351w swap opinions needed

[91 quarter horse]

so i have a 91 LX with a 5.0 and i have a 351w that was rebuilt a few years ago and has about 10k mi on it. I want to do a swap but i am not sure if i want to use this block, the block is a 75 and uses flat tappet cam. Would i be wasting my time? i would have aluminum heads trickflow intake ect... all the good stuff, so my question is should i find a newer block with a roller cam? i know you can make alot more hp with a roller cam but this engine is just sitting there. My friend told me not to do it because of the cam and i know i can convert it for big $$ i dont want a race car but just a nice reliable fox with a swap done the right way. any advice? thanks

 

[ratio411]

From what I have been told, roller lifters for non-roller blocks are now commonplace and relatively inexpensive.
I know just a few years ago you needed expensive parts to retro-fit. Now it's supposed to be easy.

 

[91 quarter horse]

I was told that too but then someone else told me i had to machine the block to fit cam....not sure if this is true or not so thats why im kinda confused...

 

[ratio411]

In the past you needed a reduced base circle cam, but they have come out with plug n play lifters nowadays.
If you like the flat tappet that is in there, why not just use it?

 

[91 quarter horse]

I dont mind it at all, it actually has an aftermarket tappet cam. Its just that my friend kinda discouraged me from doing the swap with a tappet cam motor, thats why i wasnt sure if there was a downside to.tappet cam vs roller other than a little more in the powerband

 

[ratio411]

It's fine to use a flat cam.
If you are keeping the fuel injection/EEC, you will just need to scare up a 351w EEC distributor and make sure it has a drive gear for a flat cam. You can't mix drive gears between roller and flat cams. The good news is that far more EFI 351s were made with flat cams than roller cams, which didn't come along until about 95.

With a 351w EFI intake, you can run the engine right off the stock electronics for starters.
That's not to say that it might not like a tuning depending on how mild/wild the 351 actually is.

 

[91 quarter horse]

yea im keeping it fuel injected, only "high performance" parts i have are trickflow tw heads trickflow intake and larger tb and mass air. Im Really not looking to have a race car just yet, so if i can run it with mostly stock electronics i like it. i would like to get 350-400 hp so if i can get that with a good tune ill be a happy camper, i have all the parts for the conversion and ill stick with the flat cam, if this motor ever blows up i might consider going to a roller then.. thanks for all the info

 

[88LX5.Oh]

If you go ahead with this project, consider making a build thread. We need more build threads

 

[ratio411]

Yep! I would love to see a progress thread.

 

[ratio411]

What cam is in the 351?

 

[91 quarter horse]

If i remember right it was an edelbrock performer plus or something like that, nothing fancy or big in fact you cant even tell it has an aftermarket cam. I would be upgrading the cam as well with the sawp. I wouldnt mind doing a build thread but not sure how to do it lol

 

[88LX5.Oh]

If i remember right it was an edelbrock performer plus or something like that, nothing fancy or big in fact you cant even tell it has an aftermarket cam. I would be upgrading the cam as well with the sawp. I wouldnt mind doing a build thread but not sure how to do it lol

Hey if you change the cam, time to go roller. You can get lifters that have links in them and it allows you to use a flat tappet block with a roller cam/lifter set.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hrs-91168?seid=google&gclid=CJ_PoKXTpbUCFQKoPAodSTcAow

Not sure if you have to get a standard base circle cam with these or a reduced base circle cam, though

 

[88LX5.Oh]

Hey if you change the cam, time to go roller. You can get lifters that have links in them and it allows you to use a flat tappet block with a roller cam/lifter set.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hrs-91168?seid=google&gclid=CJ_PoKXTpbUCFQKoPAodSTcAow

Not sure if you have to get a standard base circle cam with these or a reduced base circle cam, though

http://www.ffcars.com/forums/48-ford-small-block-engine/262375-linked-lifter-not.html

Actually according to this ^ thread, post number 9, the Howards lifters allows you to use a standard base circle cam. This thread also discusses some minor grinding you may have to do, that I was unaware of originally

 

[91 quarter horse]

Thanks, i had heard of the lifters but i was unable to find any till your link. Alot of people told me to go with a roller but i have this motor just sitting there pretty much brand new "rebuilt" and really dont want to mess with grinding. With my luck id probably have to grind the whole valley lol i will.keep this in mind tho, thanks

 

[88LX5.Oh]

Thanks, i had heard of the lifters but i was unable to find any till your link. Alot of people told me to go with a roller but i have this motor just sitting there pretty much brand new "rebuilt" and really dont want to mess with grinding. With my luck id probably have to grind the whole valley lol i will.keep this in mind tho, thanks

Sounds like you and me have similar kinds of luck!

 

[NIKwoaC]

I would definitely go roller. With a roller cam you'll have access to grinds with more performance potential, better drivability, and there is zero break-in needed for roller cams. With a flat tappet cam, you'll be worrying about how much zinc is in your oil and using break-in lube and all that other garbage that comes along with a flat tappet cam. Even then, if you screw something up, you'll wipe a lobe and it'll all be junk. There may be a little more $ up front with a roller, but IMO, it'll pay off in the long run.

Anyway, let us know what direction you take, and I agree on the build thread idea!

 

[ratio411]

I agree.

Either keep the cam you have in there until the next time you get into the engine, or do a roller now. Nothing else makes sense.
You can use any roller from a 5.0 you want, from an alphabet cam to custom, easy cheezy.
If you do a flat tappet, you will spend time and money replacing an aftermarket flat tappet that is already broken in.
The break in of the flat tappet is not hard, but it is critical and always a risk, so either keeping what you have or going roller will take that risk off the table.

 

[ratio411]

That cam looks alot like the stock 5.0 HO cam... a bit more aggressive, and flat, but the lift/duration are close.
204/214 @.050"
.448"/.472" at valve
112 LSA

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/edl-2182/overview/make/ford

 

[91 quarter horse]

Im still giving it alot of thought, the block is still standard so i dont know if it will be cheaper to bore it and have the proper work done to accommodate a roller or buying a newer block and just rebuild it. Ive already spent close to 3k getting all the parts together, so not sure.if my wife will let me spend another grand lol i do want a roller because hopefully by next year i can have enough money saved up for a small blower, so i would want to squeeze as much hp out of the motor as possible. Another thing i could do is is just sell the long block i have now and buy a new one... decisions decisions, either way ill keep you guys posted and if i decide to throw in what i have ill definitely make a build thread.

 

[ratio411]

Install it while you got it, just like it is, and get some use out of it while you are building your new 408 roller cammed stroker at a pace the wife can handle.