Hey guys, I did the DOVE head chage about a year ago and I had to get all the rocker and push rods for a 70 ford to make it work. That was a job to find 16 new rocker setups for the DOVE heads. I was going to go the roller rocker route but didn't want to spend the money at the time for the machine work. But I will say that the truck never pulled the boat uphill like that before after it was done. I am really happy with the DOVE heads. I do recommend anyone to go for it.

 

No no no, you did miss something. If you read closer, you'll see that I had the bruise on the back of my head with my D0VE's (1970 heads) That was from stabbing the accellerator pedle and smacking my head (the one on top of my shoulders) on the back window. His engine with 73 heads was kind of a dog. (dont tell him i said that)
Also, read that I also had some 73 heads on mine before the D0VE swap. The ones with daylight through the valves.......
Go for it. The D0VE heads (and earlier) seem the way to go. On my latest project truck, I put an entire C8VE engine in. The C-8VE (1968 Lincoln) block had a lower deck height and the C-8VE heads are closed chambered. Same as the D0VE's. I believe the lower deck height also contributes to even higher compression. I have also been told that the earlier blocks were of a higher nickle content and said to be a little stronger. This is just what I have been told so dont take it as gospel Okay? Can anyone else out there comment on this?

 

Just trying to clear somthing up for myself, are the C9VE-A heads from 69 the same as the DOVE heads?

 

another misconception to go along with the one that says the cyl walls are thicker. Last winter a bunch of engine builders, and racers got together down at Dave McClain's place (actually Wes Litterall's shop Dave did the sonic testing) in Cuba MO. for reference Dave builds the engines for the BigDog Monster truck among others. We also had the guys from eliminator that came down including one of the engineers. Purpose of this meeting was to find out if any of the years, or casting facility blocks were better than any other. Dave sonic mapped 36 blocks as well as weighed, them, final conclussion was that NONE of the blocks had any thicker cyl walls than any other including the nascar Boss 9 block, and that the only ones that were any different were the DOVE-A blocks due to the thicker main webbing but even they had atleast one non thrust surface wall that was going to be thin. and no they didn't have higher nickel in the blocks as this would have showed up in the calibration of the sonic testing equipment due to the difference in the material, and Dave could check a D9TE block then grab an earlier block recheck the calibration, and it would stay the same or very, very close, so basically the exact same material used in 79 that was used in 68. and if your building a stroker it was found that the D9TE later blocks would make a better choice due to the 3/16" deeper cyl wall supplying better support for the piston at BDC.

 

Hey ivanvel, Yes all the early heads are basically the same. From 1968 to 1970, they all have the same thing a smaller chamber.

 

I have noticed that some of the 70 (D0VE) heads had holes drilled into the exhaust ports for smog air injection rales. But yes, 68 - 70 (C8VE - D0VE) heads are all closed chambered (smaller chamber) heads = higher compression.

Yeah, on that nickel content thing, I was told that at an engine rebuilders shop in Nevada and wanted verification. Thanks for the reply monster.

 

Just bought a 460 to put in a 79 bronco. d1ve with dv3e heads are these good heads to keep, or should I get some of the dove or earlier for better performance? Thanks I'm new to this.

 

First Welcome to FTE, let me try and give you some help.
The flow rates between the DOVE, and D3VE heads is so minimal as to be no existant, the only advantage of the DOVE heads is a smaller combustion chamber raising the compression, this can easily become a problem by raising the compression far enough to need premium all the time. Keep the D3VE heads they will provide you plenty of power for any pump gas street vehicle. if you want to raise the compression when building the engine just buy flat top pistons, zero deck the block and mill the heads a little bit. You can get yourself into high end of pump gas range with those heads by piston choice.

 

I have 85 F350 I am in the process of up grading with a set of Dove-c heads performer 460 intake and a Barry grant 720 Road Demon I installed a Melling Torque cam I am having trouble with the valve geometry I have ARP studs and guide plates
and am experimenting with push rod length (the ones from the 460 pedistal type rockers were way to short) I was told by the machine shop that the stock springs would work with the Melling cam ( these are new stock springs ) but I checked the springs for binding and yes they are compressed compleatly at full lift
any one have a problem like this when changing to Dove-C heads?

 

You need to check your valve spring installed hieght first off. second you can't use pushrods from an early engine on the late model engines. You need to get a adjustable pushrod length checker and actually measure them.

 

I gave the cam specs to the machine shop along with the recomended installed height for the springs and he supposedly set up the heads/spring height

the specs I have for the push rods show the longer push rods for the adjustible
rocker heads ( I have just about any push rod made to test with) what is the best way to test for spring binding? I just put a this peice of paper between the coils and bared the engine over and it cut the paper

 

best way is to check with a feeler gauge at full open you should have some clearence between every coil. Can't remember off the top of my head how much is needed.

BTW whats the valve lift spec on your cam?

 

The Lift is .490 / .416

 

stock springs should handle that without a problem, your "machinest" did something wrong when he measured the installed height if they are binding with that cam.

 

Thats kinda what I thought