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Thread: 430 not performing

  1. #1

    430 not performing

    Hi all , been a while !!
    so my problem is I had a 430 built here in Australia by a guy that is a performance engine builder but no previous Buick experience, he did a complete rebuild, pretty much a stock motor but completely rebuilt, now he had the cam ground to what he thought was a good grind , this was a few years ago and he has since Shut up shop and I have no cam card !! Thing is it really hops up top but on take off it bogs down , its in my 55 and by my way of thinking it’s should burn those skinny white walls off the rims but it’s flat out getting even a squeal !!! Could it be cam related?? Cheers

  2. #2
    you don't, by chance, have any idea what he set your bearing clearances at, do you?



    now he had the cam ground to what he thought was a good grind


    he had the stock cam reground? or he just had a custom cam made?

    www.TAPerformance.com is the main Buick supplier. if you wind up going to a new cam, many of the street guys find the RV cam to be a good compromise between driveability and additional performance.



    by my way of thinking it’s should burn those skinny white walls off the rims

    a-yup. the 430s are all high compression engines and blueprint out at over 10:1 compression. so they often embarrass the mid-70s 455s.

    the 67 Chassis Manual will have all tuning specs for a 430:

    https://www.teambuick.com/reference/...ssis/index.php

    if you want to do away with the points distributor, a 1972+ HEI distributor from a Buick ( *must* be Buick ) 455ci will drop right in.

    if you need any other engine work done, look for a Rover v8 specialist. the Rover 3.5L - 4.6L is a metric version of the 1961-63 Buick 215ci and shares many design features with the Buick big blocks, which were introduced in 1967. obviously, the 430 is cast iron.
    The way to crush the bourgeoisie is to grind them between the millstones of taxation and inflation.
    Vladimir Lenin

    Government schooling is about "the perfect organization of the hive."
    H.H. Goddard, Human Efficiency (1920)

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by bob k. mando View Post
    you don't, by chance, have any idea what he set your bearing clearances at, do you?



    now he had the cam ground to what he thought was a good grind


    he had the stock cam reground? or he just had a custom cam made?

    www.TAPerformance.com is the main Buick supplier. if you wind up going to a new cam, many of the street guys find the RV cam to be a good compromise between driveability and additional performance.



    by my way of thinking it’s should burn those skinny white walls off the rims

    a-yup. the 430s are all high compression engines and blueprint out at over 10:1 compression. so they often embarrass the mid-70s 455s.

    the 67 Chassis Manual will have all tuning specs for a 430:

    https://www.teambuick.com/reference/...ssis/index.php

    if you want to do away with the points distributor, a 1972+ HEI distributor from a Buick ( *must* be Buick ) 455ci will drop right in.

    if you need any other engine work done, look for a Rover v8 specialist. the Rover 3.5L - 4.6L is a metric version of the 1961-63 Buick 215ci and shares many design features with the Buick big blocks, which were introduced in 1967. obviously, the 430 is cast iron.
    Thanks for the info , had a new cam ground !!! And I’m running a MSD.. it’s got grunt up top but nothing down low , running performer manifold with a 750 holly!!! Custom built headers as well .... cheers

  4. #4
    You might want to take it to a good tuning guy for an opinion.

    It does sound like it may be over cammed. If it is running nice up top it may not have any significant related tuning issues.

    If you are running an automatic with a low stall converter, a higher stall converter may help the low end bog. If you are running an original SP400 Buick trans, you may be able to simply switch on the high stall.

    You may be able to get some idea of the cam by simply checking it's lift at the valve with a dial gauge. If it is at the .500 or more, you are quite possibly dealing with cam characteristics.

    Here is a chart showing some cam suggestions for the street.
    Buick 400/430/455 Street Cam Selection Guide

    IMH, half of those cams would run best with an increase in stall or a standard transmission.


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  5. #5
    monster cams tend to kill low rpm torque.

    which is AWFUL for driving on the street, which will rarely be over 4000 rpm. which is why people like the RV cam.


    and like Bob says, you can just see how far the valve is moving to see how big the cam is. all that takes is pulling a valve cover. dial gauges are nice, but for what you're doing ( get a general idea of Intake lift ) you could probably kludge something together to hold a ruler.

    be even more straightforward to measure the movement on the pushrod side of the rocker. that will be actual cam lift ... less any hydraulic compression.



    with a 750 holly!!


    Buicks tend to like big carbs and the 430 came from the factory with a 750cfm Quadrajet. later 455s got an 800cfm Quad. if that's got a big cam in it, the Holley may actually be choking the higher rpm horsepower.

    primaries on a Quadrajet would be smaller than a square bore Holley though.


    this was a few years ago and he has since Shut up shop and I have no cam card !
    ...
    had a new cam ground !!!


    can you get ahold of the shop that ground the cam? there's a good chance they've still got it on file.

    even if your engine builder closed shop, he shouldn't have a problem telling you who he got the cam from.
    The way to crush the bourgeoisie is to grind them between the millstones of taxation and inflation.
    Vladimir Lenin

    Government schooling is about "the perfect organization of the hive."
    H.H. Goddard, Human Efficiency (1920)

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