460 mods/ideas
Thread Starter
|
Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 896
Likes: 6
460 mods/ideas
New to the forum, first post. I have an 87 f-250 4x4 with the 460 (holly 4 not fi) zf 5spd and 10.25 rear. The truck runs well but soon I want to upgrade the carb and intake. I was thinking of a Weiand Stealth and a Holly Truck Avenger 770. Later I will be adding headers and eventually warming up the motor itself. Nothing extreme, minimum overbore, mild rv cam and a pocket port.
Question 1 Any comments or suggestions on the above set up?
Question 2 I live in Denver. I have used Heads by Paul in Englewood before but I recently visited Blue Oval Performance and was very impressed with Rob. Have any of you used him? Any comments or other machine shop reccomendations? Any help greatly appreciated.
Question 1 Any comments or suggestions on the above set up?
Question 2 I live in Denver. I have used Heads by Paul in Englewood before but I recently visited Blue Oval Performance and was very impressed with Rob. Have any of you used him? Any comments or other machine shop reccomendations? Any help greatly appreciated.
Moderator
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 22,436
Likes: 17
From: Louisville,Ky.
I have always had good luck with Edelbrock Performer manifolds. They always seemed to make a bit more power than the Weiand's do. Holley now owns Weiand, I don't know if they have improved them any or not.
Jimmy
Jimmy
Thread Starter
|
Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 896
Likes: 6
Thanks for the info. I just found out that Edelbrock makes their Performer intake for the 460 with the EGR (stupid emissions) and it's about $20 cheaper than the Holley. Like I said this is going in an F-250 so the low end torque is really important. Have you found the Edelbrock to perform better in the low or mid-range?
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,882
Likes: 0
From: Nevada
Up to 3000rpm the stock manifold is as good as any aftermarket piece. I've used both the Performer and Performer RPM on 460s and feel the RPM provides a crisper throttle due to the longer runners. The Performer is rated to 5500rpm, the RPM to 6500rpm, not a concern for you with a torque application. The Weiand Stealth is preferred by most running high rpm applications, but again, that doesn't apply to your application.
For plug & play ease, you can't beat the Edelbrock 750 carburetor.
I've them and Holley 750s on 460s, currently a Street Avenger 870, and simply put, Holleys do require tuning, especially at your altitude. You can also save some decent money buying one of the factory rebuilt Edelbrock 750s from Summit or one of the other aftermarket mail order houses.
Full headers will give you your best gain, with or without the other modifications, and especially if you upgrade the induction.
For plug & play ease, you can't beat the Edelbrock 750 carburetor.
I've them and Holley 750s on 460s, currently a Street Avenger 870, and simply put, Holleys do require tuning, especially at your altitude. You can also save some decent money buying one of the factory rebuilt Edelbrock 750s from Summit or one of the other aftermarket mail order houses.
Full headers will give you your best gain, with or without the other modifications, and especially if you upgrade the induction.
Thread Starter
|
Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 896
Likes: 6
I hadn't really heard anything about the stockmanifold,I'm glad you brought that up. You said that the stock was good to 3000 rpm, how badly does it drop after that? How much would a port job help if any? Also, I've heard great things about Thorley headers. They have headers with a 3/8 or even a 1/2 flange, but man they're not cheap. Any experiance with those or other good headers? Thanks for the replies, I'm new to the 460, I was a straight six man for a long time.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,882
Likes: 0
From: Nevada
There's not much left after 3000rpm as the regular production (truck/car) 460 was designed for low/mid-4000rpm max.
Anything you do to the heads will help as they're the weak design point in the 385. Unless you plan to turn some high rpms, all I'd do is take off the smog bumps, clean up the casting marks in the ports and clean up the chambers. You're not after high rpms and want the low rpm intake velocity, so stay with stock sized valves.
I've used cheap Hedman Hedders and its a you get what you pay for situation. I have no experience with the Thorleys. I'm on my second set of L&L headers (sold the first set) and wouldn't use anything else on a truck 460. Others on this board will also support the L&Ls. Whatever brand you decide on, go with full-tube headers, not the tri-ys. All advertised gains from tri-ys are mostly from the new exhaust system that usually accompanies them.
Anything you do to the heads will help as they're the weak design point in the 385. Unless you plan to turn some high rpms, all I'd do is take off the smog bumps, clean up the casting marks in the ports and clean up the chambers. You're not after high rpms and want the low rpm intake velocity, so stay with stock sized valves.
I've used cheap Hedman Hedders and its a you get what you pay for situation. I have no experience with the Thorleys. I'm on my second set of L&L headers (sold the first set) and wouldn't use anything else on a truck 460. Others on this board will also support the L&Ls. Whatever brand you decide on, go with full-tube headers, not the tri-ys. All advertised gains from tri-ys are mostly from the new exhaust system that usually accompanies them.
Thread Starter
|
Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 896
Likes: 6
George D thanks for the tip on the LandL's, I checked out their web page and they do look good. What's the flang thickness?
Trending Topics
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,882
Likes: 0
From: Nevada
I don't remember, but they're beefy and you won't have to ever worry about warpage or leaks. Here's a couple of images:
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Ford Trucks Coming to Mecum Indy 2026
Brett Foote
5 Best / 5 Worst Ford Truck Wheels of All Time
Joe Kucinski
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,176
Likes: 4
From: Western Central NV
I have an 86 F250 4x4 460 with a C6 Tranny and 3:55 gears. I just started what you a thinking of. I installed an Edelbrock Perfomer with a Holley 4160 and a TD torque swirl 1" adapter, and installed two Summit turbo mufflers. I could not believe the difference, I also de-smoged. I'm now starting to fine tune the Holley, after a trip I have a starting place I plan on going with a two-stage power valve and one to two smaller jet sizes. A 600CFM is plenty for most all 460s unless you are going to build and engine that turns over 4500 rpm's. and most 460s don't like high RPM's. Remember with Holleys you don't have to worry about power valve blow-out because they built in protection starting in 1992. they work I tested it.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 2
From: Pryor
I still, personally, think the Weiand is the best manifold on the market (except in full out racing engines). A well circulated test named "BBF Intake Shootout" showed that the Stealth outperformed both the Performer and Performer RPM in BOTH torque and hp production. This test was done on a relatively mild 460.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,882
Likes: 0
From: Nevada
I agree the Stealth would be my first choice in intake manifolds, I just don't have the clearance to run one. I disagree on a 600 or 625cfm being the ideal carb for a stock or mild 460. I had a 625 Carter I used as a spare carb for years. When I'd put it on a 460, stock or modified, I always noticed a drop in performance from a 750 with no change in gas mileage.
mattri, I have a 460 in my '82 Bronco. I've had various 429/460s in it since 1986. No, it would never pass emissions.
http://www.angelfire.com/realm3/george_d/index.html
mattri, I have a 460 in my '82 Bronco. I've had various 429/460s in it since 1986. No, it would never pass emissions.
http://www.angelfire.com/realm3/george_d/index.html
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 2
From: Pryor
If your running a Performer RPM, then you have room for a Stealth. If you are running a regular Performer, then you should have room to run a Stealth with a 1 or 2 inch drop base on your air cleaner.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,882
Likes: 0
From: Nevada
I can't run a drop base air cleaner, it won't clear the Holley vacuum secondary spring container. Look at the firewall clearance behind my air cleaner. I sat a friend's Stealth w/Holley and air cleaner on it and no way would it fit.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 2
From: Pryor
How many inches across is your current air filter? 12? I'm not sayign it can definitely be done, but it looks like if you went to a 14" and a two inch drop it should clear both the firewall as it would be below the area sticking out and it should be big enough around to clear the spring container. Have you checked with http://www.ramairbox.com to look at their aluminum drop bases? They give the most clearance of any drop bases I've ever found. BTW, that's a sharp looking engine. What are your specifics?