351 M or W?

Topic: 351 M or W? (Read 1315 times) previous topic - next topic

351 M or W?

March 05, 2013, 06:47:55 AM

I'm going to look at a Ranchero today, I cant tell right now if it has a W or M in it.
Can anyone make it out?

And whats your guys thoughts on the M versus the W?
Car seemed to have plenty of power. It's being sold at a wrecker, And before they brought it out they were doing smokey burnouts, Haha.

351 M or W?

Reply #1 – March 05, 2013, 08:07:24 AM

looks like a windsor to me, if it is a windsor.... it will have valve covers like a 302

351 M or W?

Reply #2 – March 05, 2013, 08:57:53 AM

Did some research,
Apparently a Windsor will have 6 valve cover bolts and an M will have 8.
It's likely to be an M for a '78 Ranchero, And could also have a 400 which is even harder to tell apart from the 5.8M...
I need to get the door tags and vin.

Isnt a Windsor better than an Modified and 400?

Here is the listing:
http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/ctd/3649795952.html
I think I can talk them to $899 again. comes out to just over $1000 with tax and what not, Then registration and plates is another couple hundred as I recall.
I dunno if it's worth it or not, Mostly looking to haul a bunch of junk off the property and my leisure instead of paying $300-500 a trip to the junk hauler companies... May end up selling it afterwards.

351 M or W?

Reply #3 – March 05, 2013, 09:01:27 AM

The M is more akin to the Cleveland motor. The water neck on that motor goes into the block and the one on the Windsor goes into the intake manifold.

351 M or W?

Reply #4 – March 05, 2013, 09:14:21 AM

That's definitely an M. Which is what most Rancheros had stock.

351 M or W?

Reply #5 – March 05, 2013, 04:17:56 PM

Dipstick tube up front passenger side. Its a mod for sure

351 M or W?

Reply #6 – March 05, 2013, 09:43:35 PM

Show us a pic of either the valve cover, or the water inlet/t-stat housing.

As far as telling the difference between a 351M and a 400, that's easy. Just measure the bore. Of course, getting to the cylinder might not be as easy.
Hard to say in the pic...but I think if the car was mine, and had the 335 Series engine, I'd try to find a running 460 and drop that in...it will bolt right up to the 351M/400 trans.

351 M or W?

Reply #7 – March 05, 2013, 10:22:31 PM

I had a 74" Grand Torino w/ a 351w and the dipstick was up front on the P/S because it was a front sump pan. Engine looks a tad narrrow to be a 351M/400. Although the 351C and 351M/400 share pretty much everything, they don't share the same bellhousing bolt pattern.

OP, get/post a better, up close pic of that engine. Also look at the fuel pumps. If the bolts are side by side, it's a W but if the bolts are stacked (vertically) then it's the 351M/400 or 351C. Also the 351C;351M/400s had a small bulge on top and towards the front of the valve covers where the W's didn't.

More Pics! More Pics!! More Pics!!! :D

As far as preference, I also had a 81 LWB Ford 4X4 that had a very nicely built 351M/400. Dang that thing was a torque moster!! It had a real healthy cam, Doug Thorley headers, Offy 360 intake, Holley 780 DP, Mallory dist. That engine was wide

351 M or W?

Reply #8 – March 05, 2013, 11:51:48 PM

A lot of folks will hate on the 335 series engine, but with a good cam, carb/intake combo, and some exhaust, they'll run any comparable SBC into the dirt.
If I had one...I'd also replace the timing set ASAP with a name brand double roller. My buddy had a couple of 400 engines bite the dust because of the stock timing chain. Another broke the distributor shaft, and ran clean out of oil, and yet another just blew up in spectacular fashion..I had to stop behind him and pick up a few pieces of some rods and a chunk from the crank. After that he threw a 390 in that '77 and is STILL running. That FE has been there since 1998. I helped him drop it in.

351 M or W?

Reply #9 – March 06, 2013, 01:15:40 PM

Based on the upper radiator hose, it looks like a Windsor.
It could be the angle of the pic, but based on the height of the valve covers, or just what seems like a lack of width to the engine; it looks like 302 to me.

Do you have the VIN number?

351 M or W?

Reply #10 – March 06, 2013, 02:01:59 PM

Quote from: ThunderbirdSport302;410590

Show us a pic of either the valve cover, or the water inlet/t-stat housing.

As far as telling the difference between a 351M and a 400, that's easy. Just measure the bore. Of course, getting to the cylinder might not be as easy.
Hard to say in the pic...but I think if the car was mine, and had the 335 Series engine, I'd try to find a running 460 and drop that in...it will bolt right up to the 351M/400 trans.

Actually The bore is the same for the 351M/400, the stroke is different. The main difference between the two is the crank and the pistons, even the connecting rods are the same! The 351m uses taller pistons to make up the compression height. Your best bet is to find the casting numbers on the block, it's the only way to tell short of tearing the motor apart.

I would say it's an M also based on the dipstick being on the passenger side,but the water neck is a dead give away, closer pic would help. they also have pretty thick intakes compared to a windsor

351 M or W?

Reply #11 – March 06, 2013, 07:33:56 PM

Kinda looks like a Windsor to me. As far as cheap hot rod parts go the Windsor has the 335 beat. If you have the money a 335 can be made to run stupid fast.

I've driven both and stock for stock I'd take a 351W over a 351M any day, in stock form.

351 M or W?

Reply #12 – March 07, 2013, 09:07:05 PM

GAH!
This yard is g me off.
I went in to look it over again and they have it dropped in staging area now, Sigh.

Thanks for all the replies and info though guys.
With your help and some research, I certainly know much more about Rancheros.