The real test will be, how long-lived and durable will these engines be.

 

Back in '11 I was shopping for a new vehicle. We looked at Fords and I kinda liked one, but the salesman said it didn't come with the EB. So, I bought a Nissan Murano. Nice car, but when we took it to ABQ on a trip a friend pointed out that the Ford did come with the EB - and then he showed me a video Ford sent him on that engine. The things they did to that engine were very harsh, but it showed almost no wear when torn down. And the guys on the 2015+ forum aren't reporting problems with the engine.

So I have no qualms with it. And, no problem with using it. At this point I have 13,000 miles on it and 4,500 of those have been towing. As said, I'm sold.

 

Gary has already warned me he is going to do a Bronco soon as well.

 

WAS. It would have been for my son, but he has no place to store it nor use it. So, unless or until he moves to CO I'm shelving that idea. However, if I find the right Bronco then .......

 

Look at the evolution of trucks, how they began as utility vehicles that were driven like a tractor to move big things.

They've become more luxurious & car-like to attract different classes of buyers (read: make more money) but they're still tractors under the covering.

 

A 460 probably wouldn't get 9 backing up to hitch the trailer.

 

Mine's got 4.10's and I still get 13 on the highway at 75.
10 around town with a lead foot.

To what Gary was saying. Yes, of course an EB is thirsty when spooled up.
It is no longer a 3.5, but whatever the multiplication factor is.
Still a far more efficient engine than my cast iron pushrod V8 burning off fuel in the exhaust manifolds.

 

Yes, Jim, that's a good way of looking at it - an EB is effectively a variable displacement engine. If the turbos don't spool up, which is rare, you have a 3.5L. But we probably ran 5 to 6 psi boost most of the way home and paid the price in fuel because it was working as a larger engine. The computer is keeping the AFR constant, so more air means more fuel.

So, what mods do you have on your 460 to get that MPG? I'm not sure exactly what I have on BB yet as, IIRC, Vernon said in his notes that he had a pair of D0VE heads as well as the stock heads. And he was looking at two different Keith Black pistons, but I didn't find the receipt for them. So I don't know what the CR is. But I do know it is running an Edelbrock Performer package of cam, intake, and 750 carb. And the distributor was curved to that package.

 

I don't really have any efficiency mods to my engine.
the .76 overdrive of the Zf keeps the rpms lower on the highway and it gets better mileage when the accelerator pump is not used dozens of times every mile and the secondaries stay closed.

I don't think the high CR of the D0VE heads is going to be a good thing given todays fuels.
But I'm unsure what pistons you have.
They can work well if the deck height is at or near zero and the dish is large enough.

Edelbrock makes aluminum heads to go with their package.
As you know the better conductivity is good for a point or more of compression.

 

Vernon's notebook says:

95cc heads = D3VE. Have E6TE heads ~ D3VE
D3VE approx 95cc +/-
Keith Black pistons KB206 or KB 137

But somewhere else he says something like "Have D0VE heads from neighbor." So, I don't know what he had installed. Is there a way to tell easily? I know the Windsor heads have to be pulled to tell, but what about the 335 series?

And, what is the difference between heads? Educate me, please.

 

You don't need to pull the heads.
Casting marks are visible above the two center exhaust ports.

The block casting number is behind/above the starter.

D9TE blocks have a higher deck height than engines that came with D0VE heads.
Reduces compression, but the quench is gone so they knock like crazy with modern unleaded fuel and proper advance.

D0VE heads have a tighter chamber.
10:1 on a 429 and higher with a 460 at the original deck height.

Solution: deck the block and use enough dish to keep it under 9.5:1

 

Yep, casting numbers are easily visible on the head. D0VE heads have smaller chambers...72cc if I remember correctly so dished pistons are a must on pump gas. I'm running ported D3VE heads on mine with flat tops and the compression is up around 9.5:1. I'm constantly on the verge of detonation with the crappy gas they sell around here.

 

Well, since the starter is off and there are headers on it, getting those numbers should be easy. Now, if it'll just dry up a bit so I don't get wet....

 

Gary, is this truck going to be a near stock truck to be used or kept original, or is it going to be a hopped up play toy?

 

It kinda is what it is, meaning that I don't plan to restore it at the moment but drive it. However, it is so well documented that I want to keep it in good condition and might restore it some day.

To put it another way, if the engine will run well with whatever parts are on it then I'll drive it that way for quite some time.