Strange question, but hopefully someone my be able to throw me some info!

I am looking at picking up a 78 F-250. Nice truck in all. The seller is a young fella who told me the truck was bought by his grandmother brand new. He then states the truck has a 429 2bbl in it. Now with chatting at him, its never been altered. I later get the VIN, run it, and find out that the VIN lists it as having a 460 4bbl. Now I have yet to go look at it.

My memory isnt so good.. I know that one of the biggest differences between the two blocks (429-460), is the crankshaft and stroke. I think rods, but cant recall.

My question is.. What are some other identifiable marks when looking at these two engines that a person can tell, if there are no stickers to further identify it? Spark plug positioning in the heads? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

I think the last 429 was made in 73.So the plugs would be 7/8 socket newer ones are 5/8 all the 429-460 are the same on the outside you are right the differents is crank and rods.All the 429-460 ive seen are 4 barrels.

 

Good tip! Thank you! I will have to put a socket in the ol pocket, LOL! I have seen a couple 2bbls in my time, usually in something dumbed down though.

I also see I started this thread in the wrong section! Uhg! LOL

 

MD, Ford never installed a 429 in a truck, so that's out the window. Not sure on 1st year for 460 in truck, but about that time. The 351/400M was the standard large V8, 302 the small for 78.




John

 

Start with the big sticker on the valve cover. It has the engine type on it.

Like mentioned earlyer. No 429 came from the dealer in a truck. He probably just doesn't know what he was talking about.

 

Thank you John and 4x4!

I couldnt remember when the 429 came out, and some dealings in the past I have known people to remove identification stickers and code over something to ask more for what the are selling..

With all that you guys have listed here, and the fact I ran the VIN on the truck, I passed on the deal. A couple things about the truck is what had me interested.. One being that the kid stated his grandmother was the original owner and the truck was never altered, two.. the truck had a 429 2bb in it, finally it was listed as a F-250.

Come to find out, its an F-150 and the VIN states it has a 460 4bb. I have no issues with a 460, they are great motors, but I was interested in the 429. So either the kid is blowing smoke about the truck being unaltered, or as we suspect, doesnt know much. The issue with being told its a F-250, and finding out through VIN its a F-150, does me no good. I cant use a 150. I had hoped this truck would be a good ranch-to-ranch horse hauler with a 6 horse I have sitting around. An F-150 wouldnt suit the need.

Thanks to everyone that helped!

 

429 = 1968/73 Ford/Mercury Passenger Cars which were available with a 2V or 4V / 1979 and later 600 & larger series trucks.

460 = 1968/71 Lincoln/Mark III / 1972 Lincoln/Mark IV/Thunderbird / 1973/78 Ford/Merc/Lincoln Passenger Cars / 1973/79 F100/350 / 1975/96 Econoline / 1983/96 F250/350.

429/460's used the same bare block, measure the stroke to determine the size: 429 = 3.59" / 460 = 3.85"

1979: There were two different 460 engines. Bare block casting numbers: D1VE-6015-AB, AB1, AB2 = 1971/73 429 / 1971/78 and some 1979 460's, These engines do not used a weighted spacer.

D9TE-6015-AB = Some 1979's, 1980 and later. These engines use a weighted spacer. The flywheel and harmonic balancer are not the same as the DIVE blocks.

1979: Since this was a running change there is no before/from a certain serial number or production date.

1983 was the first year the 460 was available w/a manual transmission and with 4WD.

Since 429/460's (and 370's used in 1979 and later 600 and larger series trucks) used the same valve covers, and people swap parts around...

You should not go by emission stickers on valve covers to ID what size the engine is.

btw: Finding a 460 that someone installed a 429 2V manifold/carb was not all that un-common back then, and is due in a large part to this: Two Arab Oil Embargo's occured in the 1970's: 1973/74, and 1979.

When the first embargo ended, a gallon of regular gas quadrupled in price! It went up another 25/30 cents after the 2nd embargo ended.

Waiting in long gas lines, people...for the first time...became concerned about fuel economy. It's possible that grannie had a 429 2V carb/manifold installed, as she thought it would improve MPG

Another factor was the scarcity of the Holley 4V's used on these trucks. All were obsoleted by Ford in the mid 1980's and were/are almost impossiblle to find NOS.