Hello From Fortuna/Eureka, Ca. - New Guy with a 1970 F 250 Camper Special in Need of 390 Engine Work

[Rancheria]

Hi Everybody! I'm a second time poster. I have 20 months very interesting experience with my 1970 F 250 Ranger XLT Camper Special. It's a long story, but basically I bought a nice, clean, pretty much rust free Camper Special in October 2013 in Santa Cruz County, Ca. It had issues to begin with with low compression and very poor heads, so a few months later I had good rebuildable heads totally surfaced and well rebuilt by Marino's machine shop in Freedom, Ca. After many months of waiting for my mechanic to install the new heads and Harland Sharp roller rockers and straightening out other problems, I picked up my truck in the beginning of May, three weeks ago. Immediately the engine started using a very large amount of oil, but ran pretty well. It became more of an oil user and eventual oil smoker to the tune of about a quart every 100 miles. Now the spark plugs can make it about 45 miles in mixed driving before two or three cylinders begin fouling, numbers 4, 7, & 8 primarily. It's getting worse after driving the first 650 miles. It did not seem to be running hot or have low oil pressure.

I began driving from Santa Cruz to Oregon to return home with the truck. Now I'm in Fortuna, near Eureka, Ca. with my brother, a retired mechanic, and it definitely looks like I will be needing a rebuilt engine, as there definitely seem to be major problems with the bottom end. The healthy valve trains and 650 miles of driving have finally shown us this. I ran it low on oil during the first 150 mile leg of my trip to Oregon. No knocking or apparent overheating though.

Do any members know of a good shop in the Eureka area that might be able to do an engine swap after I can come up with a rebuilt engine. I know my truck's engine was a S & J crate engine from Spokane (about $1800) and that the guy I bought it from abused it by towing too heavy of a big 5th wheel trailer over steep mountain passes in the Rockies. Of course, I am trying to learn of all of my options with a rebuilt engine, and would rather do the engine machining and building and swap here in the Eureka area, if at all possible. I don't think I would ever go the crate engine replacement route. (The rebuilt C 6 transmission seems like the best part of the truck anyway, after driving only 650 miles.)

Thanks a million for any suggestions or info pointing me in a possible good direction in Eureka or Northern California!!! I really appreciate all of the expertise and experience gained from members here!!! Thank-You !!!

[1970FordTK]

Welcome from North Carolina, if you will post this in the engine or general section you may get many more views from the folks who know more on this site and can help point you in the right direction.

[Mancar1]

Welcome aboard from Tehama County, Ca.
There r several shops in that area. Never used any of them, but u may look them up and go and check them out. I hope things work out for u.
Keep on Trucking.....John

[lennyp]

from Massachusetts.

[fireguywtc]

from Texas!

[Madman]

Colorado!