Thread: Towing recommendations

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I just bought an older F250 with a 460 in it. The heads are off to replace a blown head gasket. I'm going to be towing a fairly heavy load with a 3000lb trailer with a 6000lb vehicle on it, as well as a camper.

Out here is Washington, we do get to go to far on flat ground, other than around town, we heading up mountain passes.

This is a tow pig for my wheeling truck and we are going to put a camper on it since they won't let me tow my pop up camper behind by car trailer All of our wheeling areas also involve substantial elevation changes - 3-4,000 feet so I need to be able to tow, climb and keep highway speed over mountain passes.

I figure that while the enging is partly apparently, some simple mods might be appropriate, but what?

I've heard about dove heads and can pick up a bare one on ebay pretty cheap if it's worthwhile.

I also found an RV cam on Ebay.

I saw a high compression heads, C8VE???

What can you guys tell me about a few simple and useful upgrades to this specific motor that will meet my driving needs and still maintain some reliability and decent economy.

D0VE and C8VE heads are +/-75 cc's and I'm pretty sure the heads on your stock motor are 95 cc's. A change to the smaller chamber heads will move the static compression ratio up too high to use pump gas (11.35:1), figuring stock bore, 9 cc gasket, 7 cc valve reliefs and zero deck.

Wow, I hadn't heard that from anyone before. Everyone's recommending the D0VE heads.

How's this head look to you?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FORD-...QQcmdZViewItem

I'd see if I could get a t444 or power stroke diesel. If that bogs hit it with a little propane. They make lots of torque,are a bolt in swap,and provide much better fuel economy loaded or empty.Hank

I would think that a rear end gear change might be the best change. You'll need plenty of torque for sure so if budget allows you,I'd go one gear higher numerically and then if not satisfied look at a little higher stall converter. One important note,,,look to install a add-on trans cooler .

Since it's a 4x4, that means TWO sets of gear changes

We pull up muddy and snowy climbs and I expect to be needing 4 wheel drive, under load.

I'm looking at some motor mods at this point only because the motor is already partially disassembled. The heads are already heading into the machine shop anyway so I though I'd use a better hear.

The cam was optional as we're not that far disassembled, but for an extra hour or two of labor we could have an RV cam in there as well.

Gibby I would beware when buying parts off from E-bay especially camshafts. Remember, if their selling it, there has to be a reason. If your going to be doing a lot of towing, a shift kit is always an option. Allows for greater flow of fluid to the transmission. And as shevy said, a transmission cooler is a must. The one that comes with the radiator just isnt enough. If your looking for towing capacity, a simple change of intake and carb will make a big difference. The factory motocraft carb is not nearly ideal for this. If your not against using GM parts on a ford, there is always the option of a Q-jet. An edelbrock will probably work fairly well for towing also. Dont look towards a holley. Not exactly their area of work. Remember, remove the factory restrictions and torque will show

There are a couple of hot rod shops selling RV cams with lifters for about 80 bucks on ebay. They guy with the used one 'said' his truck was totalled but he was GUESSING that it was an RV cam. I'd rather spend an extra 60 bucks for a new one with lifters.

Tranny cooler will be a must. I figured that an F250 with a class 5 towing package on it might already have enough. I haven't checked to see if there is a tranny cooler on there yet.

Man just call Schnieder Cams out in California, tell em what your trying to achieve and they'll do the rest, I had em grind me a cam for a blown small block chevy couple weeks ago $109 for the cam and $56 for the lifters...........

#1) If your 460 has D3VE-A2A heads, then simply swapping out to the higer compression (early-style) heads requires complete valve train modification as well.

#2) Switching to the higher comrpession heads will not alone get you all the power you may need, and further will increase your chances of detonation...which will require you to lift throttle.

#3) Stroke it! That will broaden your power range and power output dramatically.

If you must stick with a top end rebuild only, then the proer portwork and and a few other external bolt-ons would be your best bet, considering what you have to work with.

A lot of this depends on which year 460 you have.

Paual

Originally posted by Paul Kane
#1) If your 460 has D3VE-A2A heads, then simply swapping out to the higer compression (early-style) heads requires complete valve train modification as well.

#2) Switching to the higher comrpession heads will not alone get you all the power you may need, and further will increase your chances of detonation...which will require you to lift throttle.

#3) Stroke it! That will broaden your power range and power output dramatically.

If you must stick with a top end rebuild only, then the proer portwork and and a few other external bolt-ons would be your best bet, considering what you have to work with.

A lot of this depends on which year 460 you have.

Paual

The truck is a 78, but I have an 88 motor in it.

1988 engines were fuel injected from the factory. Is this motor fuel injected or carbureted?

Also, cylinder head casting numbers are on the outside of the head, along the valve cover mounting rail and between the 3rd & 4th exhaust prots. For the 1988 production year engine, they should be E7TE's.

Paul

Originally posted by Paul Kane
1988 engines were fuel injected from the factory. Is this motor fuel injected or carbureted?

Also, cylinder head casting numbers are on the outside of the head, along the valve cover mounting rail and between the 3rd & 4th exhaust prots. For the 1988 production year engine, they should be E7TE's.

Paul

It's carburated. When the motor was changed, and Edlebrock monifold was installed and the old carb was put on. The old motor was in the bed when I bought the truck.

Doesn't sound to me as though you ahve a 1988 engine, as there are no aftermarket Edelbrock intakes I know of that would work with the EFI heads.

You need to figure out what you have in engine parts before anyone here can help you. Get casting numbers.

Paul

For towing, don't go overboard on the compression ratio. Detonation and overheating are the last thing you need a thousand feet below the Great Divide!
There are cams specifically made for tow trucks, I have used them and they work great.