I need advice!! I have a 78 ford f150 4x4 I have 460 bored .040" over with flat top pistons. The engine is 10 to 1 compression with edelbrock performer rpm heads. It has a performer rpm air gap intake port matching the heads. Msd 6al ignition and holley 750 cfm hp series double pumper. Scorpion race roller rockers 1.73 ratio. The current cam Is a comp cams 280 h. I would like to go milder on duration. The truck is a 4 speed with 4:11 gears on 35" tall tires. I know I don't have the perfect combo for a street truck! I just want to gain a little more drivability! The truck is never used for towing . It's just a weekend toy!!

 

that's a lot going on for a dd truck engine.
a couple other options are retarding the cam, or smaller ratio rockers

did you try tech support at a cam manufacturer? they would have a database of info for various combinations.

 

I talked to comp cams , lunati cams Howard cams. I'm kind leaning toward lunati voodoo..The truck only gets driven to shows no more that 1000 miles per year. Lunati Part no. 10340702 but am open to suggestions!!

 

I would shoot for something in the 1500-6000 rpm range. That would put you in the 270 territory. A comp 270 extreme 4x4 is a pretty good grind in a build like that. Set the valve train geometry up PROPERLY, research if you are in question. Those heads are likely too big for a heavy truck street driver, meaning that by the time they light you are in terrifying territory for a big show truck. A head cc and a cubic inch combo are related to the rpm range, And I would feel that those heads flow enough to deteriorate low end torque and driveability, meaning that a smaller cam might be asking for a recipe that might causethe dog to bite you if you feed it to him. The more flow the heads have, the harder to light them, and driveability suffers until the heads are "lit" Make sense?

 

The duration at 0.050" is good, but the gross valve lift is something I'd be afeared of....depending how heavy yer foot is.. Like valve to piston clearance....you'll check that, yes?

With the flat top pistons, what's the deck height in relation to the piston at TDC?

You'll need the whole kit, naturally, but how about going a little less?

Like 0.524"/0.540" ? Or something in that gross valve lift neighbor hood..... I think it comes in at 1200 - 5500 RPMs.

 

With a ten to one motor 110 lobe centers would make more sense. I would not run one with the same figures on both lobes but with no flow numbers who knows ?

 

My pistons ore .005" in the hole. I really don't want to much higher on gross lift for sure if any thing I was thinking less duration maybe! It's a good running moter I'm starting to wonder if I should even mess with it!! The cam I had in the moter before was a crane cams powermax 272 but that was with cast heads d2ve heads and a performer intake that were ported. The moter definitely had nice torque but the cam lost a lobe so I went with the 280h. I went with the aluminum heads because my engine builder talked me into it and I was having detonation problems with those junk d2ve heads.

 

In general, the higher the compression is, the lobe centers should get closer. I think your cam has 112 centers ? imo that is getting out there on the edge for a 10:1 motor, it might like 110 a little better but it's in there now and running ok and weather or not you would even notice a change like that is doubtful. Without flow numbers, lift and duration is a shot in the dark if you are looking for a noticeable difference. Once you have flow numbers you can get one custom ground for less than you would think and you will notice the difference then.

 

Comp XE 262

 

For your perusal:

429/460
Ford 460 Build: 500 HP-CarCraft Magazine
Off the Shelf Ford 460 - Popular Hot Rodding
545 CI Stroker - Custom Classic Trucks
460 Big Block Build Part 1, 437HP/507TQ- Mustangs & Fords Magazine
460 Big Block Build Part 2, 609HP/557TQ- Mustangs & Fords Magazine
460 Big Block Build Part 3, 598 ci "Monster Mash" 916HP/827TQ

 

Comp 268 part number 34-227-4 been running one for years in a 10 to 1 460 with dove heads. Love it. Can't go wrong.

 

I think the 280h has a 110 lobe separation. That I have in the moter. The voodoo cam I was looking at was 112 I think.

 

I found some flow numbers for my heads. At .500" lift my intake flow numbers are 297 intake 200 exaust at .600 lift the numbers are 309 intake 212 exaust