351 Windsor Engine finding a new home.

[incrediblened]

I found a deal on a boat. $400 for a 1975 mercruiser boat with a 351w. Anyway, he now wants the trailer so I'm buying the motor for $200.

Is this a better motor than what you would find in most 351w cars from 1975?

Does anyone know if a 351w is the same throughout the years.

Thanks for your interest in my project.

Ryan
Btw, the car is a 1965 mustang convertible, manual transmission.

 

[joewithaboat]

Re: 351 Windsor Engine finding a new home.

I found a deal on a boat. $400 for a 1975 mercruiser boat with a 351w. Anyway, he now wants the trailer so I'm buying the motor for $200.

Is this a better motor than what you would find in most 351w cars from 1975?

Does anyone know if a 351w is the same throughout the years.

Thanks for your interest in my project.

Ryan
Btw, the car is a 1965 mustang convertible, manual transmission.

Nice car!
Dont know about what years and type stuff merc ford motors had. The best 351w factory heads near that time were the DO0E castings. Found in late 69,70,and early71 on cars and trucks. Bigger ports,valves, good chamber etc. Dont know if they ever made it to boats. In autos the 69 thru 74 is the better stuff,(blocks esp.) all hp ratings went waaay down after 73 or 4. Becarefull with windsor cams there was 2 different firing orders 302 and 351, some cam companies will mix them back and forth. Cams will interchange. Ford changed lots of stuff around thru the years with windsor stuff. Best to buy a book prob. HP books prints a good one.
Good luck

 

[Bondo]

Re: 351 Windsor Engine finding a new home.

Is this a better motor than what you would find in most 351w cars from 1975?

Ayuh,... It's pretty much the same motor you'd find in a Ford pickup of that vintage...

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: 351 Windsor Engine finding a new home.

351w's a 351w. They didn't really build them any better or worse in any year. Some of the early years had slightly higher compression heads, but nothing significant.

 

[joewithaboat]

Re: 351 Windsor Engine finding a new home.

351w's a 351w. They didn't really build them any better or worse in any year. Some of the early years had slightly higher compression heads, but nothing significant.

So do you tell folks all 350 chevys are the same as well?

I dont mean to imply that there are major differences or part comatability issues, but like all engines that were made for long periods of time there are some differences through the years. Its been 10 or 12 years sinse i have turned wrenches on a 351w. I remember there being major head differences, rods (one better than the other) block... deck height as well as later blocks being weak in the main webs, roller cam blocks, some blocks dont have clutch z bar piviot boss, different rear seals etc.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: 351 Windsor Engine finding a new home.

The balancer weight was the only thing that changed of much significance and the 2/1-piece rear seals. I don't consider those changes to be "better or worse". It was a design change, but it doesn't make the engine perform any better. The head differences were minor and after 1975 or so, the heads were the same for 302's and 351w's. The only 351w's that were roller-compatible from the factory were F4TE's, which are '94+ blocks, were found in Gen I lightnings, and actually had flat-tappets cams in them. That being said, any 351w can use a roller cam if you want to run a reduced lobe roller cam and a set of 302 spiders. The webbing change was not really a weakness so much as a VERY slight position change. Again, none of these changes are significant enough to warrant choosing one engine over another in terms of performance or engine longevity. Anything else?

 

[joewithaboat]

Re: 351 Windsor Engine finding a new home.

The balancer weight was the only thing that changed of much significance and the 2/1-piece rear seals. I don't consider those changes to be "better or worse". It was a design change, but it doesn't make the engine perform any better. The head differences were minor and after 1975 or so, the heads were the same for 302's and 351w's. The only 351w's that were roller-compatible from the factory were F4TE's, which are '94+ blocks, were found in Gen I lightnings, and actually had flat-tappets cams in them. That being said, any 351w can use a roller cam if you want to run a reduced lobe roller cam and a set of 302 spiders. The webbing change was not really a weakness so much as a VERY slight position change. Again, none of these changes are significant enough to warrant choosing one engine over another in terms of performance or engine longevity. Anything else?

As i recall there is also some dipstick changes that can make swapping from one to the other a challange. Heads are significantly different the... late 70's to mid 80's heads are terrible in all regards. Pistons...The compression ratios went from a low of 8 to 1 all the way to almost 10 3/4 to 1. from Ford. There are actually some early factory carb intakes that flow quite well most just run aftermarket alum which are better and save weight.

The block differences in the main web area are very significant. I dont remeber the years but the later blocks dont have enough meat for 4 bolt caps the early ones do. I used to work at a machine shop where we did this. Rods are different in machining of bolt face area, broach cut vs spot face, this is pretty significant in performance builds.
302 heads will require boring out of head bolt holes because of bolt diam. being larger on 351. Sure you can run an aftermarket roller cam in pretty much anything, those equiped with factory provisions will be much cheaper. Dont recall any balance differences. Im sure there is more but im going from memory.....

The O/P said "does anyone know if the 351w is the same throughout the years"
Well id say between the two of us we have listed some pretty significant differences.
So.... not all the 351w are the same......