460 rebuild ideas

Hi guys, just joined the site because I picked up a 92 F-350 4X4 460 5spd with 4.10’s and I’d like some input on an engine combo. This is the first 460 I’ve ever played with so I don’t know them that well. Not like a small block or an FE. When registering it I found that it’s emmision exempt because of its age. The engine is way down on power so I’d like to rebuild it with an emphasis on max torque. It’s mainly going to be used for towing. I’d like to have atleast 500ft/lbs down real low and not rev it much past 4K. Since I can do whatever I want now without the Gov hassling me, I thought about ditching the smog stuff and maybe even switching it to a carb or one of the new efi systems that mount to a carb intake. I’ve read that it’s difficult to get a lot of power out of the efi 460 using the factory heads and intake. Possible but difficult. Would I be better off putting on an older set of factory iron heads or should I go aluminum? Should I go with the biggest stroker kit possible? All I have so far is a set of Banks headers and a complete 3” S/S single exhaust for it with no cat. Mpg is not an issue. These trucks never got better than 12 on a good day so bad gas mileage is just part of it with these trucks imo. How would you build this thing into a real Real strong 460 for a tow vehicle? I’m thinking 557”, 9.5:1, a better set of heads/intake, with an 850 Holley will get me more than my 500ft/lb goal. No?

Cjetmech wrote:Hi guys, just joined the site because I picked up a 92 F-350 4X4 460 5spd with 4.10’s and I’d like some input on an engine combo. This is the first 460 I’ve ever played with so I don’t know them that well. Not like a small block or an FE. When registering it I found that it’s emmision exempt because of its age. The engine is way down on power so I’d like to rebuild it with an emphasis on max torque. It’s mainly going to be used for towing. I’d like to have atleast 500ft/lbs down real low and not rev it much past 4K. Since I can do whatever I want now without the Gov hassling me, I thought about ditching the smog stuff and maybe even switching it to a carb or one of the new efi systems that mount to a carb intake. I’ve read that it’s difficult to get a lot of power out of the efi 460 using the factory heads and intake. Possible but difficult. Would I be better off putting on an older set of factory iron heads or should I go aluminum? Should I go with the biggest stroker kit possible? All I have so far is a set of Banks headers and a complete 3” S/S single exhaust for it with no cat. Mpg is not an issue. These trucks never got better than 12 on a good day so bad gas mileage is just part of it with these trucks imo. How would you build this thing into a real Real strong 460 for a tow vehicle?  I’m thinking 557”, 9.5:1, a better set of heads/intake, with an 850 Holley will get me more than my 500ft/lb goal. No?

Depending upon whether or not it is a California truck makes a huge difference in what modifications you can make.
The California truck has a "Mass Air" injection system and the 49 state version uses a "speed density" injection system.

Eit1her way ... start with a good set of exhaust headers and fresh air intake system.

No it’s a speed density truck. That’s why I’d have no problem ditching it. I’m really leaning towards a carb. It’ll only be driven maybe 5k a year, mainly in the summer.

Lem Evens did a very simple 502 combo with TFS street heads and a small cam that made 600 ft/lbs. Look in the proven engine builds forum for that one and many others.

Thanks, i havent browsed the site much so i didnt realize there were some combos posted already. I’ll check them out.

Cjetmech wrote:No it’s a speed density truck. That’s why I’d have no problem ditching it. I’m really leaning towards a carb. It’ll only be driven maybe 5k a year,  mainly in the summer.

It is gonna all depend upon what RPM range and at what throttle opening you want that high torque to occur because those scenarios require different strategies.

1,500 or 5,000 RPM ... Part throttle, pulling something going down the highway or wide open throttle blasts ?

The truck will primarily be used to tow my racecar. 5500lbs total load id guess. Thru the hills of new england. Im sure a stock rebuild would do the job but id like to build a monster. And id like to keep the rpm’s to a max of around 4-4500 but make alot of torque right off idle. The 600ft/lb range would be good i think.Thats why im thinking i should go big cube long stroke. Im really un sure of what type of head this would require tho. I think i could get by with an old set of iron heads reworked but i dont know enough about these engines to be sure.

Anything larger than a 480 would be stretching things when trying to use that "speed density" injection system.

480 =
offset ground crank to 3.96" stroke with Mopar journal diameter
aftermarket Mopar 6.760" rods with .990" diameter pin
IC 856/ Icon piston .005" down the hole.
your heads with good performance valve job
custom ground or F.I camshaft like a Lunati "specialty cam" #06169
Exhaust Headers with free flowing CAT back system
Port the intake manifold lower runners
Fresh air intake and adjustable fuel pressure regulator set at 44 lbs., (when no vacuum is attached).

That is about the limit of that Speed Density system

Ya I’m going to ditch the SD system due to its limitations. Even tho EFI engines run great, I like the idea of an old school carbed engine. Easy to work on, no sensors to fail, much cleaner engine without all the wiring, no custom tune for the computer to deal with, and I like the look of just a big air cleaner on top of a Holley. Plus I’m emissions exempt so I can do what I want. I’m leaning towards building the biggest cube/longest stroke engine that I can with a CR around 9.5:1. And prob top it off with a set of Edelbrock heads and intake, custom cam, a 750 carb, and the headers and exhaust that I already have. (Banks with a 3” single all S/S). I would hope a 550ish cid engine like that would get me what I want.

Cjetmech wrote:Ya I’m going to ditch the SD system due to its limitations. Even tho EFI engines run great, I like the idea of an old school carbed engine. Easy to work on, no sensors to fail, much cleaner engine without all the wiring, no custom tune for the computer to deal with, and I like the look of just a big air cleaner on top of a Holley. Plus I’m emissions exempt so I can do what I want. I’m leaning towards building the biggest cube/longest stroke engine that I can with a CR around 9.5:1. And prob top it off with a set of Edelbrock heads and intake, custom cam, a 750 carb, and the headers and exhaust that I already have. (Banks with a 3” single all S/S). I would hope a 550ish cid engine like that would get me what I want.

Your exhaust headers will not fit anything except F.I. heads. Those are not bad as a starting place for what you are intending to do. "Price Motorsports" makes intake manifold spacer/adapters to fit any early D0VE style intake manifold to them.

Cjetmech wrote:Ya I’m going to ditch the SD system due to its limitations. Even tho EFI engines run great, I like the idea of an old school carbed engine. Easy to work on, no sensors to fail, much cleaner engine without all the wiring, no custom tune for the computer to deal with, and I like the look of just a big air cleaner on top of a Holley. Plus I’m emissions exempt so I can do what I want. I’m leaning towards building the biggest cube/longest stroke engine that I can with a CR around 9.5:1. And prob top it off with a set of Edelbrock heads and intake, custom cam, a 750 carb, and the headers and exhaust that I already have. (Banks with a 3” single all S/S). I would hope a 550ish cid engine like that would get me what I want.

How about a 545 with the Edelbrock RPM package and a 800 or 850 Double pumper. With a 5spd their cam might not be too bad as you have a granny first gear and could keep the Rpm's up with holding the lower gears in the hills when needed. Or just the Edelbrock top end and a custom cam. I would skip the 750 with that many cubes though.

I think a street friendly 545 with an edelbrock top end is prob what i’ll End up doing. Not sure how much power it would be good for but it’s prob an easy build with off the shelf parts to keep the cost down. I’d hope it would make around 600ft/lbs anyways on pump gas.