Have a 1977 mercury grand marquis 460 with dv3e heads. plan on installing a set of c8ve heads and was wondering if my pushrods would work with these heads. Also is the valve train adjustable on these heads. I have a performer plus cam shaft, perfomer intake,and a 750 electric choke carb in it now and plan on installing a performer rpm cam and manifold. Also what kind of compression and horsepower gains can I expect with just the heads alone?
Thanks for the help,
D Rahn

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 22-Feb-02 AT 00:00 AM (EST)]10.5:1 compression with single eyebrow pistons

Push-rods should be 8.55"

Factory Non-adjustable valve train although,You can purchase aconversion kit though.



Dennis https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gallery/sizeimage.php?&photoid=1733&.jpg



Please Don't Ask Me Any Tough Questions As:
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78 F-150 429CJ,Silver
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68-Mustang 289-Sunlit Gold 80,892Mi
78-Buick LeSabre 403 4V
84 Volvo DL Wagon

 

The early 429's & 460's using rail rockers had two different lengths of pushrods 8.70" & 8.67" I know this because I have two complete sets of each. The 429 CJ heads & '72 & later sled fulcrum mounted rockers use the 8.55" length pushrods. I didn't believe Ford made three different length pushrods for the 429-460 but seeing is believing.


Todd
BB79RANCH

 

will I need guide paltes with these heads?

 

The C8VE head castins you have were not produced from the Ford factory with an adjustable valvetrain. The rockers are "rail" type (a shoulder that protrudes from either side of the rocker on the bottom to locate the rocker arm to the valve stem without having to use guide plates) and aren't normally used in ANY type of performance engine for two reasons. (A) They put undue side load stress on the valve guides because of the rail tip design. (B) They are made from cast iron, not the best material to use for a rocker arm. The C8 heads came with a "positive stop" shoulder on the screw-in rocker studs, which doesn't allow for adjustability. The factory C8 pushrods are NOT to be used with guide plates, the plates will eat a hole in them in no time. You can convert your heads over to an adjustable valve train fairly easily. I did it to my D0VE heads quite a few years ago and I had to mill down the stud bosses on my heads .230", install BBC screw-in 7/16" rocker studs, Manley guide plates, hardened pushrods and roller rockers w/ adjustable nuts (poly locks), along with upgraded valves, springs and keepers. Newer set-ups may allow you to forego the milling process, but this was done 7-10 years ago.


Todd
BB79RANCH