I may have a chance to buy a 351W at my favorite yard for less than $200.00 from a pickup (I gotta see if it's a roller motor).. If so, it'll go on the stand and I'll start gathering parts to assemble the thing. I'm making the call tuesday to see if I can make the deal. A 5.8 in the Sport does sound pretty awesome. Not sure of the year of the truck, but it does have all of the EFI stuff still intact, although I'm not sure if the distributor is there. Not hard to find. I really only need the short block. I'll go with the GT40-P heads I have more than likely since they already have been worked, just need to drill the bolt holes a little bigger. I know there are related parts to acquire as well, but getting the engine is the hard part. After that, it's just time, money, and patience.
YEP money, that's always an issue.
If I can get the engine itself, the rest will fall into place. Hopefully, I'll have a different car this week as a daily driver, and the Sport can have all the time in the world to be as she wants to be.
If a 5.8 sounds awesome, just think how much more awesome a 7.0 sounds :-D
WEll, that does sound good as well, but, budget, performance, AND handling are big factors. I don't want TOO much weight over the front end, and, if all works out, the 5.8 is only $100 to $150. I have most of what I need for the 5.8 on my current 5.0. I would need...
Oil pan
lower intake (If I keep my Cobra/Explorer intake style going)
brackets
headers
Not sure about a cam yet. Haven't even looked into what works best with the 5.8. I have the TFS-1 cam in the 5.0 now, along with the nicely worked GT40-P heads which I would re-use after having the bolt holes drilled out to accept the larger 351 bolts. If I go with a custom cam, I can sell mine in the 5.0 to recover a few dollars that would probably pay for a new oil pan and headers. The Cobra/Lightning Lower intakes are not cheap. Almost worth it to spend a few extra dollars and just buy a whole new setup. I'd keep the T-5 setup. No need to get rid of that, and I want to keep A/C and power everything. Just a bigger engine with hopefully more horsepower. We'll see what happens over the next few days.
Larger engines can handle more cam. Your TFS-1 cam would work well with a 5.8w, but I don't know what would be optimal. Remember 5.0 HO cams are interchangeable with 5.8w. I wish I had a few 5.8w's laying around.... I have multiple 5.0s!
I thought the later gt40/p heads had the bigger holes, and used the shanked head bolts on the 5.0 blocks?
Can't say for sure, and I'm much too tired to look it up right now...either way though, any decent machine shop would/should be able to make it happen.
I've got a plan for the Mustang, since my Sport is mechanically done for now....let's say it involves something a bit bigger than what I've tinkered with before...I've already found a good engine, just have to pick it up and get everything else I need to bolt it in.
Here's a hint: it has a 3.85 in stroke...
I've thought about 460's, but I think it's way too much weight, and way too expensive for performance parts.
Vinnie it was the '94 and up trucks that came with the roller blocks, congrats I had a 5.8 in a Cougar before. ( lot's of fun) :)
Most V8 Ranger folks do 302 so my Ranger has a 351 for one reason........I'm starting with 50 more CID than everyone else!! It's sweet! Down the road (maybe this winter) it will boast a healthy 400+ inch stroker......can't do that with a 302. Hehe.
My 'bird however is a DD so I wanted everything to be "Pep Boys" available so it's just a beefed up HO/T5 swap.
I would use something other than GT40Ps on a 351W. They are ok for a 302 but much too small, even ported, for a 351. You would be leaving a bunch of power on the table using the GT40Ps on a 351. I would look into a nice aluminum head for a 351. Since the Sport may not be your DD soon take your time a build a nice 351W for it :).
I'm with thunderjet on this one, Gt40 will choke the 351w. And without good heads the 351w will just be a heavier 302.
Errr..yeah. The Lightning 351w had, did it not, GT40 heads?
I ed sure would NOT run anything less than '40s on a W, and if I had a pile of money like you Donald Trump's, I'd have a set of those sweet heads myself.
Here's something: 40P's can be ported, and with the wee bit smaller chambers, they'll make good power. Maybe not as much as aftermarket aluminums....but if you already have a set of P's..much less ported ones....
I doubt they'll choke a 351w, considering they are better heads than what came on the W stock, with regards to everything but the Lightning and the '95 Cobra R.
/rant.
x2. Ford sure didn't think they would choke a 351.
IF I can get the 351, I'm in NO hurry to assemble it. I have all the time in the world. It all comes down to cash for the project. It doesn't come from my paycheck, so, it takes time. IF I can find a really good set of aluminum heads that I can grab, sure. That will really help with the added weight of the 351. The current engine is doing great, and I'm in no hurry to swap it. It's making great power, and I rarely use what power it does have. The 351 is something I wanted to do for a long time, but no opportunity. We'll see what happens. I didn't get the chance to call about the engine yesterday. I'll try again today.
Thunderbirdsport lightnings did come with gt40's but out of the factory only made ~240hp
And something like 340+ ft/lbs torque, which is not bad. Even with ported GT40Ps he might get 350 hp. Since he's not in a hurry to build it I would save some money and get a good set of heads, like Twisted Wedge 205s. With a good cam he'd have 450+ hp, which might be worth the extra expense and wait time:).
Horsepower is good for impressing n00bs and dyno tuners.....
I'm not arguing that aftermarket heads will give a bigger torque curve...but I AM saying even if Vin uses his ported 40's and the cam he has now (or even one with a little more lift or duration) he'll still have more power than with his 5.0 now...
And it's not a huge job to change heads later on.
Thats what i'm saying the gt40's arent bad but if you're going Big don't go Home. I guess my wording was incorrect shouldn't have said choke on a stock motor theyll do fine, but we all know vinnie wants to show the birds tailights to ricers every once in a while, am I right?
On rare occasion, The Sport already shows the tails , More often than not, I let them run past me and feel good about themselves. It's good to see them get happy, then when you see them again, and they feel pushy, I show them what the Sport is capable of.
Overall, I want a good all around car. ....Good power, could be used as a daily driver if I want to (may have to, not sure how the Taurus deal is going to turn out yet), and good manners. NOT a "race car". I want my a/c and power steering. I'm in no hurry at all. Once it's on the engine stand, I'll tear it down and see what I am dealing with. I'll start acquiring pieces one at a time, and go from there. I hope to have it Friday. If not, next week around Friday. Not many days off and time to do anything. That engine would also dictate some of the Sport's changes coming up in the following months.
I'll maintain the T-5, but may swap in the 3.73 rear. I'm not making any solid plans right now. I have to get the engine bolted to the stand, then I'll start getting serious about what to do with it. I have to study up about cams, and which is the best for my application, as well as heads. As I stated above, I'd love to have aluminum heads to offset the added weight of the 5.8. It may take a year to get the engine together. No hurry. I don't want to get in a rush and not be happy with it. The GT40-P engine went together months ahead of schedule. I ran into sweet deals every time I looked. Maybe luck will fall on this engine as well.
Unless some big event happens before Friday, I'm going to get the engine.
It does appear that I'll be picking up the engine tomorrow morning. news as it happens. Stay tuned.
I got the 5.8. It's in the garage waiting for me to tear into it. I'll get pics as soon as I can. No telling what I'll find inside. Hopefully good things. News to follow.
YAY VINNIE!!!!!!!! I got a REAL nice cam for ya....... oh... never mind, that's a roller block :(
This is a long term, no time limit, project. I hope to start pulling the intake and the rest of the parts soon. No time right now. No hurry either. I have a few things to sort out....
What brackets to use? Best place to source them? Other parts seem to be easier to find. I know of the following...
block plate
gaskets and seals
oil pan
swap headers
pilot bearing
intake (whether it's the Lightning style lower, or different intake altogether)
BRACKETS !!!!
Belt
Will my fuel rails fit?
I was thinking of going to 30# injectors (I have 24's now), but not sure if they will be necessary.
I have a lot of studying and homework to do on this matter.
Vinnie i believe that most of the brackets off your 5.0 will work. Except for a/c but i may be wrong.
"Most of the brackets"?..I only have two brackets, and need them both. From where? That's the question.
Pretty sure you need a 351 AC bracket...i *think* you can find 'em in those advertiser's sections in magazines like 5.0 and the MM&FF mag, too, in the front section.
I'll check it out.I have plenty of those magazines....and the Fox Mustang catalog.
I think he is referring to the March (aftermarket) type of systems, rather than the factory brackets.
I'd rather keep factory style, but it is still early in the game. I really don't like the march brackets that much.
I don't blame you with regards to having a preference for factory brackets. The March brackets probably work, but they are kinda "ricery", a term my Brother used recently . :mullet:
Perhaps helpful?
http://www.lincolnsonline.com/tech/00144.html
Thanks a lot. I bookmarked it.
After making a list of the parts I'll need. I have come to the conclusion that I should have this baby done by 2015.
Pan, pickup, and lower intake are the biggest parts of it, otherwise, it's about like swapping in an HO.
IF I go that route with the stang some day, it'll have to be efi...which means I need to save NOW for the lightning lower....I think the other intakes are hideous looking. I want explorer or gt40 uppers, but right now my thoughts for the stang have a few more cubes than a Windsor...lol
For me, a 351 with aluminum heads should be comparable to my current 5.0, if not a tad lighter as far as weight goes. Any bigger would kill handling I think...........but could be wrong.. The oil pan and pickup are easy. The lower intake, that's expensive. Not sure what direction I'll take when it comes to an intake. Plenty of time to look around. I saw a lot of distributors on Ebay, so, I know they are readily available.
If I can find anything locally, that would be great. Gotta hit up a yard or two next Friday. Maybe I'll find a distributor here, along with a few small pieces.
I pulled the intake and valve covers. Full roller engine. The oil was nasty and black, and under the valve covers was/is black, but no sludge at all. I will probably have the heads off tomorrow, then I can check the cylinder walls and see more of what I have on the stand.
Vinnie, just grab yourself a dizzy from a 1994 and up truck 351w at the salvage yard, unless you do want an aftermarket piece.
I may or may not have one somewhere here, seems like I recall picking one up years ago when I wanted to build a 351w, but never got any further than getting two longblocks and a 4bbl intake..
I could go with a remote TFI, but, I'd actually rather keep it like the 5.0, and have the TFI on the distributor. I'll check some trucks if I can find one. None at the yard I usually go to.