429 crank shaft

I'm a new member and a ford motorhead for life. I bought a 429 last week and as
i was inspecting the crank, I noticed the different stampings on the counter weights. The 7th counter had ($D) stamped on it and I was researching the markings but have not had any luck. This is a ford crank shaft and (H98) is on the 8th counter weight. Any help on this would be appreciated.

LOOK FOR A 4U ON IT

Does it have D9TE.... cast into one of the counterweights?

Sorry it took so long to get back but I just got home from a 12 hour work day. I can't find 4U on the crank but I did find D9TE on it along with H98 and F71514. I was just wandering why Ford stamped a $ dollar sign on the 7th counter. The motor came out of a Fire Department truck that was headed for the crusher last Thursday.

Well, you saved a neat piece. Those 429 big truck cranks are forged, and that is what you have. Google "429 truck crank" and do some reading. They are valuable to the right person.

-Jared

Thanks for the info. I'm new to the 385 world as my other motor is an FE and I remember the forged FE cranks had the $ mark on them. This motor only had 21K on it and has never been bored but I'm sure it had a lot of idle time. I'm taking it to the machine shop this week for a short block build and I will put P51s on top. The rest of the build will be as wild as I can get away with on the street.

You are going to run into some issues. That crank has a snout that is different than standard BBF stuff. The pilot area on the back of the crank is different as well. Like I said, google "429 truck crank" and do some reading. I'm sure Paul Kane will chime in here eventually, but you could contact him @ highflowdynamics.com for some information. He is the resident expert on factory available BBF forged cranks. I'll post some links in a minute.

http://www.460ford.com/forum/showthread.php?t=101649

http://www.460ford.com/forum/showthread.php?t=140915

http://www.460ford.com/forum/showthread.php?t=113053

I apologize for them being from the other site, but most of the info on them is over there. Like I said, they are neat, but there are really only a handful of scenarios in which you would want to run one.

Well I just got home and I realize I might not be able to use the motor I bought last week. Thanks Jared for the information on the crank and if there is a way to use it for my build I will, but if not then maybe I can find a buyer for the crank. I have a 77 F-150 4x4 with a 6" lift on 38 Swampers powered buy a 351M. I am going to install this 429 if I can but if not, then I will get another one. I also have a 67 truck with a 390 and a 73 with a 302, so I decided to keep things interesting and join in with the 385 crowd. I have a lot to learn and learning from mistakes is a lasting indeavor. Any more information will be much appreciated and I am checking out the other links you left me. Thanks again.

Slap a 460 crank in that thing and enjoy the extra cubes.

Glad to help. Factory BBF cast cranks are unbelievably strong, so it really isn't worth spending the money to rework the HD429 crank unless your build is appropriate for it. The guys that search out the HD429 cranks are generally truck pullers that are limited to less than 500 cubic inches. There are other reasons to want to use one of those too of course. Nobody offers a forging in the stock stroke range, so a billet or a reworked HD429 crank are the only option if you need a sub 4" stroke forged crank.

The rest of that motor is entirely usable for building a "normal" 460 based engine. The front cover and the timing chain excluded. I'd be interested in the crank or the whole motor if you were in my neighborhood. I have plenty of other 460's you might be interested in as well.

Jared

Could I use the block as is with the oem timing chain as long as I address the pilot bushing issue.I have all of the pulleys and brackets along with the damper which appears to be in good shape. I have no intentions on using the heads or intake. If I did get a 460 crank could I use the HD rods?

motorhead wrote: Could I use the block as is with the oem timing chain as long as I address the pilot bushing issue.I have all of the pulleys and brackets along with the damper which appears to be in good shape. I have no intentions on using the heads or intake. If I did get a 460 crank could I use the HD rods?

You absolutely could use front cover, timing set, and dampener that you have. The HD rods are unique to the HD engine, and are not compatible with typical performance pistons as far as I know. You could always crunch some numbers and maybe find a piston that would work, but it's not really worth the effort. They are shorter than normal 6.605" BBF rods. If you really want to use that crank in a street type build, have it offset ground to 3.85" using the 2.200" BBC rod journal. You could then select from any number of affordable 6.800" BBC connecting rods, and utilize the ICON forged piston for that exact application. It will end up being an expensive stock stroke 460, but it will have a forged crank. The other option is to just use a standard 6.605" BBF rod and a shelf 429 passenger car type piston, netting you a more conventional 429. There aren't many options there though either.

A good read on the strength of the stock cast cranks.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/85220/thread/1120494475/High+winding+460+%26quot%3Bstock+crank%26quot%3B

I'd put that crank on the shelf for something else if it were mine. Get a good 460 rotator and enjoy the extra cubes. There are many affordable stroker kits that would suit that block nicely as well.

I have a few of those cranks too, as well as a few cast units. The nicest HD crank I have was also from a fire truck. It had only 15k miles, and was mint.

Well I don't know where your located but I'm in North Carolina and if you wanted to buy this engine or do some trading I guess distance would be the issue because all I want is a regular motor to build on, but I've got what I've got.

If you have to buy a Crank Rods and Pistons anyway, just look into a stroker kit and build a 521 or 545.

Sell the Steel Crank to recoup some of the $$$ towards the Stroker build.

Well after sleeping on it , looks like I have a HD429 crank to sell. Since this is a HD motor, will the rod and cam bearings from a 460 stroker kit fit?

Yes the Bearings will work. The Blocks are the same as anyother 460.

Only difference is the skirts in the D9 blocks extend lower and the earlier 460 cranks will not fit with out some clearancing. The Aftermarket stroker's clear the D9 blocks.

motorhead wrote:Sorry it took so long to get back but I just got home from a 12 hour work day. I can't find 4U on the crank but I did find D9TE on it along with H98 and F71514. I was just wandering why Ford stamped a $ dollar sign on the 7th counter. The motor came out of a Fire Department truck that was headed for the crusher last Thursday.

Please post a picture of the crankshaft including close-ups of the throw cheeks. the number forged into the crank should be D9TE-6303-A, or D9TE-6303-AA, or D9TE-6303-AB, or D9TE-6303-BA, etc. Snout will be 1.75" diameter. If you cannot find those forging numbers, then the crankshaft might be cast.

motorhead wrote:Well I just got home and I realize I might not be able to use the motor I bought last week. I have a 77 F-150 4x4 with a 6" lift on 38 Swampers powered buy a 351M. I am going to install this 429 if I can but if not, then I will get another one. I also have a 67 truck with a 390 and a 73 with a 302, so I decided to keep things interesting and join in with the 385 crowd. I have a lot to learn and learning from mistakes is a lasting indeavor. Any more information will be much appreciated and I am checking out the other links you left me. Thanks again.

If the engine block is a D9TE-AB (not D9TE-BB) then you may use the block for an engine build.

Under certain, specialized performance circumstances, commercial truck 429 engine components might be usable in builds but for the most part the only usable component for any of your above vehicle applications is the block (provided it is a D9TE-AB). With that in mind, you are better off finding a passenger car 429 or 460 core for rebuilding; otherwise you will be buying so many parts seperately that you will be nicklel-and-dimed to death. The crank has commecial value to both commerical truckers and also to performance enthusiasts. In most cases, the cost of prepping that commercial crankshaft for passenger car use (including stroking) will cost almost twice that of an offshore forged stroker crank.

Paul

Just arrived back home after another 12 hour shift. The block is D9TE-AB and the crank does have D9TE-6303BA. Please excuse me for not posting pictures but I'm not sure how to do that but I will learn. You guys don't know how much this means to me (the information) because I'm just an old FE big blocker trying to get to the next level. I guess I could put this HD into my old farm truck and get another block for my 4x4. What kind of compression did those motors have and would a regular 429/460 cam and lifters fit? Thanks again.

motorhead wrote:The block is D9TE-AB and the crank does have D9TE-6303BA. Please excuse me for not posting pictures but I'm not sure how to do that but I will learn. I guess I could put this HD into my old farm truck and get another block for my 4x4. What kind of compression did those motors have and would a regular 429/460 cam and lifters fit? Thanks again.

No need for a pic, the block and--more importantly--the number on the crankshaft confirm that you have the forged steel crankshaft.

In order to install the engine into your farm truck, you'd really need the original Clark 5-speed or Allison automatic transmission that was behind the engine. This is because the crankshaft pilot is designed to accept those transmissions only (accepts the Allison with a special adapter plate)...but I suppose you may or may not be able to fab a custom pilot bushing of your own for a passenger car trans, etc.

I am familiar with the commercial truck engine heads and while I have not cc'd a 429 commercial head's combustion chamber I'd guess the engines had about 8.25:1 compression ratio with their flat top pistons. Any 385 Series cam wil fit the block, technically speaking.

Paul

p.s. If you were well versed in these engines, I might not give a thought about you tackling an install. Since you are new to them I strongly recommend starting with a different (passenger car) engine altogether.

very good info from a guy who knows^^^^^^............

Man, that sure enough clears the air because the Clark went with the truck to the crusher. So let me get this straight, if I don't want a block hanging around then all I need to do is remove the rotating assembly, have the block checked, and install a 460 R.A. or is there something else I might run into? Just trying to salvage what I can, but if getting a different block is the easier option that's what I must do. Thanks a lot for taking your time with me because now a days time means more than it use to. Time to go to work now. motorhead

motorhead wrote:Man, ... the Clark went with the truck to the crusher. So let me get this straight...then all I need to do is remove the rotating assembly, have the block checked, and install a 460 R.A. or is there something else I might run into? Just trying to salvage what I can, but if getting a different block is the easier option that's what I must do. Thanks a lot for taking your time with me because now a days time means more than it use to.

If you want, you may use the commercial engine as a core. How much of it you use somewhat depends on what you are intending to build for yourself.

A D9TE-AB block is a D9TE-AB block, so there are no issues in regards to the block. As cast, those blocks may accept only a 3Y external balance 460 crankshaft/rods/pistons or most aftermarket offshore (Scat, Eagle, etc) stroker crankshafts, rods and pistons. Anything that bolts to a 429/460 block will bolt to the one you have, in fact the same D9TE-AB blocks were used in 1979-1996 F250s. The block will accept all the commonly used aftermarket aluminum heads such as Edelbrock, TFS, Ford Racing, etc, as well as D0VE or D3VE heads. For the most part, you will be able to re-use the head bolts, main bolts, valve cover bolts, intake manifold bolts, oil pan bolts, most (but not all) of the timing cover and waterpump bolts, etc, so save all the fasteners...and also all the accessory brackets (you might not use many of those but hold onto them for now). If you rebuild using D3VE heads, then you will also be able to use the bolt-down pedestal rocker arms.

The leftover parts from the commercial engine that have resale value (in one way or another) include the cast iron commercial timing cover, oil pan & pickup, and crankshaft.

Paul

Just finished my time for the week and now I'm off till Monday. Thanks Paul, that sure brought a (mule eaten briars) grin to my face. I don't know any other way of explaining this, but when I saw that big ol Fire Truck being loaded on that huge roll back to be carted off to the crusher I thought at least I was saving the heart of that beast, because like an old mechanic told me one time: a motor is like a heart because of the way it pumps the air and fuel to the rest of the system. By the way, this motor is going into my 77F-150 4x4 to replace the M block.
I'm like most other addicted gear heads, I want as much power as I can afford and that is street worthy because there ain't nothing like driving a Ford with a Ford powered big block. I have the old Ford big block in my 67 truck and that deep rumble sounds good. So my next question is, what would be a good stroker kit to buy for this block and stay around 10:1 for 91 or 93 octane; thought about the
P51 heads but I might could come up with a set of D3VE heads, which would be all I need, and I guess I could use the oil pan and pick up since I need a rear sump anyway. I got the fly wheel with the motor, but I don't know if it would work with a regular crank shaft.