Hello,
I just bought a 1991 F350 Dually X-Cab Long Bed with a 7.5L (460ci) Gas engine. The power is lacking compaired to the new trucks. Whats the most cost effective way to get some more power out of these older engines. I was thinking of a cam kit and trying to keep the stock heads/intake etc. Anybody know a tried and true low cost combo that works? I don't want to rebuild the bottom end or install power adders. It should be easy to get 350-400 HP out of a 460 ci engine and keep the torque.
Also, any body know the best place to get two rear fiberglass fenders for it? Other parts I need are a drivers side door panel (blue) and a new seat cover set.
Thanks,
John

 

Power is never free.

Keep in mind your truck isn't light. My F350 crewcab weighs in at 6997lbs unloaded.

Before you go hog wild buying cams, headers and other shiny bolt-ons, make sure your engine has good spark, good compression, and good oil pressure. Without any or all of those three, you're going to experience "lack of power". Just a thought before you spend your money...

Power upgrades is easy... better flowing heads, cams, exhaust, etc. The question you have to answer for yourself is where your RPMs are going to be. The way you'd build a low-RPM torque monster is very different than a higher RPM, lots of overlap, type engine.

If you're going to tow a lot, the latter would be a less desirable choice. If this truck is only to see highway time and really is just a big "toy" for you, building up for rpms rather than the low-end might be more fun.

 

The truck only has 46K miles on it, but its been sitting around a lot unused causing gasket failures. I tuned it up and found everything is ok except it leaks everywhere. I need to replace the head gaskets, water pump, other gaskets and its not too much further down to the cam. So I can spend a bit more on a cam for it. But I want to keep the stock heads etc if possible for cost savings. Maybe I will port them out a bit. I am not looking to run 13's in the quarter. I just want to upgrade while its apart. A good off-road performance cam should keep the torque for pulling what I pull, no heavy equipment, just car/horse/moving trailers sometimes. So keeping it from pinging during that time is needed. Other times it hauls very little. Do you know of a good combo that has proven results for that use? I was interested if anyone has put a mild cam and kept the rest nearly stock and had good results.
Thanks

 

Fair enough, I wanted to ask because what your truck's purpose determines the direction you should go.

Adding a little bit of cam to the 460 won't hurt much, and the EFI will adapt just fine if the change is minor.

If your head gaskets are leaking, you're wasting a lot of power right there more than likely...

A good towing/RV cam would serve you well, as you'd want the torque lower in the RPM band. Just about all the cam makers have such a cam for the 460.

I used a crane towing/rv cam in an older F350 crewcab with a 460 and was pleased with it, and I didn't change much else other than add a high volume oil pump. I used to offroad with that beast all the time...

I'm building a 500cid stroker right now, but its a lot more radical than you'd be interested in... so hopefully others will comment on your thread here. There also is a 429/460 forum further down the page, you might want to re-ask your question there, as its specific to your engine. A lot of smart, helpful guys there too.

 

Just a thought. If you have seal/gasket issues, you will have vacuum hose issues, internal tranny issues (gumming) etc. My '94 pulls a 26' gooseneck all day long with no power issues. I used to travel with another roper who pulled an 18' slant load with the V-10 in a much newer F-250. I consistantly out-pull grades and have never had a problem on the interstates. You might recover a lot of missing Omph! by going over the air delivery system (try a K & N filter system), fuel delivery system, and the spark delivery system. Otherwise you've got a great truck. Rear OEM style fenders @ JC Whitney for $359.95.

Good luck, Tex

 

I said to hell with my 460 w/8mpg and got a diesel. Less fuel and more power