351W - which year ?

[langleylad]

While I've been doing bodywork on my 68 Cougar I've been giving alot of thought as to what to put between the frame rails . At first I was thinking 5.0 and a 5 gear , then a GM LS motor , now I'm thinking late model efi 5.8 / 351 . I believe they changed to roller cams in 94 , is any year better than the others or are these motors not worth the trouble and should I just stick with the 5.0 ? . I've had a 5.0 in the past so I know plenty about them .

[milner351]

5.0 and a 5.8 use same heads of course, different crank journal, taller deck height, etc.

I believe any of the port injected truck 351W are also roller cam, anything older than 88 may be a crap shoot for roller vs flat tappet.

If you're going to stick with the stock EFI - hood clearance may be a problem - the truck intakes are TALL.

[Beagle]

F4TE is a known roller block... earlier than 1971 I think had shorter deck (9.480 v 9.500). I'd stay with a 94 up just because the EFI and 195* thermostats mean most of them have crosshatched bores at 100k still, plus the taller lifter bores (roller ready).

block number picture, the hole on the far right is the starter hole for reference:



1/2 inch bolt holes for the heads v. 7/16 inch. 5/16 oil pump drive v. 1/4"... I'd pick the 351 if I were starting from scratch, it will put up with a lot.

[langleylad]

I'm thinking GT40 intake , definately no stock intake .

[squirrel]

When you're looking at engines it's helpful to know the number system Ford uses. F4TE means 1994 truck engine part, F is the decade (1990s), 4 is the year (1994) T is the carline (truck) E is the part type (Engine).

Did they make a tall deck (351) GT40 intake? I thought that was a short deck (302) part? but I don't know

[langleylad]

Yes , they built 302 lower half and a 351 lower . They share the top half .

[milner351]

Sounds like you've got it handled, I have a couple of flat tappet W blocks that I should probably scrap - who's going to build a flat tappet W when the truck blocks are everywhere....

[Silver68RT]

Sounds like you've got it handled, I have a couple of flat tappet W blocks that I should probably scrap - who's going to build a flat tappet W when the truck blocks are everywhere....

I've started kicking around the idea of building a 351W for the '68 Mustang GT instead of trying to do something with the messed up 390. That 390's just so damn big, and I figure it's got to be a lot cheaper to put a 351W together that will probably be faster and easier to work on. I had a buddy back in Winnipeg that got 430 HP out of his with cast iron heads and intake and a flat tappet cam, and that was 20 years ago.

[Beagle]

Lightnings use a GT40 lower - I think a lot of ski boats might have too... top is definitely the same between it, the Cobra, and the Explorer, excepting the late Explorer top which did not get heated EGR through the manifold. Bolt pattern / port size did not change.

There are plenty out there. However, for the EFI manifold cost I would consider a RPM Air Gap or even just a Performer and 4bbl. The stack height on a GT40 is kinda sorta tall. I think a 3" air cleaner, Performer or Pro Product Hurricane are shorter. The last I checked, it was around 240-300 for a 351 GT40 lower on ebay.

Just about any 351 is "said" to be okay to around 700 hp with good prep, a 302 at that level might give you block integrity problems in the long run. I've never split one, but there are plenty of pictures on the web. My opinion, but they put 351 W's in Cougars iirc. I'd eat the cost up front and enjoy the torque. If you get bored, you can stroke that monkey later.

[Eliteman76]

I'd second tossing on an RPM airgap. I was running a 600CFM performer and rpm airgap on my 84 F150 302, and it ran like a raped ape on a mild setup like it was.

I also sort of vote the 351w, as you can piece together a serpentine belt drive cheap using OEM brackets, etc and be able to add AC cheap, if you are a thrifty SOB like I am at times.
Plus then you can toss on a Mustang 3.8 alternator or a F series unit, and run a 130-160 amp hi output 3G Ford alternator from RJM

http://www.rjminjectiontech.com/collections/alternator-accessories/products/alternator-charge-cable-kit

You could pull a wiring harness from a mid-90's F series with mass air, or yet again...

http://www.rjminjectiontech.com/collections/50l-efi-harnesses/products/classic-ford-harness

{Assuming EFI}
Take your pick of heavy duty high output Ford alternators...

http://www.rjminjectiontech.com/collections/alternators

One of the guys of GranTorinoSport.org a few years back built up his Starsky & Hutch torino using a 351w roller block from a lightning, and stroked it out to 408. Hell of a holy roller if I ever saw the stuff.

[milner351]

If you want to run a stroker - call Adney Brown at Performance crakshaft in detroit - does great work and has very reasonable prices, lots of positive feedback from the BBF guys and he's helped on some engine masters engines as well.
313-873-6588 "Chap automotive" aka performance crankshaft (he does block machining as well)

[langleylad]

Thanks for the info gentlemen , like alot of the builds here on BS this is a budget build . My plan is to pick a healthy efi motor out of a wreck , change the parts that I need too and stick it under the hood .

[milner351]

very smart move - especially if you can hear it run / do a compression test before you pull it out.

I ran 13.15 on a stock short block 302 in a 90 fox with only 3.55 gears. You could swap an intake carg and distributor on an otherwise stock truck roller 351 and be down the road in a long weekend pretty easy. Change heads and cam later when budget allows.

[Beagle]

some of the later F250's with 351's are said to not just be roller ready but have roller cams already in them. That would be the money...

Pull the intake and junk, keep the longblock. The (FEAD) accessory brackets are probably too tall for a Cougar, but the stuff off of a Crown Vic cop car (85-89 I think?) should work. The late trucks had serpentine belts and reverse rotation water pumps. You want that if you can get it - less friction, one belt in the trunk for emergencies, change it with one box wrench.

Fox junk on the passenger side should bolt up, but not on the Drivers side. You can buy from JY or from Ford - the power steering / a/c bracket is 90.00 (ouch) from Ford via Latemodel Restoration or Jeg-Sum et al.

The Pro Products hurricane dual plane is a decent piece, not real expensive. Air Gap might bang the hood, not sure. The truck EFI definitely a space issue and they are said to not flow even close to evenly cylinder to cylinder. When you look at it, it will be ovious why. I'd go with an HEI / Dual Plane / 650 and either port the E7te's that will be on late trucks or put some of the dirt cheap aluminum heads on. MMFF does a lot of testing of the uber cheap stuff, and they seem to think it's "okay" for what it is. A 170cc head on a 351 with a truck cam in it would probably be all done by 4600-4800 rpm but would probably also fry the hides the whole time. lol. Should be fun!

[langleylad]

I'm sticking with efi in one form or another . A GT40 intake is my first choice but my first step will be hunting down an engine .