Ford 460 Engine Mods????
- Thread starter Jb1rd
- Start date
It's been a looong time since I played with any Ford V8s, but yes exhaust is probably the first place to go. It's basically 'free' hp.
The big question is what year is the van? carb'ed or injected? And what smog requirements do you have to contend with?
Most 460s are from the carb era. So assuming it's from the 70's-80's and fits there, I'd say exhaust, intake, mild 'RV' cam. Of course, that's after the basic tune-up stuff and making sure you've got the basics right to start.
The big question is what year is the van? carb'ed or injected? And what smog requirements do you have to contend with?
Most 460s are from the carb era. So assuming it's from the 70's-80's and fits there, I'd say exhaust, intake, mild 'RV' cam. Of course, that's after the basic tune-up stuff and making sure you've got the basics right to start.
Jb1rd
Explorer
Its a 94 so I believe it is EFI, No emissions to deal with luckily!!!
GorillaJoe
New member
Yup. First thing I'm doing to my 460ci is the Exhaust and Headers. That should give me more oomph right off the bat and make it sound delicious.
I'm also planning the Intake, RV Cam (like said above) and really not caring to do too much else to it. Maybe some plugs, wires, ignition and batteries.
I'm also planning the Intake, RV Cam (like said above) and really not caring to do too much else to it. Maybe some plugs, wires, ignition and batteries.
Shocker
VanDOOM!
What you really need to do is head over to 460Ford.com. Read everything over there. And pay attention to Scotty (The Mad Porter). He is one of the 460 guru's in the US. I was just over at his shop yesterday chatting about my carb'd 460.
You can post all your questions over there and read the threads. Lot's of potential. Scotty's 73 LTD is making 560hp and gets 16mpg carb'd. He is a sharp dude. He is famous for his high torque builds.
You can post all your questions over there and read the threads. Lot's of potential. Scotty's 73 LTD is making 560hp and gets 16mpg carb'd. He is a sharp dude. He is famous for his high torque builds.
Mwilliamshs
Explorer
The art director of either Fourwheeler magazine or Peterson's 4wheel&loffroad did a great 460 a few years back. Alan Huber maybe? A buddy nearly duplicated his build verbatim (the bore size needed for cleanup was bigger on his block I think so diff pistons, rings, etc) for a motorhome back then and still has it. Excellent grunt and he says the mpg is better than expected.
*edit* found the articles. He built a 533ci aluminum headed stroker. Cheaper than you'd think but still probably not what you're after. My buddy does love his though lol
*edit* found the articles. He built a 533ci aluminum headed stroker. Cheaper than you'd think but still probably not what you're after. My buddy does love his though lol
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Avanda
New member
I understand that I was a little late for the party, but I have some interesting observations that I want to share. In my opinion, the 460 has enough torque that you can move the powerband up for some substantial power increase while still having more than enough torque down low. A mild camshaft, some headers, and a good 4 barrel carburetor/intake manifold will make worlds difference for a budget.
If I was in your shoes (assuming the 460 is a stock carbed pre-'87 set up) I would look toward a Lunati Voodoo cam/lifter combo like this https://mechanicfaq.com/carburetors-for-ford-460/ that makes power from idle to 5,000rpm (dur @ .050" 207*/213* & .503" int / .535" ex lift) I run a voodoo camshaft (2200-6400rpm) in my small block ranger. Its got a great torque punch for a small block, and pulls very hard up to 6500rpm. Anyways, some other benefits of the voodoo for your application is the dual pattern lobes, which will give it a lopier sound while retaining driveability. Also, it pulls great vacuum so carburetor tuning is easy. T&B performance (the engine shop I use) has built numerous engine combos and they tend to favor the comp energy series and voodoo camshafts. Infact, they just finished building a BBC based dart block with goodies including a voodoo solid roller camshaft (good to 7000rpm) with a twin procharger set up. The fluid in the dyno boiled over, so they went to a bigger dyno shop. It made 2800hp.
Find some long tube headers that will fit in a ranger, or fab/modify some.
You'll have good luck with an edelbrock performer intake manifold and I would opt for a Holley Truck Avenger 670cfm carb.
If I was in your shoes (assuming the 460 is a stock carbed pre-'87 set up) I would look toward a Lunati Voodoo cam/lifter combo like this https://mechanicfaq.com/carburetors-for-ford-460/ that makes power from idle to 5,000rpm (dur @ .050" 207*/213* & .503" int / .535" ex lift) I run a voodoo camshaft (2200-6400rpm) in my small block ranger. Its got a great torque punch for a small block, and pulls very hard up to 6500rpm. Anyways, some other benefits of the voodoo for your application is the dual pattern lobes, which will give it a lopier sound while retaining driveability. Also, it pulls great vacuum so carburetor tuning is easy. T&B performance (the engine shop I use) has built numerous engine combos and they tend to favor the comp energy series and voodoo camshafts. Infact, they just finished building a BBC based dart block with goodies including a voodoo solid roller camshaft (good to 7000rpm) with a twin procharger set up. The fluid in the dyno boiled over, so they went to a bigger dyno shop. It made 2800hp.
Find some long tube headers that will fit in a ranger, or fab/modify some.
You'll have good luck with an edelbrock performer intake manifold and I would opt for a Holley Truck Avenger 670cfm carb.
Mwilliamshs
Explorer
Regcabguy
Oil eater.
I had an '86 F-250. It sucked fuel and had a myriad of hoses under the hood. EFI changed all that for the better.
Mwilliamshs
Explorer
A 670cfm carb on a 460ci engine? Might be a BAD idea depending on elevation.
Mwilliamshs
Explorer
Why would long tube headers from a mini-truck be a good fit for a van? Especially considering a 460 was never offered in a Ranger.
dwh
Tail-End Charlie
I've built a few 460s. Best one was a stock cast-iron dual-plane intake (port matched to the heads), factory 600 Holley with a lot of messing around to find the right combination of power valve / jets / secondary cam, and JBA shorty headers.
.030 over of course with a mild RV cam. That one also had a forged crank.
The real secret to a hot 460 is to order the timing chain and gears from a '69 Boss 429 - but you'll have to scribe new timing marks into the harmonic balancer.
.030 over of course with a mild RV cam. That one also had a forged crank.
The real secret to a hot 460 is to order the timing chain and gears from a '69 Boss 429 - but you'll have to scribe new timing marks into the harmonic balancer.
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TomsBeast
Member
dwh is right on the money
The 1988 460 in my old crewcab dually was such a dog, a disappointing 195 ft lbs of torque and 200hp.
The single easiest, least expensive, most effective upgrade (at least to start) you can make to an 80's 460 FE block Ford is to advance the cam timing, undoing some of Ford's 'let's get it to pass 50 state emissions' whitchcraft. Advancing the camshaft timing will make a noticable difference for not much money.
You can do this with a cam chain and gear set described above (which just advances the stock cam timing by having) , or a new cam that has the advance built in. Either will require the striping the front of the engine, removing the timing cover, at a minimum. A new cam also requires removing the intake manifold, radiator, grill, maybe the front bumper.
IMO there's nothing wrong with the factory fuel injection on these engines, so long as it's working right. The tiny ports and valves, antique combustion chamber design in those 1970's design Ford heads on that big block truck engine will prevent you from ever making gobs of high rpm torque. I wouldn't change those out. I'm not sure I'd want to mess with headers, the 'juice is probably not worth the squeeze'. My old 1988 had exhaust manifold make from stronger cast steel (not iron, and rather expensive). The exhaust manifold bolts were titanium from Ford. They had to do this because they injected air, turning the exhaust manifold into this secondary combustion chamber to burn hydrocarbons that never burned in the inefficient combustion chambers I mentioned. The heat from this secondary burn event, required better manifolds and bolts, that see constant high heat, and lead a very hard life. Don't mess with the bolts, they break off in the head. Maybe pinch off the air injection to the manifolds, if your engine has it and emissions isn't a thing in your state. You might have to fool the O2 sensor by adding an extension tube for it.
I'd work with what I have, setting my expectations accordingly, with the goal of increasing low rpm torque and better efficiency.
The 1988 460 in my old crewcab dually was such a dog, a disappointing 195 ft lbs of torque and 200hp.
The single easiest, least expensive, most effective upgrade (at least to start) you can make to an 80's 460 FE block Ford is to advance the cam timing, undoing some of Ford's 'let's get it to pass 50 state emissions' whitchcraft. Advancing the camshaft timing will make a noticable difference for not much money.
You can do this with a cam chain and gear set described above (which just advances the stock cam timing by having) , or a new cam that has the advance built in. Either will require the striping the front of the engine, removing the timing cover, at a minimum. A new cam also requires removing the intake manifold, radiator, grill, maybe the front bumper.
IMO there's nothing wrong with the factory fuel injection on these engines, so long as it's working right. The tiny ports and valves, antique combustion chamber design in those 1970's design Ford heads on that big block truck engine will prevent you from ever making gobs of high rpm torque. I wouldn't change those out. I'm not sure I'd want to mess with headers, the 'juice is probably not worth the squeeze'. My old 1988 had exhaust manifold make from stronger cast steel (not iron, and rather expensive). The exhaust manifold bolts were titanium from Ford. They had to do this because they injected air, turning the exhaust manifold into this secondary combustion chamber to burn hydrocarbons that never burned in the inefficient combustion chambers I mentioned. The heat from this secondary burn event, required better manifolds and bolts, that see constant high heat, and lead a very hard life. Don't mess with the bolts, they break off in the head. Maybe pinch off the air injection to the manifolds, if your engine has it and emissions isn't a thing in your state. You might have to fool the O2 sensor by adding an extension tube for it.
I'd work with what I have, setting my expectations accordingly, with the goal of increasing low rpm torque and better efficiency.
HighPlainsPhotographer
Observer
They need to breath, non-emission heads, headers, the late non-efi motors were retarded (timing) you would want to install a non-retarded timing set. The best resource for 460's https://www.460ford.com/