How To Rebuild Big Block Ford Engines

Tells how to decide if an engine needs rebuilding, and shows how to pull an engine, replace parts, recondition cylinder heads, and troubleshoot other engine problems

The photos in this edition are black and white. From factory drag racing, to the AC Cobra, to the legendary Mustang, the history of the Ford big-block is a long and storied one. Making its debut in the late 1950s, the Ford FE big-block engine sat between the fenders of factory lightweights, Cobra Jet Mustangs, 427 Cobras, Cougar Eliminators, Talledega Torinos, and Mach 1s. While the FE engines remained in production through the mid 1970s, mostly in light-truck applications, Ford had plans for a new engine on the horizon. In the late 1960s, Ford transitioned the FE big-block out of production in passenger cars and performance applications in favor of an all-new design, called the 385 series, also known as Lima big-block. Originally used in luxury-car applications, the 429-cubic-inch version of this engine found its way into performance applications such as Mustangs and Torinos starting in 1971. The high-compression 4-barrel versions, called Cobra Jet or Super Cobra Jet, are some of the most powerful engines Ford has ever produced. An engine similar in design to the Lima series engine, the legendary 351 Cleveland made its debut in 1970. While technically a small-block in many ways, its oval ports, canted heads, and physical size made people think of it more as a mid-block than a small-block. The 351- and 400-cubic-inch versions (the latter known as M series engines) of the Cleveland engine were used in passenger car applications and in light trucks starting in 1975. The M stood for modified, as the deck height, bearing sizes, as well as pistons and connecting rods were modified for low-compression passenger car and light truck use, and they were used all the way through the early 1980s. All three engines are covered in full detail in this Workbench series rebuild volume. Included are step-by-step heavily illustrated instructions, that walk you through the entire process of rebuilding your Ford engine. If you want to breathe new life into your tired old Ford engine, this is the book for you.

From racing to heavy-duty hauling, the big-block Ford engine has been used successfully in Ford Motor Co. vehicles ranging from full-size trucks and passenger cars to the LeMans-winning GT40. How to Rebuild Big-Block Ford Engines details how you can rebuild your FE or FT engine to perfect running condition using factory stock components. All rebuilding steps are covered with easy-to-understand text, illustrated with over 500 photos, charts, drawings and diagrams. You'll find tips on engine removal, disassembly, parts reconditioning, assembly and installation. You'll be able to do either a complete overhaul or a simple parts swap. As an added bonus, a complete section on parts identification and swapping is also included, along with the most complete and correct listing of specifications and casting numbers available on big-block Ford engines. Don't put off your project any longer. Rebuild your big-block Ford engine today!

Ford was unique in that it had two very different big-block engine designs during the height of the muscle car era. The original FE engine design was pioneered in the late 1950s, primarily as a more powerful replacement for the dated Y-block design. What began as torquey engines meant to move heavyweight sedans morphed into screaming high-performance mills that won Le Mans and drag racing championships throughout the 1960s. By the late 1960s, the FE design was dated, so Ford replaced it with the 385 series, also known as the Lima design, in displacements of 429 and 460 ci, which was similar to the canted-valve Cleveland design being pioneered at the same time. It didn’t share the FE pedigree of racing success, mostly due to timing, but the new design was better in almost every way; it exists via Ford Motorsports’ offerings to this day. Beginning in 1971, the 429 found its way between the fenders of Mustangs and Torinos in high-compression 4-barrel versions called the Cobra Jet and Super Cobra Jet, and they were some of the most powerful passenger car engines Ford had ever built. If the muscle car era had not died out shortly after the release of these powerful engines, without a doubt the 429 performance variants would be ranked with the legendary big-blocks of all time. In this revised edition of How to Rebuild Big-Block Ford Engines, now titled Ford 429/460 Engines: How to Rebuild, Ford expert Charles Morris covers all the procedures, processes, and techniques for rebuilding your 385 Series big-block. Step-by-step text provides details for determining whether your engine actually needs a rebuild, preparation and removal, disassembly, inspection, cleaning, machining and parts selection, reassembly, start-up, and tuning. Also included is a chapter in building the special Boss 429 engines, as well as a bonus chapter on the Ford 351 Cleveland, Ford’s little brother to the big-block.

Ford FE engines, which were manufactured from the late 1950s all the way through the mid-1970s, were designated as the large-displacement engines in the Ford lineup. FE means Ford Edsel, and reflects an era when Ford sought to promote the Edsel name. The design of these engines was implemented to increase displacement over its predecessor, the Y-Block engines of the previous decade. Early models were fairly modest in displacement, as were most big-blocks of the era, but they grew quickly to fill the needs of rapidly changing chassis requirements and consumer demand for larger vehicles. As it grew, the FE engine performed admirably as a heavy passenger car and light truck engine. It also became quite accomplished in performance circles, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as powering Ford’s muscle car and drag racing programs in the mid- to late 1960s. In this book, you will learn everything you need to know to rebuild one of these legendary engines. CarTech's unique Workbench series format takes you step-by-step through the entire rebuilding process. Covered are engine identification and selection, disassembly, cleaning, parts analysis and assessment, machine shop processes, replacement parts selection, re-assembly and start-up/break-in techniques. Along the way you find helpful tips on performance upgrades, trouble spots to look for, special tools required, and professional builder's tips. FE master, owner of Survival Motorsports, and veteran author Barry Rabotnick shares all of his tricks and secrets on building a durable and reliable FE engine. Whether you are simply rebuilding an old truck for reliable service use, restoring a 100-point show car, or building the foundation for a high-performance street and strip machine, this book will be an irreplaceable resource for all your future FE engine projects.

If you have one of the 351C, 351M, 400, 429 or 460 Ford V8s, this comprehensive book is a must. It walks you through a complete engine rebuild, step-by-step, with minimum use of special tools. Save money by finding out if your engine really needs rebuilding, or just simple and inexpensive maintenance. Results from diagnosis outlines in this book should be your guide, not the odometer. All rebuilding steps are illustrated from beginning to end. How to inspect parts of damage and wear, and to recondition each part yourself to get the job done right! The most complete source of information identifying major engine parts. Casting numbers, parts description, when a part was used and how it can be interchanged is fully covered in the text, in 20 tables and in 560 photos or drawings. This book will make you an expert!

The Ford FE (Ford Edsel) engine is one of the most popular engines Ford ever produced, and it powered most Ford and Mercury cars and trucks from the late 1950s to the mid-1970s. For many of the later years, FE engines were used primarily in truck applications. However, the FE engine is experiencing a renaissance; it is now popular in high-performance street, strip, muscle cars, and even high-performance trucks. While high-performance build-up principles and techniques are discussed for all engines, author Barry Rabotnick focuses on the max-performance build-up for the most popular engines: the 390 and 428. With the high-performance revival for FE engines, a variety of builds are being performed from stock blocks with mild head and cam work to complete aftermarket engines with aluminum blocks, high-flow heads, and aggressive roller cams. How to Build Max-Performance Ford FE Engines shows you how to select the ideal pistons, connecting rods, and crankshafts to achieve horsepower requirements for all applications. The chapter on blocks discusses the strengths and weaknesses of each particular block considered. The book also examines head, valvetrain, and cam options that are best suited for individual performance goals. Also covered are the best-flowing heads, rocker-arm options, lifters, and pushrods. In addition, this volume covers port sizing, cam lift, and the best rocker-arm geometry. The FE engines are an excellent platform for stroking, and this book provides an insightful, easy-to-follow approach for selecting the right crank, connecting rods, pistons, and making the necessary block modifications. This is the book that Ford FE fans have been looking for.

If you have a small-block Ford, then you need this book! This detailed guide covers the step-by-step rebuilding process of the popular small-block Ford engine. Parts inspection, diagnosis, reconditioning, and assembly are outlined in simple text. Hundreds of photos, charts, and diagrams visually walk you through the entire rebuild. You’ll be able to completely disassemble your engine, recondition the block and cylinder heads, then reassemble and install the engine in your vehicle. There’s even a section on how to perform tune-ups to maximize performance and economy. Sections on parts interchanging will help you identify all parts and determine which ones can and can’t be swapped. This is truly a “hands-on” book. Don’t put off your project any longer. Start rebuilding your small-block Ford today!