Have a 406 tri-power engine in a T Pickup that the crank thrust surface got worn bad so picked up a fresh AMERICAN 10-10 390 crank for it. Book shows stroke and journal size the same but counter weights on 390 crank hits piston shirts. Can't measure stroke with crank in block but on cylinders with piston at top the piston doesn't poke out of block any so stroke must be right. Did Ford make different counter weight sizes on nodular cranks? Would have to take 0.170 (plus clearance) off bottom of skirt to clear counter weight or turn counter weights to clear and re-balance. Any info on this?
What casting # does your 406 crank have ? Should be C2AE-D for 1962 and into 1963, where C3AE-D ran over that number. The 406 and 427 both had different cranks than the 390. Blocks, pistons, connecting rods, heads, cams, dual point distributors, cast iron headers, and carburetors were all special pieces. Blocks were cross bolt later, and non cross bolt early. I had a 1963 Rangoon red Galaxie hardtop that had a factory cross bolt 406 ****tered in the 70's. Took me a while to gather parts to put it together, but sold it off to an FE collector to finish. If you weren't married to your 406, and wanted to sell out of it ... depending on the pieces that you have left corresponding #'s etc ... you could easily have enough monies to build an amazing 390. You need to talk to 406 and 427 Ford FE guys specifically. EDIT :: Crankshaft repair facility ?? Cheaper sending it in to get welded up/repaired than sourcing 406 unobtainable parts. Your casting number Ford 406 crankshaft is an investment item these days. Your best area performance engine builder .... will have an answer. I sent you a direct message with some good reading.
What is the code on the "390" crank? Later one would have something like a 2U , not a full engineering number like the earlier stuff, it will be on the side of a counterweight. There were indeed cranks for 62, 63, and also 64, I have all three out in the shop, and they are basically the same as regular production 390 cranks except the main journals are grooved. First steel 427 cranks in late 64 for the race hi risers, C4 numbers- I had one of those, let my buddy have it for the restoration of his one of 50 64 hi riser Lightweight Galaxie. I have had my G-code 62 500XL since 77
Thank you, Everyone, The 406 crank has a C2AE-D number but the so called Ford made 390 has no casting number at all. I think he got stuck with a Chinese POS. If the engine and 4sp are worth something to FE people then I'm going to advise him to sell it and use a 271hp 289 we have had for a long time. Really think the lighter engine would be a better set up for the T. The carbs are finally right but found out rounding up parts for a 406 is a h***le. Thanks again; Evan
You might have a HD Ford truck crank I don' know much about them except the crank snout is larger than the 1.38 used in cars and LTs. Some are forged and some are external balanced like a 428. I always thought the 390, 406,and 427 cranks could enterchange with a balance job
As I said, the later cranks did not have the full engineering number cast in them, just a short two or three digit code like 2U or similar. It will be on a side face of a counterface, keep turning it and looking, you'll find it
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