Fit a 429 timing gear set into a 460?

[64slickster]

Has anyone here heard, or tried, to replace a 1973, 460 timing gear set with a 429 one? I heard that it increases HP and Torque, and since I need to replace it anyway, so I thought, why not?

[36truck]

429 and 460 timing chins are the same. the early ones & the EFI have a straight up gear the later ones are retarded 4*.

[banjopicker66]

Tom is absolutely right - get a timing set for a 1970 or earlier 429/460 and it will really wake up the engine!
That is, if yours is a '72 or later.
'71 and earlier are straght up.
(If it has D2 heads watch our for detonation, though. Not one of Ford's Better Ideas!)

[64slickster]

the PO said he installed pre 71 timing chain. i have heard of the "wake up" effect on the older timing chains, but i thought i could 've swore, that the older 429 would "wake up" a 460. Is there no difference between an older 429 and older 460?

(by the way, i have D3VE-A2A heads. Any Good?)

[banjopicker66]

Nope, no difference between the 429 and 460 timing sets.
As for the heads, they are not performance heads, but they are good ones. Unless you race it, or have headers and use a radical cam/intake/carb setup, I doubt you will notice any difference.

[64slickster]

Thanks a bunch Banjo.

Guess I will go shopping for an older set of replacement timing gears.

Should I get OE or aftermarket? Any noticeable difference? Not wanting to build a race truck, just need some reliable ones.

Later, I thought about some Hedman Hedders later, hope that will not pose a problem with detonation.

What years would be the better set of heads?

[banjopicker66]

For timing gears, OE is probably good enough since you don't race. I went with Cloyes double roller to reduce noise (and then went and put 3 inch Flowmasters on - go figure!)

The question about heads would revolve around "better." The D2 heads are terrible for any application, as Ford tried to reduce emissions by eliminating the quench point in the chamber. They are very prone to detonation under all conditions and with any kind of gas other than premium.
Earlier heads are good, but C8O, C9O or D0O indicate a performance head with higher compression - at least usually. The "O" designation indicates the non-Lincoln line; the "V" is Lincoln.
The D3V heads are very similar to the earlier heads, with a little larger combustion chamber and can use lower octane fuel. They also have casting bumps in the exhaust passageways for air injection ports to be drilled. Some folks try to improve the exhaust flow by grinding off the bumps - but I am not willing to go that far, as I have an RV type cam, and don't need the extra power.
Later heads, all the way up to the E-7 series (non FI that is) are almost identical, I am told. In fact, I have E-6 heads on my truck now.
I would stick with what you have. The exhaust manifolds are actually decent I am told (mine seem to be just fine!), and headers won't give you much of an improvement. Probably not enough to offset having to remove tehm to get to the starter either!

[Hawkrod]

For timing gears, OE is probably good enough since you don't race. I went with Cloyes double roller to reduce noise (and then went and put 3 inch Flowmasters on - go figure!)

The question about heads would revolve around "better." The D2 heads are terrible for any application, as Ford tried to reduce emissions by eliminating the quench point in the chamber. They are very prone to detonation under all conditions and with any kind of gas other than premium.
Earlier heads are good, but C8O, C9O or D0O indicate a performance head with higher compression - at least usually. The "O" designation indicates the non-Lincoln line; the "V" is Lincoln.
The D3V heads are very similar to the earlier heads, with a little larger combustion chamber and can use lower octane fuel. They also have casting bumps in the exhaust passageways for air injection ports to be drilled. Some folks try to improve the exhaust flow by grinding off the bumps - but I am not willing to go that far, as I have an RV type cam, and don't need the extra power.
Later heads, all the way up to the E-7 series (non FI that is) are almost identical, I am told. In fact, I have E-6 heads on my truck now.
I would stick with what you have. The exhaust manifolds are actually decent I am told (mine seem to be just fine!), and headers won't give you much of an improvement. Probably not enough to offset having to remove tehm to get to the starter either!

There is no such thing as a C8O or C9O head. There is only standard: C8VE, C9VE, D0VE, D2VE D3VE and the performance: CJ D0OE and PI D2OE heads originally. In 73 when the D3VE head came out it was a good enough design to last until the mid 80's. The C8VE, C9VE, and D0VE are virtually identical heads as far as chambers, ports and valve sizes are concerned. Hawkrod

[banjopicker66]

I stand corrected - i was working from memory, and probably confused some other numbers.

[64slickster]

ok. I guess i will go to the local part store and see what they got. Banjo, and i know exactly what you mean. i try to make my engine run as quiet as possible and then put the loudest exhaust on it i can find.


as far as the heads go, i didn't really have the money to go with different heads anyway. sounds like what i am currently running will work just fine.

thanks for the help

Duane