I have a 78 F150 Supercab 4x4 with a 351m and a 4-speed. What do I have to do to put a 460 in? What kind of mileage can I expect from a stock or close to stock 460? (3.50 gears and 32 inch tires, not full time 4wd) Any info appreciated.

 

I believe you need the 460s bell housing, clutch assy, conversion motor mounts, rear sump oil pan and pickup, truck compatible exhaust manifolds or headers, and accessory brackets. L&L Products has all of this for a price. Mileage, around 10.

Nathan

 

Nathen;

I made a similar swap in my 1978 Ford 4x4 except I had a 400m. I believe the 351 and the 400 are basically the same block. The 460 was not available from the factory in the 1978 4x4 however it was offered in a two wheel drive that year. After research I decided to purchase a 2wd truck with a 460 and after all was said than done I'm glad I did not only because of the major parts that I needed (exhaust manifolds, brackets ect) but also because all of all the minor parts that I gleaned from the two wheel drive. Basically I did an engine swap, drove the two wheel drive with my 400 in it while my 460 was at the shop and then sold the two wheel drive after my 4x4 was back on the road. I run an automatic transmission so I'm not familiar with what you'll need to do about your four-speed but I am familiar with the rest of the conversion. What you want to do is very common and any four-wheel-drive shop can help you with various parts and information.

A few areas that you need to be aware of are:

Exhaust manifolds for trucks are different than those for cars and truck manifolds are in demand and expensive.
You may need to adjust the 460 power steering pump bracket and alternator bracket to fit, if you buy a truck, or they are available aftermarket.
The fan shroud may need modification.
Aftermarket motor mounts are necessary and available.
Your present exhaust header pipes will not match the 460 exhaust locations which means a trip to the muffler shop.
You will need to replace the oil pan and oil pickup with aftermarket parts.
One thing you might watch for is if you use your 351 distributor in the 460 make sure that the drive gear on the distributor is the correct size for the 460.

You can make it real easy on yourself if you remove the bolts that connect the fender wells to the firewall, the two large bolts on each side of the radiator that go through the frame and the two small bolts down low just in front of the doors, unplugg harnesses and you and a friend can easily lift the entire front-end off your truck exposing the frame rails. This makes the swap job much much easier and only takes 20 minutes to do .

Other than a few minor items ie. Radiator hoses, throttle linkage, wiring harness and heater hoses, the conversion is pretty basic and I might add well worth it. The torque and power of the 460 will completely change your truck. As far as gas mileage goes by truck is a half tone with 350 gears, part time 4wd and I am getting 10 mpg around town and 11 or 12 on the freeway and I am still not satisfied that my distributor in carburetor are functioning properly.
Good luck,
Craig

 

Craig,I was thinking of doing the same, buying another rig ,
swapping engines and selling it when I am done. I think I may have a problem finding a truck with a 460 and a 4-speed. Does anyone know what problems are associated with a 460 from an auto into a 351 4speed? Also , Nathan, do you have a number for L&L?
Thank you both. Russ

 

Russ;

Do I understand you to say you want a 460 4x4 with a 4 speed over an auto?
If so, why?
OK OK OK BEFORE YOU GUYS START SHOOTING.......
I bought my 78, 150, S.Bed, c-6 auto, 4X4 new from the factory and have 500k on the truck. I dont hot rod but do "off road" a lot. Just one example, hunting elk two years ago we were chained up (6 rigs), all four wheels, in three foot of snow for 9 days straight. Guys have had standard transmissions and hunting together for 15 years we have discussed advantages and disadvantages, of auto vs std AS WE USE OUR RIGS, and honestly the only plus for the std is on an extreme DOWN hill, compound low and in grannie the standard has the advantage of a lower gear otherwise things can get to busy to be pushing peddles and dealing with the long shaft coming out of the floor that gets in the way of your third buddy and his rifle. And I cant explain this but for some reason std trans trucks don't seam to "rock" out of problems as well as autos.

Point is .........
If you have an auto , stick with it. Converting to a stick is not as easy as you may think. If you have a stick at least consider a slush box trans all it takes is a new junk yard colum. Get one with tilt, its way cool.

Momentum is everything and never break a sweat.
Craig

 

I'll post a # on a new thread as it was asked somewhere else also.

Nathan

 

Craig, to clarify, I have a stick in the truck right now and I don't want to swap for an auto simply because of the cost. I personally don't have a preference either way on the stick vs. auto thing. I like them both. I was just wondering what were some of the complications that may lay ahead of me due to the fact that I have a truck with a 4speed and most of the rigs that came with the 460 were paired with the auto. Russ

 

Heck, I like grindin gears myself. Standards get way better gas mileage, too. Theyre a little rough to plow snow with, though!

Nathan

 

Russ:

I cant help as far as my own experience but other than the obvious things like linkage, trans cooler, speed cable etc.. you might check out the frame cross member and trans mount, transfer case marriage to the trans and drive shaft length. If you don't care which one you end up with, and because of the potential for pitfalls, I would lean toward keeping the trans that originally came in the truck.

Good luck
Craig

 

Just confirming risky's rout he took. I started with a motor on a pallet with a piece of tin covering it up,no bracket's or nothing. It's a lot eaisier and cheaper in the long run to have two complete truck's. I ended up at L&L Products and it was pretty coastly.Also my motor came out of a car, bracket's and oil pan are all different.ps I had a full head of hair when I started. Now Im bald and grouchy. GOOD LUCK

 

Also C6 is the way to go.You can build one youreself if the hardware is not tore up for less thn $200.If im not mistaken Big Foot used one behind a 460 for years.And some of the monster's are still using them.Also be carefll if you go back to 69 watch out for pilot bushing sizes.

 

I have a 78 150 with a 400 that i am currently building 460 from a 77 ltd. It also has a 4spd, and i've been told that if you plan to go to a C6 trans. the transfer case also has to be changed bcause the splines do not match up. I have not looked into changing the motors yet but i know people who have done it b4. I'd like to keep up with your swap. Lee

 

speaking from experince it is easy well if it were me i would do it the bolt patern is the same however you need a diferent flyweel depending on your 460 earily 460s were internaly balanced and need i belive 360 or 390 flyweel
motor mounts are also a diferent story i cant help you there my block is early 70s with 390 mounts and car oil pan with the sump up front it dose not interfear with the front cross member but i own a 79 4x4 460 highboy t-18 4 speed
and as far as exaust goes buy good headers when you buy headers you get what you pay for look for headers that crossover the frame and go out the fender they are nice it will leave you so much room around your tranny and t-case
well i probly left somthing out so write back on what i forgot



and russ it is not that bad but you will suffer down time start with the little stuff first go to a wrecking yard for the pedals you will need the pedals and remove the plastic peice below the steering colum i belive it was two bolts that hold the colum up drop it (keep all bolts and nut they grow legs if left alone to long) next ther is the bracket that holds the pedals you will need it and that spring there is two nuts and bolts that hold it on the inside and four that hold it to cab your master cylnder is going to fall off when you remove those four bolts be sure to keep that little rubber boot that covers brake linkage
now the question is do you want to keep your auto brake pedal it is alot wider than the stick pedal if you want to keep the auto pedal you will need a tourch to heat it up and bend it to match the clutch pedal ( if you keep the auto pedal clear the area of wemon and children it will involve alot of swearing but it can be done )
the bracket that holds the pedals has to be widened and the tubing on the auto pedal has to be ground alittle to narrow it up




sorry have to go now the wife is on me about going to bed and my speeeeeelllllling and gramer



mike

 

I did the swap in a 78 F-250, I got the motor from a 73' mercury cougar. I used the car oil pan with the car exhaust manifolds, the driver I think almost bolted right up, the pass. side I cut 1 1/4" off the top of the frame, I welded a peice of angle iron overlapping the top down, but I really see no need for this as the frame rail there is a hefty 3 or more in thick. The easiest route is the L&L motor mounts,P.S.mount, on my swap even with the alt mount from L&L it did not fit,I would have had to trim the crossmember under the eng, so Isent their alt. mount back and used the car 1 as I could save the money and trim the frame anyway. There's so much beef there I don't think you would ever have a problem. I also had to run an electric fuel pump as it would vapor lock after that. I had an auto so it just bolted right up. On the ps mount subject again I used the L&L mount because I had a/c and could'nt find any thing that would bolt up and clear everything. Don't rem. having trouble w/rad. lining up. I also did this swap 12 yrs ago so L&L or someone else may have improved the process, I won't forget how nice it was to have the power when you need it, I would recomend the swap to everyone.

 

I do this swap all of the time,since the modified is the worst excuse for an engine!The one guy who wrote in was right on L&L products they have the whole kit for your conversion but the price is salty.Heres how to save a few hunred $ .First of all for the 4 speeds,you cant use the flywheel from the modified,i buy the Mcloids from PAW parts,they have a universal bolt pattern,so you can run 10.5 -12" clutch Next you need a pilot bearing for a 460,brass is the norm,but they do make a roller bearing for those[hard to find].The next mod you need is a 1/4" spacer plate for the bellhousing[need more clutch travel]you can get those made up at your local steel fab. shop.The modified bellhousing IS THE SAME AS the 460,so you can use that.The motor mounts off of the 460 engine as long as they are off of a pickup will work on the 4x4 but you have to turn them sideways,only 2 bolts will fit,but they WILL work. L&L also sells headers just for your application,for about $450.I do use L&L's rear sump pan conversion.Just tryig to save you a few $.oh yeah the mpg you can expect is between 8-13 mpg.Later