Quick 351W question....

[rusty ol ranger]

My buddy is going to give me a smokin deal on a pretty hot (yet streetable) 351W if he dont sell it by spring....i have plans to replace the dead 351W in my 77 LTD II thats been in the garage since 07....

But...

His 351 is a 79, mines a 77. Can i use my flexplate (his 351 was bolted to a 4sp in a foxbody, mines a FMX auto), or will i run into balanceing issues?

 

[bobbywalter]

windsor is windsor. 28


the little guy is the trouble maker. 81/2

 

[adsm08]

Yeah, the 351 never changed. The 302 is the one that was all over the place.

FWIW Summit has all the 302 flex plates in all the arrangements, in both weights, so even that is less of an issue these days.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Ah ok. I knew the 302 was a PITA so i assumed the 351 was to. Thanks fellas

 

[adsm08]

No, the 302 was rebalanced when Ford put a beefier crank in for better NVH. The 351 already had an overall heavier rotating assembly and didn't need that.

 

[baddad457]

No, the 302 was rebalanced when Ford put a beefier crank in for better NVH. The 351 already had an overall heavier rotating assembly and didn't need that.

Ford didn't beef up the 302 crank. They lightened it. And those first year's 50 oz cranks were notoriously weak. They improved the castings by the mid 80's though, but never added more weight. If you don't think this is true, put a 28 oz crank next to a 50 oz crank. Then weigh them both.

 

[adsm08]

Ford didn't beef up the 302 crank. They lightened it. And those first year's 50 oz cranks were notoriously weak. They improved the castings by the mid 80's though, but never added more weight. If you don't think this is true, put a 28 oz crank next to a 50 oz crank. Then weigh them both.

Yeah, I probably had that backwards. I hate the 302. It is the most bastardized, red-headed step child engine Ford ever made. If you start trying to mix and match parts, not even internals, just whole engine and transmission assemblies from different eras, you are going to have a bad time.

 

[bobbywalter]

i like it...for what it is.



but it takes 50 because of the wt redux like badad said.











the bolt architecture and clamping force to the block where the heads are concerned were the sore spot.


i think it was a brilliant engine...and the canadian x project was a 100 percent success.


its why i was bitching so much when they did the coyote and fugged up again.....they should have done a w setup so at least you could bore and stroke it. dikheds. 4 1/4 min bore spacing...and another 3/4 deck would be boobies and beer. so what if the pistons would be offset...

 

[baddad457]

Yeah, I probably had that backwards. I hate the 302. It is the most bastardized, red-headed step child engine Ford ever made. If you start trying to mix and match parts, not even internals, just whole engine and transmission assemblies from different eras, you are going to have a bad time.

Yea, that's only true of the FEAD (Front End Accessory Drive) Otherwise it's one of the most compact engine designs ever made. Stroke it and it's even better. The only drawback over the years were the heads. It took them 40 years to get that right.

 

[19Walt93]

The 302 evolved during it's lifespan as I'd expect any product to do,as problems are identified they get fixed.Everything used to leak when cork was the gasket material of choice,now an oil drip is an unforgivable sin.The crank imbalance change adds some complication but all the later blocks are lighter and have one piece rear main seals.Lighter could mean weaker but I've seen 100,000 mile fox body Mustangs run 11 second quarter miles with just a supercharger bolted on.The head gaskets eventually give up but the bottom ends stay together.Less weight improves performance just like adding HP does,but without increased fuel consumption.Speaking of NVH,the 351 firing order was changed to fix a pre production vibration.The 82 Mustang GT used a 351 marine cam(because it already existed and was a little bigger) so it also used the 351 firing order.You can still mix parts,you just have to know what you're mixing to stay out of trouble.