Are all 351 Windsors created equal?

68redGTCS · Sep 17, 2011

I decided to buy a 351W and rebuild it with my son. I'v always wanted a 351W instead of my 289. I see various 351W engines...some from trucks, others from vans and large cars-all usually from older vehicles. Are there some engines I want to stay away from, or all they all the same? Some engines come with EFI, some with tranny.

Right now there is a 351W with Tranny selling for 300bucks. I don't know yet what type of car it came out of or if it's EFI or not, or condition. I plan on having maybe $2,500 to 3,000 dollars work on it, doing the work myself with my boy.

Are all 351W fundamentally the same??

thnks in advance

2+2GT · Sep 17, 2011

Some of the very late 351W engines were built for performance, so they would be desirable. Other than that, you have about 20 years of engines that were pretty much the same. Very early engines will have cast-on provision for the clutch equalizer, later engines will require a bracket.

The engine and trans you're looking at could vary. The engine is probably worth what they are asking. The trans is probably a doorstop, Mustang-wise.

Using the EFI is not worth the trouble or expense. It makes it impossible to use the export brace, forcing the use of inferior tubular struts. Plus difficult and expensive wiring, fuel lines, etc. Use a carburetor, and you solve all these problems.

danny clemens · Sep 17, 2011

The early 351W engines are supposed to be stronger than the later ones but that shouldn't matter unless you're going to have an engine with a lot of hp. I also think that the 94 and later (if this is not the correct year somebody please correct it) have provisions for a roller cam.

dennis112 · Sep 17, 2011

All years will handle at least 600hp N/A and 6500rpm for a long, long time. Start pushing more RPM with a questionable tune and you will have issues. Also, if considering stroking one, go a maximum of a 418ci. Combos beyond that give too much side load in a stock block which will affect longevity.

Realmongo · Sep 17, 2011

With today's motor oils, I would go with a late factory roller block if you can get one.

Slobin3d · Sep 17, 2011

Realmongo said:
With today's motor oils, I would go with a late factory roller block if you can get one.

Had a long conversation yesterday about the new oils without the sulfur additives and how he just ate his 2 YO cam. I've seen it a lot in the International Harvester forums too.

You can get oil that has sulfur in it still but you have to do some searching and will pay a bit extra

68redGTCS · Sep 17, 2011

What years and what type vehicles had the "late roller blocks"? This seems like a good start.

Slobin3d · Sep 17, 2011

IIRC they were found in 93 and up F series trucks or there about

rbohm · Sep 18, 2011

all 351w blocks have similar strength, and all are a good basis to build a solid street or street/strip engine. understand however that there are three different deck height blocks. you have the very earlyones through 1973(?) that are 9.48", from 1974 until the early 1990s they were 9.503, and the last ones were about 9.523(i think). not a huge difference, but enough to where if you use an early intake on a late block, you may have minor issues, and vice versa. the last blocks were roller cam capable, but with retrofit roller cams or retrofit roller lifters, that becomes a moot point.

in the end if you find a decent block to build a 351w based engine from, go with it.

65ShelbyClone · Sep 19, 2011

68redGTCS said:
What years and what type vehicles had the "late roller blocks"? This seems like a good start.

The rollers are an F4TE casting, so F-series trucks and Econoline vans from ~'94 to whenever the 351W was replaced by the 5.4 Triton. '98 perhaps?

Wicked65 · Sep 21, 2011

I got my 351 from a 1994 F-250 i believe. It was a "running" motor pan to intake for 350 i think. Ended up taking all apart, new bearings and rings, blah blah. put a new cam, vic jr heads, super vic intake headers ect. With some flat top pistions, this thing would have moved very nicely. The only thing i wish i would have done with pistons and rods to bump my compression up. I think im only at about 8.2 or so if im lucky right now. 9-1 would have made my blower MUCH happier.

Rick 91GT · Sep 25, 2011

1969-1970 deck are 9.48", 71-93 9.503"+/- .025 Ive seen them all over the place. All the blocks from 69-74 are thick wall blocks and are a little stronger if your looking for big power start with one of those, the factory roller blocks are the thinnest.

If your reusing the factory internals the earlier pieces have decent rods and cranks, I prefer different pistons....depends on your combo and what your looking to do.

Do you plan on going hyd roller? If you use a non roller block you are limited to a factory roller lifter and machining for a spyder and dogbone set-up and use a reduced base circle cam or it is best to use a normal base circle cam and a linked bar lifter...the lifters are $350-$600 depending on your needs.

Stangninjak · Sep 27, 2011

I had a 69 block until the oil shaft and something else imploded inside it...I just had received the car and it happen like 2 weeks later..lol

So doing the rebuild I ended up with a 94 I believe and went from there. Has worked out quite well so far. Though its a bit tight in the 65

69gmachine · Sep 30, 2011

Rick 91GT said:
1969-1970 deck are 9.48", 71-93 9.503"+/- .025 Ive seen them all over the place. All the blocks from 69-74 are thick wall blocks and are a little stronger if your looking for big power start with one of those, the factory roller blocks are the thinnest.

If your reusing the factory internals the earlier pieces have decent rods and cranks, I prefer different pistons....depends on your combo and what your looking to do.

Do you plan on going hyd roller? If you use a non roller block you are limited to a factory roller lifter and machining for a spyder and dogbone set-up and use a reduced base circle cam or it is best to use a normal base circle cam and a linked bar lifter...the lifters are $350-$600 depending on your needs.

I'm going to have to disagree with one point here; there is a huge difference between the C9/D1 castings and the later D2 and D4 castings which removed a LOT of iron in the main webbing. The C9OE blocks were used only in 69 and 70 and have the 9.48 nominal deck height. All others have the 9.503 as stated. I've been collecting 351W blocks for years. I have about a dozen at my house at the moment. All the blocks from the mid eighties on were truck blocks and they're all great to build from. Also, the C9 and D1 blocks have bosses cast in for vertical 4 bolt mains although they never came with them. Because there are so many better Windsor blocks available, I throw the D2 and D4s in the scrap iron pile, although they're both better than any production 2 bolt 302 Windsor block. The truck rods are spot faced and if you put aftermarket rod bolts in from ARP, they will support 450 HP all day every day for years so long as you don't launch at 4K every day.

I have laid hands on just about every variety of Windsor block ever cast. I'm not guessing or "think" that's what they did. I've seen it, had it, used it.

Are all 351 Windsors created equal?

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