I have a 71 460 with DOVE heads. The unknown aftermarket cam is a 262/272 degree, .484/.510 lift, with 106/118 degree lobe centers. Using a multi index lower crank sprocket, it was advanced 4 degrees. The motor runs good but demands 92 octane or it rattles terrible. It has about 200 lbs cranking pressure. Is the cam advanced too much? Ideas/suggestions?

Joe R
SW Washington
75 F150 4x4 460
13 F150 4x4 Coyote

 

That year of 460 with the DOVE heads IIRC is going to be a 10.5 to 1 CR. That would explain its appetite for higher octane. I don't think the cam timing will necessarily effect how hard the engine cranks over, I do know that if the ignition timing is advanced too much it will cause hard starting. If you haven't done it already, I would ditch the old direct drive starter for a gear reduction unit from a newer truck. I did it on my 460 in the Bronco, made a world of difference. Highly recommend it.

 

It cranks fine, I just thought advancing the cam was overkill and get me some mpg or get it to run on lower octane. Having owned 78 3/4 ton 4x4 with the 400 and a 70 F250 Camper Special 2wd 390 I should have known better.... 10 mpg empty or loaded, uphill or down!

My 2013 F150 Coyote motor gets 17.5 around town and over 20 hwy.

I did not know reduction starters were available... Good info! I just put in a D31M Optima blue top in it.. The thing sat for 5 years in a field. Much under hood rust and interior mildew....

Thanks - Joe

 

Advancing or retarding timing affects the torque curve of the engine. In general, advance = more low-end power, retard = more power at higher revs.

 

Nice looking trucks! Yeah 10 mpg is about right for a 460, pass anything but a gas station! Lol Yeah, actually you can use a factory starter from the newer fuel injected 460 (example, 95 F250 with the 7.5L) make sure you get the right one there is a difference between automatic and manual. I picked up a junkyard starter for $30, had to switch a couple wires around and run a trigger wire down to the new starter. Bam, piece of cake! Super easy upgrade, much easier on batteries and quicker easier starts in extreme cold and hot. Another upgrade to consider is the 3g alternator conversion. I did both of these upgrades to all of my older Ford trucks using junkyard parts, two of the best things you can do for these old gals.

 

I should stop over-thinking it and begin the resto. It's 90% cosmetic and needs a balljoint as far as I can tell now. Thanks for the info on the starter again. Didn't know about the change in the fuel injected motors.

Stay safe -

Joe

 

That's right and 4 degrees of advance is as far as I've ever advanced a cam. I did in a truck engine I built for towing, otherwise for general use I wouldn't advance it.

 

I just found this forum. I have a 460 in my 86. I sometimes have a hot start problem. Do you think a reduction starter may solve this? Also, my 460 is completely stock except for an edelbrock carb. How much would getting a straight up timing set help?

 

WRT the hot-start issue, please start a new thread instead of hijacking this one. You will get more people looking at your post if they know the correct subject.

I do not think the '86 had a retarded timing set, so changing it won't get you anything, if I am right.

 

86 DID have a retarded timing set. Please start own thread. Your 1971 460 probably is a d1ve block, making it a 10.320 Deck height I believe. If a dove block, should be 10.300 making it more CR. 10.320 might be about 10:1. My 10:1 460s always ran fine on 85 octane with 10* timing and a 180 t stat. Yours might have too much timing. or other problems, or maybe your blockwas cut or maybe your block was 10.300 deck. Hard telling. Either way, sounds like a little too much compression.

 

Did that continue until the 460 went EFI in 1988 or 1989?

 

I read that it was straight up in 87. Doesn't make much sense though because they were still carbed in 87. Unless they lessened the emissions, what else would have changed?

 

Hoping to get more input about this cam timing thing, is an 87 straight up or 8 degrees retarded???????????

 

If you are not going to degree it in to the spec. sheet then leave it in the zero slot. Just moving it to different slots is nothing more than a shot in the dark. Did you check for push rod length ? check lifter preload ? Did you check retainer to guide clearance ?

 

This has nothing to do with building a fresh new motor , its what Ford did at the factory in those years to juggle smog control figures