I got this 460 from the junk yard for $100, figured what the hell, if nothing else at least I can make my money back selling off the 24 lb injectors.

I'm going to be swapping this into a '79 Bronco. Upon disassembly, I have 2 trashed pistons that are the victims of detonation & overheating possibly. I will be having the block & heads tanked and magnafluxed to check for cracks.

The engine is, I'm not sure of the year. I am finding different casting #'s all over the place. I am ASSuming that the latest year casting # would be the earliest year that it was made? The Valve cover sticker indicates F4TE, being at least a '94? If that's the case, then it would be at least a '96, due to the F6TE-BA on the rods:
http://paradox.shacknet.nu/dave88lx/79bronco/460_teardown/casting-rod.jpg


However the rod caps are a C9AE...'69? I understand that it may not so much be the year of production, but the year of design, where if the caps didn't undergo any major changes, then they'd be the same design from '69?
http://paradox.shacknet.nu/dave88lx/79bronco/460_teardown/casting-cap.jpg


Block is a D9AE-AB...so a '79?
http://paradox.shacknet.nu/dave88lx/79bronco/460_teardown/casting-block.jpg


Heads are F3TE's...93+:
http://paradox.shacknet.nu/dave88lx/79bronco/460_teardown/casting-head.jpg


Intake is a F2TE...92+:
http://paradox.shacknet.nu/dave88lx/79bronco/460_teardown/casting-intake.jpg



One of the issues I'm running into is just a plain old rebuild kit for it. I looked on Summit, and they all say "up to 1985". I know in '88 they went to EFI, and a different intake bolt pattern on the heads, but not sure what else is different between the two...or what I need for a rebuild kit for this late-model 460. I would like to go as cheaply as possible, nothing fancy. No power adders, so I presume I would be safe with a Hyper piston.

I plan to run EFI in the future, but don't have the time right now to wire it all up. I would like to just throw a carb on top of the lower EFI manifold and run that for the time being. I've seen on eBay an adapter to make this work, but the auction was already ended. I asked if he had more or where he got his, but I've heard no reply yet. Any ideas?

I do not have the timing cover, any bracketry or accessories, or even the flywheel or balancer. Yes, getting it balanced will definitely be in order.


My other option is there is a '77 Lincoln with a 460 in the JY here, I might go snag up that 460 as well...not sure which route would be the better way to go...I want to run EFI (future), so I'd like to go with what I have, but I don't know if the '77 series head are much improved over the '93+'s that I have or what.

Thanks if you made it this far! :laughing:

you could have a 94, 95 96, etc etc. I have an 88 truck with 90 part numbers all through it, all orig. AFIK, you have the better feulie heads. If a part did not undergo any changes, it will retain the original part number. If you look up the water pump backing plate, it will have a C9 part number as well.

As far as a rebuild kit is concerned, you will have to call them and order over the phone. If they dont have em, PAWINC.com has tons of stuff too (and an awesomely huge catalog to boot)

That '77 will have D3VE's. Not the greatest production 460 head, but not the worst by far. Just about all normally available heads will have weak breathing on the exhaust side. Porting is definatley in order. Dont go hog wild, do some research on how and where to grind. More isnt always better.

Do you plan on running factory fuel injection? If so, you are stuck with the factory intake, and the F3 heads you have now. AFIK there is no aftermarket intakes avail. for fuelie motors. If you need a motor to get you by, and if the 77 is a runner, slap that in, keep it bone stock, and when you have the fuelie motor ready, drop it in then. If you need a rear sump pan, start your search in ford vans after '83. They will also have the timing chain cover without the hole for the dipstick tube. Those are the most over looked, and most abundant in junkyards. Trucks after '83 will have them as well. While you are there, snag the pickup tube, and the special main bolt with the stud on the end of it, you will know which one. The vans will also be setup with saginaw power steering pumps, whereas the trucks will have the ford POS. If you plan on running a carb, and a mechanical fuel pump, make shure you grab the timing chain cover with the boss for the pump, and grab a fuel eccentric assembly as well. If not, plan on using an electric pump. If the chain cover you grab is all fubard around the water passegeways, drop it off at a machine shop, they can weld new aluminum in and deck it flat. When you get it back, grind open the passageway if they didnt do it for ya, VIOLA good as new passageways. I was told that people also smear epoxy into the water passageways, I tried it, apparently I did it wrong, some if it came loose and disapeared. I wont try that again despite the fact it looked purdy when it was finished.

you could have a 94, 95 96, etc etc. I have an 88 truck with 90 part numbers all through it, all orig. AFIK, you have the better feulie heads. If a part did not undergo any changes, it will retain the original part number. If you look up the water pump backing plate, it will have a C9 part number as well.[/quote]Wow that's pretty stupid. I didn't think they used the "F" until the '90's. Good job Ford, way to confuse us even more!

Is there any way to figure out what exact year I need? Would the F4TE on the valve cover sticker be the one to go by? :(

That '77 will have D3VE's. Not the greatest production 460 head, but not the worst by far. Just about all normally available heads will have weak breathing on the exhaust side. Porting is definatley in order. Dont go hog wild, do some research on how and where to grind. More isnt always better.Like this site here? I've seen good things about it said here on P4x4: http://www.reincarnation-automotive.com/index.html

Do you plan on running factory fuel injection? If so, you are stuck with the factory intake, and the F3 heads you have now. AFIK there is no aftermarket intakes avail. for fuelie motors.For now I will go carb, until I have the time to properly swap in a waterproof EFI setup. Just need to get it running for now to get the city off my ass about it. I was going to just throw a head gasket on my 351M, but the head is cracked, and it's not worth putting all this money into that engine.

If you need a motor to get you by, and if the 77 is a runner, slap that in, keep it bone stock, and when you have the fuelie motor ready, drop it in then.Naw he said it needed to be rebuilt.

If you need a rear sump pan, start your search in ford vans after '83. They will also have the timing chain cover without the hole for the dipstick tube. Those are the most over looked, and most abundant in junkyards. Trucks after '83 will have them as well. While you are there, snag the pickup tube, and the special main bolt with the stud on the end of it, you will know which one.This block I have already has a rear sump setup, and the special stud on the I think it was #4 main, so I don't think I need to find that. Does this rear sump pan off the efi 460s' work for the swap into the '79 Bronco?

The vans will also be setup with saginaw power steering pumps, whereas the trucks will have the ford POS. If you plan on running a carb, and a mechanical fuel pump, make shure you grab the timing chain cover with the boss for the pump, and grab a fuel eccentric assembly as well. If not, plan on using an electric pump. If the chain cover you grab is all fubard around the water passegeways, drop it off at a machine shop, they can weld new aluminum in and deck it flat. When you get it back, grind open the passageway if they didnt do it for ya, VIOLA good as new passageways. I was told that people also smear epoxy into the water passageways, I tried it, apparently I did it wrong, some if it came loose and disapeared. I wont try that again despite the fact it looked purdy when it was finished.Thanks for the heads up on that stuff. I'll check around for some vans. I'm also still undecided if I'm going to go serpentine or V-belt. I need to fabricate a bracket for this York compressor too for on-board air. This is going to be a pretty challenging project I'm thinking!

what you are doing has been done before.

I think the ford part numbering system is very easy to understand. Try figuring out this partnumber from GM 601103. Or this from VV 034 903 555B. Fords are broken down by era, year, vehicle line and type of part, all in the first four letters of the part number. The next set of numbers is either the revision, or the part number. For instance, a D9TE-6015 is a water pump from a '79 ford truck. If they make a change, the year they did it would partially change the part number, but it read F4TE-6015. Most ford stuff is backwards compatible as well. It is universal, and applies to almost any part. With the Ford system, you can tell what just about anything is, if you know what the letters mean. TRY THAT with anyone else/


For what you are doing, the exact year does not matter, as long as you are close. If there is a sticker on the valve cover with a calibration code, use that to give you exact year.

Another thing I thought of, finding headers to fit fuelie heads in an earlier truck than a '80 might be a challenge. I dunno if they would fit older than 88 but I would imagine they should??

The link you posted has some good stuff in it I have been told.

Oh I hear ya. I finished up a top-to-bottom 383 LT1 rebuild, and they just have a rambling of part #'s for their numbering system. What I meant was the fact that an F6 part, I *thought* it to mean '96, I didn't see how it could be used in the 80's, if it hadn't been designed yet, according to the year, ya know what I mean? Much appreciated on the explantion though.

I'll check into the headers, I hope they do!

This is what I have on the valve cover:
http://www.corral.net/photopost/data/500/460-tag.jpg

[QUOTE=

Another thing I thought of, finding headers to fit fuelie heads in an earlier truck than a '80 might be a challenge. I dunno if they would fit older than 88 but I would imagine they should??
.[/QUOTE]

80 thrue 96 have the same frame and undercarrage

This is going into a '79...

As for swaping the EFI 460 over to carb its going to be a bigger hassle than its woth to get it to work right.

First off, while you can get an adapter to slap a 4bbl on it, its not going to have near the power of the EFI 460, or even the prior carb 460s. The cam, heads, and intake were spcifically designed for MPI and they will not like the carb very much. I knew someone who mounted a 4bbl on an EFI 460 and it was a dog.

Secondly, your going to have to change the distributor, since its a TFI and requires the ECM to control the timing.

I'd personally just rebuild it as an EFI motor and leave it at that. If you want some ideas of building a strong running EFI 460 just PM me as I'm building one currently, which should be in the 350hp/600lb-ft range.

As for swaping the EFI 460 over to carb its going to be a bigger hassle than its woth to get it to work right.

First off, while you can get an adapter to slap a 4bbl on it, its not going to have near the power of the EFI 460, or even the prior carb 460s. The cam, heads, and intake were spcifically designed for MPI and they will not like the carb very much. I knew someone who mounted a 4bbl on an EFI 460 and it was a dog.

Secondly, your going to have to change the distributor, since its a TFI and requires the ECM to control the timing.

I'd personally just rebuild it as an EFI motor and leave it at that. If you want some ideas of building a strong running EFI 460 just PM me as I'm building one currently, which should be in the 350hp/600lb-ft range.