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Recommendation for a FE390 Stroker setup

TomTiDom

New Member
Hi guys,

I would appreciate tips and suggestion for a FE390 stroker setup. After reading a lot of stuff and talking to guys from e.g. summit I came to the following conclusion

  • Scat Engine Rotating Assemblies 1-94646BI which delivers 431cui
  • Edelbrock performer RPM heads
  • Edelbrock performer FE intake manifold
  • Holley Street avenger 770cfm carb.
  • Comp cam K33-226-4 cam & lifter kit
  • Harland sharp S4006BKE Roller Rockers
  • Canton oil pan CTR-15-811
  • Doug's headers
  • Pertonix III
  • TCI Auto 441100 breakaway torque converter
  • TCI 448800 Pro super transmission overhaul kit

What are your thoughts?

Kind regards
Tom
 
Hi guys,

I would appreciate tips and suggestion for a FE390 stroker setup. After reading a lot of stuff and talking to guys from e.g. summit I came to the following conclusion

  • Scat Engine Rotating Assemblies 1-94646BI which delivers 431cui
  • Edelbrock performer RPM heads
  • Edelbrock performer FE intake manifold
  • Holley Street avenger 770cfm carb.
  • Comp cam K33-226-4 cam & lifter kit
  • Harland sharp S4006BKE Roller Rockers
  • Canton oil pan CTR-15-811
  • Doug's headers
  • Pertonix III
  • TCI Auto 441100 breakaway torque converter
  • TCI 448800 Pro super transmission overhaul kit

What are your thoughts?

Kind regards
Tom
All outstanding parts. I don't care for pertronix.

When I built my 460 I used late model electronic ignition.

You may want to look in to using factory electronic ignition systems for it. There are aftermarket setups but I have always like to use Ford parts for reliability.

Mel

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I'd first ask what vehicle you are building this for and it's intended purpose. What transmission and rear end (gear). I'd suggest finding a good local transmission expert and have them assist in the trans work and parts selection. Just like a cam, convertor choice is dependent on all kinds of other factors. It will likely be cheaper and better than something like a generic built TCI unit.

Cam selection needs to be made with the entire car combination in mind. Off the shelf cams are simply "close enough" grinds. It doesn't have to cost more to get something done custom to what you have which will work much better and provide better power too. Who is doing the machine work for you? Will you be building the engine yourself or having it done. Enlist the machinist and/or builder in helping put together the right combination of parts. For a main stream commercial crank SCAT is pretty good. Even then it should be gone over by a good machinist. You don't just bolt the stuff into a block. I don't know how the Edelbrock heads for a 390 stack up but usually their heads are good but not great. If you are after every ounce of power you can get there are better choices for most engines. AFR and Trick Flow, for example. Same for the Performer intake. The Air Gap almost always delivers more in a dual plane design.

I like Pertonix stuff. I've used both the Ignitor ii and iii in their billet distributors. Nice looking and work very well. The iii gives you an adjustable rev limiting feature which is worth the cost.
 
I'd first ask what vehicle you are building this for and it's intended purpose. What transmission and rear end (gear). I'd suggest finding a good local transmission expert and have them assist in the trans work and parts selection. Just like a cam, convertor choice is dependent on all kinds of other factors. It will likely be cheaper and better than something like a generic built TCI unit.

Cam selection needs to be made with the entire car combination in mind. Off the shelf cams are simply "close enough" grinds. It doesn't have to cost more to get something done custom to what you have which will work much better and provide better power too. Who is doing the machine work for you? Will you be building the engine yourself or having it done. Enlist the machinist and/or builder in helping put together the right combination of parts. For a main stream commercial crank SCAT is pretty good. Even then it should be gone over by a good machinist. You don't just bolt the stuff into a block. I don't know how the Edelbrock heads for a 390 stack up but usually their heads are good but not great. If you are after every ounce of power you can get there are better choices for most engines. AFR and Trick Flow, for example. Same for the Performer intake. The Air Gap almost always delivers more in a dual plane design.

I like Pertonix stuff. I've used both the Ignitor ii and iii in their billet distributors. Nice looking and work very well. The iii gives you an adjustable rev limiting feature which is worth the cost.
Every Pertronx device I've owned went bad in a few weeks. There are better aftermarket options and using a late model Ford is much more reliable for a driver.

Just my experience though.

Mel

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
 
I'd first ask what vehicle you are building this for and it's intended purpose. What transmission and rear end (gear). I'd suggest finding a good local transmission expert and have them assist in the trans work and parts selection. Just like a cam, convertor choice is dependent on all kinds of other factors. It will likely be cheaper and better than something like a generic built TCI unit.

Cam selection needs to be made with the entire car combination in mind. Off the shelf cams are simply "close enough" grinds. It doesn't have to cost more to get something done custom to what you have which will work much better and provide better power too. Who is doing the machine work for you? Will you be building the engine yourself or having it done. Enlist the machinist and/or builder in helping put together the right combination of parts. For a main stream commercial crank SCAT is pretty good. Even then it should be gone over by a good machinist. You don't just bolt the stuff into a block. I don't know how the Edelbrock heads for a 390 stack up but usually their heads are good but not great. If you are after every ounce of power you can get there are better choices for most engines. AFR and Trick Flow, for example. Same for the Performer intake. The Air Gap almost always delivers more in a dual plane design.

I like Pertonix stuff. I've used both the Ignitor ii and iii in their billet distributors. Nice looking and work very well. The iii gives you an adjustable rev limiting feature which is worth the cost.

Thank you for the extensive answer. There is no special purpose, the car is only for street use not for racing. I do have a guy building the transmission and a guy building the engine. I am part of both jobs, but I do not feel myself experienced enough to do it on my own. I took a lot of information from the book "build max performance FE engines" from Barry Rabotnik, but as always their are many ways and not only one. For me it is is the interest to make more out of the engine, not to squeeze the last bit out of it.


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All outstanding parts. I don't care for pertronix.

When I built my 460 I used late model electronic ignition.

You may want to look in to using factory electronic ignition systems for it. There are aftermarket setups but I have always like to use Ford parts for reliability.

Mel

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

Hi Mel,

Do you talk about an Ford Electronic ignition from a later model? Can you please be a bit more specific

Regards
Tom


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Hi Mel,

Do you talk about an Ford Electronic ignition from a later model? Can you please be a bit more specific

Regards
Tom


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It's been a lot of years but I just used a just used a junk yard set. I was building a 460 and I went to our local junk yard and pulled the electronic ignition from a Lincoln with a 460 in it. I pulled the wiring harness as well as the AC parts. I was building a pickup and the AC from a town car should cool the cab of a truck.

This was in 1984 ish.

Might be harder for you in Germany.

I would find a newer, like 80s 390 and start there.

Mel

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
 
It's been a lot of years but I just used a just used a junk yard set. I was building a 460 and I went to our local junk yard and pulled the electronic ignition from a Lincoln with a 460 in it. I pulled the wiring harness as well as the AC parts. I was building a pickup and the AC from a town car should cool the cab of a truck.

This was in 1984 ish.

Might be harder for you in Germany.

I would find a newer, like 80s 390 and start there.

Mel

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

Hi Mel,

Thnx got it. I will try in the meantime eBay ä, always a good start and it’s global.

Going to the junkyard is not an option .

Regards
Tom


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Not to keep countering Mel but Pertronix is used by countless guys in all types of applications. They are part of the Comp Cam family of automotive parts now. Some of their very early stuff (many year ago) would stand the chance of failing prematurely if the keyed power was left on when not running but that is long past. The modern stuff is super reliable, very nice looking and works. Best bang for your buck in ignition and it can look stock. No MSD box on the firewall, etc. Simple install too.
 
Not to keep countering Mel but Pertronix is used by countless guys in all types of applications. They are part of the Comp Cam family of automotive parts now. Some of their very early stuff (many year ago) would stand the chance of failing prematurely if the keyed power was left on when not running but that is long past. The modern stuff is super reliable, very nice looking and works. Best bang for your buck in ignition and it can look stock. No MSD box on the firewall, etc. Simple install too.
If you don't use Ford, MSD is a far better choice than the garbage I've seen and received from Petronics.

Mel

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
 
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