FE Power Forums
FE Power Forums => FE Technical Forum => Topic started by: 390owner on October 03, 2017, 06:57:46 PM
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My 390 is using a lot of oil.(2 quarts at 1100 miles) It has around 125000 miles on a professional rebuild. It is not smoking, the plugs are clean. Any ideas
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Is that 125,000 miles or a typo?
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No typo. This engine runs and pulls as good as it ever did. If it was worn out I should be loosing power and seeing a lot of smoke right?
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Check your valve seals (old, dried up and crumbling) or try some Sea Foam if the oil rings are stuck.
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How big of a pain are they to change without pulling the heads.
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Not that bad, that is IF that's the problem. I'd also check that oil drains at the back of each head aren't plugged with crud. Then, check your PCV valve if equipped. But if those are good to go, then maybe the seals. Here's a vid. Be sure to look at a few others (to the right as this one plays).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob_4-F-m1FI
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Thanks I will check out the video
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I talked to the machine shop that built this engine about 18 years ago. I told him I wanted around 350 or more horse. He said he would port the heads, balance the lower end, cam and so on. When he built it before he put a rv cam what ever that was then and bored it 60. I was getting 10-12 miles per gallon which is fine with me. But if I have him do this extra stuff for more power will it kill what little mileage I am getting now? I get 8-10 empty and 4-5 towing now. What do you think
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Freshening the engine will likely improve your mileage.What would worry me is if the bores are worn you are already at +.060".
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I have two standard blocks I was going to use one of them for a complete build again
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I talked to the machine shop that built this engine about 18 years ago. I told him I wanted around 350 or more horse. He said he would port the heads, balance the lower end, cam and so on. When he built it before he put a rv cam what ever that was then and bored it 60. I was getting 10-12 miles per gallon which is fine with me. But if I have him do this extra stuff for more power will it kill what little mileage I am getting now? I get 8-10 empty and 4-5 towing now. What do you think
You should get better mileage than that. I have a 3/4 ton that got better than 6 towing 19,000 gvw. A 390 built for towing should get 6-8+ towing a normal load. A local man says he got a consistant 17mpg range from California to Texas. He was transporting something, can say what though.
EDIT: My engine is a 352 with comparable empty power and mileage of a mid 90's 351. The 352 is stouter towing.
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I just checked my fuel mileage on my recent tow to and from Drag Week. I was getting between 7-8 mpg. That's with a '70 F-350 dually dumptruck pulling 9000 lbs with an enclosed trailer @ 60-65 mph, running a BP massaged 390 with a 750 Holley.
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Dought that would give you a cost of 1.10$ per mile in Sweden :'(
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Yes that is what I was getting 7-8 towing my 24 foot camper here in the hills. Now it is 4-5. I thinks the miles are the issue as well as the oil usage
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I noticed this weekend while pulling my camper there was a lot of blowby smell. I guess I just need a rebuild >:(