460 Timimg Marks

[Voh]

I have a 460 out of a '73 that is being transplanted into a 1964 F-100. When i bought the motor & trans, the guy indicated that he thought the timing was off. Not a big deal. I have gone into the timing chain and lined everything up. the problem is, with the #1 @ TDC, both valves closed and the crank keyway pointing up, the Harmonic balance dosent read TDC. it reads more like BDC. I know those dampers have been known to spin, but mine seems quite tite. Any thoughts? Is that correct? I have the ford rebuild book, but the timing portion is minimal. Please give me some help.

[airharley]

Rotate it another 360 degrees your on the combustion stroke. The cam turns half as much as the crank.

[banjopicker66]

You might want to post this in the 385 series forum, as the '61 - '66 forum is a little out of place - but I am glad to try to help!
If you are using the original timing set, or, a replacement set made to the original specs, you need to know that in '72 Ford had to retard the camshaft timing by 4 degrees to meet pollution standards. You may be seeing the BDC offset as a result of that timing change via the cam gear slot.
Second, since you are in the engine this far, replace the timing set with a set of gears from a 1970 460 or 429. They will have the pre-pollution camshaft timing slots, and they will really wake the engine up.

Also, check the casting numbers on the heads. If they are D3V, you have great heads. Not performance designed, but close to it. Read about this in the 385 forum.

You may have issues with the passenger side exhaust manifold. In trucks '65 and later, you have to use the truck one, as the passenger manifold hits the frame, but I cannot speak for the '64. If this proves true, get 2 - I said both - aftermarket manifolds off E-bay, and replace the ones you have. They have a nasty tendency to warp and burn, and will never seal. Solid copper gaskets from Jegs or Summit are the best for a permanent seal, but they need unwarped manifolds to work. The factory exhaust manifolds are hardened as well, and most places won't grind them, or they charge a lot extra for them.

Good luck! I think you will like the 460, I sure do.

[Ervin]

Hi Voh You would get more replys if you post this in the engine forums. Yours is under big block 385. Erv

[airharley]

Did you set the cam dot @ 6 and the crank @ 12? I just realized that may be an issue. Most other makes have both with the dot straight up. And like banjopicker said the earlier timing gears make a big difference.