Tractor pulling

JDXspec · Post by **JDXspec** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 11:25 am

Well It seems I haven't posted in a long time, so I will update my summer hobby. I have been to 5 pulls so far and results have been mixed. The Recycler has been recycled already. The 429 that powered it blew up after the first pull. (Although it went 2 full pulls June 9) Dropped a valve and cracked the piston and cylinder wall. UgggggH! So I proceeded to find a 460 Ford and rebuilt it stock except putting in a big cam heavy springs and 114 octane gas. Pulled last week and now my new cam is already going bad. I pulled yesterday (July 7) but am losing power due to the cam. So its tear down day today to replace the cam and try again.

Pulling is fun as it should be but this rebuilding wk after wk is starting to get a little old. hope everyone is having a good summer

Rodimus Prime · Post by **Rodimus Prime** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 9:37 pm

uhh why use a ford engine? second if you put on heavy duty dual valve springs you have to go with a roller cam anything else wears out quick. A good idea is to also NOT use cam lube unless its brand new bearings. even with new cams in old bearings use assembly lube not cam lube.. cam lube has some grit in it to help break in of bearings.

JDFanPa · Post by **JDFanPa** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 10:39 pm

I ran 429 and 460s in my 79 f250 and had to cam failures myself with new cams. I think it had to do with misadjusted roller rockers but anyway some advice. Depending on the yr a stock 429 can outrun a 460 easily it all depends on the heads. It seems that most 460 found are 73 and newer and 429s are older. What to look for is the casting number on the heads D3VE heads are quite common but are low compresion and have bad exhaust flow do to bumps in the exhaust ports if you are using these and are allowed porting they should be removed. If you have heads with D0VE,C9VE or C8VE these are 70,69 and 68 heads they have much better ports and alot smaller combustion chambers these will raise compresion 1.5+ with the same pistons. So if you have these run them or keep your eyes out for them. I only ran my truck on the street but the best power I had from any of the 4 bigblocks in it came from a completly stock 1968 429 from a tbird only mod to it was running a 750 holley even used the cast intake. This motor was quite powerful and the truck still had 3:55 gears with 38 inch mudders.

JDXspec · Post by **JDXspec** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 6:27 pm

I can tell the 429 heads were C8VE castings and I know they are the higher comp heads. From what have experienced the 429 had better snap to it. there is something that caused the cam to fail. Most of the cam is actually good. Only one lobe and lifter were bad. the lifter has 1/4" wore off it and and it only had 1 1/2 hr run time on it! I'm thinkning the valve was sticking or possibly a bad lifter. Still cking into that.

Rod, I'm more of a Chevy guy but I bought the tractor built and I am running for season points. I do not have time to swap in a chevy and make it work in one wk. That may be an off seaon project. (But then I work on sleds

)

Rodimus Prime · Post by **Rodimus Prime** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 2:18 am

actually i was thinking of a hemi crate 580 motor.

a second note from a friend of mine who has raced with heavy duty springs.. new cams break in cam first with regular valve springs then switch to heavy duty springs.