Hello all. I've been reading through many threads (about 6 pages). I'm looking for links for the way I should build my engine. Actually, have built.

What I'm starting with. 79 E 350 460. Complete rear sump oil pan to factory 4 barrel with air cleaner,. Full front dress with Saginaw PS pump, exhaust manifolds, external balance with hatchet, under 90K miles. Plug wires are still date coded to 79. Emission lines and vacuum lines date coded to 79. I have the plate that goes between the engine and transmission, flex plate, and the vans C6 transmission that I will not be using but was mounted to the engine when I bought it.

What it will be installed into. Daily driver. 1979 F250 4x4 super cab,C6, 35" tires, 410 gears. Will be towing an 7-8000 lb RV some.(Have not bought this yet) Also a smaller camper. (Already own. Little 20'er VERY basic. Bed and potty)

Elevation, mostly 4600-8500. Will make trips from Wyoming (6-6100' elevation) to Michigan below 800' elevation and to Ashville NC (1500-200 elevation) once or twice a year.

My goals. 85-87 octane fuel. Will do 89 if I HAVE to. Obviously this requires a lower static and dynamic compression ratio. Roughly 300 hp/tq to the wheels. Higher trq if possible. Using stock exhaust manifolds. No headers unless absolutely necessary.

Engine is at the builders shop but they haven't started yet. I've asked them to use clevit bearings, Cloyes double roller chain and gears for a 90 460 which is factory straight up timing. Should I use a custom cam from Lykins machine or something from Lunatic cams? Flat tappet or hydraulic tappet? I don't think I need a full roller. Would like a Wieand aluminum dual plane intake. What size carb should I use? I read that it is possible to use the 360/390 engine mounts to install this engine in my truck. Would these work with the hp/tq that I want with the weight of the truck? Do I need to do custom engine mounts? If so, who should I use OR avoid? Will the stock oil pump be enough or will I need a high pressure OR high volume pump?

Is what I'm looking for unrealistic and to conflicting or is it doable? I'm trying to ask as many questions so I have answers for the machine shop. Also so they don't talk me into something that I don't need. I already had 1 shop that kept trying to get me to go big hp, 91octane or higher fuel, mid rise intake, thumping cam. That's not what I wanted.

Any threads here that cover my questions, please share. If more information is needed, please ask. Sorry for the long post and thanks for reading.

Chris.

 

Here's a thread that I started last year when I was rebuilding the 460 in my 79 F-350

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-my-460-a.html

 

Dave, great read. That is basically the build I want. Of the stock pistons, is there one year better than another to use as far as compression goes. Would ordering a certain year have better qualities than other?. Do you machine your own pistons or purchase. Where? What tools and stones to use to clean up the exhaust hump? I know you do your own but I can not afford a professional like you. Wish I could but can't. If you don't want to share the tools and stones, I completely understand because it affects your business and bottom line.

Is your 79 Ford a 2wd/4wd? I've been reading through your back posts and learning a bunch. Only know, more questions.

 

My truck is a 79 F350 2 wheel drive.

There's nothing tricky about a build like this one.

The replacement stock pistons for the later EFI engines would be a good choice for a build because they would raise the compression ratio slightly but they also have a lower friction ring pack. The pistons in my engine are the KB138 hypereutectic ones that I reused on the freshen up.

On my heads the porting that I did was not just on the exhaust side . I just went after the easy airflow. The runner isn't enlarged or smoothed in any way. Just the contours down around the valve seat area are altered. This is where the largest gains with the least amount of work happen on just about any cylinder head. The intake side also benefits greatly from some porting work. This consists of cutting a 3 angle valve seat, sizing the bowl, narrowing up the guide boss, laying back the short side, blending the top angle and then experimenting with a back cut on the valve. The valves I used were stock replacement ones from Enginetech and a 30 degree back cut was golden for flow from about .050 to .500 lift. The 30 left a little lip on the back side of the valve so I thought that adding a 15 degree to take that away might help some more but it hurt flow.

On the exhaust side I installed a hardened seat and I used a stock replacement Inconel exhaust valve. Using a guide boss cutter I pushed the roof of the port up about .060 right around the guide and then blended that into the roof. The thermactor hump was smoothed and the AIR boss that sticks out behind the valve stem was smoothed and shaped just like what Scott Johnston shows on his website. He's the one that figured out that removing the whole thing isn't as good as keeping it in there and shaping it to help direct the air flow and reduce turbulence. Lastly I blended the short side from the seat and then up and over the short side hump. 3 angle seat on the exhaust side but no back cut on the valve.

 

Go roller.

All 460 all the time. Probably dated now, but a basic cookbook:

https://www.460ford.com/threads/460-...-24-09.119213/

 

Hi Dave, thanks for the answer. I think I read some place that the 89,90,91 heads (or newer/older)are basically the same as the D3 heads. Is that correct? If so, the same porting work? If I use the EFI heads, I would have to use a special intake that would be a carb to EFI? What brand would you recommend?

Also, I believe you said to use the pistons from an EFI 460 because a little better CRatio. Would I pick the pistons from a 92-96?

Thanks again for your help. Chris

 

DaveMclain... PM sent.

 

Hello Dave. You said I can use the original rockers. Can I also use the original push rods? Or should I purchase new push rods? I can not find any NEW cam blanks for a 460 so sending my OEM to Demos machining to be reground to the specs you listed. Will the push rods be dependent on decking the block or heads? Who do you recommend for new flat tappet lifters? I did not see lifters listed on enginetech site but I may have missed them.

Thanks again for your time and knowledge,
Chris

 

The stock pushrods will be fine. Cam core availability is a real problem these days and the prices have gone way up. Regrinding the stock core will work fine. It probably won't allow the lobe sep to be brought down quite as much as the cam that's in my engine but it should work well. Steve still has my master for the DM200.

As far as lifters go I have the Sealed Power China made ones in my engine, so far so good. Are they as good or better than the Mexican made Melling ones? I don't know. Either of them should work fine with spring loads this mild after a proper break in with the correct oil.

 

Because finding a replacement cam for the 460 is non existent and finding lifters, well I can not find any lifters. I have read on a different forum that a cam can be welded on and reground. If that is the case, then couldn't the lifters be machined flat to use again but on a reground cam? Assuming the lifters are in great to excellent shape.

 

The camshaft core isn't welded and reground it is just reground. There are people who can regrind used lifters, Mizpah is a place that does that sort of thing. This will make the old lifters and cam as good as they were when brand new.

 

I'm sure this is a stock pistons. Yes or no.

Cylinder wall and different piston.

 

Those look stock and the cylinder walls look like they will clean up just fine. There's some minor rust staining which won't hurt anything.

 

You said in one of your posts about your engine.

""I used Vortec 350 valve seals which fit right on my heads like they were made for it.""

Was that seats or seals? Also, should I or do I need to use a windage tray of some type or stay with stock rear sump pan?

When ordering the exhaust valves, order the SBI for the 79 engine or order some for a 96efi engine?

You use the F460 enginetech "rebuilder" kit. That kit does not come with the rear main seals or valve stem sea"ls. Use the basic enginetech rear main and valve stem seals? Is this where you used the vortex 350 items?

Do I need hardened valve seats or stock ones in the head on or replace because "while I'm in here"?

 

I used the Inconel valves that were intended for the EFI engines, V2359. I put hardened exhaust seat inserts in my heads. Some D3VE heads came with induction hardened seats but some did not.

I might have told you wrong and I bought F460-72 which came with the production rebuilder set but they threw in the other stuff separately. The rear main from Engine Tech is the brown colored one which is supposed to be the best seal available.