Pump gas 390 Dyno test

[1968galaxie]

With the recent TFS headed 390 build I was hoping to find what other 390 builds have accomplished.
The old FE forum had an updated 390 test.

"The engine is a +.030" 390 with stock crank, Scat rods, Icon flat top pistons, 10.0:1 cr, heads are un-ported C6AE-R with good valves, a good valve job and bowl blend. That's it. They have Harland Sharp rockers and shafts with their end stands, 3/8 Smith Brothers pushrods, Morel hyd. roller lifters and Straub cam. Basic performance oil mods to the block, Canton pan, nothing exotic.
Hydro Roller cam: 237/243 @ 0.050" 108 LSA 104 ICL  0.641 intake 0.621 exh lift."

results 520 hp @ 6400 rpm and 473 ft lbs torque at peak. Very impressive for old Ford iron heads!!!! Dual carb intake seems to work very well. These are corrected numbers. I did not see uncorrected numbers.

Just showing that old iron (heads) isn't as bad as we seem to think.

[blykins]

This was Foxwell's build. 

The previous iteration made 500 hp I think.  The video showed it was making 430 uncorrected horsepower. 

So, just bench racing here, Perry, but if the conditions were the same, and he picked up 20 hp with the carb swap, then his uncorrected would be around the 445 hp mark with the same correction factor applied.

Stout little factory headed engine.

So since you're comparing it to the TFS headed build, I would say the differences would be that he's running that 2x4 MR intake and he's not turning any accessories. 

I wish I had some more "hipo" (read BBM, SM, etc.) headed 390 data, but I don't.  I have a ported CJ headed 390 build coming up which would give some more 390 data and I also have a 465 cube TFS headed bracket motor coming up, which will give some more TFS head data.

[1968galaxie]

Thank Brent,

I look forward to more builds.
This one specifically showed that there isn't a whole lot of "extra" power using TFS heads on only 395 cubic inches over a set of
decent iron castings.
For 430 to 450 hp uncorrected one does not require TFS heads or BBM etc... Kind of overkill perhaps at these power levels.

Cheers

[e philpott]

Blair had some dueling 390 Dyno runs a few years back , one had BBM heads the other was iron CJ heads, not sure where to find them on here though but they are here somewhere

[My427stang]

Thank Brent,

I look forward to more builds.
This one specifically showed that there isn't a whole lot of "extra" power using TFS heads on only 395 cubic inches over a set of
decent iron castings.
For 430 to 450 hp uncorrected one does not require TFS heads or BBM etc... Kind of overkill perhaps at these power levels.

Cheers

Interesting that you said that.  I look at the iron heads not only for their power potential, but potential cost.  You are correct, that with a fresh modern valve job, a modern set of valves and springs, and good prep, they can flow in the 260-280 range to support a build like Scott's.  However, when you add fixing broken exhaust manifold bolts, guides, seats, cutting for modern valve seals, aftermarket heads become pretty attractive, and you still have the iron heads to sell if required. I don't know what Scott did to the heads, but my guess is was a pretty nice cleanup in the bowls, it's what he does.  I'd be interested to know if he went smaller stem, because it's no significant cost increase, but they are not your standard C6AE-R and time and parts are money. 

FWIW, I do run iron heads on my truck because I needed the exhaust port, and we got 277 cfm out of them, good for 550 hp or more for the right combo, but in the end they weren't any cheaper than the alum ones I have on the Mustang

One last thing, all bench racing, I think the separation would have climbed quite a bit more if both engines  had medium riser intakes.  My opinion is that the TFS heads were better than the intake at high RPM and Brent's would have kept climbing

In the end, still two big number motors, both will be a blast wherever they end up