Does anyone know what year the 460 engines changed if any changes ? I beleive the heads changed for fuel injection vs carb . Are there any other differences ? This is a great place lots of good info .

 

79 they went from internal to external balance
72 went from 75cc closed chambered heads to 100+cc open chamber
73 went back to closed chamber heads but now 95cc
71 went to 10.310 deck hieght from 10.300 72 approx went to 10.322 deck height.
87 for most applications went to FI

There is some other minor changes but those years make up most of them.

 

Like in 68 the power steering pump was originally incorporated into the timing cover and driven directly off the crankshaft snout. Also the 68-71 engines had adjustable rocker arms. After that they are non-adjustable pedistal mount.

 

I think 1988 was the first year of FI on the big block.

 

Nope 87, thats why the early FI heads have the E7 casting numbers on them.

 

Thanks for the info everyone , the reason I ask is I've picked up three complete late 70's to early 80's 460 motors in this past year. I also just spotted a 1993 F350 4x2 for sale and I'm trying stop by for a closer look.

 

I got a 59 ford that someone dropped a 460 in it. I want to know what year the 460 is so i can start buying stuff for it. Anyone out their know how to tell what year that enigine was built or cast? Any help is appreciated.

 

First welcome to FTE.

well you can get close by first looking right above the starter you will see a casting number something like D1VE, that will give you the revision date for the block, after that the heads will have a casting number of a similar design above one of the exhaust ports usually. You could get a little closer if you wanted to find the casting date codes but it's not really necessary and in all actuality very little reason to know exactly what year for 90% of whatever parts you want.

 

thanks. i'm looking into buying an intake, carb and headers.

 

non of those items will really require you to know the year of the engine. all you will need to know is if it has SCJ/CJ or standard heads (intake ports are different) so if you have anything except DOOE-R cast into the heads above the third exhaust port you have standard passenger car heads and want to use the intake labelled for non CJ applications.

 

Is it better to have an interal or externally balanced 460? I am tryin to figure out what is better or easier to build. I have a 77 F150 4X4 with a np435 that it will hook up to, I don't know if that will make a difference or not. I am just tired of my 300 and I am planning on probably building a 514 or larger.

 

Mudder it really doesn't make that much difference in most builds if the engine is internal or external balanced. Now with that said if your going with a stroker most of the stroker kits I have seen will balance easier as an external balanced deal, but can be balanced internally but will cost quite a bit more. My rotating assembly cost me $500 to balance internally.
The one advantage you have is your building it and can have the flywheel balanced for it before it's together instead of converting it to use a manual flywheel now. but whatever you do make sure that they don't do the balancing work on the flywheel that way if you ever have to replace the flywheel you don't have to rebalance the engine. Some shops will try and be lazy and do the work on the flywheel instead of the crank itself and that ends up dedicating it directly to that flywheel.

 

You said to balance it using the flywheel then you said not to balance it like that.... I am confused!!! Would I just assemble everything and then take it to a shop? Or should I just spend the money and have everything balanced and blueprinted? Isn't there a balancer that bolts to the front of the crank, is that what you are talking about? I know a little about engines but I am FAR from knowing enough!

 

No what I said is balance it with the flywheel but make sure that they don't do the actual balance work on the flywheel itself. In other words if it needs some weight add it with mallory in the crank instead of welding on the flywheel. you can have an external balanced engine and still do the balancing internally just leaving the inbalance of the factory flywheel intact so ifyou ever have to replace it another factory flywheel will just bolt on.
Does that make sense?

 

I think I understand what you are talking about. It would probably make more sense if I was looking at everything. I will dig into it more once I get a 460 to build, I will get an external balance block. Thanks for the info.