To make a long story short dose anyone know to best cam to use in carbureted 460 for towing? I haven't sat down and learned about duration and lift in cams yet. I want a cam that will pull 20k off the line but maintain highway speeds between 2,000-4,000 rpms where the motor will mostly be running. The 460 will be .30" over with stock manifolds both intake and exhast with a 650 carb. Lastly if I run soild motor mounts will this put too much stress on the motor and truck or should I run normal motor mounts? Doing an engine swap from a boat anchor 400 small block to a 460. Thanks

 

Start here. There are several cams that work from idle to 4500 or 5500 rpms.

Crane Cams | Mechanical, hydraulic roller and flat tappet cams for racing and street

You can find similar info at other cam makers sites.

Are you upping the compression as well?

Solid motor mounts are not for street vehicles.

 

The 400 isn't a small block, nor is it a boat anchor if you add a mild cam and 4bbl intake. You'd be surprised. Those goodies you see in my sig really wake it up.

 

That is a thought, for a lot less effort and a bit less money, the 400 can be made respectable. With less road-hugging weight on the front wheels to boot.

 

The Ford 400 is a small block and even with mild cam and a 4bbl, the 400 is still a boat anchor.

 

The 400 uses small block bore spacing but the deck height is higher than the FE motors, almost the same as the 385 series motors. So it's really neither.

If all you add is cam and 4bbl, you are forgetting the compression. Add some compression, a decent cam and intake and you are in the 300+ hp area methinks.

But go ahead and pop that 460 in there, along with a bigger radiator, exhaust work and all the other little stuff that will drive you nuts before you actually drive the truck. You'll like the power once you are there.

 

Since I'm putting a 460 in place of a 400 in an F350, the F350 is already set up with a big 4 core radiator. Really, with relocation brackets for the 460, I should be able to run the 400 bellhousing and clutch set up. Both the 400 and 460 uses the same 12" clutch pack. Plus, my friend has a post lift and a exhaust bender, so the exhaust shouldn't be an issue. Lastly, I've been around 400s and 460s a lot, and I can tell you first hand that the 400 smog motor can't compete with the 460 in stock or modified fourm. Plus, the Michigain blocks really don't have much of an aftermarket support. Also, the Ford FE motors aren't big blocks, their actually considered medium blocks, but I see this website still calls them big blocks.

 

Thanks for the info. Since I'm in charge of buying pistons before my 460 goes to the engine shop, I need to decide what compression would I like. I don't want to rise the compression too much because I don't want to run high test gas. Plus high compression motors tend to lose their low end torque. My only concern with soild mounts is if it's too hard on the motor itself. I'm not worried about ride quallity because it's a one truck.

 

What heads do you have ? You will need to know their cc before buying pistons. Is your 460 internal of external balanced ? You will have to mock the block up with the crank and one rod and piston in each bank to check your deck height. The block will need milled to get them back up in the bore where they need to be. If your truck is a 4x4 then get the West Coast Bronco motor mounts, they are the best ones out there. Solid mounts are a bad choice. I don't know who told you this " Plus high compression motors tend to lose their low end torque " but they are full of BS.

 

Basically, the shop needs the pistons so they can build the motor around them sorta speak. Planning on running stock heads and valve train to save money. I don't want a exotic race car motor, just need a 460 that pulls good and will run for another 100,000 miles. So, soild mounts are good then? The motor mounts I can make. It's just that the time I find a shop that will sell me a small chunk of 3/8" plate, I'd rather pay someone else the $100 to send me a set.

 

Solid mounts are NOT good, read the posts.

Stock valve gear with a different cam is a BAD idea. Read the cam manufacturers propaganda. If you increase lift the stock spring may bind. If you increase the RPM range, the stock spring may float or break.

Going cheap on a engine build like this will not get you another 100,000 miles.

 

Yea, I miss read the post about the soild mounts. I'm not going to be too skimpy on my motor build. Just the machine work alone I'm guessing will be about $2,000, and then I build the motor myself. I'm kinda putting the cart before the horse in relationship with the cam. The engine shop will let me know what parts will work best for me. I have some coin in the bank because I was saving to buy a new truck but, to be honest with you, I don't care much for these new trucks. They seem to be cheaply made and their so damn expensive. I have the know how to make my old truck look and run like new again with a whole lot less money than buying a new one.

 

what heads is the first question. next what ignition? what headers? if serious these are my questions. roller or hyd cam? if serious go roller. hyd will do a good job also. i run a solid cam for my application but requires occasional valvetrain adjustment but it makes great torque and reliable and cheaper than roller. carburator annular booster type design is awesome for lowend/midrange torque. My 472 i run a 800 cfm on a 1 to 1 linkage. 850 vacume secondary. Home / Quick Fuel great carbs. my 850 is a custom application with annulars. cool things about vacume sec is if just crusin run on front barrels. if really serious run double pumper with 1 to 1, run like fuel injection and have to change your driving habits to run this carb and pulls like a bulldozer. tuning is another thing to be done but worth while in the end. what converter if auto or what tranny if manual and clutch setup. also a 400 ford can be built to do a serious puller. 4" STROKE is a good thing. small bore helps with detonation prevention. just built one and wanting a little better fuel compared to 460. i normally run big blocks. if curious check out my photos and you'll figure out the rest. just click under my page. MPG Heads - Index can cncport your OEM heads and help on the torque and cut you a cam for your heads. if anymore questions drop a message. all my big blocks are torque type engine these days for pullin my mountains near my house.

 

I just took my 460 to the machine shop. I told the shop what my plans for my motor are, and I'm letting them pick and choose the parts that they think will work the best for me. Originally The shop was going to just do the machine work and then I'd build the long block myself, but I spent the extra money to have them reassemble the long block themselves for expediency. Plus, they have a run stand so they can break my cam in before I put it in the truck. The machine shop claims it should have close to 410 horsepower with stock heads and manifolds both intake and exhaust, when it gets back. They also told me it will have 10.5:1 compression. Laslty, there is a speed shop that closed down in my town with a motor dyno that still intact. I think the owner might do some dyno pulls on my 460 when it gets back from the shop. I'll post the horsepower and torque #'s in a few weeks. I'll be running a chevy type HEI distributor and a 1407 Edlebroock 750 carb.

 

your compression is a little high for towing but this also depends on your camshaft overlap. also nobody wins at the track with a edelbrock. they run well but in your application would run something better than a edelbrock. and 750 edlebrock is to small for a BBF. would run something a little bigger. if close to sea level your engine with some port work should produce close to 1 hrspwr per cube with 10.5 compression. cam should be in the low 270 durations on intake and mid 270's on exhaust with a cam that big or a little bigger. what heads do you have and combustion chamber CC's? compression is good but towing you have to worry about detonation/pre ignition. zero deck and dish piston is what your needing on piston deck height. need more info on you cam?? Your fuel you want to run if i'm correct is around 88 octane and your compression might get you into trouble. especially the ethonal 10%, engine will go lean and ping. build your truck to your fuel is the trick!!! catch you later.