im on the hunt for a 460, but i was wondering should i buy a already built 460 or build it myself? i would realy realy like to build it myself becuase i would like to learn more about engines and i would LOVE to say i built this engine myself but i dont know much about engines and i dont want to mess it up.i would like to hear yalls input on this. thanx

 

What do you plan to use this engine for and what mods, if any, are you planning to make over a stock 460? I'd say build it yourself so you can learn. Machining will be done by a shop and if you can find a good shop they can help you out with the rebuild without doing all of the work for you. The Haynes manual covers a lot of basic rebuild info too.

 

well i would like to make about 500-600 hp. it will be a street/strip truck mosely street but not a daily driver. there aint hardly no good shops around hear that wont charge me a arm and a leg. and the ones that are good probaly wouldnt help me out they would just get it done as fast as they could so they get there money. hopfully i can find somebody.

 

Building your own engine for the first time is a fun experience. I've been making vehicles I've owned faster (some signficantly faster) since I got my license in 1985, but didn't build my first engine until early 1992. Before that, I saved then paid someone to build what I wanted.

Unless you have access to machinery, you're still going to have to send things out for machine work. Deck the heads, deck the blocks, and so forth. But assembly you can do yourself, all the measuring of lobes and pushrods and so forth.

I'm almost done my 11th motor, which is a "junkyard" 500cid stroker.

Go REAL slow, take your time, measure everything, and make sure you do the clay thing on the piston tops and turn the assembled engine by hand and make sure the valves don't hit the pistons.

Did I say go real slow? ;-)

 

Timberwolf! I have found several shops that can do a really good job on the machine work. Lately I have used Reeds machine shop in Powder Springs. But there are several around and I am sure you can find a good shop near you. You will pay for machine work. Bore and hone block 0.030 over 25 bucks a hole. Turn, polish and balance the crank 300 bucks. Deck the block 150 bucks. New pistons 300 bucks. Eagle rods 325 bucks and bearings and gaskets will run another 350 or so. That NAPA short block is looking better and better. We have not discussed the camshaft and heads say another 1000 bucks. A solid 460 with just a few go fast goodies will set you back several thousand dollars. Sometimes you can get a deal on e-bay or find a deal on a good used engine. And don't overlook the extras like a new water pump, starter, alternator or a radiator cause now it runns hot. Transmission? Drive shaft? Limited slip rear? This hobby is expensive.

 

3 things about buying a Napa shortblock (or other production brand). First off, you'll never learn anything if you buy it, bolt it up and go. The less you know, the more someone else can ream you for parts and repairs later. Second, production shortblocks typically will use the CHEAPEST parts possible to give them a better margin. I wouldn't want cheap parts in a regular street motor, let alone a performance motor of 500+ horsepower. I just bought a rotating assembly for my next engine so I know how bad it sucks to watch that money vaporize, but you get what you pay for. Third, even IF they used quality parts that are designed for more abuse, you have no way of knowing how precise their machining and tolerances are. You're putting faith in some kid getting paid minimum wage to machine and assemble engines in what equates to a production line. Do you think he takes pride in his work? Doubtful

The nice thing about engine building is that there are not a whole lot of special tools you need. Dial calipers and a dial indicator are cheap. You've probably already got a torque wrench and all the rest of the junk you'll need. The shop will take care of all the machining.

Oh, as Frederic said . . . take is slow!

 

the only place i can recommend is www.rebuilt-auto-engines.com they have been great. i use them when i don't feel like building my own. you can get a stock rebuild or they will do mild to wild. they do not reuse the valvetrain or the pistons. they do a very nice job and for a fair price. they use manely vlaves and TRW pistons with felpo gaskets and clevite 77 bearings along with hastings rings. a stock 460 runs about 1,400.00. the napa blocks are jokes. they do a backyard rebuild with little machine work. most are just honed cleaned and reassembled.

 

thanx for the help guys. i will be doing alot of reading before i touch anything. and ernie(greensub) gave me a good idea to go to the junkyard and get a junk motor and just take it apart and put it back together, just to learn were stuff is. thanx guys

 

Ernie's idea of taking one apart and putting it back together is a good one that is how you learn, by doing. I have build enough engines that I can't remember how many anymore, some just totally bone stock rebuilds to some pretty serious race engines, I have gotten to the point that tearing an engine down to component pieces takes me less than an hour (that comes from my job when I worked at a wrecking yard scrapping engines tore down 48 engines in one day was my record), and on a stock engine I can assemble it including checking bearing clearences in less than 2 hrs but a race engine will take me several more hours than that to reasemble because I do take my time and measer then remeasure every clearence and tolerance so even if your building a stock engine I recommend checking and double checking things even the piston to valve clearence because even though a stock engine isn't going to have piston to valve contact your going to learn something by doing that.
Best thing is find a machine shop that you trust, and have them do the machining for you, one way I found to decide if I am going to trust a machine shop is watch the guy install a set of valve guides in a stock head, if he puts it on the drill press to drill out the guides and sets it up once then does them all, he is ok but if he checks each and every one to make sure it's properly lined up then he is good and if he uses a hand drill run. The rest is just a function of taking your time and measuring everything, reading and asking questions and I bet you will find so much more satisfaction when that sucker fires the first time, infact I would place money on when you hear that baby fire up you won't be able to wipe the grin off your face for hours.

 

thanx yall i realy realy apreciate yalls help. and yall have gave me confidence to build the 460 myself when i get it. THANKS (p.s more questions to come when i get it)

 

You learn by doing but if you make a mistake it can be costly. Go to Barnes and Noble and get the Ford books by Tom Monroe and Steve Christ. Then do exactly as they say-no shortcuts or guessing on anything. You dont want to do all that work and end up yanking it again.

 

If one is really worried about costly mistakes, buy a complete engine, toss it in, then take the old one apart on a stand.