I am looking at a ranchero with a 429 4V engine. This has a factory HP rating of 212. Does this motor have the potential to be built up or should it be replaced?
Garbageman, you did catch the different method of rating horsepower that began in 1972 ? Torque is the number you need to see instead of HP. Ditch the original 4 degree retarded timing set, ditch that Motorcraft bug sprayer carb for a nice 750 cfm vac secondary Holley, add a hot ignition system like a MSD 6-AL total advance around 34 degrees, without a cam change or bumping up the compression you should be impressed and still be able to feed it rot-gut pump gas. Try it near stock, if that isn't enough for you it's really easy to bump up the grunt factor but beware of the octane requirments cam and compression changes need.
have done most of what HB has suggested...except for the timing set...(should do some day) and even with 180,000 + and a C6 slushbox the old 76 460 moves the 'chero around with authority. Torque Baby!
On the dyno, we got about 40 ft-lbs more torque by 2500 rpm. No more top end horsepower, but didn't lose any, either. Advancing a stock cam does work to pep up the bottom end.
Hahaha....not a whole lot, brother, not a whole lot....but the part about advancing the cam timing, I do know
Hang tight, my friend. Everything you think you know will be trashed and replaced with the Illusion of Knowledge soon enough. He'll respond in 3, 2, 1...
Oh, I know. Been floating on the site quite a bit for over a year....I enjoy the back and forth between what seems to be 2 groups of people haha....I just try to chime in when I know the answer to somebody's question, and not take sides. I would suggest the original poster check out 460ford.com or 429-460.com for a lot more 385 series help and info. I've done a few big cube engines....here's a pic of my current 552 stroker in my Mach 1. No worries, all in fun. Lucas
As soon as you can determine who's fun, can take a joke, etc., and separate them from the know-it-all, douche bags, it can still be fun. When building my 460, I used that forum a few times. Very helpful.
If it's a 72 smog engine change the heads to a set of C9VE or DOVE heads and do the timing chain swap. It is the easiest way to gain lots of HP. Oh and by the way I have the timing set if anyone needs it. Brand new Edelbrock true roller with timing adjustments. I bought it for my 460 truck before it was rear ended and never installed it. http://www.ranchero.us/forums/showthread.php?t=33968
I put a Cloyes double roller in mine. I remember that brand used to be something. Never had a problem with the one in my Old's 455. I can't even remember what heads I have on my 460, possibly because I didn't care. They got new seals and valves, so that was good enough for me. That and they were marine, so they probably weren't smog.
Cloyes is still around and good shiz....To get a straight up timing chain set, you want one from a 68-71 429/460 (I like Comp or Cloyes). A good, easy way to tell is the cam pin and the timing mark will be in line with each other, and the mark will be on with a tooth on the gear. On the later sets, the timing mark will be off of the pin, and the mark will be on one of the recesses for the chain. Always degree that sumbiotch just to make sure, though.... Lucas
I degreed mine 10° advance, if I recall. It's pretty peppy, for a big honking motor, but I still need to adjust the carb.