Weighed my 428 today, kinda interesting.

[Rory428]

I don`t know how many of you guys have ever actually weighed a FE engine, but after years of hearing wildy different opinions, today I actually found out first hand. For some time, I had been looking for an affordable crane or hoist scale, that operates under tension, so I can put it between my engine hoist and carb lift plate. A scale like those used on the tuna fishing shows would be ideal, but way more money than I was prepared to spend. A couple of months ago, a local tool supply store had some similar crane scales on sale for about 50 bucks, so I bought one. This particular scale has a max weight rating of 660 pounds, but I thought for the price, I would take a chance. Anyhow, today was finally the time to remove my "mock up" 390, and install the 428 CJ I recently rebuilt and dynoed 2 months ago.For the first weigh in, the engine was complete, less arb, headers, and clutch assembly. The engine is a basically stock, standard bore 428 Service short block I bought over 30 years ago, with stock iron C8OE-N CJ heads, some weigh was saved with an Edelbrock Performer RPM intake and aluminum water pump. It also has a 7 quart Canton oil pan, and windage tray, both heavier than stock stuff, and still had the break in oil in it, and whatever water remained in the engine after the dyno session. Anyhow, in that configuration, the engine weighed in at 546 pounds, a bit lighter than I expected. Next I added the new steel 30 lb steel McLeod flywheel, 11" Long style McLeod clutch assembly, cast iron bellhousing, clutch fork and TO bearing, and motor mounts, & weighed it again. Now it weighed in at 633 pounds. Since I was now less than 30 lbs from the scales maximum capacity, I didn`t dare weigh it again once I bolted up the iron Toploader 4 speed, but at least I now know what a dressed FE weighs. I would have to think that a factory iron block FE with aluminum heads would hover around 500 pounds, maybe a touch less , maybe 450 with an aluminum block.

[cjshaker]

That doesn't seem bad for an all iron FE. It'd be interesting to see just how light a person could get one. A billet, scalloped and lightened crank, aluminum heads, lightweight intake (tunnel wedge would probably be the lightest intake next to a sheet metal), all aluminum externals etc, although stamped steel valve covers would probably be lighter than aluminum. You'd be looking at the low 400's.

[jayb]

Rory, yours is a little lighter than I would have figured, but not by much.  You saved 55 pounds with the intake swap over the CJ intake, which really helps.  Here's my low-buck 390 stroker (446") on two of my vehicle scales.  It's hard to read the numbers but they are 245 and 264, for 509 pounds.  The engine stand itself is 10 pounds, so this engine weighs 499 pounds in total.  This is including the Dynomax truck headers and the Holley 750 DP carb, and of course the aluminum heads and intake, plus oil and filter.  No alternator or alternator brackets, no starter, and no flywheel.




In light of this I could never understand why some people make such a big deal out of how much lighter a small block is.  I mean, how much lighter could it be?  I don't know what a similarly equipped small block weighs, but let's say its 150 pounds less, and a common 347" variant.  In the car, you would be adding 150 pounds with the FE, but picking up 100 cubic inches and probably 100 horsepower, and 100 foot-pounds of torque.  Would you rather have a 3250 pound Mustang with 400 foot-pounds of torque, or a 3400 pound Mustang with 500 foot-pounds?  The FE seems like a no-brainer, to me anyway...

[Rory428]

Sure blows holes in the theory that some guys have that FEs are 750 lb lumps of iron. A fully dressed marine application may be that heavy, but not a car or PU engine. Jay, when I pull out my aluminum headed 331 SB Ford at the end of the race season, I will have to weigh it and see what it scales at. As for the weight differance between a SB & a FE, I can see both sides. Since I still don`t know if I want to make my Fairmont NHRA legal to run 9 second ETs all the time, last year I pulled the 427, and swapped in my 331 from my 85 Mustang. Gotta say knocking off 200 pounds from the nose does some good things for lanches, although going from 4.56 to 5.13 rear gears likely helped a bit too. A lot more working room under the hood too. My 331 is a pump gas, flat tappet aluminum head engine, that dynoed at 485 HP, and has gone a best of 10.24@ 128 MPH in the Fairmont. That said, the old 427 is sitting in the corner , waiting for going back into battle, although another set of custom headers will be needed, the old ones are paper thin, and the collectors feel like aluminum beer cans. (The long tube SB headers were under $125. new). I would really like a good pair of aluminum heads for my 427, and to finally try my Tunnel Wedge setup, and make it to Beaver Springs FE Reunion sometime.

[chris401]

I don`t know how many of you guys have ever actually weighed a FE engine, but after years of hearing wildy different opinions, today I actually found out first hand. For some time, I had been looking for an affordable crane or hoist scale, that operates under tension, so I can put it between my engine hoist and carb lift plate. A scale like those used on the tuna fishing shows would be ideal, but way more money than I was prepared to spend. A couple of months ago, a local tool supply store had some similar crane scales on sale for about 50 bucks, so I bought one. This particular scale has a max weight rating of 660 pounds, but I thought for the price, I would take a chance. Anyhow, today was finally the time to remove my "mock up" 390, and install the 428 CJ I recently rebuilt and dynoed 2 months ago.For the first weigh in, the engine was complete, less arb, headers, and clutch assembly. The engine is a basically stock, standard bore 428 Service short block I bought over 30 years ago, with stock iron C8OE-N CJ heads, some weigh was saved with an Edelbrock Performer RPM intake and aluminum water pump. It also has a 7 quart Canton oil pan, and windage tray, both heavier than stock stuff, and still had the break in oil in it, and whatever water remained in the engine after the dyno session. Anyhow, in that configuration, the engine weighed in at 546 pounds, a bit lighter than I expected. Next I added the new steel 30 lb steel McLeod flywheel, 11" Long style McLeod clutch assembly, cast iron bellhousing, clutch fork and TO bearing, and motor mounts, & weighed it again. Now it weighed in at 633 pounds. Since I was now less than 30 lbs from the scales maximum capacity, I didn`t dare weigh it again once I bolted up the iron Toploader 4 speed, but at least I now know what a dressed FE weighs. I would have to think that a factory iron block FE with aluminum heads would hover around 500 pounds, maybe a touch less , maybe 450 with an aluminum block.

Thanks for posting the weight.

[unclewill]

150 lbs is equivalent to having a passenger sitting on the hood of the car - probably not good for handling or acceleration!  I agree the extra power is worth it in most cases.  More interesting to me is the difference between the weight of a stock all iron FE with iron ex manifolds vs typical build aluminum heads and intake and headers (+alum water pump?).  Ford engineers designed vehicle suspensions for the iron big blocks and taking a couple hundred pounds (or so) off the nose may negate the need for stiffer springs, bushings, etc.  I'm still debating moving the battery to the trunk - is it worth the hassle?  I have the relocation kit already.

[fryedaddy]

you can put the battery in the trunk, add alu heads,intake,waterpump.and your within 50 pounds of the smallblock up front.i did it and i couldnt believe it but my frontend came up a inch or two and when i push up and down on the front of my car it feels like its got a small engine in it.

[unclewill]

I have everything but the water pump and the car is tight as a drum on the road.  In fact, it handles and stops much better than I was expecting for a 48 year old car.  Maybe this winter I'll move that battery!

[machoneman]

Yes, do the battery in the trunk trick. You'll like it.

[Heo]

I  Think moving the bat. to trunk equals a 6inc Engine
setback on a Mustang

[2ndgear]

How much more does a cammer weigh with alu. water pump, heads,ahd intake then the full iron FE ? Thanks

[TimeWarpF100]

I don`t know how many of you guys have ever actually weighed a FE engine, but after years of hearing wildy different opinions, today I actually found out first hand. For some time, I had been looking for an affordable crane or hoist scale, that operates under tension, so I can put it between my engine hoist and carb lift plate. A scale like those used on the tuna fishing shows would be ideal, but way more money than I was prepared to spend. A couple of months ago, a local tool supply store had some similar crane scales on sale for about 50 bucks, so I bought one. This particular scale has a max weight rating of 660 pounds, but I thought for the price, I would take a chance. Anyhow, today was finally the time to remove my "mock up" 390, and install the 428 CJ I recently rebuilt and dynoed 2 months ago.For the first weigh in, the engine was complete, less arb, headers, and clutch assembly. The engine is a basically stock, standard bore 428 Service short block I bought over 30 years ago, with stock iron C8OE-N CJ heads, some weigh was saved with an Edelbrock Performer RPM intake and aluminum water pump. It also has a 7 quart Canton oil pan, and windage tray, both heavier than stock stuff, and still had the break in oil in it, and whatever water remained in the engine after the dyno session. Anyhow, in that configuration, the engine weighed in at 546 pounds, a bit lighter than I expected. Next I added the new steel 30 lb steel McLeod flywheel, 11" Long style McLeod clutch assembly, cast iron bellhousing, clutch fork and TO bearing, and motor mounts, & weighed it again. Now it weighed in at 633 pounds. Since I was now less than 30 lbs from the scales maximum capacity, I didn`t dare weigh it again once I bolted up the iron Toploader 4 speed, but at least I now know what a dressed FE weighs. I would have to think that a factory iron block FE with aluminum heads would hover around 500 pounds, maybe a touch less , maybe 450 with an aluminum block.

I have a set of certified scales:

My 1966 352complete less carb but with bellhousing and clutch was 708 lbs.





The replacement 418 w BBM heads perf RPM intake, inc quick fuel carb, engine pan to carb, CJ Valve Covers, ALuminum water pump and flywheel was 498 lbs





I weighed 2 diff type clutches and they were 22 & 23 lbs





352 and 390 cranks were 66 lb 390 and 64 lb 352





Edel Perf RPM Intake 24 lbs and a stock 352 2v was 75 lbs

[TimeWarpF100]

Stock FE manifolds 20 lbs, pair of tube headers 19 lbs





Most know this but a stock C6AE-R head was 48 lbs





Rocker assy's with tins 10 lbs