Ford 7.5 460 Specifications
by Thomas West
The Ford 7.5-liter, 460-cubic-inch V8 was part of the 385 engine family. The 429-cubic-inch V8 and an enlarged version displacing 460 cubic inches were first used in 1968 Thunderbirds and Lincolns. At first, the 460 was exclusively a Lincoln engine, but when the 429 was discontinued in the early 1970s, the 460 took its place in Thunderbirds, Ford and Mercury cars, and F-Series pickup trucks. When Ford's full-sized cars were downsized in 1979, there was no longer a need for the 460 V8, but it continued as an option in the F-Series trucks and E-Series vans into the 1990s.
General Information
The Ford 460-cubic-inch, V8 engine has a cylinder bore of 4.36 inches and a crankshaft stroke of 3.85 inches. The output for 460 engines built before 1972 is 365 horsepower at 4,600 rpm and 485 pound-feet of torque at 2,800 rpm. The compression ratio is 10.5:1, and fuel delivery is by an Autolite four-barrel carburetor. The output for the 460 starting in 1972 is 212 horsepower at 4,400 rpm and 342 pound-feet of torque at 2,600 rpm. The compression ratio was lowered to 8.5:1, and the carburetor is a Motorcraft four-barrel unit. After the mid-1980s, carburetors were replaced with electronic fuel injection with an output of 245 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque.
Dimensions
A 460-cubic-inch engine block is 34 inches long, 32 inches wide and 30 inches high. The dry weight without gas and oil is approximately 720 pounds.
Torque Specifications
Ford 460 main bearing caps need to be tightened to 105 foot-pounds, while connecting rod bolts are tightened to 45 foot-pounds. Rocker arms are tightened to 20 foot-pounds, while the oil pump retaining bolt gets torqued to 25 foot-pounds. The cylinder head bolts need to be tightened to 140 foot-pounds and the intake manifold bolts get tightened to 30 foot-pounds.
Identification
The 385 engine family can be identified by counting the number of bolts that hold down each valve cover. If you count seven bolts, then you have a 429 or 460 V8. All other Ford V8 engines have a different valve-cover bolt count. To differentiate a 429 from a 460, check the orientation of the thermostat housing on the front of the engine block. If it is pointing upward, it is a 460.
