tragiccomic197

Hey guys-- I need some help. I have a 1987 carburated F-350 1 ton. It is showing its age oil leaking, low on power etc. I have a few questions for the 429/460 guru's. I want to have a motor that is reliable, has a decent idle and torque torque torque!!!

#1 -- The shop bill will be around $1400-- that is for micing the crank, cleaning block / heads, boring block, checking bearing clearances, new guides and springs and for the complete engine kit... sounds a little high to me but its already there... BUT the guy already has a built 429 already there ready to drop in... .30 overbore new EVERYTHING. My question is the 429 is interally balanced correct? My 460 is DEFINATELY exterally balanced, so the flywheel to mate to my heavy duty 4-speed transmission wil not work, so IS IT SAFE TO "O" BALANCE MY 460 FLYWHEEL AND PUT IT ON THE 429?

# 2 If I buy the 429, will all of my 1987 accesories fit? (A/C, power steering, alternator etc. I was thinking it might different since my 460 has the spacer with balancing weigh behind the damper.

# 3 If I stick to building the 460, I have heard that you should buy a pre-1970 timing chain for it because anything after that installed strait up or "dot to dot" was automatically 4 degrees retarded.

# 4 Should I definately get a "recurved" distributor? I have heard this is a great way to get a few extra ponies and some extra MPG's out of the HOG!

# 5 I have put together a "build sheet" for my 460 if I decide to go that route-- please review and give recommendations. Please remember, this is not a race car, it is a truck that will usually pull 4-5000 lbs.

.30 overbore
cast pistons, stock dish
deck block to "0" deck
this cam : Summit Racing SUM-3500 - Summit Racing® Camshafts - Overview - SummitRacing.com
pre-1970 timing chain
recurved distrbutor
stock heads & valves with mild port on exhaust only
stock exhaust manifolds
edlebrock "performer" intake
holly 750 vaccuum secondary

--- Thank you for any help you guys can give me!!!

Paul Kane

If you want so much torque, absolutely stick with the 460 and pass on the 429.

$1400 is a gift for a complete quality rebuild. The 1968-1973 429 is internally balanced. If the 429 is a 1972-1973 and has dished rebuilder pistons then the compression ratio will be about 7:1 and you will have little power (if any) in that F350.

While an external balance flywheel may be zero-balanced, I wouldn't go through the effort and money to do this. Stick with the 460.

The pendulum/hatchet weight behind the 460 is the external balancer spacer and must stay with the external balance engine. Most of the accessory bolt holes are the same but if your 1987 has E6TE heads (which is likely) then there is one accessory bolt hole on the front of the heads that is a different size than the 429's heads.

Basically this is true, but most any aftermarket double-roller chain comes with a 3-position keyed crank gear so that it may be set up properly (straight up).

Recurving the distributor will help power, but you risk pinging/detonation. In a well panned engine combo, the recurved distributor is a plus.

Build looks good. Keep in mind that your 1987 block's deck height is about 10.325" and that the "stack height" with the dished rebuilder pistons will be about 10.286". That's a whopping 0.040" to deck of the block. I would suggest that you deck to 10.295" minimum/10.300" maximum so that the intake manifold still fits the heads without any further parts machining of the mating parts, and also because most aftermarket pistons have the pin location for a 10.295-10.300 deck height. 10.300" deck keeps options open with the block sometime down the road. Deck it for sure, to minimize detonation.

Paul

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tragiccomic197

Paul-- thanks for the reply... I did go with the 460... I talked to my machinist and we agreed to only shave about .010 or .012 off the block and .010 off the heads--- he seems to think that will help the quench a little while ensuring the intake will still fit properly.

we also talked about the timing chain and he said he would be ordering an aftemarket brand, so it would come "strait up"

thank you so much for the help...