Ford 460 engine build

[crawlercreations]

I just started the build of my 460 for my F-250. This will hopefully be a pretty quick build as I have additional work lined up after this. Engine is in good shape and will get what many call a "backyard build" since there will be no machine work done.

I started porting and polishing the heads tonight. I remembered very quickly how much this sucks! Really messy and time consuming. First thing you have to do is remove the valves. There are a couple of types of valve spring compressors to do this (see picture) but I prefer to just take a 1" socket and hammer and hit the spring retainer to pop the locks off. This is really quick and easy. I was taught this at an engine machine shop I worked at for a while. After that it is as simple as grinding away at the ports to smooth them out. Be careful of the valve seats and valve guides. Also be careful in the thin spots of the port. You can usually tell where it is thin by looking and touching. I am not opening my ports up too much and I am not worrying about bowl shaping at all. Just a little clean up to help out. It took me about 30 minutes per port.

I have all the intake ports on one head close to done. Again, I'm not taking much off but every bit makes a difference. I'll go back over all the ports again before I call them done. You'll want a full face shield, ear plugs and a respirator. Also good lighting and, of course, a die grinder and big compressor to run it forever.

[landshark]

What do you use to grind them. Air grinder with stone grinder end?

[crawlercreations]

I use an air die grinder with a kit designed for porting and polishing. You can buy kits a lot of places. Here is something similar to what I'm using http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-g1060/overview/ . In the picture I have some carbide burrs but I didn't use those. Way too aggressive for my purposes. They would work well for more aggressive porting but would leave it very rough.

[crawlercreations]

Big boxes of happiness have started to arrive! As soon as I get the heads ported and polished I can start assembling the engine. Still waiting on a few small pieces but not much and it'll all be here this week. If this weekend wasn't booked I'd be building it then. I'll likely get the engine built next Saturday the 5th. Work on finishing up the porting and polishing then I'll clean my shop really well and start the actual assembly. Should be pretty quick but engines aren't things to rush so if something isn't right it'll get fixed.

[crawlercreations]

Ordered a used throttle body off a 1999 V-10 powered super duty. Bolts on to my intake and has 4mm bigger throttle blades. Every little bit helps. There is a BBK throttle body that is even bigger and bolts on but I'm not spending almost $400 for that.

[crawlercreations]

I finished porting and polishing one head tonight. Going to be working on the other head and the intake the rest of the week. Should start assembly of the engine this weekend. If things go smoothly I'll be finishing up the build and starting the removal of the current engine and transmission in the truck. I still hate porting and polishing even though I didn't go with it.

[EFI Guy]

Nice, are those F3 heads?

BTW, I skimmed the other thread where a mass air conversion was discussed. There may be an option that you are not aware of for that. All junkyard parts on the cheap, gets you OBD2 and mass air with a custom tune for probably cheaper than you could buy a Mustang PCM and Maf for. Give me a ring if you want the details.

[crawlercreations]

Nice, are those F3 heads?

BTW, I skimmed the other thread where a mass air conversion was discussed. There may be an option that you are not aware of for that. All junkyard parts on the cheap, gets you OBD2 and mass air with a custom tune for probably cheaper than you could buy a Mustang PCM and Maf for. Give me a ring if you want the details.

They are the F3 heads. So much better than the E7 heads on these 460s. The engine in my truck has the E7 heads and is otherwise completely stock, tired and has a dying lifter/possible cam. These heads on this engine with the upgraded cam and bumped compression should make a big difference for my truck. Also having a rebuilt 5 speed that has reverse will be nice too.

I am very interested in the cheap junkyard option that would get me MAF and OBD2! I am decently committed to starting off with speed density but will definitely be in touch about this conversion and tune you are talking about.

[crawlercreations]

Started and finished the porting on the intake. Only took an hour. Aluminum is way easier! Started with a carbide burr at low speed so it didn't clog up and finished with an 80 grit wheel. Complete gasket match and enlargement. I'll clean it up at work tomorrow and it'll be ready to go.

[cravenbronco]

I'm looking for a 460 block. Where can I find one?
I'm planning on rebuilding a block for it but it seems like I can't find a block for reasonable price.
Any ideas ?

[crawlercreations]

I'm looking for a 460 block. Where can I find one?
I'm planning on rebuilding a block for it but it seems like I can't find a block for reasonable price.
Any ideas ?

I will be selling the 460 that I take out of my truck to install this one. It will be reasonably priced. Otherwise I can send you to the guy I used for this build. My current 460 should be coming out in the next 2 weeks. Running and driving still.

[crawlercreations]

Well I have the intake all cleaned up and pretty now. I also finished up the porting and polishing of the second head. I leave intake ports at an 80 grit finish to promote good turbulence and atomization and I took the exhaust ports down to 120 grit to make them as smooth as possible to reduce build up and increase velocity. Should make a decent difference in power. I opened the ports up more than I was going to but it really wasn't too hard. I'll be cleaning up my garage tonight and cleaning the heads and engine block to prepare for assembly. I'll also get the valves lapped and the heads assembled tonight, hopefully. Once that is done I will start assembling the engine. I am thinking I will have the engine assembled Saturday morning and I will start tearing my truck apart on Sunday.

[crawlercreations]

As planned I cleaned up the garage and heads and lapped and assembled them tonight. The heads are 100% complete and ready to go now. It is pretty fun lapping and assembling the heads. The new comp cams springs(with damper spring), comp cams retainers and valve locks went together flawlessly. Really high quality stuff. Tomorrow will be cleaning the block to prepare for assembly. I don't have much time tomorrow or Saturday so the actual build may have to wait until Sunday.

[Kinder]

You are getting it done quickly! It's inspiring.

[Rox Crusher]

You are getting it done quickly! It's inspiring.

inspiring......or frustrating ?

I have been traveling all week watching all the progress wishing I could be building mine evenings.

damn job anyway

[crawlercreations]

I stopped travelling for work about a year ago. i know how much that kills all progress.

I have to get it done decently quickly as I have a 522 stroker to build soon, box in a frame and convert a 1962 F-250 to the 522 stroker, 5 speed manual and 4wd. Plus I still have to finish the fuel injection on my brother's bronco and finish up the body work on my wife's Karmann Ghia. Then I have to build a 2276cc stroker for the Ghia. My truck has to be done and going again soon too, as we may be buying a new house. Just finished, basically, my dream garage and now I may move. The house we found(should say zillow found it for us) is absolutely beautiful though so if it works out I'll be happy. Then again if it doesn't I will still be happy with my garage/shop.

[crawlercreations]

Spent a little time this morning prepping the block for assembly. I'm still really happy with the condition of the block. Everything looks really good and it is ready to assemble. I cleaned up the cylinder walls and threw some fresh cross hatching in them. They are coated with some atf so they don't flash rust over night and to lube the rings at start up. I also ran a tap into each bolt hole. I'll clean up the pistons tomorrow and get it assembled.

[RJLougee]

There may be an option that you are not aware of for that. All junkyard parts on the cheap, gets you OBD2 and mass air with a custom tune for probably cheaper than you could buy a Mustang PCM and Maf for. Give me a ring if you want the details.

I would also be very interested information on that option.
Joe

[crawlercreations]

Now that my engine is in, broken in and has 500 miles on it I will be bugging Garry about this MAF system. The speed density is working fine with the new engine with the increased fuel pressure and I definitely have a ton more power than my last engine but I would like to go with MAF sooner rather than later.