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351 Engine Swap

Reply #15 –
Im all for carbing the w engine.  the extra height is built up in the block in combo with the upper intake to gain more than the 1'' short block difference.

THe hood will clear going carb,, you just have to make your own air clearner like you guys know. 

the good part of going carb is you can leave your existing harness in tact incase you ever restore it back to the original motor.  going w efi would defeat that in the long haul especially with cost.

now that you lost your tracking on the w,, you gonna stick with the 5.0 and do what?

351 Engine Swap

Reply #16 –
I have been thinkin of instaolling the 5.8 as wel,but,I want to keep it EFI.It wouldn't take much to do the swap.By the time I'm ready,it'll have Mass Air,and I already have a good exhaust.All I need is a lower intake,headers,oil pan,and accessory brackets,and maybe a cam,depending on what I already have at that time..Unless I'm missing something.I would imagine that going carb would be a little cheaper,but I really like EFI.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

351 Engine Swap

Reply #17 –
Hello everyone! I'm new to this forum and it sure seems to be the place I need to be! I have an 88 T-Bird sport that I'm putting a 351-W into. I have been struggling with the choice of EFI or carb. I'm on a bit of a budget so I'm trying ti fugure out which is cheaper vs. which is easier to do. I originally wanted to go carb. but I wasn't sure how to deal with the fuel system (fuel lines, pump, etc.) and more so the computer (as in how to bypass it). It looks like a few of you have done this swap so some advice would be extremely helpful.

351 Engine Swap

Reply #18 –
Quote from: Mals88T-Bird;169878
Hello everyone! I'm new to this forum and it sure seems to be the place I need to be! I have an 88 T-Bird sport that I'm putting a 351-W into. I have been struggling with the choice of EFI or carb. I'm on a bit of a budget so I'm trying ti fugure out which is cheaper vs. which is easier to do. I originally wanted to go carb. but I wasn't sure how to deal with the fuel system (fuel lines, pump, etc.) and more so the computer (as in how to bypass it). It looks like a few of you have done this swap so some advice would be extremely helpful.


Carb is way cheaper and heres a good link to switch.  http://www.jason.fletcher.net/tech/efi-carb/efi-carb.htm

351 Engine Swap

Reply #19 –
here is my 87 with a 69 351 block and the t/c hood every thing fits great
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

351 Engine Swap

Reply #20 –
Thanks for the info. Carb definitely looks like the much cheaper way to go. The car will be used primarily for drag racing so fuel milage is not a concern. One other question I have is where do you get subframe connectors for the T-Bird? Fox Mustang ones won't fit, will they?

351 Engine Swap

Reply #21 –
they fit, just don't get the one's were they connect to the seats.
88 TC with 93 GT 5.0 (.030 over), XE266HR Compcam, SVO 1.6 Roller Rockers, BBK underdrives, BBK 1 5/8" headers, 2 1/2" exhuast with Americian Thunder Flowmaster lers. Tremec 5 speed and 3.73's and alot of other goodies to list.....

351 Engine Swap

Reply #22 –
Bearmax looking real good underhood im jealous =D..i swapped the 351 in just never got to remove the wires and hoses in there its a mess,now i really want to start cleaning up now =p
1987 351 swap, T5, ac/smog/power steering delete, custom H pipe Borla ProXS lers..

351 Engine Swap

Reply #23 –
BEARMAX was it hard to find an intake to fit that 351 69 block. There deck height is different then 70 or71 till present

351 Engine Swap

Reply #24 –
But wasn't the deck only like .040" shorter? I doubt any intake would ever notice.

351 Engine Swap

Reply #25 –
Quote from: Prototype Services;170560
But wasn't the deck only like .040" shorter? I doubt any intake would ever notice.

The difference is .023", surely nothing to get your panties in a wad about... IF you had heads that were cut more than .030, maybe...

Plus it was the '69 & '70 that had a shorter deck...

351 Engine Swap

Reply #26 –
Putting a 351w in a Bird should be a piece of cake compared to a big block ...check out the install of my 460.

Stock TC hood...performer intake...1/2 phenolic spacer..14 x 3 Moroso air cleaner.



Alan Mackin--Semi Professional Ford der
83 T-Bird 460
83 T-Bird Heritage 5.0
84 T-Bird 5.0
86 T-Bird Turbo Coupe NHRA Stocker & Super Stocker
87 T-Bird Turbo Coupe
88 Bronco II Drag truck 302
95 Mustang GT auto
2004 F-350 CC Dually V-10

351 Engine Swap

Reply #27 –
There's a surprising ammount of clearance to get at the plugs with the 460 in there.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

351 Engine Swap

Reply #28 –
Quote from: thunderjet302;171063
There's a surprising ammount of clearance to get at the plugs with the 460 in there.


Yes there is...almost easier than a small block.

Alan Mackin--Semi Professional Ford der
83 T-Bird 460
83 T-Bird Heritage 5.0
84 T-Bird 5.0
86 T-Bird Turbo Coupe NHRA Stocker & Super Stocker
87 T-Bird Turbo Coupe
88 Bronco II Drag truck 302
95 Mustang GT auto
2004 F-350 CC Dually V-10

351 Engine Swap

Reply #29 –
Hey bearmax, did you have any problems with the headers clearing everything? If not what kind are you running? Thanks!
:birdsmily: