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Ted Guldemond
11-23-2006, 12:50 PM
I just bought a new (old) towing vehicle. It's a 1966 Ford F100 with a 352 ci. FE big block. I got my wife to agree to it because it matchs my GT-21. Anyway, my question for any big block ford experts is how far can you bore a 352 (4.000inch bore)? Are this like most fords that can only handle .030" over without sonic testing. Or can this block go out to 4.050 like the stock 390ci. version? Also, will a 390 (3.78"crank) or a 428 (3.98" crank) fit in this block? Thanks.

Craig S
11-27-2006, 07:50 AM
I am just a punter in fes. But this site is great.
Craig

http://www.network54.com/Forum/74182/

Craig S
11-27-2006, 08:39 AM
From the fe site...
I'm new to the FE world. I have a 66 f100 with a 352 that I am just starting to rebuild and want to get the most out of it. Can I use a 390 crank, rods and pistons? If this is a bad idea what is a good method of beefing up a 352? Thanks
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Kevin66
(no login) Yes! June 5 2002, 11:02 PM
The 390 parts WILL fit into your 352 block, once it's bored to fit. The 390 has a .050" larger bore than the 352 (4.05" vs. 4.00"), plus the longer stroke (3.78" vs. 3.50").
Most 352 blocks would even allow boring further, so as to take .040-.060" O.S. 390 pistons (4.09"-4.11" bore), yielding a final displacement of 397 to 401 c.i.d.
There's nothing wrong with a 352, but there's lots more torque in the 390. This parts upgrade is usually quick and cheap, and well worth it. The 390 would even use your existing flexplate or flywheel.

Ted Guldemond
11-28-2006, 06:53 AM
Thanks Craig. That's what I needed to know.

BigGrizzly
11-29-2006, 06:58 PM
The answer to your Question is 0.030 of an inch is maximum buy Ford and the Good engine builders that I deal with. However there ara bigger pistons avvailable

Ted Guldemond
12-04-2006, 09:44 AM
Thanks Randy.

mphatc
12-04-2006, 08:07 PM
With all the work required to modify something old like this . . why not retro fit a contemporary power plant ?

A 6 cylinder Cummins Diesel . . for towing
or a Ford 5.4 liter with injection
or a PS Diesel . . not as much torque as the Cummins . .

Mario

Craig S
12-05-2006, 01:10 PM
With all the work required to modify something old like this . . why not retro fit a contemporary power plant ?
A 6 cylinder Cummins Diesel . . for towing
or a Ford 5.4 liter with injection
or a PS Diesel . . not as much torque as the Cummins . .
Mario
but that would be the easy way!

gcarter
12-05-2006, 01:55 PM
I suppose the Cummins would take a whole new drive train...including a new rear axle!!!:eek!:

Cuda
12-05-2006, 03:01 PM
I've always wondered, what does FE mean? All I worked on when I was young were Fords.

No, not the Model T's either.:wink:

Ted Guldemond
12-05-2006, 03:25 PM
From what I've recently read, FE stands for Ford Engine. Although some sources say it stands for Ford/Edsel. There is also a series called FT, for Ford Truck. The FE's were used in cars and light duty trucks. The FT's were used in the heavier trucks. I'm not sure of the difference other than dimensions on internal parts like crankshaft journal size? A B series Cummins would be a nice swap, but I think the amount of work, fabrication and money would be prohibative. I'm thinking of stroking the 352 with either a 390 or 428 crank and matching it to a tremec 5 speed. Should be good to go and tow.

maddad
12-06-2006, 06:10 AM
While bore spacing etc. says the parts swap in, there will be clearance issues with some crank/rod combos at the pan skirt in the 352 block.

Ted Guldemond
12-06-2006, 07:06 AM
I thought there might be clearance issues with a 3.98 inch crank. I was hoping the 3.75 inch crank would fit?

maddad
12-06-2006, 10:31 AM
What I've read says the 3.75 is a common swap. The longer 3.98 stroke will hit at the bottom of the cylinder bore.(not the lower skirt at the pan rail like I posted before)
SA design has a few Ford performance books worth reading if you want to make old Fords run well.

Craig S
12-06-2006, 12:26 PM
What I've read says the 3.75 is a common swap. The longer 3.98 stroke will hit at the bottom of the cylinder bore.(not the lower skirt at the pan rail like I posted before)
SA design has a few Ford performance books worth reading if you want to make old Fords run well.

Good 428 cranks are also hard to find...

FE engine displacements Displacement Bore Stroke
CID Bore..........................Stroke
332 4.000 in (101.6 mm) 3.300 in (83.8 mm)
352 4.002 in (101.7 mm) 3.500 in (88.9 mm)
360 4.047 in (102.8 mm) 3.500 in (88.9 mm)
361 4.047 in (102.8 mm) 3.500 in (88.9 mm)
390 4.052 in (102.9 mm) 3.784 in (96.1 mm)
406 4.130 in (104.9 mm) 3.784 in (96.1 mm)
410 4.054 in (103.0 mm) 3.980 in (101.1 mm)
427 4.232 in (107.5 mm) 3.784 in (96.1 mm)
428 4.132 in (105.0 mm) 3.980 in (101.1 mm

On another note. I think there is a guy on the FE site building a short stroke FE using either the 332 or the 352 crank. One person's trash is another persons gold...

Craig

Ted Guldemond
12-06-2006, 06:34 PM
Thanks for the chart. Again it makes me wonder if there is really a difference in the cylinder wall thickness on all these combinations. Or is there one casting able to accept the various bores. I quess I won't know for sure until I have it sonic tested. I also wonder if anyone ever stuffed a 3.98 crank in a 427 block?

Craig S
12-07-2006, 08:00 AM
Thanks for the chart. Again it makes me wonder if there is really a difference in the cylinder wall thickness on all these combinations. Or is there one casting able to accept the various bores. I quess I won't know for sure until I have it sonic tested. I also wonder if anyone ever stuffed a 3.98 crank in a 427 block?

Lots of people want a 428. Only certain 390s can be bored to make a 428. a buddy of mine tried, and the cylinder wall ventilated. I don't know of anyone that is making a 427 out of lesser blocks. They seem to require a 427 block.

And SCAT is making strokers for the FE. 500+ cubes. And a couple three vendors for new blocks as well (aluminum and steel...Shelby$$$, Dove, and .... I forgot the third company).

Craig S
12-07-2006, 09:17 AM
Apparently SCAT's 4.25" stroke is pretty popular.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/74182/thread/1142576184/[/URL]

Craig S
01-04-2007, 07:55 AM
More 352 drivel from the Ford FE site that might help your project

352 Rebuild
January 3 2007 at 10:30 PM rsscoggins (Login rsscoggins)
Members

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All

I have a 66 Galaxie with a 352 FE. I am going to rebuild this engine over the next couple of weeks. The compression is as follows:

Cylinder 1 120
Cylinder 2 125
Cylinder 3 110
Cylinder 4 120
Cylinder 5 120
Cylinder 6 120
Cylinder 7 125
Cylinder 8 110


Hopefully Steve Christ's book on rebuild will arrive from Amazon.com tomorrow. Anything I should watch out for?

I would like to replace the cam with something more aggressive. Any suggestions, I want something that is still streetable as I building more for reliability than power but I would like something with a little more lope at idle.

I am going to have the heads professionally redone and the block checked out by a machinist.

Also are there any factory headers for this that I can use instead of the stock manifolds. I have power steering so I want to ensure there is no interference there.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Stacy Scoggins



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Ken McCormack
(Login 69mustang1234)
Members How much money have you budgeted? January 4 2007, 4:22 AM

There are MANY things you could do to the old 352, depends what you can afford. If it's in the budget, stroke it! Go to Survival Motorsports, Barry will help you out. Just click on the "Links" in the headerbar, above. Also, go to Summittracing.com for your headers, I think Hooker makes a good set for your combo, but you do realize that FE stands for "Friggen' Expensive"? You can buy 3 or 4 sets of roller rockers for a SBC for the same price of a single set for an FE.
Barry also has some good choices of cams for you to select from, but you do need to talk to him, not just look at his site. Best of luck, Ken

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WerbyFord
(Login werbyford)
Members A 410 vs. a 352 - build will differ on a big 66 Gal January 4 2007, 4:44 AM

Stacy,
I agree, in a heavy car like that the best move is stroke it if you can. If all it needs is rings & bearings, I'd leave it at 352. And, if the stock cam is good shape, I'd leave it there, because the car is so heavy if stock.

If you're going to bore and get pistons, then you're in the Money Game. A 390 crank and rods is cheap to come by, then bore .050" and you have a 390.
But the cost of a stroker crank (3.984" or 4" at least) is really cheap compared to a whole rebuild, and the long crank with .050" bore will give you 410. And, if you're buying new pistons anyway that's a wash.

If you stay with 352, the stock cam is about 192/192 duration at .05 lobe. I'd go to 194/204 (Edel Performer) or 204/214 (Barry R has this grind) but no more than that in a tall geared 352 Gal.

As far as exhaust, it sounds like you dont want headers. For the cams I mentioned, even the flat logs are ok. Or, the iron "406" exhaust (also 390 Police is same) will work with P/S. They won't add much power on a mild 352 build but wont take away any either.

What are the casting numbers on your heads and intake?
If you have the c6ae-r heads "Big" intake port, and the matching "big port" iron intake, that's one route. Otherwise....well, check out the casting numbers on your heads & intake & post back - - -