MEL 430 Engine Specifications

[Theo]

Please help adding, correcting, discussing and completing data to this section. This specification run down is provided by participants of the MEL Engine Forum and myself. To have it clearly arranged I constantly keep merging the info into this single post. The contributor's original post will remain below.

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MEL 430 Engine Specifications



Short Block

8 Cylinder
90° "V"
O.H.V.C.
430 cid
V8
Compression Ratio...........................10,5 : 1
Horsepower Taxable SAE:..............................59.17
Firing Order......................................1 5 4 2 6 3 7 8
Bore and Stroke.................................4,30" X 3,70"



Cylinder Bore Diameter: Standart Bore 8 Grades

4.3000 - 4.3003
4.3003 - 4.3006
4.3006 - 4.3009
4.3009 - 4.3032
4.3012 - 4.3015
4.3015 - 4.3018
4.3018 - 4.3023
4.3021 - 4.3024



Cylinder Wall Min. Thickness

Standard Bore.......................................0.170"



Main Bearing Bore Diameter:

Code Red:............................................3.0922" - 3.0926"
Code Blue............................................3.0926" - 3.0930"


430 cid block casting numbers:

B9ME-3.............................1959
B9ME.................................1959
C0ME.................................1960
C1VE..................................1961- 65
C2VE..................................1962
C3AE-M, C3AE-Z...............1963-65
C5AE-A, C5AE-D...............1965
___________________________________________________________________________________


Crankshaft to Main Bearing Clearance.

Fresh...................................................0.0009 - 0.0029
Wear Limit...........................................0.0036
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Cam Bearing Bore - Diameter:

................................................#1............0.875" - 0.876"
................................................#2............0.875" - 0.876"
................................................#3............0.875" - 0.876"
................................................#4............0.875" - 0.876"
................................................#5............0.875" - 0.876"
_____________________________________________________________________________________


Tappet Bore Diameter:..........................0.875" - 0.876"
_____________________________________________________________________________________


Pistons

Diameter........Grade 2..............................................................4.2985" - 4.9288"
Diameter........Grade 6..............................................................4.2997" - 4.3000"
Piston Wrist Pin Diameter.........................................................0.975"
Piston to Cylinder Wall Clearance Selective Fit.........................0.0015" - 0.0021"
Wear Limit................................................................................0.005"
Piston Ring Groove Width. Upper Compression Ring................0.080 - 0.081"
Lower Compression Ring..........................................................0.095" - 0.096"
Oil Ring....................................................................................0.199" - 0.189"
Quench Height.........................................................................0.009" - 0.025"


Piston casting numbers:

EDJ B9LE
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Connecting rods

Connecting rod length............................6.60"

Connecting rod: casting number:

5750719.......................................................1995
COME............................................................1960
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Distributor:

Shaft Bearing Bore Diameter:.................0,452" - 0,4535"
Mounting Pad to
Distributor Gear Thrust Boss................3,0585" - 3,0615"
Mounting Bore Diameter.......................1,602" - 1,603"
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Engine Oil:

Capacity - Quarts (Add one quart when changing filter)..................5
Oil Pressure @ 2000 R.P.M (Hot).......................................................45 - 50 PSI
Viscosity @ above + 32° F...............................................................SAE 20 - 20 W
Viscosity .@ + 32° - -10° F.............................................................SAE 10 - 10 W
Viscosity @ below - 10° F................................................................SAE 5 W
OIl Change: .......................1st ........................................................@ 1000 Miles
..........................................2nd .......................................................@ 4000 Miles
........................................................................................................and each 4000 thereafter
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Cylinder Heads

Year 1958 MEL Valve Intake ...............2,140"- 2,150"
Year 1958 MEL Valve Exhaust............ 1.770"- 1.780".

Year 1959 MEL Valve Intake................2.080"- 2.090"
Year 1959 MEL Valve Exhaust.............1.770"- 1.780"

Valve spring type .................................1,550" diameter w. damper.
Valve spring installed height.................1.825"
Valve spring coil bind ...........................1.250"


Valve Lash Clearance For 430 engines with mechanical (solid) lifters (Chris Craft)

Valve Clearance (lash) -engine hot 0.025" Exhaust and Intake
Valve Clearance (lash) - engine cold .023" to .027 Intake



Gasket Surface Flatness:.............................................0,002" in any 6" lenght or 0,004 overall.


Valve Guide Bore:....................Intake - Diameter Standard............................0,3728" -0,3735"
............................................Exhaust - Diameter Standard............................0,3728" -0,3735"


Valve stem to guide clearance

Exhaust .......................0.0028 to 0.0042
Intake ..........................0.0010 to 0.0024
.


Valve Seats:

Intake - Diameter..................Cylinder Head - Part Number 5750064............................0,2120
Exhaust - Diameter...............Cylinder Head - Part Number 5750062............................0,2060

Intake Width....................................................0,060 - 0,080
Exhaust Width.................................................0,070 - 0,090

Intake Angle....................................................30°
Exhaust Angle.................................................45°

Runout T.I.R. - Max........................................0,002
Runout T.I.R. - Wear Limit..............................0,0025



Rocker Arm Shafts

Rocker shaft length................................18 5/8 inches overall
Diameter is ............................................0.845 inches


Rocker Arm Shaft Stands

Overall height: 1.885
Height from head mounting surface to the bottom of the shaft bore: .755
Bore diameter: .843 (The shaft is .840 like an FE)
Pedestal width. or length (?)- the distance between the two machined surfaces: 1.176



430 cylinder head casting numbers:

5750063...........................1958- 65
5750065...........................1958- 65
B9ME-B.............................1959- 65
C1VE-A.............................1961- 65
C3VE-B.............................1963- 65
C4VE-A.............................1964- 65
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Camshaft

Single pattern Hydrolic lifter cam

Cam lobe lift
Intake lobe..............0.250"
Exhaust lobe............0.250"

Valve lift
Intake valve lift.................0.440"
Exhaust lift.......................0.440"

Cam motion @ 0.50" lift

Intake
Intake valve opens @ 13° BTDC
Intake valve closes @ 29° ABDC

Exhaust
Exhaust valve opens @ 57° BBDC
Exhaust valve closes @ 21° ATDC


Intake center line..............111°
Exhaust center line............119°

Lobe ceperation angle.....115°
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More to come soon

[Chris Craft crazy]

1959 Engine casting numbers

Connecting rod: 5750719

Piston: EDJ B9LE

Block: B9ME

Piston picture:

1959 430 Piston detail

1959 Piston top 430 detail

[Theo]

Thanks for your helpful contribution. I merged your numbers into the main list above. I wonder what your marine cylinder head numbers look like. Are they any special? We might list them here too.

[Chris Craft crazy]

They matched the 1959 numbers you have listed.... that's how I confirmed engine year. I don't think they substituted a lot of parts in the basic rotating assembly. I will measure up that piston, but I believe it to be the 10:1 compression ratio that is automotive listed. Perfect for my rebuild.

[Shelby#18]

Interesting photo. If you look at that piston top and the one I posted out of the Colony Park, they do look different. I've contacted my restorer to see if we have a better photo with the numbers on it. Someones thumb is covering the numbers on the posted photo.

Your piston

My piston out of my Colony Park (left piston)

[Theo]

Yepp, that's interesting. Guys, we need the con rod length. If one of you could ask your machinist to take a measure, that would be cool. A used piston won't give exact stck. numbers but it would give us an idea.
I once had a copy of a 59 Lincoln shop manual but unfortunately I lost it. We could make good usage of all the info in that shop manual. I think it was packed with most of the data we're tiering to compile here.

[Theo]

I added the pistons for better comparison. Hope that's O.K. with you.

[Shelby#18]

He still has them fortunately. We'll get photo's from every angle soon. Also the con rod lengths and photo's.

[Chris Craft crazy]

By the way, I looked on the 1959 block, and it reads 9M3 in big letters. That may be 1959, third month, so an early one... which I suspected. This was a solid lifter motor as well.

My connecting rods are stockers..6.60

[Theo]

By the way, I looked on the 1959 block, and it reads 9M3 in big letters. That may be 1959, third month, so an early one...

Yess and its' zodiac sign is pieces

My connecting rods are stockers..6.60

Perfect!! List above updated.
Thank you gentlemen.