What is better?
What is better?
Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 868
Likes: 3
From: New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
It does depend on what it is you want for an engine. But all are close on fuel milage with the 360/390 giving about 10-12 MPG canadian, the 360 has low power compared to the 390. The 460 has all the power you could want and will give between 10 to 17 mpg Canadian, mines steady at 15, dad's runs 16.5 MPG Can. The bell housing on the 360 and 390 are the same as with the motor mounts, however the 460 takes a different bell housing and the motor mounts are different. As for what years they were produced, the 360/390 production stopped in 76 or 77, don't know when they were started. As for the 460 it stopped back in 96 or 96 I think , and was used from the late 60 till then.
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 526
Likes: 0
From: fallbrook ca.
390 is problably my favorite for versatility, 460 is the best for towing. the 427-429 is high power high rev but gets about the same mpg as a 460.
id steer clear of the 360 though, they dont get good gas mileage for how much power they have.
id steer clear of the 360 though, they dont get good gas mileage for how much power they have.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,312
Likes: 1
From: Eldorado Ca. USA
the 460 has a 2,000 higher GCW than the 390. If you need extra weight handling, the 460 is the way to go in regards to the DOT police.
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Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
Likes: 787
From: Simi Valley, CA
As installed in Ford F100/350's.
360/390: 1968/76
460: 1973/96
-----------------------------------------
390 introduced in 1961...cars only till 1968.
360 introduced in 1968...F100/350's only.
460 introduced 1968...cars only till 1973.
================================================== =
Don't expect to get great gas mileage from any of these Ford trucks.
There's very little you can do to improve gas mileage, because...
...these trucks have the aerodynamics of a brick.
In SoCal: Regular gas was less than 30 cents a gallon in 1973 / 105 octane Chevron Custom Supreme was 35 cents a gallon.
By 1979, regular gas had risen to a buck 25 a gallon, Custom Supreme was a buck fifty.
Back then, no one gave a hoot about gas mileage.
360/390: 1968/76
460: 1973/96
-----------------------------------------
390 introduced in 1961...cars only till 1968.
360 introduced in 1968...F100/350's only.
460 introduced 1968...cars only till 1973.
================================================== =
Don't expect to get great gas mileage from any of these Ford trucks.
There's very little you can do to improve gas mileage, because...
...these trucks have the aerodynamics of a brick.
In SoCal: Regular gas was less than 30 cents a gallon in 1973 / 105 octane Chevron Custom Supreme was 35 cents a gallon.
By 1979, regular gas had risen to a buck 25 a gallon, Custom Supreme was a buck fifty.
Back then, no one gave a hoot about gas mileage.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 868
Likes: 3
From: New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
That's good info to know, I wasn't sure of the years for the engines in the trucks. As for the 460 ,the 73 to 77 had a carb choice of a 4 barrell spread bore Autolite with mechanical secondaries or a 4 barrell square bore Holley with Vacumm secondaries, 78 and 79 in Canada only had the Holly. I changed the Intake and put on the Autolite spread bore to get rid of the Holley. Performance went down a bit but milage went up 4 mpg from 10.5 up to 14 to 15 range and didn't have to adjust the carb once a week.
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
Originally Posted by NumberDummy
460 introduced 1968...cars only till 1973.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 239
Likes: 0
IMO if your looking at driving this thing regularly to store work or dump or just to have a truck definatley 390. If you want burnout neck snapping toy or towing alot 460 is way to go. Keep in mind gas hasnt been below 3$ a gallon in a long time. My 390 F100 2wd gets 12 in city and 15 freeway U.S.
Junior User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
From: Red Deer,AB,Canada
Originally Posted by fmc400
Numbers are you sure on this? I see quite a few 73-78 full-size passenger cars with 460's on eBay pop up every once in a while. I have the manual for my '77 LTD, it lists 351, 400 and 460 and I believe some came with 302's. Also police interceptors of the time came with the 460. Or did you mean that they didn't offer 460's in cars until 1973?
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
Likes: 787
From: Simi Valley, CA
Originally Posted by fmc400
Numbers are you sure on this? I see quite a few 73-78 full-size passenger cars with 460's on eBay pop up every once in a while. I have the manual for my '77 LTD, it lists 351, 400 and 460 and I believe some came with 302's. Also police interceptors of the time came with the 460. Or did you mean that they didn't offer 460's in cars until 1973?
What I said was...that there were no 460 engines in trucks prior to 1973.
460 engines introduced 1968. Only the cars used them prior to 1973.