352 Heads...........Ughh!

[62galxe]

Its appropriate. I drive my ford and work on my dodge. Now back to our 352 program.

[Toyz]

The 352 on the block is standard on a wide range of FE engines. Have you measured the stroke yet? don't know how accurate this is but it looks right.
http://www.fordfe.info/FEStrokeCheck.htm
Some years of the truck 390,s had a large deck height which killed the performance of the motors due to low compression.

Emissions 390 chart

The 390 truck engine of the 1970s uses the 410 piston to reduce the compression ratio. This piston often has 410 on the side of the piston near the pin boss. The chart at the right shows that this increase the deck height to 0.120. When you add a head gasket thickness of 0.042 this effectively eliminates quench and greatly reduces power. The only solution is change the pistons.

Likewise he 360 truck engine of the 1970s uses the 390 piston to reduce the compression ratio. This piston usually has 390 4V on the side of the piston near the pin boss.

Pretty easy with the heads off. A caliper, or even a steel rule can be used in the same manner to measure stroke. You can also measure from TDC to BDC on any given cylinder by turning the crank through full travel of the piston. As Kenny indicated, there will be roughly a quarter inch difference in stroke between the 352/360 (3.50") and 390/406/427 (3.78"), a little less than that between the 390/406/427 and the 410/428's (3.98"). Bore measurements will also help determine exactly which configuration.
Paul

[Limestone66]

Not 352 heads as i thought, but 390 heads as i were told. These look brand new. Pic is a little fuzzy as my son picked them up yesterday and sent this to me.

[Hawkrod]

I am curious, none of your posts show head numbers and there are actually no heads that are 390 only so how do you know those are 390 heads? 66 352 and 390 used the same heads and except for GT heads that have a different exhaust bolt pattern, the heads used on a 390 were also used on whatever other engines were made that year. For example C8AE-H heads were used on 360, 390 and 428 or in the case of a 1966 Ford truck which would have usually had C6TE-G, C6AE-R or C6AE-U heads on it. The truth is, when somebody says "those are 390 heads" it sets off alarms for me as there is really just no such thing. And if it is a machinist telling you this it makes me worry a bit as he may not be an experienced Ford guy. There are FE heads that fit 390's as well other engines and there are some special hi performance heads that fit some odd and rarer applications but most FE heads are the same for any FE in a given model year. You may not have the correct year heads for your truck but I pretty certain that you do not have 390 specific heads. Check the numbers around the center spark plug area for a casting number (it will be something like C6AE R or it can be C6AE 6090 R and will vary by year). You can also check the date the heads were made but it is under the valve cover when the engine is assembled. It will read a number-letter-number which we can translate into actual year of production for you. Hawkrod

[Toyz]

Hawkrod, that was why I asked earlier the basis of the machinist's statement. When someone who "should" know, refers to "390 heads", my first thought is the easily recognized GT heads. I have little knowledge of specific part numbers and applications. IMO,the other clues which might lead someone to that possibly inaccurate description would be the presence of damper springs, the dual exhaust bolt pattern, or, most likely; a C7 or later prefix, which would effectively rule out original U.S 352 application.
It's probably immaterial to Ron at this point, but you are correct, that statement is worthy of questioning.
Paul

[Limestone66]

I am curious, none of your posts show head numbers and there are actually no heads that are 390 only so how do you know those are 390 heads? 66 352 and 390 used the same heads and except for GT heads that have a different exhaust bolt pattern, the heads used on a 390 were also used on whatever other engines were made that year. For example C8AE-H heads were used on 360, 390 and 428 or in the case of a 1966 Ford truck which would have usually had C6TE-G, C6AE-R or C6AE-U heads on it. The truth is, when somebody says "those are 390 heads" it sets off alarms for me as there is really just no such thing. And if it is a machinist telling you this it makes me worry a bit as he may not be an experienced Ford guy. There are FE heads that fit 390's as well other engines and there are some special hi performance heads that fit some odd and rarer applications but most FE heads are the same for any FE in a given model year. You may not have the correct year heads for your truck but I pretty certain that you do not have 390 specific heads. Check the numbers around the center spark plug area for a casting number (it will be something like C6AE R or it can be C6AE 6090 R and will vary by year). You can also check the date the heads were made but it is under the valve cover when the engine is assembled. It will read a number-letter-number which we can translate into actual year of production for you. Hawkrod

Hawkrod? I dont have a clue of what you are asking. But i, like you and 'Paul', am damn curious to what i actually do have. I will not take any mans word for it, whether he be a good machinist or not. My downfall is my total lack of knowledge on these old Fords. Something that i just very recently got into. It has been years since i've even done a head job totally by myself and a good machinist 'skilled' in rebuilding heads. All i know is what i am telling you guys and with pics to go along with it. But now i am hearing other things. Part numbers and such. You guys are the real gurus on this matter, so now i am even questioning myself for not paying better attention to what i may have. The old truck runs pretty damn good so far and i am satisfied of the work involved. But until i myself pull those valve covers off and visually see the casting numbers on these heads, i will not be satisfied beyond a shadow of a doubt that i am dealing with true 390 heads. In the long run, it dont matter to me. Not looking for originality as compared with just a good running old truck that will pull my camper {when i buy it that is}. That will be my next project, {see my other post}, as well as haul my bikes, ferry my grandaughters around and just tool around town. This old truck is my daily driver and has everything i need. Just needs to be loved, and i aim to do just that.

[Toyz]

Ron,
I agree with your assessment on this. It's really pretty immaterial at this point. The heads work! I am pretty anal on knowing what I actually have, but I have no clue as to what heads are on my current FEs. It is interesting to know the reason for the machinist's statement. Our speculation is probably correct, that he simply saw later part numbers; but it might be worth asking him.

Paul

[Limestone66]

I'd like to know myself if not for the curiosity in me. Being an older feller as he is, he has prolly only done a hundred thousand of them to know right off of what he was dealing with. I were told that he has a set of original 352 heads that he did for a customer and never got picked up. Not sure of what he's asking for them though, only that he has them as well as some other heads that he did and again, never got picked up. I will look into this matter further on this end, and also the original ones that he has. I'm also gonna see for myself and gamble a set of gaskets, take some more pics and submit them and see what you guys can come up with. Thanks again.

[Hawkrod]

Hawkrod? I dont have a clue of what you are asking. But i, like you and 'Paul', am damn curious to what i actually do have. I will not take any mans word for it, whether he be a good machinist or not. My downfall is my total lack of knowledge on these old Fords. Something that i just very recently got into. It has been years since i've even done a head job totally by myself and a good machinist 'skilled' in rebuilding heads. All i know is what i am telling you guys and with pics to go along with it. But now i am hearing other things. Part numbers and such. You guys are the real gurus on this matter, so now i am even questioning myself for not paying better attention to what i may have. The old truck runs pretty damn good so far and i am satisfied of the work involved. But until i myself pull those valve covers off and visually see the casting numbers on these heads, i will not be satisfied beyond a shadow of a doubt that i am dealing with true 390 heads. In the long run, it dont matter to me. Not looking for originality as compared with just a good running old truck that will pull my camper {when i buy it that is}. That will be my next project, {see my other post}, as well as haul my bikes, ferry my grandaughters around and just tool around town. This old truck is my daily driver and has everything i need. Just needs to be loved, and i aim to do just that.

You don't need to do anything but open the hood to check the casting numbers on a head. As I noted, the numbers are right next to the center two spark plugs. Hawkrod