Does anybody know what years Ford was making a 460 EFI with a Mass Air Flow Sensor? I have a '78 4x4 Chassis with a '71 Body - I am getting to the point in my project where I need to pick and engine/trans combo. I have kicked around a Cummins swap, and even a 6.8L V-10 swap. But for what I am using the truck for and for budget constraints I think a 460 EFI swap would be best mated to an NV4500 5-Speed manual. I would like an engine trans swap that I could get 400 - 450hp and 14mpg when driving normally. My only concern is the ability to program the ECM to run the engine correctly with the changes I want to make (IE: Cubic Inch increase, Bigger Cam, Ported and Polished Heads, Larger throttle body, headers, etc.).

I heard that 460's manufactured for Califorina had Mass's in '96 & '97 - anybody confirm this? It would be an OBD II system - are they more programmable than the pre- OBD II's. I need help & advice - Thanks!! Maybe somebody can talk me into a better engine for a swap.

 

OK - I called Ford Racing's Tech line: The tech told me 460's never had Mass Air Flow Sensor. He said it has always been speed density. However he did indicate that I could convert it to MASS by using the MASS AIR FLOW conversion kit. He said they make it for the FORD small blocks. Get a '89+ Ford 5.8L Distributor and then switch the gear to the 460 gear and use the conversion kit and you would be done.

I think I have two problems with this - I thought only 351M/400 distributors would fit in the 429/460 blocks - not Windsor blocks. Second what do I need the 5.8L distributor for? They guy was pretty rude so I don't know how reliable his information is.

 

I am planning to do the same things you are with my 460 and am still having problems trying to find an EFI/computer setup that will work and doesn't cost a ton of money. So far I have been told that a chip can be burned to make everything work with the speed-density EFI, but then I have also been told that I would have to convert to mass-air. The simplest way to convert to mass-air would be use the factory mass-air that was on the 460. I know the '97 460's from California had mass-air but I am not sure if any others did. I wish I could help more.

 

Ford 460 96-97 mass air OBD2 calif. only. I have one and they do run better than speed density.
Leadmic

 

Leadmic, thanks for the info. What is your engine Vin Code? Is it different than the vin code used for the other 49 states? The Vin code for the '96 - '97 model year is "G". If I were trying to find a California 460 EFI, how would I Identify it? DO they have a diffrent engine code or vin code? Just trying to find a semi-easy way to identify one.