Just saw one of these on Thursday in a 1993 F600 for the first time. It is an EFI version of a 429. It does look somewhat different in some ways at a glance but I am sure there are some major internal differences like pistons, combustion chambers and camshaft. Just curious since I may find one of these in a salvage someday and be tempted to use it in an F100 or F150.

I drove this F600 around and attempted to qualify it (just kidding). well I did test the acceleration a bit and as big as this truck is the somewhat worn out 429 still has some life in it. I looked this engine over afterward again and noticed a huge oil pan compared to a normal 6 quart pan on my 428. That pan must hold close to 8 or 9 quarts of oil. I also noticed the oil pan is a rear sump type as well.

Anyway just had to post what I saw and see what you guys have to say about this engine.

 

Differences from what? The 429 hasn't been available in a passenger car since 1972, and not in trucks since early 80s. I'd love to see what 1990s truck you drove that had a 429 in it, especially an EFI one.

 

I am wondering what the differences are that are basic to many engines in cars and trucks like this forum is about. Examples of obvious differences that I know are the EFI, ignition, emission controls and such. I am curious about the heads, crank, pistons, cam and the basic block design. What is different about these parts in this 1993 429 in an F600 truck and say a early 80s F series truck 429 or even one like they used is passenger cars way back when.

I can tell you it is definately a factory installed EFI 429 and it. There is a 7.0 liter logo on the front of the truck in the grill area. The eighth digit of the VIN is a J. The entire VIN is 1FDNF60J2PVA26530. It has factory cast aluminum valve covers which are held in place with four bolts each down through the center. The sticker on one valve cover states that this engine is to be used only in vehicles weighing 12000 lb or more. I assum it may be because it was built for a truck with no catalytic convertors like this one.. That's right, this is a non catalyst truck.

 

FWIW:

I can personally confirm that some medium duty trucks did have 429s in the early '90s....I know of three F600s locally, one delivery & 2 bus chassis (both 1993)...all EFI, all original installs... I've only seen one disassembled. Cast crank, if I remember correctly, late-style rods, dished pistons, and heads that appeared identical to same vintage 460s. Sorry, I didn't catch casting #s. No idea about the cam specs, I'm sure nothing outstanding. The pan was larger than a light truck or pass. oil pan, and I don't think it would fit a light truck, but of course that could be checked at the time of the swap. I saw no reason why a diff. pan couldn't be substituted. Truthfully, I didn't really consider it as a candidate for a swap, but if one was able/willing to deal with the EFI issues, it's a possibility. To convert it to carburetion, I think (not certain, some of you late-model guys can step in here) it would need older heads, & of course the manifold/carb, and you would still have the old short-block. By that time, to me at least, it would be cheaper/easier to find an older 429/460 engine, & rebuild if needed. Just my 2 cents....(but any time I see a big block of any type, I start thinking "swap" too!!!!)

 

If it was a 429 in a 90s vehicle, then it was likely the industrial engine which was basically the same as the 370. It's wouldn't be a good candidate for any kind of buildup.

 

Ok, that helps to know that the engine as is isn't good for performance buildups. Are any parts like the block, crank, rods and etc...... useful replacements for any 429 or 460 performance engines?

I used the search function and found only a few specific details as to what the industrial blocks, cranks, rods and etc...... have and don't have in common. It is hard to set down and read through all of the posts and sort through them to extract a bit here and there on this industrial 429. The only thing that stands out to me so far is the crank snout being longer than a passenger car version. The statement that the industrial 429s are not good for performance buildups is repeated many times but few details are listed backing up that statement. Need more information.

 

Purely,

Here's my second two cents....(feel free to ignore, 2 cents doesn't buy much!)...

I guess it depends on what end result is desired. If a person was looking to just install a stock engine w/no aftermarket parts & no rebuild, it might work out OK. Of course, you still have to deal with the EFI/no EFI question, the oil pan fit, & accessory fit. (This goes back to your original "throw one in a F100/F150" post, although I'm taking it that your interest has broadened to considering one as a start for a buildup.) So far as using it for a start, I think the block & rods are probably identical to a same-vintage 460, which is fine. Problem is, the heads, even if identical to the s-v. 460 (which I don't know for sure), are nothing spectacular. Most of your internals so far as pistons, valvetrain, cam, etc. will be discarded. If you kept the crank, you've got a 429, not a 460. Anyone who specifically wants a 429 generally looks for the early ones so they get the small-chamber heads. If you want a 460 for the additional cubic inches, they're as common as dirt & relatively cheap, at least where I live. So, to me, anyway, I would be getting a block & connecting rods, & nothing else (ignoring the EFI setup, anyway). Maybe not even the rods, if I was going to use aftermarket ones. To make a long story short...if I got the block very cheap, OK. Otherwise, it wouldn't make much diff. to me between it & a 460, which are much easier to find, assuming the blocks are identical. If I was going to find a candidate for a swap, and wanted a healthy one that didn't need a rebuild, I probably wouldn't look in a med. truck or an industrial application, but rather a Lincoln, which likely got more maintenance & less abuse over its lifetime. Of course there's exceptions to every rule. So to make a long story short..."they're not suitable for performance buildups".

All that being said...I will try, this week, to get a look @ the two busses I know about, (the delivery truck's now gone, I just found out) & get block & head casting #s, & look at the crank snouts, accessory drives, EFI details, and so on.

Hope this helps a little!

 

If it's an industrial engine it also probably has a front motor mount like the 370. That would preclude putting it in anything not designed for that kind of mount.

The thing about this that gets my interest is the EFI. I bet it won't fit an early 429, though. The intake ports are probably different.