BBF problem - low rpm

[mikey-jones]

setup is a 1970 16' tahiti schuster a big block ford 430 with bayjet. problem is the motor will not get past about 4200 rpm no matter how long i hold it wide open. at wide open trottle the fuel pressure gauge is reading about 3 - 4 psi could this be a problem? or could it be the jet, is bayjet an alright jet or should i get a berk?
the boat topped out at about 60 mph at 4200 rpm on decent water, is this setup capable of more than 60 mph? any help would be greatly appreciated thanks..

[spectras only]

I assume you've got the 430 Lincoln engine.If you have only 3-4 psi fuel pressure, that's too low at WOT.You should have at least 5-6 psi .BBF's are thirsty blocks.4200RPM is low for that engine.The 430 is a 10:1 comp short stroke engine and should rev at least 4700. A 16' Tahiti should be able to run 60MPH with a hotrod lincoln wink definitely !

[mikey-jones]

thanks for the info spectras only, from my understanding this 430 is out of a late fifties thunderbird. i also thought it was a hot rod lincoln wink but after further research i came to the conclusion it was a thunderbird motor. i dont know the exact differences from the lincoln 430 but im sure there is a couple. maybe you could let me know

[homeblt86jet]

It sound like you have an"fe" series block they are good but i have a question. do you have an elec. or manual fuel pump? If elec. what is your fuel pres. at idle. with no wot. it should be about 7.5 psi wot should be no lower than 6.2.....If it is manual or I should say "mechanical" it should never be below 6psi.

[mikey-jones]

i have a electric fuel pump just one of those cheap ol universal ones , its brand new and at idle its pushin anywhere between 5.5 and 6 psi

[spectras only]

Mikey, the 58 T-birds came with a 352 cu engine and the 430 was an option.This 430 is the same as the lincoln engine .It was rated at 350 HP SAE.The sixties 430 engines were rated at 320 HP.Your 430 has a close HP rating to the 429 Fords of the late 70's with 365 HP on tap.The stroke on the 430 was between the 429 and 460's at 3.70 .So the torque should be close to 500 foot lbs ,like the 460 with 3.85 stroke, which is great for a jet with large impellers.

[homeblt86jet]

well that would be fine if it was a street car but a jet boat requires much more fuel. a street car can run fine on that fuel pressure. but a jrt spends more time wot.if you have a regulator open it up. without the motor running put just over 7psi on it make sure that you have the level screws out to make sure that the floats are holding.then in water only!!!!! after puting the sight screws back in .open her up and see what the fuel preasure drop is .if it drops below 6.5 psi. get a bigger fuel pump...... this has ben my experiance.not to step on anybodies feet or any thing.. just food for thought......sorry about the essa. :rolleyes:

[homeblt86jet]

and anoter thing check your timming. i am just triyng to help out :D

[mikey-jones]

thanks a bunch homeblt86jet and spectras only, all your information is great and appreciated very much if you think of anything else dont hesitate to let me know. im gonna mess with the timing and also get a new fuel pump and give her a couple test runs this weekend so i will let you know how it goes..

[greg shoemaker]

4200 and 60 mph is very good return on speed . You might wnat to check your tach for an accurate reading. If the engine has the stock timing chain chande it to an early model and tha will advance the cam 8 degree's and this will certianlly give you an increase on the top end.

[mikey-jones]

greg those numbers sounded a little bit crazy to me also, its just a regular ol speedo no gps or nothing so of course its probably wrong, all the gauges are made by Faria so i dont know how accurate the tach or speedo are. about a different timing chain, where would i find a early model like you are talking about like i said above the motor is a old ford 430 out of a late fifties thunderbird and i have tryed hard to find factory parts for it with very little success and no success at all on aftermarket parts.

[058]

A 430? ....haven't seen one of those in a boat in about 30 years. FYI. those are a member of the "MEL" series engines made from 1958 thru 1967. Most common are the 383" [Merc.] 410" [Edsel] 430" Lincoln/T-bird and 462" [Lincoln only] There is very little speed equipment available because those engines weren't used in too many performance applications. They are heavy and they have a "slab-head"- meaning the combustion chamber is in the cylinder and the valves are flush to the deck of the head, just like the Chevy 348/409. Crane might be able to grind a cam for it but it would prob. be on your core. No cheap piston [not even cast slugs] available. There are a couple of factory aluminum manifolds available but very rare, Merc had a 3x2 bbl that used Holley carbs and there is a 2x4 bbl. manifold that was optional on Mercs. Swap meets and Lincoln/Merc/Edsel clubs are your only source for these parts. Nothing from the FE series engine will interchange. Not trying to dash your hopes for this engine but there is a fellow in the LA area that runs a 67 Lincoln at Bonneville/El Mirage that has run over 200mph with a 462 in it. [its not stock] :D

[spectras only]

058 is right, you'll have a tough time to find parts for a 430 .It's easier to find a complete car than parts.I had a 64 Linc for 18 years and luckily ,never needed serious parts for it [they were built to last for ever].However the only part it needed one time was the replacement of timing gears and chain. Sorry Greg, the 430 never had a retarded crank gear.They are sraight up.Would you beleive they had the cam gear made of aluminum and plastic composite back in the 60's already [to make them quite wink ],hence the need of replacement of the gears and a set of pushrods after the chain jumped on the worn cam gear :mad: .I never understood why the marinizing guys like Harman/Hardin didn't change that gear on their 460 crate motors destined for high RPM operation for jets :rolleyes: .Any of you guys still run your 460's without ever been open [not likely :p ],you should change the gears now before they custom bend your pushrods or worse ,screw up your valves eek!

[mikey-jones]

i have also heard guys were supercharging these 430s and using them in their 1/4 mile cars back in the mid 60s when it was fords only big block, if so where the heck can i find the stuff they were using :D anybody ever hear of anything like this?

[058]

Sure I've heard of the MEL series used in dragracing but it was in the late 50s and very early 60s, in fact the winner of the [what is now] 1959 U.S Nationals in Wichita, Ks. was a 430 Powered dragster. The aftermarket had 3x2,6x2 and 8x2 manifolds from Weiand and Edelbrock. Weiand had a blower manifold for the MEL engine also. These parts haven't been produced in 35-40 years so you will have to scroung the swap meets for parts. This was not Ford's only big block, the FE is the other engine that was introduced the same time the MEL was [1958] it started out as a 332/352 and went as big as 428 for production engines but Ford did build 2 483" FEs for testing the X-bolt maincaps. It was the FE that proved to be the better engine as its lighter, more compact, rev higher and easier to modify than the MEL.