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Alright, so here I am with my first 460 Big block. I have a bit of engine knowledge and don't believe I've screwed up anything yet because I'm going step by step from the factory manual. I am however on a budget to get this engine running at peak performance so I am going to buy a kit from either Summit racing or Northern auto parts, but any other suggestions are open because this is the first time rebuilding an engine! I plan on uploading a ton of pictures throughout this process for other rookies such as me to tackle this job no problem. Currently it is stripped down to the block with all timing still hooked up and pistons in. Soon I will get it taken to a machine shop to get honed and cleaned.
Everything on the engine is stock and has never been bored. So I was wondering if I could get away with one of theses. The northern kit comes with a bit more such as the cams, and there is an option to upgrade the gaskets to premium felpro which I would take up. I'm just wondering what comes with more stuff that would need to be swapped out? I plan on making this truck my primary hunting vehicle so I need it to be as reliable as possible.
My Truck: 1975 F-250 Supercab 460 7.5l V8 Trailer Special
All help is VERY much appreciated! If you have any questions dont be afraid to ask, and if you need any pictures id be glad to get them to you ASAP.
Great resource for inspection and reassembling but I have nowhere near the money that they advertise in that manual to get all the custom performance parts, as much as I wish I could spoil her!
Without being able to inspect parts on your engine, its tough to say what needs replaced. As a general rule on any rebuilds I have done, if it is a motor I plan on keeping, a minimum list would include from the bottom up: Hot tank the block and heads, replace oil pump, grind or polish crank as necessary, check align bore in block, appropriately sized rod and main bearings, replace timing gears and chain, replace cam shaft, replace cam bearings, replace lifters, bore or hone cylinders as necessary, have rod end diameters checked for round and rods checked for bending, replace pistons if boring cylinders, replace piston rings, check heads for cracks and warping, have a high quality valve grind performed, replace valve seals, check valve springs for free height, high quality gasket set. Most reputable machine shops can provide you with a high quality rebuild kit. They can also be a good source of information regarding cam choices, parts compatibility and the like. They deal with this stuff daily and know the right way to do things, most of the rest of us "dabble" in it and therefore, may miss something critical while we are in the inspection planning stages.It may cost more to use quality parts and have a machine shop check things over and perform machine work as necessary, but if you plan on keeping and running the motor for a long time, you will never regret doing it right the first time. The main thing is to find a reputable machine shop. I don't know what I'm going t do in the future, the shop I have used for 40 years has been put up for sale........not that I blame the 2 owners for wanting to retire..........good luck on your build!
Building an engine is all about attention to detail and spec'ing the parts to work as a system.
Some no- or low-cost ways to improve efficiency is gasket/port matching, improving oil drain back by smooting and radiusing drain holes, and blueprinting the oil pump.
Depends on your budget:heads(you should have d3 if you have d2 find a set of better heads),good port job and hardened seats,deck the block or get pistons that will bump up the c/r 9.1 to 1 and still run on regular gas,straight up timing chain.cam that works for your build.Recurve the distributor for better advance.long tube header with dual 2.5 in and h or x cross over.Also look at 460ford.com and tell them what you have and what you want to do:race/towing or DD.
Things I should of done: deck the block or better piston to raise c/r to at least 9 to 1,different cam to fit the build.I went for the towing route
79 Trailer Special
2x on machine shops. My go-to shop closed up a few months ago under the same circumstance.
They aren't coming back, won't be replaced. They'll be as scarce as shoe repair shops pretty quick. Once the demand goes away parts will too for the most part, I'd think.
Agreed Tedster9........we have become a throw away society......even things that can be rebuilt aren't anymore........wasteful as hell........me and the boys at the machine shop have had this same conversation recently when I talked to them about rebuilding a 3.0 L V6 out of a '99 Ranger. They cant compete with the drop in long blocks being sold anymore.......that's part of the reason that they are selling out. Tough for them to make it anymore. I didn't want to do it but, I ended up buying a long block instead of rebuilding the one I had, I just couldn't justify the cost of rebuilding mine vs. buying a long block. Even the large diesel market that was their main moneymaker for years has been sent a different direction. Most heavy diesel shops anymore won't use the small independent machine shops anymore. They are all relying on "factory reman" replacement parts or cheaply made foreign replacement parts. All of which are probably "factory remaned" in Mexico, China or Ethiopia or some other damn place........all contributing factors to the shape our once great country is in now. It's sad........
Thanks so much guys for all the detailed responses. I live in Arizona so if somebody could recommend some places that they know of that would be great! So for the machine shop I'm looking at getting it Magnafluxed, hot tanked, polishing crank shaft, flattening the deck and honing the cyclinder for new piston rings. As for the heads could I get those hot tanked also? And could I do the valve job myself if I got the cutting compound?
If near Kingman I know of 2 very good shops.Mister C's did 90% of machine work.I forgot to add about your build,have the rotating assembly balanced,it will be super smooth running.
Thanks so much guys for all the detailed responses. I live in Arizona so if somebody could recommend some places that they know of that would be great! So for the machine shop I'm looking at getting it Magnafluxed, hot tanked, polishing crank shaft, flattening the deck and honing the cyclinder for new piston rings. As for the heads could I get those hot tanked also? And could I do the valve job myself if I got the cutting compound?
Sounds like you're off to a great start. What you're talking about with the cutting compound is not a valve job, it's just lapping. A proper valve job has to be done by a machine shop. If lapping is all you need, you can certainly do that yourself. As far as the parts, make Summit your best friend. They are awesome. Also, spend some money for better parts, i.e. reputable brand, made in the USA, etc. Same goes for gaskets, and even silicone sealers. It may sound more expensive at first, but you'll regret not doing it down the road. Make sure you know how to use precision measuring tools and plasti-gauge. Get a quality torque wrench if you don't already. Also, never ever use the intake manifold end gaskets. Any engine builder will tell you that. Do not over tighten sheet metal sealing surfaces such as the oil pan. Be prepared to install your crank and rods multiple times for measuring, don't let the tedious nature of the work cause you to skip steps. The most frustrating thing in the world is having to pull a new engine back out of a rig because you skipped steps or saved a few bucks somewhere.
Wow, I just typed a lot.
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