Redline

Anybody know what would be a safe operating RPM range for a 1966 390 (I believe it's stock) would be? I just put a tach in and it was running about 2400-2500 at approximately 65mph.


Also, do you know what redline would be?

Thanks

 

Thats pretty much where Ford geared them to run, actually on the low side..A 66' Fairlane with 390 and 4spd would have 3.25 gears and at 65 mph the engine would tach a little over 2700.....Stock 390 hp is in mid 4k's so it would be pretty winded [and nothing gained to go farther] by 5500..

 

I ran a 390 but from my understanding if you hold high rpm's for a while you will starve the rear rod bearings of oil, never had a problem but I never sustained high rpm's to see if it would happen either, had no problem banging through ther gears.

Vergil

 

66 390's had thier peak Horsepower rated at 4600 RPM. I think that motor would probably redline at 5500 safely, but doesn't make any power past about 5000

 

At first I thought you ment these redlines....

 

I bought the car about 2 months ago and I thought it was screaming when I was running about 60mph, figured I'd throw a tach in there to give me a sanity check. I was about to change the rear-end gears and the transmission. A $30 tach changed all of that (for now).

Thank you all for the feedback.