a-460 block

why is my block wearing out the lifter bore's? c-heads 1'' lift cam shaft. is the cast block just to soft for my combo? it's going to machine shop for bushings. i was just wondering if i had something else going on i'm not catching.thanks

fatal addiction wrote:why is my block wearing out the lifter bore's? c-heads 1'' lift cam shaft. is the cast block just to soft for my combo? it's going to machine shop for bushings. i was just wondering if i had something else going on i'm not catching.thanks

Are you using the offset lifters/rockers? Geometry gets a little funky with the C heads...a lot of side loading, coupled with high spring pressures and a lot of lift=increased wear. Bushings aren't a bad idea, regardless.

Just curious, what lifter, pushrod and rocker arm are you using.

fatal addiction wrote:why is my block wearing out the lifter bore's? c-heads 1'' lift cam shaft. is the cast block just to soft for my combo? it's going to machine shop for bushings. i was just wondering if i had something else going on i'm not catching.thanks

not enought oil film at the lifter

I don't think it is a problem that is specific to the A-460 block. I also see the problem with my DOVE-A blocks along with my A-460 block. I guess I'm pretty much agreeing with Nevs,,,,but I'll repeat that we are running steel lifter bodies directly against cast iron surfaces with high spring pressures and big lift camshafts of .800" or higher. IMO the two surfaces (steel against cast iron) are not the most compatible, so last year during the winter we bronze sleeved Krisse Lawyer's A-460 block and when we took the lifters out this year at the end of the season, the lifter bodies and the bronze bushings looked like new. I'm still having a problem with the bottom of the lifters spreading at the axle however. To prevent the lifter spreading problem, I'm really looking hard at bigger lifters, either the .903" or the .937" for her engine. As a sidenote, the current tall deck alum. blocks from Carroll come with the .903" lifter bore standard, and it's an $80 option on his 10.320" deck blocks. There is a reason for that guys.

Back to the high spring pressures, remember that it is a Law of Physics that a "force" will take the path of the least resistance. With any OHV valve engine that has the pushrods canted relative to the lifter, the lifter is being driven hard against the side of the lifter bore, and I believe galling takes place and is what is "eating" up your lifter bores. Trust me with Krisse's A-460 engine (and also with my other DOVE-A engines), we're flooding the lifter galley with oil. On Krisse's A-460 block after Todd and I put the galley restrictor plugs (.062") in the engine, we put a 1/2" electric drill on her dry sump pump and spun it up as if we were pre-lubing an engine. But we had the manifold off of it and the lifters out of it,,,,and it looked like a fire hose was shooting water down both galleys.

Moral of the story is; with a 1.000" lift camshaft and the corresponding big spring pressures, you definitely need bronze bushings and bigger diameter lifters. By going from the .875" Ford body to the .904" Mopar body, your roller wheel diameter goes from .750" to .812"/.815" depending on brand.

Hope this helps,

Charlie Evans

Been watching the Chevy Guy's this year at my track with their new 688 -691 Sonny's motors , their running a 1 1/6" keyway lifter with about a 1.050-1.100 lift cam , the lifters have been failing after about 30 runs , springs are done in 25 -30 , 9/16 -.163pushrods !!! because the 1/2" .165"ones were flexing tomuch? I'm out gunned now!! But the MHDRA guy's put Medicine Hat AB on the Map at Las Vagas last weekend
Frank

3 guy's in the top 8
Frank

Curt wrote:Just curious, what lifter, pushrod and rocker arm are you using.

first off thanks for all the input.. and a big thanks to mr.c evans...i was currently running comp lifters ''stock bbf body'' comp 3/8 push rods with w&w 1.8 rockers. i'm going to .937 keyway lifters with a 7/16 push rod and i'm hoping this fixes my problem. oh charlie my lifter does have a bad case of gulding going on. thanks again eric

fatal addiction wrote:why is my block wearing out the lifter bore's? c-heads 1'' lift cam shaft. is the cast block just to soft for my combo? it's going to machine shop for bushings. i was just wondering if i had something else going on i'm not catching.thanks

Not that it is any of my business,,,,,but I am curious as to why you decided on running a 1.000" lift camshaft with C-460 heads? Was that decision influenced by someone in Michigan? What do the heads flow at 1.000" valve lift? What is your valve spring installed height? What are the seat pressures and open pressures for that spring?

Thanks,
Charlie Evans

c.evans wrote:

fatal addiction wrote:why is my block wearing out the lifter bore's? c-heads 1'' lift cam shaft. is the cast block just to soft for my combo? it's going to machine shop for bushings. i was just wondering if i had something else going on i'm not catching.thanks

Not that it is any of my business,,,,,but I am curious as to why you decided on running a 1.000" lift camshaft with C-460 heads? Was that decision influenced by someone in Michigan? What do the heads flow at 1.000" valve lift? What is your valve spring installed height? What are the seat pressures and open pressures for that spring?

Thanks,
Charlie Evans

Here we go.....

My new build has the Jesel .904s with the .820 wheel. The guys in the know, that have been involved in the build have commented how they like the placement of the cup. We also put in some really nice 7/16" tapered wall pushrods. I think with the 3/8", it may be trying to push the lifter sideways. Sounds like a lot of lift and pressure for that diameter.
I understand that the Jesel's have a large price tag, but I'm hoping with the longevity and failure rate down, that the price will average out.

ditch the small lifters and bronze the bores for sure.