If you going mod motor just swap in a V10!

 

"building this Engine will require Boring .060" and we all know that they are drastically weakened and prone to running Hot after that"

That statement right there is very much untrue, a .060 bore on a 385 block doesn't even requiring sonic checking it, this is not a small block or a Chevy engine. Most 385 series blocks will handle a minimum .080 overbore, with some factory castings being able to handle .100+
However, if you are not wanting to use your current engine as a core, the bottom end is exactly the same right up until the end of production, 97 for trucks, 2000 for industrial apps. I'm practically tripping over EFI 460's here, the engine in my big truck is a 97 bottom end, and is one of two that were given to me.
With a mild compression bump, a good cam choice, straight up timing, port work, and good intake and exhaust, you'd be surprised what a 460 will do for mileage.
My truck when it was bone stock minus an edelbrock carb averaged 12-15, with a T19 and 3.55 gears, with 265/75R16's, with the first mild build on the stock engine, which included a cheapie Summit Racing cam, straight up timing set, headers and a performer RPM, with 4.10 gears and 38.5x11 Boggers it still averaged 10-11 on the highway, which is very surprising considering that's 6000+lbs of truck on a very highway unfriendly tire.
I have not run the current engine on pavement enough to make even a guess at the mileage, but, the truck is on 44's now. It's off road fuel useage seems to be around the same gallons/hr it used to be though.

Don't get me wrong, the cool factor of having a new engine swapped in is there in spades, but, the return on investment isn't going to be there, the fuel mileage gain is going to be probably 2-3 tops, stick a power adder on that 4.6, and it'll be negated, and you'll still never come near the power levels afforded by even a mildly built big block.

 

I agree, thank you 82f100 for clarifying this.

A lot of myths get perpetuated on the 'net and this is one of them, go talk to a professional
engine builder if you don't believe me.

 

I'll third this. info given here is very accurate. a .060 overbore is nothing to worry about in a 460. Big bores are not a concern unless you're pushing a factory block to its limit. Beyond that, how do you know it needs a .060" bore if you haven't disassembled this engine? Or have you? What is the current bore and what is the taper? Usually a .010 will clean up most engines. I generally bore as little as needed while still able to get off the shelf pistons that suit my build.

As for the oil leaks, coolant leaks, etc. This would all be fixed during the rebuild and with machine work.

In a high temp/high load environment I recommend going with an Edelbrock high flow water pump. They are the best pump out there (that I've found) for the 385 series and have resolved every marginal cooling system problem I've ever seen on these engines in high ambient temp + high load + low airflow conditions. Take one apart and check out the impeller, bearings and passages. It's a quality piece and cheap insurance. These are the only pumps I use when I build a 460.

 

Here is one of my favorite Saturday morning shows. You'll have to sit through the first part on their Turbo Mustang, but then watch the 460 budget build. I think you'll change your mind on all the fab'ing work to put a mod motor in.

Horsepower

 

That was a pretty mismatched build they did. Power numbers were quite low as a result. A few points regarding their build...

- Those smogger heads need to be ported to make any power. Even a mild cleanup of intake and exhaust would have done wonders, as well as some more compression than those 8:1 grand chasm pistons. This is free power.

- The cam was a poor choice, a single pattern 268 cam. With those terrible exahaust ports, especially as cast, you need more exhaust duration. $80 more for a better matched cam.

- The intake was a mismatch. Low compression engine with a low peak RPM and they throw the most monstrously huge dual plane money can buy on it. Heads need port work to take advantage of the Stealth intake, and more cam. A better choise for this build would have been a split duration with exhaust around 274. $40 more for a better matched intake.

There are other things that I don't think were done that well, but those are the big points that held this engine back from making decent power numbers. When the 385 series community sent them a bunch of hate mail (myself included), they later revisited this build and with the help of Jon Kaase went through the top end properly. I believe it put out low-mid 600's for HP after that and I forget the torque numbers. Changes included TFS Streets, Kaase oil pump, Kaase cutom cam, and an intake change (forget what they used).

 

Well Guys you will be happy to know I acquired a complete virgin 460 (1978) and C6 today. With all of your advice full of new ideas I have opted to go back with a slightly bumped 460 with the hopes of getting it up around the 15-17 mpg range.

 

Have fun with your build.

 

I think you missed the point of the project on Horsepower TV, cadunkle. It's a "Budget" build as in do it as inexpensively as possible.

 

I liked the video, basic what needs to be done for newbs, I also saw one on Trucks! when they built a 460 for a 78-9 Bronco (Das Bronco) And thought that was pretty informative. They do seem to leave a lot out. I would like for them to show how to properly clearance bearings (and good tools for stuff like that), such like that though....

I'm also tired of people putting in their own wants into other people motors (not that anyone in particular did that, I'm talking about other forums), for instance, when I get around to building my motor, I want it to be an efficient streetable machine, that has the cojones when needed to pull my buddies truck out of the mud. Don't really need low times at the track, or something that will snap drivelines like twix candy bars... Would be nice if it dropped panties though

Cadunkle's opinions are valid when it comes to the video, yeah it's budget, but why mismatch parts, that intake wasn't exactly a budget item.

my 2 cents.

 

Exactly... $100-$200 more could have had a much better better performing engine. Heck, the stock cast iron intake would have been a better fit for this budget build. The $200 spent on an intake could then have been spent on a better cam. A better carb could be had for less. Plenty of Holleys on Craigslist and eBay to be had for cheap and rebuilt. The head porting is free.

They could have easily kept this build in the $1500-$2000 range and made more power. This build was just slapped together, not much time or thought put into it. The power numbers reflected that.

 

Ok, sorry I pointed it out.

 

Don't you know that's what low buck means? Only people with money get to have nice, well thought out stuff. Geeezzz

 

You guy's gotta remember the reason those shows, like magazines, exist. To sell advertising... That said, they really have to work with what their advertiser's are willing to give them and want showcased.

Yes for around 1500 bucks you can easily make 350-400 hp out of a smogger 460, that will run great. I totally have a D3 engine waiting for my 351 to finally **** me off enough or die myself. Just don't put too much stock in mag ads or tv shows.

I too like to watch them and point out all the flaws though lol. Especially since I made it to the final six for Xtreme 4x4, but since I didn't go to Wyotech.... And Wyotech advertises heavily... I'm pretty sure it was rigged from the start lol.

 

I have a 1994 E150 v8 - with a great engine but, other issues
there is a 1985 Jayco motor home on the market that needs an engine 460
would I be able to swap the econolines engine into the Jayco ?