm near as heavy as a SBC short block!!! I also have no desire to spark any debates.............Ray
PS, I can find no faults with this old work horse of a truck, it does it's job and doesn't complain much at all..........

[fc-pilot]

PS, I can find no faults with this old work horse of a truck, it does it's job and doesn't complain much at all..........
That says volumes!
Paul

[roostwear]

Paul, I figured I would wait and keep looking for an aluminum intake and just change it later.......Wrong! Imagine having to pull the v/covers, rocker shafts, push rods, and distributor, just to change an intake!! The push rods actually go through the intake manifold!!! And that cast iron piece is damm near as heavy as a SBC short block!!! I also have no desire to spark any debates.............Ray
PS, I can find no faults with this old work horse of a truck, it does it's job and doesn't complain much at all..........
Yes, changing manifolds is a PIA on an FE, but trying to find a good and reasonably priced intake is even harder. People are buying up all the Street Dominators and Streetmasters (and paying good money, too), so don't be tempted to put a Performer (not to be confused with a Performer RPM) on it. Hope your back is up to putting the cast iron intake back on!

[Moneypitt]

Yes, changing manifolds is a PIA on an FE, but trying to find a good and reasonably priced intake is even harder. People are buying up all the Street Dominators and Streetmasters (and paying good money, too), so don't be tempted to put a Performer (not to be confused with a Performer RPM) on it. Hope your back is up to putting the cast iron intake back on!
I WAS looking for a low profile type intake for the torque, but you're right, any and all FE intakes are priced like gold, and I haven't seen what I want, even directly from Edlebrock. (maybe offy makes one), I plan on using the cherrypicker to reinstall it on the engine stand. That way I can line up that stupid little bypass hose and keep the end seals in place, (I hope). As I said, this motor never sees over 3500 and seldom over 3K, so just about any dual plane alum would work........Ray