Refreshing the 390 FE

[Alan H. Tast]

Q: What's the code stamped into the flat rectangle at the driver's front corner of the block? Was there an aluminum tag bolted to the intake, and what were the codes stamped into it? All of these will help to paint a picture as to where and when the engine was built.

I suspect the code stamped into the bearing DAB 166 may be an identity code for for Dearborn Engine Assembly plant and either the month, week or date the bearing shells were either made or installed. Hence the request for the block and tag codes. C5AE indicated part was engineered for 1965 Ford, 6333 is the basic number for main bearing, and AE AF are suffixes indicating revisions, which I suspect happened in early 1966

[Rt.146]

Q: What's the code stamped into the flat rectangle at the driver's front corner of the block? Was there an aluminum tag bolted to the intake, and what were the codes stamped into it? All of these will help to paint a picture as to where and when the engine was built.

I suspect the code stamped into the bearing DAB 166 may be an identity code for for Dearborn Engine Assembly plant and either the month, week or date the bearing shells were either made or installed. Hence the request for the block and tag codes. C5AE indicated part was engineered for 1965 Ford, 6333 is the basic number for main bearing, and AE AF are suffixes indicating revisions, which I suspect happened in early 1966

Thanks for your interpretation, I find it an interesting read. I will check for that code on the front of the block, I got the tag. What I may have here is an original built short block, the numbers on the bearings are pointing that way, it seems! The heads may have been worked on; the machine shop it is going to, will take a look at the short block, if all looks OK, rebuild it.

[Rt.146]

The aluminum tag has these numbers 390-66-6, 6A 357 S
The head has these numbers 66-AE-R
The block these 8, 352.

[Rt.146]

Back in the day, whenever that day is, cars in the condition mine was, would be left on the side of the road and forgotten about, thought the uni-body, hood and trunk were solid, window glass all around good, tires fair. that's about it at the purchase. Three years into this Iron, which we affectionately refer to in the least as our T-Birds.
Two pics: Oil pan refresh front and back, OEM, except for the dents in the pan brought on by no one knows.

Notice the face inside of the oil pan, Mr. Iron, I presume.

[64ZCODE]

Careful what you with for, you just might get it

[Rt.146]

The new lifters and cam were put in, thinking a few thousand more miles or so could be gotten from the engine, that didn't work out. Pulling the engine to take the short block to a machine shop, this damage "new" lifter showed up. My question is what could have caused this concaving, a rod rubbing against it, had to do it, what would cause the rod to do that?

[stubbie]

By no means an expert, but would that be caused by a to short of a push rod?

[Rt.146]

by stubbie » Sun Nov 15, 2020 8:38 pm
"By no means an expert, but would that be caused by a to short of a push rod"?

I checked one of the old rods, against the new, for now they look about the same. When the old valves were taken out, none of them appeared like in the picture.

[RAVEN]

My thoughts are 2 fold.
1) when you installed the lifters, which were new and dry, did you oil soak them for a day and allow them to fill and pump them up?

2) did you apply cam lobe friction paste (break in lube) which is why we now use ZDDP zinc to prevent cam lobe wear?

Normally you never swap lifter locations in a previous run motor in relation to cam lobe surfaces as they wear in, as matching surfaces. In your case you say NEW, so that issue is covered. Please confirm "new" vs old parts.

If the push Rod's were short, they could pop out of rocker rail, and/or have tappet knock.

[Rt.146]

Raven;
The cam, lifters and rods are new, they were prepped like you wrote about, except for soaking them for a day, the oil pump was not rotating freely, possibly now that you mentioned it that lifter did not pump up the others look OK. The short block is at a local machine shop (Simplex Engine and Machine) heads to go next if the block checks out, maybe they will have some answers, why it happened.

[Rt.146]

The valve lifter in the picture, from what I have read is in that shape because it was not rotating. OK!, moving on..

[Rt.146]

Got word, the my 390 Magnafluxed OK! It will need an overbore of 0.40, the heads are getting checked out. My new cam is damaged , not repairable, I think that happen when the mech. was loading the valve lifters, with the faulty oil pump, it didn't break in as it should have.

[RAVEN]

Ergo Why I asked if units had been pumped up and oil soaked. To my knowledge you can not pump up lifters by using the oil pump, it has to be done by submerging the units and manually cycling each lifter.
By using the oil pump with no lifter cycling, all you do is pressurized them not fill with oil. In that case you end up with non functional non oil filled units. You have to purge the air trapped inside.

[Rt.146]

Ergo Why I asked if units had been pumped up and oil soaked. To my knowledge you can not pump up lifters by using the oil pump, it has to be done by submerging the units and manually cycling each lifter.

Raven, your saying put the lifters in a pan covered with oil, and just let them sit there for a while, then would you use the oil pump to cycle them?

[RAVEN]

Sorry no. Place a lifter in a pan where the lifter is submerged and using a push rod, push on the centre plunger. Cycling the plunger and relaxing several times. It is a time consuming process, and the plunger moves very little. The Idea is to work oil into the inside of the lifter and lubricate it.
This was taught to me, by an old mechanic, and have done it with every engine I have assembled and it has worked.
Something else that is very important is the Cam lobe assembly paste, it is there for a reason.