Thread: Ford/Mercury 410?? Is it?

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Well, ok first post, first everything here but also first place I've seen something dedicated to the FE engine which I am very fond of.

I'm a diesel head, Cummins if you could not tell but hello to all you gassers out there. Seems to be hard for all of us to do what we enjoy now. Anyhow, this is my question or problem and hopefully you folks can help out.

I have a FE engine which I disassembled some years ago. I found out by looking on the pistons that they had 410 cast into them. I said, "410????" What on Gods green earth is that?? So a talk with a Ford man revealed the 390 block 428 crank. Now, I am looking to move this engine/basket case but want to make sure I (a) know what I have (b) am not telling a perspective buyer some tall tales and given them the wrong stuff...its an honesty thing I just can't get over.

So the engine block is the standard 390 look but this one has ribs cast into the side of the block, not what I've seen before on a 390 or most FE's that I have seen. The other thing is this, the 428 crank. I found some info on some website many moons ago and according to the casting number on the crank, 2U it is for a 390 or 391 66-73 or 64-78. I took this engine apart and I also removed it from an old farm truck that had been sitting in the field for who knows how long. So now I wondering how it has 410 pistons, 390/391 crank and some sort of wild side block?? I've scoured the block for some sort of numbers and figured after the acid bath it would reveal more but it has not. I have found some other numbers on the crank but looking at this other site did not think they were important.

So now that I have written this novel can you all help out? Does it make any sense? Thanks so much for any info,

Shawn

A 410 is a 390 with a 428 crankshaft.... Ford must have had a bunch of pistons for the 410's cuz they can be found in a lot of 390's..... Only for sure way to tell is measure the stroke, but it sounds like just another 390....

Ford also used the 410 pistons in the 360 light pickup engine. The 360, 390, and 410 all had the same bore ( "4.05 ) with the difference being in the stroke. If I recall correctly, the 360 also used 332/352 length connecting rods which are slightly longer than the 390-428 rods.

With the ribbed block, it's probably a 391 Industrial engine. Ford put 410 pistons in them to lower the CR, the pistons don't come up to the deck at TDC.
That said, I've seen a few 390 pickups that were 410's when we pulled them down! I guess Ford had a bunch left over and passed them off to us Canucks because they never smog-certified them in the 'States. So if you hear of a "390" pickup, about a '74, '75, that has more go than it should have, this might explain why.

It sounds like a pickup truck 390. Ribs were very common to FE blocks from 69 up thru the mid 70's. 2U is indeed a 390 3.78 stroke crankshaft. And the truck engines used the 410 slugs with it to make a nice low compression engine. The 391 crank is forged steel and has a 1.76" snout dia compared to the std FE which has a 1.38" dia snout. Pretty easy to tell them apart. Also the FE's used a aluminum timing cover except for the very early stamped steel covers. The FT engines had a cast iron timing cover. You can ID a 428 crankshaft by a IU, IUB, IUA stamping on the edge of the counterweight.

Were there heads and intake with this engine?? What's the casting numbers if so?

Yeah, I have the complete engine, well not to sure about the intake that's a maybe. I'll have to get the numbers. Well, my 428 crank dream is gone. Kinda thought that when I saw the casting numbers but was'nt sure of what I had. At least with the 428 crank it would sell, now I've got some dead weight for the scrap yard.

Well you should get some cash out of it. Nice std bore 390 block get at least $200. $75-100 for the 390 crank. Good set of rods maybe $60. Heads maybe $100+ depending which they are. Cast iron intakes $30 maybe. Timing cover, valve covers, pulleys and other odd and ends add up too You should be able to get something back out of it. I'd try that before you just scrap everything.

Thanks FFR428, I'll try and do that. I hate to "kill" them and the scrap yard is pretty much death. I see so many cars in there that people haul in. I've seen 65-67 mustangs, ranchero's, old 50's pickups and much much more. Some of it may be worth more than what they got out of it for scrap. Got a 62' Bisquane that I picked up, hate to kill it without trying to locate someone who needs it for parts.

Dang Cummins, sure do wish you lived a bit closer and fuel was a bit cheaper!!!! I sure would be glad to take some of that stuff off your hands!!!!!!!!!!!

at the scrap yard near me, there is an old guy who parks his trailer across the road from the scrap yard, empty and if there is a car that catches his attn, he buys it and loads it b4 they go thru the gates

I saw a mustang one time while I was waiting to get paid and thought, "noooooo" then that same thing ran through my mind, "wonder if they'd sell it to me?"

Some of the Mustang stuff can be valueable depending on the model, engine etc.... If you come across and nice 67-68 Mercury Cougars please let me know. I'd be interested.