Engine is here and coming together!

[Power Hungry]

Good afternoon!

Got the engine back from the machine shop a few weeks ago and I've got most of it together now.

Ran into a small issue with the stupid balancer spacer. Lost the original piece and had to order one from Summit. They only had two, and one was sized for a specific balancer so I order the other one, which was actually the shorter of the two.

Spacer arrives and it is exactly 0.500" too long. Of course, I find that out after pressing it onto the snout and trying to install the balancer. Not gonna work. Yank it all back off and have the machine shop knock the 1/2" off the nose and now we're good.

Still need to get pulleys sorted along with the alternator bracket. Since this truck doesn't have power steering or A/C, this is going to be easy. Single groove pulley FTW!

I'm hoping to have the engine dyno together soon so that I can break the engine in and get a power curve before installing into the F600. We'll see how long that takes.

I've included pics. Enjoy!

[cleatus12r]

That is better than sex!

Pretty....

[Power Hungry]

Originally Posted by cleatus12r

That is better than sex!

I'd argue that point, but as I think about it... It certainly lasts longer.

Thanks!

[cleatus12r]

The FE has always been my favorite. My first pickup (purchased in 1993 for $400) had a worn-out 352 and it was indestructible and pretty impressive power-wise. I re-ringed and re-bearinged it in 1995 along with a new piston (you're supposed to make sure they don't hit the floor when popping them out, right?) and left it that way through mid-year 1998 when I rebuilt a 390 for it while on military leave.

I've rebuilt a few since then, mostly turning 360s and 2v 390s into 4v 390s. I've yet to do anything considered "exotic" with one like you have here....and those exhaust manifolds are the balls!


I have another 352 here that needs a home. It's downright eye-opening that the only difference between one of those and a legitimate boat anchor 360 is 0.050" worth of bore and a lot of deck clearance.

Amazing what squish will do.



Oh, I see you called yesterday too. Sorry I wasn't around the phone and I got so busy today that I forgot to try you back.

[Power Hungry]

Yeah, this engine is quite the beast.

There was a guy in CA who was in the FE engine group on Facebook. He made his own casting for those manifolds. They cost about $700, but I really liked the look of them. They were originally cast iron grey, but I had them ceramic coated black. Bolted right on without issue and look fantastic.

Still working on some odds and ends as I have time, but slowly coming together. I figure once the engine dyno is ready, I'll have the engine ready to go.

FE's have always been a favorite as well. Ever since my first 352, I've loved these engines. I probably like these better than the 385 Series engines, although a solidly built 429 is pretty hard to beat.

I really can't wait to get this F600 on the road so I can start working on the 78 Bronco.

More to come!

[cleatus12r]

Any progress on the engine or dyno? It's not like the weather sucks there.....