351 in a T-Bird?

Topic: 351 in a T-Bird? (Read 4851 times) previous topic - next topic

351 in a T-Bird?

Reply #15 – April 10, 2009, 08:28:04 PM

Quote from: odie12372;266785

Well I really would prefer to keep the car efi If at all possible....but I want the High Output... Would the Intake off a 5.0 HO work?

Nope, a 351 is taller and wider... The only 5.0 parts that interchange with a 5.0 are the heads(except for Lightning, 351s generally has the same E7 as HO 5.0), front cover, cam and lifters, but only the '94-'95 351s use a roller cam...

The only EFI 351 that could even remotely be considered a direct swap, would be one from a '93-'95 F-150 Lightning and I couldn't find one to swap in my Tbird 10 years ago... Did find a complete drive train from one for $3600, but I had no use for the huge E4OD tranny or the rear end... Plus it was going to have to be shipped which was the deal breaker... Five or six years later I bought a complete '93 Lightning for not much more that that engine, tranny and rear was going to cost shipped...

Even if complete, those will require a different throttle body(or the lever reversed, easier said than done), Fox oil pan and wiring changes to accommodate the EEC... This assumes you get and use the Lightning accessories...

351 in a T-Bird?

Reply #16 – April 10, 2009, 08:33:24 PM

Does anyone even read anything anymore? Should we get pictures?

351 in a T-Bird?

Reply #17 – April 10, 2009, 08:42:15 PM

Well I called a junk yard here... They want $600.00 For a 96 f-250 351w...

351 in a T-Bird?

Reply #18 – April 10, 2009, 10:54:02 PM

http://www.pricemotorsport.com/html/body_intake_adapters.html Ask these guys if their intake adapter will allow a 5.0 EFI setup to work on a 351W. I know they're more carb oriented, but wouldn't hurt to ask. Just my $.02

addition to post #12

Reply #19 – April 10, 2009, 10:59:20 PM

1974 was the last year for the 351 cleveland. They kept the engine about the same after that but the emissions bullsh*t killed the power/torque and from then on it was called a modified

351 in a T-Bird?

Reply #20 – April 10, 2009, 11:06:13 PM

The 5.0 EFI intake bolts on same as a carb intake... I can't see paying the price for those and bolting on a POS HO intake though... At the minimum I'd use an Explorer intake... Issue on either, will it fit under the hood...

Quote from: wnt2gofst;266809

and from then on it was called a modified

From '75-'80 the 351 Cleveland headed engines(modified) were built in the taller 400 block, which used the big block bellhousing bolt pattern... They could be built to perform, but a 400 gave 50 more cubes in an exact same size package... And if you going for cubes no need to stop there, 460 is the way to go...

351 in a T-Bird?

Reply #21 – April 10, 2009, 11:09:32 PM

Quote from: TurboCoupe50;266814

The 5.0 EFI intake bolts on same as a carb intake... I can't see paying the price for those and bolting on a POS HO intake though... At the minimum I'd use an Explorer intake... Issue on either, will it fit under the hood...

I personally wouldn't go that route either. But if the OP really wanted EFI on a 351W in his car, then that seems the only real way of doing it without breaking the bank on a Megasquirt. I think?

351 in a T-Bird?

Reply #22 – April 10, 2009, 11:24:39 PM

Quote from: HAVI;266815

that seems the only real way of doing it without breaking the bank on a Megasquirt. I think?

If one were lucky, could find a 5.8 GT40 lower(Lighting & Ford Racing only)reasonable and bolt on a Explorer upper... Again I dunno if it will fit under a stock hood... The GT40 upper on the 5.8 intake just barely clears... A Cobra upper is about 3/4" taller than a GT40...

351 in a T-Bird?

Reply #23 – April 12, 2009, 06:27:51 PM

If this 5.8 has any street manners at all...the truck lower and a powerbox would not be too bad. Port the lower and it could be the cheapest intake available. Also consider the Hurricane and E-Brock elbow can be very cheap and short on torque for the street.

351 in a T-Bird?

Reply #24 – May 01, 2009, 04:58:41 PM

I couldn't even come close to finding a Lightning lower for a reasonable price, and when I did (3 times) all deals fell through because they sold to "local" guys.

I ended up porting the living sh*t out of the 5.8 truck lower and buying a BC Broncos adapter($100 shipped to me)to put a stock HO upper on...the 5.8 truck/van lower has a seriously short height...the upper intake is much lower than the lightning...I'm still antiting hood clearance issues. I wouldn't recommed this method if you're trying to build something really serious or if you don't have access to the necessary tools/knowledge to really hog one of those lower intakes out.

Also, if using the 5.8 truck/van lower, there is no provision for the PCV, so you'll have to use the passenger side stamped steel valve cover (with PCV hole) on the driver side to clear everything.

I plan on running my set-up with SD....if the vacuum signal is right (proper cam selection) it shouldn't have any major drivability issues. The super secret cam I bought for my 5.8 is a flat-tappet equivalent to the lightning cam...plus a little...it is specifically for SD.

I also plan to run all the stock 5.0 Bird accessory brackets on it, there will be no problem with the alt. bracket (although the truck/van bracket looks like it'll place the alternator lower), but I'll have to modify the PS/AC bracket to reach the water pump studs, it'll bolt to the head with no problem.

I've seen a lot of people spend $400+ on a set of fuel rails for 5.8's...you can just take a set of 5.0 rails and, using a razor blade, cut through the rubber outter hose and then the inner plastic hose and replace them with the proper 5/16" fuel injection hose available from any parts store...also, use high pressure hose clamps.

Good luck,
Don

351 in a T-Bird?

Reply #25 – May 19, 2009, 01:30:33 AM

I helped do a 351 swap last summer into a fox stang. Lots of small issues as things should fit but do not. One myth is that you can use a oil pan from a van or 4X4. It fit but the motor would have to be shim up to clear the cross member. easier and not expensive oil pan from Ford motorsorts fit. The wiring to switch to a carb was a c but can be done with help from internet and basic knowledge. If you have good backyard skills and time it is a good sleeper car.
Roger

351 in a T-Bird?

Reply #26 – May 20, 2009, 03:00:27 PM

Quote from: Sick88Tbird;270073

I couldn't even come close to finding a Lightning lower for a reasonable price, and when I did (3 times) all deals fell through because they sold to "local" guys.

I ended up porting the living sh*t out of the 5.8 truck lower and buying a BC Broncos adapter($100 shipped to me)to put a stock HO upper on...the 5.8 truck/van lower has a seriously short height...the upper intake is much lower than the lightning...I'm still antiting hood clearance issues. I wouldn't recommed this method if you're trying to build something really serious or if you don't have access to the necessary tools/knowledge to really hog one of those lower intakes out.

Also, if using the 5.8 truck/van lower, there is no provision for the PCV, so you'll have to use the passenger side stamped steel valve cover (with PCV hole) on the driver side to clear everything.

I plan on running my set-up with SD....if the vacuum signal is right (proper cam selection) it shouldn't have any major drivability issues. The super secret cam I bought for my 5.8 is a flat-tappet equivalent to the lightning cam...plus a little...it is specifically for SD.

I also plan to run all the stock 5.0 Bird accessory brackets on it, there will be no problem with the alt. bracket (although the truck/van bracket looks like it'll place the alternator lower), but I'll have to modify the PS/AC bracket to reach the water pump studs, it'll bolt to the head with no problem.

I've seen a lot of people spend $400+ on a set of fuel rails for 5.8's...you can just take a set of 5.0 rails and, using a razor blade, cut through the rubber outter hose and then the inner plastic hose and replace them with the proper 5/16" fuel injection hose available from any parts store...also, use high pressure hose clamps.

Good luck,
Don

Depending on head selection you may run out of injector (19 lb) with SD. My 306 hits pretty close to 100% duty cycle on the 19s above 4000 rpm at 40 psi which is why I'll be upgrading to 24s soon. Plus a MAF conversion is stupid easy to do. It took me all of a hour and a half to do ;)

351 in a T-Bird?

Reply #27 – June 02, 2009, 03:10:34 PM

Just got mine done, runs amazing, see my thread in this section.