Thread: Calling Paul Kane

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Paul, I'm new to CHR. I've noticed that you are very knowlegeable about Dove motors. I have a freshly built 429 Dove-A block, Dove-c heads with BBC Comp Magnum roller tip rockers, hardened pushrods and guideplates, stock valves, I'm running a basic RV style cam, a Performer RPM 460 Intake, a Holley 600 cfm carb, the bottom end is basically stock with flat tops and ARP hardware and has been balanced, and LandL Products full length headers with 2.5 pipes. I've got it in a 78 Bronco, 355 gear, C6, but not real happy with the way it runs.
It always runs fine unless I hit it from a dead stop or slow roll, then it spits and sputters until I let off. If I drive it normal, like in traffic it does fine even on the highway. I've never been able to roast the tires and that's a shame. What's your take on this problem? Also I've got access to my buds machine shop, if it were your project what would you do to the motor?

I'm not Paul, but it sounds like that little Holley isn't gett'n enough squirt from
the accel pump. I run a 600 dbl pump for the street and it works well.

Hello Slade,

Per our phone conversation, after asking some questions I feel that, 1) the engine has not yet be optimally tuned and you need to thoroughly tune the engine so as to determine whether it will perform to your satisfaction, and, 2) I cannot make absolute recommendatons about what I believe will satisfy your desire for more power because I don't know the details of the camshaft, whether the valve train geometry is correct, etc, and based on its performance behavior I wonder if it may be possible that there is another 50+ horsepower in it that has not yet been unleashed. I know that you wish to rebuild your engine for more power and I'll make some recommendations, but please understand that your enigne simply isn't running correctly and it neeeds to be tuned first. You may find that it has plenty of power once properly tuned.

Get a re-curve kit for the Duraspark distributor; put a Holley 750 (or preferably a Holley 850 double pumper) on the intake manifold, optimize your valve train geometry--did you find out the length of your pushrods? After the recurved Duraspark is installed, set your ingition timing to 32* BTDC @ 3000 rpm. Start doing spark plug readings and carbuetor jetting. Assuming optimized setup, this current engine combo should make good power to 4500 rpm.

Knowing that you may be rebuilding the engine and given its application in a Bronco 4x4 and your desire for more power, I can paraphrase some suggestions that I feel might make a suitable engine combo provided it is well set up and well tuned.

• I might build it with an internal balance 460 crankshaft (you will probably need the 2Y or 2YA casting crank in order to have the correct converter pilot hole in the flange, but you need to check this against your current 429 crankshaft).
• Reconditioned 429/460 rods
• Rebuilder pistons for the 1993-up 460 engine. This will give you about 10:1
• (1973-1985 460 pistons will give you about 9.7:1)
• Bowl blending and short turn radius work on the cylinder heads, 3-angle valve job.
• CompCams XE256H camshaft (the engine can take more cam, but given the 4x4 application and presumably stock torque coverter....)
• The other changes as noted for your current engine combo.

Paul

Thanks for the info, this will be a good starting point for my machine shop bud...