Starting a 488ci A headed deal

Figured I had some really good luck with the little 466 with the d0ve heads, I'll repair all of that and let it sit as a backup motor. And since I enjoy beating on the BBC guys with a "little" motor, I'll stick with under 500ci for the new motor. Anyways, here's the details of what's going together:

TFS-340 A heads with minor clean up work to smooth out ports with a little bowl work and chamber polish
FRPP A head intake, again touched up to match ports drilled for fogger nozzles
Holly 1150 dominator
Diamond custom dome pistons in 4.420 bore
BME aluminum rods
Stock offset ground crank (3.975 stroke)
Comp solid roller cam 110lsa 268/277 @ .050 750/760 lift
Have a set of 1.73 rockers and a set of 1.8's so will try both sets to see what gets me the bet numbers.
re-worked set of Headman Hustler 2 1/8" headers to fit into my ranger chassis.

Any thoughts on what it will make? Should have it on the pump in the next 2 weeks....

I have a set of 1.9 ratio T&D Shaft rockers for the a-head I'll let go cheap.


Dan

715-923-3634 cell

Hmm. Might be giving you a call. On a short timeline for the moment to get it together, so I need to see what it's gonna do with what I got.

Im doin a 466 with a the A340 heads...I would like to see what yours would have made power wise as a 466

Considering that it was hard enough to get the correct pistons for A heads in this small bore/stroke, it would have been a pain to get them for a 466. I'm thinking the little bigger bore and a little extra stroke will make for some nice numbers.

Well hells bells after reading your post and a little more digging....I guess its between the 290 or 325 heads.

Yeah you are talking about the TFS "Streets". That's. Pretty common deal as they use a standard valve layout. But to be honest, get with Lem Evans and talk with him about a set of SCJ's. Better bang for the buck out of the box

What size valves in the 340's? We kept smaller valves in mine to help shrouding but Rich put some love into them and got some really good flow numbers. Duration seems a little low for where those heads will probably want to make power is the cam a carry over or are you trying to keep the powerband below 8000? My next combo will definitely have a bigger bore to help shrouding then we will go with bigger valves, I can only imagine what he will get them flowing then lol!

Cam is a carry over from the 466. It will go back after my season ends in a few months for a correct cam. Along with some head loving. The 340's already have 2.35/1.88 valves

TRUKPULR wrote:I have a set of 1.9 ratio T&D Shaft rockers for the a-head I'll let go cheap.


Dan

715-923-3634 cell

What's cheap? What ratio? How old?

crittersf1 wrote:

TRUKPULR wrote:I have a set of 1.9 ratio T&D Shaft rockers for the a-head I'll let go cheap.


Dan

715-923-3634 cell

What's cheap? What ratio? How old?

Hey, get your own deal on a set of shaft rockers.

Reviving this thread as everything had been mocked up and ready for final assembly! Ended up fixing my cracked d1ve block by adding a sleeve and filling to the bottom of the water pump holes. Should give it enough strength to handle what I'm doing. Here's the final specs:

Repaired/filled D1ve block with oiling mods, square decked and allign honed. Cylinder wall tops beveled some to match head chambers and unshroud valves.

TFS 340 A heads with 2.35 Intake/1.88 exhaust valves, minor clean up work to remove casting flash in ports, bowl blend and minor short turn cleanup, chamber polish and cleanup (Thanks Phillip Oakley for the tip!). Deck milled to 74cc chambers (should put the motor around 14.5ish:1)

FRPP A head intake, touched up to match ports and smooth out entry under carb, drilled for fogger nozzles (for later )
Holly 1150 dominator
Diamond custom dome pistons in 4.420 bore (+14.5cc effective volume)
BME aluminum rods
Stock offset ground crank (3.975 stroke) (Thanks Adney!)
Comp custom grind solid roller cam 110lsa 278/282 @ .050 .860/.850 lift using 1.8 rockers

Now to decide what to do for headers. I have a bunch of 2 1/8" bends I was going to use, but thinking I really should be going to 2 1/4" so I don't choke the motor. Any thoughts? Keep in mind, this is going in a 200' mud drag truck where getting that instant wheel speed is key to getting on top of the mud.

use the BBC headers you have?

Dave, I was going to modify the 2 1/8" Headman's, but the bends and how they laid out would be a pain in the arse to turn into fenderwells. With this being a 460 on motor plates (lowered in the frame some), in a 78 F150 chassis under a ranger body, nothing store bought really fits. Unless I cut those up and cobble new tubes, I'm probably better off making a new set and save those for something else or just sell them. So, knowing all that, now it comes to what is better on the tube size to make all the power I can get with the little motor spinning to 8000rpm

The Uprights you already have? why you need fender wells?

The uprights are BBF pattern. I could cut the flanges over, but part of the reason of going down is to help seal the motor up more and keep mud out. Some of the really bad pits, I can get a couple of inches of mud on the intake with the holes in the hood. It's not from the run, but the washing afterwards that gets me

Worst case, I may do that for starters and just use aluminum tape to seal the hood better between runs.

Any update on the build yet?

kjett wrote:The uprights are BBF pattern. I could cut the flanges over, but part of the reason of going down is to help seal the motor up more and keep mud out. Some of the really bad pits, I can get a couple of inches of mud on the intake with the holes in the hood. It's not from the run, but the washing afterwards that gets me

Worst case, I may do that for starters and just use aluminum tape to seal the hood better between runs.

This is what Derrick is using for his new Ranger build.
http://www.460ford.com/forum/showthread.php?t=159933

Had it all together and put it on the pump. Pulled it apart to do some more tweaking on the heads and making a cam change to get a little more out of it. All I can say is the new cam has some tall and wide lobes to make the A heads work in such a small ci motor! After this time, I'll know if I need 2 1/8 or 2 1/4" tubes.

What kind of power did it make w the old cam?

DOn't want to give too much, because it was not what I was wanting, but it was well in the 700's at 7500rpm with 2 1/8" primaries.

What rpms are you going to turn it? I am going to start a thread on my 504 build for my pulling truck here soon.

No problem, just curious cause ive been thinking bout a short stroke A head engine.
Did you use the motorsport intake?

I'm only going to turn it a little past peak, so if 7500 is peak, then the pill will be 8k

Dirt, I used the old Motor sport intake to sort of restrict the huge heads. It is port matched and the plenum has been smoothed out though. Next year, I may send the heads out to really get ported and get the new TFS intake and have that matched.

Got it all together and took it to the dyno. I won't post the real final numbers (too many local competitors watching ) but I will tell you it made over 800hp and surprisingly the peak hp was made at 71-7200 range. Being such a small motor with such a large head I figured I'd be turning it more I to the 8000rpm range. Makes me happy!

Some pic's of "Kermit the engine":




Used the old valve covers until I order me a set of baffled fittings for the new fabricated covers.