F250 460 engine swap

[Tater 250]

Hey guys im looking for a little bit of advice on a 460 swap from a 351m into my 78 f250. It is a 4 speed. I need to know what all you all think i need to make the swap successful and the easiest way of going about it. Thanks fellas

 

[Evan's f250]

Hey guys im looking for a little bit of advice on a 460 swap from a 351m into my 78 f250. It is a 4 speed. I need to know what all you all think i need to make the swap successful and the easiest way of going about it. Thanks fellas

I would say all you would need to do is get the motor mounts from the 2wd 73-79 trucks that had the 460 engines origianally. the transmission will bolt up. again, i'm not totally sure thats it, but it should be.

 

[Truckin4life]

4wd or 2wd?????

 

[Tater 250]

mine is a 4wd 3/4 ton

 

[Truckin4life]

The swap is pretty straight forward, not sure as i havent personally done it.

But i would say for sure motor mounts, possibly a bigger rad. Trans should bolt up. Throttle linkadges could be a little different, but not much. Other wise thats about it.

The 460 was for sure available in the 350. You should be able to source all parts from a 350 and swap em to your 250...

 

[John in AZ]

truckin the big difference here is the dent sides never got a 460 in a 4x4. The swap is commonly done but need adapter mounts lots of different ones out there. L&L has quite a bunch of stuff as well as Jeffs bronco graveyard.
John

 

[LEB Ben]

From what I've read, I'm pretty sure it's just motor mounts and I think towers. I hear the best to get are either from Wild Horses or North Country Specialties. Only other issue I remember hearing is frame to header clearance, depending on brand and style.

 

[Evan's f250]

But if he found a truck that had a 460 that was a 2wd 73-79, couldnt he just use the frame mounts and motor mounts that were on that truck instead of buying new ones? jw

 

[bucks77ford]

All that is required would be the 460 swap motor mounts like the ones from L and L. He can use his towers since the truck is a 78 with a 351M. The early F250s with 360/390s would need towers.

The other issues that may come into play is the power steering and alternator. On the 460 the alternator mounts low and may not have clearance with the frame as would the power steering pump hitting the gear box. L and L's brackets are made to solve that problem. I can't say for sure since mines a 77 but had a 400 so I used just the motor mounts. I also used all factory brackets for the power steering and alternator. The alternator comes close to the front crossmember and the power steering pulley comes very close to my gear box (I converted from power assist). Things clear, but are they are tight. If I had a lot of engine slop than things would hit. I'm looking to get the pulleys from L and L or Bronco graveyard so I can use their brackets to raise things up a bit. Or the other route would be to find the E250/350 460 stuff.

 

[Tater 250]

Thanks for the help guys, I'll be getting the 460 this weekend and should be installing it this upcoming week so I'm sure I will be posting pictures of what all is happening throughout the swap and hopefully I'll be able to give some input on what all is going on in that engine bay

 

[MAULMAUL]

I'm not sure, but I think the oil pan will be an issue. L&L can help you there as well. Ebay has the pans pretty regularly at a reasonable price. Good luck.

 

[Mil1ion]

Correct, you will need a rear sump oil pickup and oil pan from an Econoline.

I'm pretty sure the frame towers for the 460 motor mounts off a 4x2 F250 or F-350 will work. You can get an upper alternator bracket as well.

 

[rjphillips]

I had to use a rear sump pan because of having a 4x4 but front sump pan works on 2wd.

 

[Ronzi]

There is more involved in your swap than has been mentioned. Your swap is a little tougher because of your standard trans. Ford never offered a truck with a 460 and standard trans option untill after the mid 80's.Your flywheel and clutch is not going to work on the 460. You also need to know what 460 you are using. 1978 and older 460's will be internally ballanced and the newer ones will be externally ballanced. On the internally ballanced motors you can use a clutch and flywheel for a 390.
Here is a link to the L&L kit for your truck.....
http://www.landlproducts.com/details.aspx?cID=1&BP=0&scID=104&ItemID=1138

Although you can do this swap without buying this expensive kit you can look at the kit and see a lot of the components you are going to need. You also need to decide what you are going to do for exhaust. Ford trucks and vans used manifolds that will work in your truck but the manifolds used on car 460's will not fit between the frame rails.
Good luck with your swap

 

[Tater 250]

I forgot to mention that the engine that I purchased is coming out of a '83 E350 motor home. So I do know that the oil sump is in the rear and that the manifolds should fit in theory. Again thanks guys and any other advice you have keep it coming cause I'll take all the help I can get!

 

[primetime]

IIRC correctly, the 351m/400 4-speed bellhousing is different than a 460 because of the flywheel to block spacing. I do believe L&L includes a new bellhousing with their kits. This isn`t a concern on auto`s because the convertor has enough for and aft play. Just something to verify.

 

[Tater 250]

well guys the 460 is in the engine bay and bolted down now, the only things we had to change was the motor mounts, we had to get a clutch and pressure plate to fit a 460 also we had to get a different flywheel but everything else so far is lined up. started it for the first time last night and it sounded wonderful. The only problem we have at this point is the power steering pump, does anyone know if we can put our 351m power steering pump and put it in place of the 460 one?

 

[Mil1ion]

Yes but IIRC, the bracket is different.

 

[mustangtoby]

I did this swap in a 78 Bronco, all I had to get was the rear sump pan and motor mounts. The 460 came out of a 74 Lincoln, and (in my case anyway) the exhaust bolted right up to the 460 manifolds. I used the front dress out of the lincoln. I had an auto in the Bronco, so no help there. It did make a beast out of the Bronco. Keep the info coming on how yours works out, there's nothing like cubic inches.

 

[Tater 250]

well i have it all in and i have driven it a couple times now, the exhaust still isnt on so it is very loud lol. my y pipe wont fit because of the front driveshaft so i am going to have to take it to a shop, other than that it sounds amazing. the 460 that i bought was out of a 83 motor home so it already had the rear sump and saved me some money. i will post pictures in a couple days of the before and after but i need to clean the truck up some and put exhaust on