Hi, I have a 1976 f-250, and wanted to know how to get a little more performance out of my 360 block. I am novice at best for the rotating assembly, but know my way around exterior things (alternator, starter, electrical, ect). I am looking to put a different intake and a 4bbl on the bone stock 360 block. The reason I want to do this is that it has the crappy motor craft 2bbl setup on it right now and it’s a real doggy setup. I am wondering if I can just buy an intake and carb and put it on without having to change anything else. I don’t want to pull the engine and all that, I don?t want to spend days pulling an engine and putting it back in, it does run ok as it is, but wanted to know if there was an easy way to put a different carb setup on it.
If the distributor goes through the intake manifold, then it will have to come out, but other than that, its pretty straight forward. Often the 4v version had a higher compression than the 2v version so putting a 4v and manifold may not give you the same horse power that a factory 4v engine might have, but advances in carburetor and manifold technology might give you a boost in fuel economy as well as a boost in full throttle power. You may want to look at the exhaust setup next and maybe a good cam down the road.
Ok,I’ll have to look at that. I think that if I was going to get into a cam I would swap out for a 302 or something.
As for manifolds that fit… what can I look for? will an intake off a 351, 390 or? fit? I could probably find a used, newer unit for less, but what can I look for to put on?
You can change the intake and carburetor but you’re not going to gain much of anything except maybe on wide open throttle positions. Then you have to ask yourself how often you drive around with the pedal on the floor.
Advancing the ignition timing a few degrees can help some but these engines are from the heavily smogged, detuned era (both timing curves and cam timing) and horsepower ratings were really down due to Federal regulations.
The only way you’re going to make a really noticeable difference in the performance is with an intake/manifold change, preferably an exhaust manifold change, and a new camshaft.
When doing something like this cylinder head work (porting, larger valves, etc.) is really preferred.
There is really no easy, cheap way of gaining noticeable performance through the power band.
I should have added that a compression check is in order because if the engine is getting tired then nothing will help it very much.
Forget the new intake, a two barrel Holley will give you an improvement that you will notice. Manual choke is good if you don’t fully choke it. Half the way will do and you can adjust the fast idle to suit yourself. Your stock 2 BBL is junk.
Something else will kill the performance. If the vacuum advance is leaking or is stuck, you will get very little power. If you can’t get the vacuum advance off to install a working one, you may have to replace the whole distributor. If the distributor won’t come out with a warm engine, let it get cold and try again.
Fords don’t need modifications like new exotic camshafts or aluminum intakes to get power enough to tow or move. Forget headers. Those things are for Chevrolets. I never saw an RV with a Ford engine that had any extras, but tons of Chevy big blocks that did.
That is another problem, the dist advance is on manifold vac, I swiched it to carb vac, and it ran worse.
What I mean when I say doggy is that when you are idleing in drive (It has a c-6) it will stumble for a bit and then take off no problem. blub blub blub blurrrrrrrr like that and after it gets to that point it has a much power as I want. When it’s cold it has a tendancy to stall right there, but if I put it into nutral and rev it up a couple a times and pop it back into drive it takes off fine. Or, even if I just double tap the gas before I step into it to take off, it will take off fine.
Also, I know it has had a holly on it before, and a few others as well.
Hmm., the difference between ported vacuum,etc,its gotta come from the right place,more power?Get a 500 cfm Holley probaly going to use more gas.Make sure it has a free flowing muffler and make sure the distributor isn’t shot-Need more?Forget the Windsor,drop in a 410 Merc,HiPo 390 or 428 CJ,personally I think the FE series are good mills-Kevin
That condition is sometimes caused when the carburetor isn’t getting warm air. Make sure the stove pipe is installed from the exhaust to the air cleaner and that the ported valves are connected. They’re on the air cleaner. I rigged a choke stove on a chevy when the original one rusted and fell off and it helped.
I had Chevy 350s do that whenever I got them back from the shop. I would turn around and recover my missing pipe.
I swiched it to carb vac
Where did it go originally?
The vacuum advance has a spring and the spring strength controls the advance curve.
If the advance is set up for manifold and connected to the carb vacuum there might not be enough vacuum to operate the advance.
Manifold vacuum will generally give better economy.
Whatever you do, don’t expect to get your money back in the form of increased gas milage or resale. Your 360 will always require 360 cubic inches of air (and an appropriate amound of fuel) to make it run properly. Carb swap might help it run smoother, better accel, but putting a larger carb, headers, or intake, anything that allows better air flow in, is totally worthless unless the same air can flow out (exhaust). I know a guy who spent close to a thousand in parts with just that, carb, manifold, headers, and was totally disappointed with the performance until someone suggested he opened up his exhaust. He said it was “like driving a new truck” He changed to dual exhaust with mufflers (not straight throughs). It was a ford, by the way.
Yep,really help a Ford-Kevin P.S,I think if memory serves me correctly get your vacuum off the intake manifold.
The 360 was a dog motor no matter WHAT you put on top of it…If you want a NOTICEABLE improvement, drop a GT-390 into it, if you can find one…Holly carburetors never improved anything…MotorCraft made a 500CFM 2V that came on 390 truck motors. That will help A LITTLE at modest cost…Changing the intake manifold on a Ford Big Block is quite a job because the push-rods must come out first. The manifold weighs a ton. An aluminum manifold provides a performance boost simply because of the weight reduction…
Yes, I bought on manifold vac. I have never changed a vac advance on a disb before, anything I should know before I replace it?
I did put a warm intake on it, and that did help.
Another thing that is a problem is that the alternater went/going out on it, I put a new battery in it, so that (the batt) is not a problem, but would a bad alt cause the pause and stall before takeoff?