Just read one of the best novels I have read in years (Page 2): No, but every night spend my last two hours reading. I found a great source for books in our local Thrift shop, $.50...

out of the woods Loc: to hell and gone New York State

Richard94611 wrote:

Have you joined any book club?

No, but every night spend my last two hours reading. I found a great source for books in our local Thrift shop, $.50 softcover, $1.00 hardcover. I buy a stack at a time, reject some, return them when finished, so its more like rental. I love historical fiction, usually find non fiction, mundane and lacking emotion. Currently reading, The Memoirs of Cleopatra, a huge epic novel, but entertaing. Winters are long and dark here. Usually read quirky stuff, no romance, yuk!

Highlander66 Loc: Illinois

BigMike wrote:

I just inherited my Pa's '79 Ford 4WD.

It has a 400 small block with an RV cam. It's all I've been able to read up on lately.

Wolfy is right. It should be a 4 barrel. The 400 Ford was badly under carbed due to emissions restrictions at the time. It is a fantastic durable extremely high torque motor with excellent reliability. The rv cam is a generic term for camshafts that help make power in the lower rpm ranges for towing and hauling. It sounds like you are running a bit lean in your air fuel mixture if it doesn’t want to idle until warm. Check the choke settings and if they are correct make sure you don’t have any pesky small vacuum leaks. That old truck should give good service for years. Just don’t expect a lot of fuel economy.

Highlander66 Loc: Illinois

BigMike wrote:

WTF! He ordered it special and the dwell makes no sense!

It idles like shit until it warms up. I've never had a Ford that did that.

Once it warms up you can spend days idling along with good gas mileage in the low gears.

Any insights guys?

One of the things that happened back then was cam timing was retarded (yes it is an acceptable mechanical term) for emissions issues. That particular motor had the cam at -4 degrees when it would have been optimal for performance at +4 degrees. TRW makes a timing chain and gear set that has key ways cut for -4, 0 and +4 cam timing. If it is set to one of the second two, your distributor readings will be a little off from what the book tells you. I still think it’s either a small vacuum leak or a choke problem. If it is too much of a problem let me know because I’d love to have a truck like that and I’d be happy to take it off your hands...

lindajoy Loc: right here with you....

Peewee wrote:

You're getting to be a wee bit of a sassy lassy my bonnie snow bunny...:)

Moiiiiii?? Why, I nevahhhhhh~~

Good Morning to you ad well~~

And~~~

BigMike Loc: yerington nv

PoppaGringo wrote:

I have no idea as to what it even means.

It means the valves stay open longer than the average engine. Even so, it has a 350 CFM Motorcraft carburetor like every other F-150 of that time.

How Pa monkeyed with the breathing of the engine like that without changing the carburetion and the intake is beyond me.

out of the woods Loc: to hell and gone New York State

Where are the books!

Highlander66 Loc: Illinois

BigMike wrote:

It means the valves stay open longer than the average engine. Even so, it has a 350 CFM Motorcraft carburetor like every other F-150 of that time.

How Pa monkeyed with the breathing of the engine like that without changing the carburetion and the intake is beyond me.

There are several very good aftermarket intakes for that motor. It really should have a 650 cfm carb at minimum and would be perfectly happy with a 750.

BigMike Loc: yerington nv

Highlander66 wrote:

One of the things that happened back then was cam ... (show quote)

All the emission stuff is long gone and I suspected the timing was retarded.

This engine I'd prefer in a hotrod late '60s Torino but it is good for toolin' along at an idle for long periods while boondocking it.

I'm lookin' for a '67 to '72 F-100 shortbed fleetside with a 300 straight 6.

BigMike Loc: yerington nv

Highlander66 wrote:

There are several very good aftermarket intakes for that motor. It really should have a 650 cfm carb at minimum and would be perfectly happy with a 750.

I'm afraid I'd have to change the valve springs if I fool with intake and the carb.

Richard94611

BigMike and Highlander seem to be trying to destroy this thread by posting off topic. Please lodge a complaint about this and maybe we can get rid of them. I’ll post about good books as I read them, so it will only concern books I think are worth reading.

out of the woods wrote:

No, but every night spend my last two hours reading. I found a great source for books in our local Thrift shop, $.50 softcover, $1.00 hardcover. I buy a stack at a time, reject some, return them when finished, so its more like rental. I love historical fiction, usually find non fiction, mundane and lacking emotion. Currently reading, The Memoirs of Cleopatra, a huge epic novel, but entertaing. Winters are long and dark here. Usually read quirky stuff, no romance, yuk!

Peewee Loc: San Antonio, TX

lindajoy wrote:

Moiiiiii?? Why, I nevahhhhhh~~

Good Morning to you ad well~~

And~~~

Aye, you're a bonnie lass, shivers me timbers, you must be a wee bit of me lucky charm.

https://youtu.be/G7O9OqBd2us

BigMike Loc: yerington nv

Highlander66 wrote:

There are several very good aftermarket intakes for that motor. It really should have a 650 cfm carb at minimum and would be perfectly happy with a 750.

They do have a 500 CFM 2 bbl and I've heard the one it has is capable of 450 CFM with some polishing and I have a spare I could play with.

I'm wondering if enlarging the jets might make it idle better. That wouldn't help otherwise, I know.

BigMike Loc: yerington nv

out of the woods wrote:

Where are the books!

This thing is NOT in the book.

BigMike Loc: yerington nv

Richard94611 wrote:

BigMike and Highlander seem to be trying to destroy this thread by posting off topic. Please lodge a complaint about this and maybe we can get rid of them. I’ll post about good books as I read them, so it will only concern books I think are worth reading.

Sorry! My bad!

Richard94611

Go to another thread. Start your own.

BigMike wrote:

Sorry! My bad!