The 351 Windsor Ford Engine
Before the Windsor arrived, the first 351 cubic inch engine found in the Ford F-series was based on the Ford M-block, destroked from a 400 block to make 351 cubic inches. This motor was originally intended to replace the 390 big block in the 1977 model year, although it made quite a bit less power than the 390 (offering just 163hp). The 351M, as it was known, was the only 351 option until 1980, when the 351 Windsor was introduced.
The 1980 351cubic inch engines both offered 136 horsepower until 1983 when the 351M was phased out and the 351 Windsor got an increase to 150 horsepower. A year later, the 351 high output(W HO) was offered and with 210 horsepower it was the most powerful engine available in a Ford truck next to the 460 Big Block, and the 351W HO was the most powerful engine available in the F150. The 351W offered 150 and 210 horsepower until 1985 when the lower powered 351 was discontinued.
Throughout these early years of the 351, all versions were carbureted, but in 1987, Ford began phasing in fuel injected motors. Along with their new EFI, they began listing their engines by their size in liters, so the 351 became known as the 5.8L. There was still a carbureted 5.8L making 210 horsepower in 1987, but this was the final year. In 1988, the only 5.8L available was the fuel injected version that made the same horsepower, but the EFI engine made 10 more lb-ft of torque than the carb versions. This 351/5.8L offered 210hp and 315lb-ft of torque through 1992, with a slight drop in power and torque in 1993 (200/310) but in 1994, the horsepower returned to 210 and the torque reached a new high for the F150 with 325.
In 1994-1996 there was a special high output 5.8L used in the Ford Lightning sport truck. It made 240 horsepower and 340 lb-ft of torque, thanks to a set of high flowing GT40 heads, and a handful of other modifications made the Lightning one of the fastest trucks to date.
The 351/5.8L engine proved to be very popular in its later forms, but in 1997 Ford introduced their modular engine series to the F-series pickups and all of the previous engines were discontinued.
