I have been really happy since I bought my 84 Ford F250 with a 460. According to the previous owner it gets 10-12 mpg,which is fine with me. As a heavy duty 4x4 pickup that is about expected. I have had 5 people tell me I made a bad pick in that I bought a 460 gas hog that will get about 5-7 mpg. I see this kind of stupidity as unfounded. Certainly they may get in that range, but why is it necessary to neg on people who are happy with their choice. The common sentiment I am noticing is either I need to swap a diesel in it, or buy a diesel, or a smaller truck. Certainly I don't tow much but thats because my present truck isn't capable of that. A smaller v8 like a 351 will be woundout like a sucker towing, and a 460 can do it quite a bit easier, and they get similar mpgs. I tried a v6 engine which I bought my Dodge with, I had the hopes it would garner good mpgs but I get some where around 13-14 mpgs for a 4x2 single cab. Also diesel swaps cost lots of money and maintanence is even more. It will take a lot of fuel to add up to $4000-$10000 that a diesel truck costs, since my Ford was purchased for $700 dollars.

 

It's funny you bring this up, because my buddy and I were discussing this last night. The big blocks aren't getting as much love anymore since the "diesel rage" has come round. I've noticed fewer guys are considering bb gassers and have turned to diesel. I'll even confess a tinge of curiosity in them and find myself thinking about doing a diesel swap project. My carbed 460 gets around 8-10 mpg and when towing it goes down to 4-7 depending on terrain. My tbi 454 gets 15-17 mpg around town, but I haven't towed with it yet. So, the idea of getting around 20 mpg towing makes it easier to consider the diesel thing. That said, I don't think anyone is making a bad pick chosing a bb if it fits their needs. I've held off simply because I don't know enough about them yet. I do all the work on my vehicles and so the thought of having to pay someone else to do the work irks me.

 

Diesels are awesome for sure. But nothing sounds as amazing as a big block. I used to have a 96 351 reg cab short box f150 and it did great for that small truck. But with my 86 f250 I can imagine puttin a smaller engine in a truck this large. (I also used to have a 95 f150 reg cab long box with a 302 and it was a useless dog. And it got te same mpgs as my 86)

 

Went from a small block to Big Block in my GMC (I know, I know). It was night and day difference! The truck gets a little less miles, BUT I can tow, and keep at 65 up a hill with no sweat. Then lay into the throttle and still accelerate! The thing is just freakin awesome to drive with plenty of torque on tap!

Oh, by the way, the 454 was bored .030 over to make a 460. Does that redeem me?

 

460s are awesome. I prefer my 7.3L Powerstroke, but that doesn't take away from the awesomeness of the 460.

 

I don't think anyone is being negative on purpose towards the 460. They are just trying to tell you that the 460 likes to drink. Absolutely nothing wrong with that if you have to pockets to quench her thirst. I disagree with you on the 351 being wound out towing I have a 351W and I tow a 14K trailer and I have no problems what so ever no matter where I take her and I get around 15mpg. In my book thats alot better than the 10 mpg out of the 460. Sure big block is cool but I can do just fine with my 351W and 15mpg. On the subject of Dodges they are just notoriously bad on fuel economy no matter what you have. Your right diesel swaps are expensive and it would take alot of gas money to recoup the extra money it would cost to buy a diesel. Its all up to what you want to get its personal preference just like manual or automatic is personal preference. Personnally I can't afford a big block and I hate automatic so I know where I am going to go.

 

I ran heavy equipment in the yard at a sawmill for years..............I cannot stand the sound or the stench of diesel anymore......no thank you.

I have never found a job that my 460s could not do...............other than the ones you need a Ranger for instead of fullsize.

 

Haha thats funny because after all these years of working on the farm I love the smell and sound of diesel

 

Yeah I have heard the same about the 460 being a pig, boat anchor, slug, blah blah blah. I hear it all the time, of course there's no love for a Ford guy in a Chevy dominated town. I have a pretty much stock (for now) 460/ C6 in my 79 Bronco, it has a 6" lift 37" SSRs and 4.88 gears. Yeah it's terrible on fuel (my overweight right foot doesn't help), but it's sooo much fun! Running from stoplight to stoplight she more than holds her own. I've beat up on quite a few newer pickups and SUVs doing stoplight runs with my 460. When it comes to playing in deep mud, no stock small block can come near what a good ol big block can do. I drop down into a mud pit with the Bronco in high range, rack it down into first gear and pin it... the 460 has no trouble wicking up all 4 tires. I watch small blocks do it, even in low range they have to get up in the rpms before they can even get the tires rolling. Even then they get hot and start puking out halfway through the pit. A properly maintained 460 will last just as long as any small block, I know a guy who runs a 95 F350 with nearly 300k in his original EFI 460... the ol girl still doesn't miss a beat!
On the other hand I love the 6.9 IDI diesel in my 84 F250, easy on fuel and it will pull anything I put behind it. I use it to haul the Bronco to the dunes or any other 4 wheeling event. It's not the fastest, but it'll get you there... should be better once I get the turbo on it.

 

Yeah I mean I have no problem with diesels. Hell I even like to drive them but doing a swap unless you get a deal costs a lot of money and have a parts truck to get everything. Second, a brand new diesel is way to expensive. My uncle bought an 03 Powerstroke 7.3 damn nice truck but paid like 30-50 thousand brand new. An ex employer of mine had an 01 Cummins Dodge, nice truck but paid like 21000. So I figure if my Ford gets 8 miles a gallon at 3 dollars a gallon I will pry spend 5000 a year in fuel costs driving 12000 miles. A guy with a diesel will spend 3000 on that same fuel. So it will take pry 5-7 years before my total Ford cost equals the same as the diesel cost.

 

I found an 84 6.9 liter Ford diesel engine. Has everything except starter, injector pump, and alternator. What would be a fair offer for this? Could I turbo this and make it real fast instead of the sluggish 6.9s I usually hear about?

 

Haha I wish I only put 12K miles on my truck a year. I prolly could afford a 460 then too.

 

FWIW; my truck originally had a carb'd 460/C6 in it. Ran great, awesome power, 8-9 miles to the gallon. IMO, the 460 is the best motor Ford ever made. Look up the horsepower specs on a 1969 460, they were rated higher than a Boss 429. The 70's gave them a bad name when Ford tried to improve their emissions, but went about it the wrong way (like retarding the cam timing).
But, when I first got my truck, I had my heart set on a CCLB 4x4 with diesel and manual tanny, so that's what I did. By far the easiest way to do it is buy a running truck as a donor, and swap all the parts you will need into your truck. This is the route I went. I bought a 89 F250 that had sufferred an interior fire; after messing with it for a couple hours to get it running, I drove it home for $300. And I ended up using the ENTIRE drivetrain from the donor as the one I had was trashed. Down to even the steering box.
You'll need more than just the engine; manual tranny you will need a bellhousing, auto you'll need a different tranny. You should probably get the core support out of a diesel along with the radiator (the diesel radiator is way bigger). The little stuff like missing motor mounts, engine accessories, etc. will nickle and dime you to death, which is why a running truck is the way to go. I ended up spending about $1000 on my swap, but I also replaced all the wear parts I was taking off anyway; clutch, u-joints, belts, hoses, thermostat, water pump, polyuerethane suspension bushings........you get the idea.
It doesn't have the power the 460 had(yet!), but gets 18 miles to the gallon on longer trips, and I can even run old motor oil in it, which is free fuel.
If you're serious about doing it, let me know as I've been down this road and I only live a town away.

 

Mike,


This is awesome! Yeah if I bought a diesel it would be turboed. The engine I found is located near Corvallis, but presently I am in eastern Oregon on break. However, when I return I would be willing to trailer my Ford down there is you were able to help. I just have no space at my apartment in Corvallis to store and or work on my new pickup.

 

Let me give a lil back ground
i have a 80 f350 w a 429 c6 and 4:10s It gets 9-10mpg and melts the tires at will
also have a 86 F250 6.9 4 spd 3:55 gets 14-16 mpg wouldnt get out of its own way
also have 96 F350 crew cab 460 5spd 3:55 used to get 10-13mpg before lift and again would melt the tires pretty well
HAD a 97 f350 powerstroke 5spd 75hp chip 4:10 35"s got 15-19mpg would tow well but not a tire burner

i have alot of differnt trucks and quite a few different engines. I can give this advice. NOT EVERY ONE NEEDS DIESEL. Hell i would say 3/4 of the people that have them cant even justify haveing one. just look at all the soccer moms driving these crewcab 8' bed F350s w diesels. They spent a extra 5k on a diesel engine that gets7mpg than a comparable gasser. So while the milage is better, the fuel costs more per gallon, oil changes cost more and typically any replacement part is more expensive.

I could possibly get by with a 460/429 in all my trucks but i like a lil varity. YOU and only YOU can say what engine best suits your needs