ground rods

[bb429power]

I don't want to get on anybodies bad side but I'm using the same rods. They are perfectly fine and there is no reason to get new ones. People keep saying how my rods are bad since they are ground down, if you read what I said I clearly stated that grinding them down ADDS strength to them. 800 hp is pushing it 700 hp is fine and 550hp isn't even in the ball park. I'M USING THE SAME RODS AS THEY ARE PERFECTLY FINE. End of story. Don't mean to get on anyone's bad side.

[bb429power]

Checked out the 460 forum and found this

Horsepower is NOT the problem as they will easily withtake over 650 horsepower.

I have been lucky for about 7 years, with my pulling truck, Stock bottom end 466, factory rods with factory rod bolts untouched beams, Hyper - cast 5355HP .030 pistons approx. 500 HP spinning 6600 every weekend, a couple weeks ago I was in a burnout competition and held it at 7000-7200 for about 30 seconds, I would have swore it would come apart but............ well....... I guess its hard to beat a BBF

I used to run stock rods with the common prep, and light weight pistons. I used to spin my engine to 7500-7700 RPM's on the dragstrip every weekend!!

It seems like everyone agrees that stock rods can handle it. EASY.

[70shortwide]

267 here http://www.carshopinc.com/product_info. ... /SIR6605FP

[70shortwide]

I hope for your sake you get lucky.

I can tell you from the experience of breaking a stock rod, it will more than likely cost much, much more than a good set of rods when you break one of those ground rods. not trying to strike a nerve, just giving an honest opinion that your rods are not up to the task

while we have fairly different engines, Ill be set back about $3k by the time mine runs again. I consider myself somewhat lucky that it didnt ruin more

[OldRedFord]

I still do not think stock rods that were worked over would take 700 hp.

Are you going to at least balance the rotating assembly now that you ground down those rods?

I still feel this has "bad idea" written all over it. Id hate for you to build a motor and then have it toss a rod through the block.

Your not on any ones bad side, its just a few of us have been there done that.

[bb429power]

I still do not think stock rods that were worked over would take 700 hp.

Are you going to at least balance the rotating assembly now that you ground down those rods?

I still feel this has "bad idea" written all over it. Id hate for you to build a motor and then have it toss a rod through the block.

Your not on any ones bad side, its just a few of us have been there done that.

*EDIT* By the way, what kind of hp and rpm's were you tuning with the motor that you had problems with? I just want to know so I can take this to my engine builder and talk it over with him.

Thank you for your concern, I will be balancing it. I'm just going with what my machinist told me and my prior knowledge. I don't even like calling him a machinist because he is the nicest and most honest person I have ever met. After working with him for quite a bit, I can tell that he would never steer me in the wrong direction. He will do stuff at his own expense for us like because we were working out a deal with him he got us some really nice ford racing heads for $1200 when they are regularly $1800. my peak horsepower will be at 5,000 and I won't go over 5,500. Like I said, I really appreciate everybody's concern and I thank you for that.

They aren't ground down as much as it looks.

[BobbyFord]

267 here http://www.carshopinc.com/product_info. ... /SIR6605FP

Damn, that's a pretty good price. I know the Scats are more expensive, but Eagle rods are good, too.

[bb429power]

It's not the bolt that breaks on the broached rods, it's the rod, in the area of the bolt. Save yourself some later money and headache and toss those rods.
Cast pistons? Sure.
Forged?
http://www.460ford.com/forum/showthread ... light=rods

Just wondering why you are saying to go with cast pistons and not forged. I've always heard that forged are better because they control the amount of minerals that go into the areas of it.

[BobbyFord]

I wasn't suggesting cast pistons, I was saying that you are less likely to suffer a rod failure with the lighter cast piston. Forged pistons are heavier and are a contributing factor in stock rod failure.
If you are not going to spin past 5000 rpm's then it's not a big deal.
Are you going with the 429 crank or 460? It's going to be hard to get 500HP out of an iron-headed 429. Who is going to port your heads? You are going to have to have larger valves installed and a full port job.

[bb429power]

I'm going with an eagle 460 crank with an internal balance. I didn't know forged pistons were heavier though My heads are going to have 2.12 intake and 1.76 exhaust valves with blended bowls and major pocket porting. The valve guide was even ground down to increase flow (not too much though). They are being done at http://champion-performance.com/. He is doing a really good job on them as they look like race heads. I'm not sure if they will get ported or not. I would at least like to get rid of that little lip just on the inside of the intake port though. I will be making 550 hp give or take and my goal with this build is to have a really high hp street engine with out sacrificing the power for drag racing. In other terms, to get the most low end power whilst still having top end power.

[BobbyFord]

Here are dyno-proven builds for 385 series engines:

http://www.429-460.com/proven-builds-f4 ... n-t121.htm

[bb429power]

KB Pistons http://www.kb-silvolite.com/test/kb_car ... s&P_id=188
I will have a holley 4160 series 705cfm but it will have the lightest spring in it.
the cam is http://www.lunatipower.com/Product.aspx?id=2287&gid=245
With a weiand dual plane stealth intake 1800-6800 rpm range
comp cams roller tip rockers (1.72 ratio)
ford racing high volume oil pump
hooker longtube headers
dyno simulater says 549 hp and yes its not an exact reading but the machinist already said that I would definitely be making 500+hp and around 550hp

[BobbyFord]

KB Pistons http://www.kb-silvolite.com/test/kb_car ... s&P_id=188
I will have a holley 4160 series 705cfm but it will have the lightest spring in it.
the cam is http://www.lunatipower.com/Product.aspx?id=2287&gid=245
With a weiand dual plane stealth intake 1800-6800 rpm range
comp cams roller tip rockers (1.72 ratio)
ford racing high volume oil pump
hooker longtube headers
dyno simulater says 549 hp and yes its not an exact reading but the machinist already said that I would definitely be making 500+hp and around 550hp

Not a good cam choice.
460's do not like single pattern cams. You need more lift and more duration on the exhaust side. If you look at every build on the above link, all of them have dual pattern cams.
I'm not bagging on your builder, I'm sure he is competant and experienced, but I went to his site and saw a bunch of Chevy motors.
These guys build and race big block Fords:
http://www.460ford.com/forum/
http://www.429-460.com/index.htm

[bb429power]

I chose the cam and other parts a while back. He does build a lot of fords and he has a ford expert that runs the business with him. Its just that most of his customers come in with chevy motors that they want for their ocean boats. Thats where he makes his money mainly, but his website seriously does him no justice.

Thank you for taking time to help me out, I have learn some new facts today. As for the cam, I am not going to change it because its already bought and I focused my build around it. I was also thinking of just porting the exhaust ports and not so much the intake to give it that dual pattern kind of flow. Add to the exhaust and not the intake. What would you say on that Yay or nay.

[BobbyFord]

Porting only one side of the head is not going to make up for the drastically different flow numbers between the intake and exhaust ports. Also, porting must be done by someone familiar with BBF heads. You can actually hurt flow by improper porting. The guy that ported my heads has gotten 730+ hp out of iron D0VE heads. Go to those websites I linked and ask some questions from the guys that do these motors for a living.
Whatever you decide, good luck with your build.