I bought the truck about 4 mounths ago with the valve cover off of the motor. It has the 351w and a C6 trans, 4x4 8in lift and brand new 38.5" Gumbo monster mudder tires on mickey thompson rims. I got it to the house today and drained the oil. Lo and behold its half full of water. I put used oil in it and put PB blaster down each plug hole. To my suprise the motor turns over fairly well. It has new plugs cap and rotor and when i turn the key it attempts to fire, but does not start. I do not see a gas line on here from the tank, but even with either or gas in the carb it will not fire up. Any suggestions on what I should do/look for in this thing?

 

Do a compression test. It also needs a pressure test on the water system to check for cracks, but that equipment is too expensive for most backyard mechanics.

It's probably safe to assume there is something wrong the engine, and it's going to need a overhaul. I bet you got a deal on it correct? If I were you, I would keep my eye out in people's back yards looking for old Ford cars and trucks. I bet you can find a old LTD or something with a 351w in it used.

 

Here's some junkyards in Ohio that have some used 351w's.

Year
Part
Model Description Miles Part
Grade Stock# US
Price Dealer Info
1996
Engine
Ford Van E350, W (5.8L, VIN H)-MAROON 1,000 A K3196 $1000.06 Brims Imports Auto USA-OH(Kenton) Request_Quote 1-800-221-3874 Request_Insurance_Quote
1995
Engine
Ford Bronco Full Size 8-351W (5.8L, VIN H), AIR in head- 151,000 A K3739 $1000.06 Brims Imports Auto USA-OH(Kenton) Request_Quote 1-800-221-3874 Request_Insurance_Quote
1996
Engine
Ford Truck F350 8-351W (5.8L, VIN H), AIR in head-GREEN N1217 $800.07 Brims Imports Auto USA-OH(Kenton) Request_Quote 1-800-221-3874 Request_Insurance_Quote
1994
Engine
Ford Truck F250 11.93,4X4,MPI,5.8H,AOD,XLT,133 91,000 A 07338 $750 Kenny's Auto Wrecking USA-OH(Lima) Request_Quote 1-800-686-1871 Request_Insurance_Quote
1994
Engine
Ford Van E150, 5.8L (W, VIN H)- GOOD RUNNER-U A01200 $750 Adelman's Truck & Van Parts USA-OH(Canton) Request_Quote 1-330-452-9329 Request_Insurance_Quote
1994
Engine
Ford Truck F350 F350, W (5.8L, VIN H)-5.8 100,000 A G0078 $700.07 Brims Imports Auto USA-OH(Kenton) Request_Quote 1-800-221-3874 Request_Insurance_Quote
1996
Engine
Ford Truck F150 W (5.8L), exc. Lightning; (VIN H); AIR 1,000 A O1266 $700.07 Brims Imports Auto USA-OH(Kenton) Request_Quote 1-800-221-3874 Request_Insurance_Quote
1995
Engine
Ford Truck 150 RUNS GOOD,HAS MISS,NEEDS TUNE UP 114,726 A 10141 $675 Walt's Auto Inc. USA-OH(Springfield) Request_Quote 1-800-325-7564 Request_Insurance_Quote
1994
Engine
Ford Truck F350 COMPLETE A01739 $650 Adelman's Truck & Van Parts USA-OH(Canton) Request_Quote 1-330-452-9329 Request_Insurance_Quote
1994
Engine
Ford Bronco 3-94,RWD,EFI,5.8,AUTO,XLT RE,DK B1037 $650 A-1 Auto Parts USA-OH(Toledo) E-mail 1-800-449-7773
1996
Engine
Ford Truck F150 W (5.8L), exc. Lightning; (VIN H); AIR 182,000 A M1596 $600.07 Brims Imports Auto USA-OH(Kenton) Request_Quote 1-800-221-3874 Request_Insurance_Quote
1994
Engine
Ford Truck F250 W (5.8L, VIN H)- RUN'S GREAT-U A01229 $600 Adelman's Truck & Van Parts USA-OH(Canton) Request_Quote 1-330-452-9329 Request_Insurance_Quote
1994
Engine
Ford Truck F250 42K /.BAD TRANS/ 42,000 A 10C016 $600 306 Auto Parts & Wrecking USA-OH(Novelty) Request_Quote 440-338-4000 Request_Insurance_Quote
1994
Engine
Ford Truck F250 not Super Duty RunsGood!5.8l,at,may/have/been/c hanged/before! 184,183 A OP5944 $550 Westwood Auto And Truck Parts USA-OH(Toledo) Request_Quote 1-866-317-9271 Request_Insurance_Quote
1995
Engine
Ford Bronco 5.8L,VIN H,RUNS, 153,000 A $T7116 $550 LKQ - Triplett ASAP USA-OH(Akron) Request_Quote 1-800-822-5555 Request_Insurance_Quote
1995
Engine
Ford Van incin 173k 173,775 A JK08158 $550 Clayton Auto Parts - ARAPro, MIDW USA-OH(Clayton) Request_Quote 1-800-325-1365 Request_Insurance_Quote
1995
Engine
Ford Truck F150 5.8L exc lightning AIR in head--197K 197,000 A YA-A47 $550 Cartoons Auto Salvage USA-OH(Wilmington) Request_Quote 1-866-383-4477 / 1-937-655-9364 Request_Insurance_Quote
1994
Engine
Ford Van E350, 5.8L (8-351W, VIN H)-NEED OILPAN 7H3283 $500.68 Central City Auto Parts USA-OH(Columbus) Request_Quote 1-800-357-7969 Request_Insurance_Quote
1994
Engine
Ford Truck F250 8-351W (5.8L, VIN H),5.8L,250,474 MI,RT GOOD-250K 250,000 C FOPU41 $500 Rt. 43 Auto Parts, Inc. USA-OH(Carrollton) Request_Quote 1-330-627-7700 Request_Insurance_Quote
1994
Engine
Ford Truck 250 5.8L,MFI,E40D,4X2,XL,Factory 1A1762 $500 Helman Auto Parts USA-OH(Sidney) Request_Quote 1-800-231-8733 Request_Insurance_Quote
1994
Engine
Ford Truck 250 RUN GOOD 162,000 A DH3384 $500 Creston Auto Recycling USA-OH(Creston) Request_Quote 1-800-210-3349 Request_Insurance_Quote
1994
Engine
Ford Van E350 5.8,RE JOE Z,VIN 1FTJE34H7RHB84164 E350 $500 A-1 Auto Parts USA-OH(Toledo) E-mail 1-800-449-7773
1994
Engine
Ford Van E150, 5.8L (8-351W, VIN H)-DR-IN GOOD 195,000 A 09D041 $500 306 Auto Parts & Wrecking USA-OH(Novelty) Request_Quote 440-338-4000 Request_Insurance_Quote
1994
Engine
Ford Truck F150 CG VERIFIED IN HEAD 0 A 033262 $500 C & M Auto Salvage USA-OH(New-Springfield) Request_Quote 1-330-549-2856 Request_Insurance_Quote
1994
Engine
Ford Truck F250 134,700 A G0146 $450 Expressway Auto Parts, Ltd. USA-OH(Crestline) Request_Quote 1-419-683-4415 Request_Insurance_Quote
1994
Engine
Ford Van -145900 145,000 070147 $450 Cableline Auto Recycling USA-OH(Diamond) Request_Quote 1-330-358-7910 Request_Insurance_Quote
1994
Engine
Ford Bronco Full Size 5.8-136K 136,000 A 100506 $450 Auto & Truck Recycling of Marengo USA-OH(Marengo) Request_Quote 419-253-0403 Request_Insurance_Quote
1994
Engine
Ford Van 250 Series 5.8,AOD,3-94,MFI, RUNS PERFECTLY 10086 $449 Lancaster Auto Recycling USA-OH(Lancaster) Request_Quote 1-800-860-1297 Request_Insurance_Quote
1995
Engine
Ford Van DR-IN CHECK AIR TUBE/ 172,000 A 09H075 $400 306 Auto Parts & Wrecking USA-OH(Novelty) Request_Quote 440-338-4000 Request_Insurance_Quote
1994
Engine
Ford Truck 250 5.8,A4,CHK 149,000 A KK0482 $350 Budget Auto Parts Inc. USA-OH(Ashtabula) E-mail 1-440-992-1111
1994
Engine
Mercedes E Class E350 Engine Assembly 241,000 41RE10 $350 Arlington Auto Wrecking USA-OH(Akron) Request_Quote 1-330-434-3466 Request_Insurance_Quote
1996
Engine
Ford Truck F350 -322 AND RAIL A LMM056 $350 Nationwide Auto Parts & Recycler USA-OH(Toledo) Request_Quote 1-800-962-9075 Request_Insurance_Quote
1995
Engine
Ford Bronco Full Size 5.8L,GOOD RUNNER,PW C J-0050 $Call Speedie Auto Salvage USA-OH(Dover) Request_Quote 1-800-334-9683 Request_Insurance_Quote

 

Now thats a list haha. Wish 460s were that easy.

 

First off, The valve cover being off did you check to see if all the rockers were intact? Did you look to see if a valve was dropped or hung up. Was the water clear or milky? A lot of things are going through my mind. A few are if the water is clear that while it was sitting the hood could of been left open & snow or rain got in the open V/C. With the V/C being off a problem with a valve or rocker or cracked head?????? Were the plugs real clean on the side with the V/C off? A cracked head & water getting into the combustion chambers will clean the plugs & combustion chambers real nice. Just a few thoughts

Craig

 

I have an EFI motor sitting in my garage. What do i need to swap onto it to put it in this truck?

When i drained the water it was clear. The plugs were black like it was running rich at one point in time. The rockers were all there and some of them were loose, nut i thought this is because the truck has been sitting for so long that they were collapsed. I will wheck them today and see if me turning the motor over so much uesterday tightened them up any.

Franklin 2- I got this pup for 500 bucks!!

Yeah its a little beat up, but there is really no rust on the thing. Has a good front bumper with a 10K lb winch in the front bumper. Cab, body and frame are in good shape. All i am using it for is off road.

 

I've done this with radiators, but not the engine side of it. Take a BMX type bike tube and cut it to make a long tube. Clamp each end to a water fitting and pressurize through the stem. Check it every 20 min or so and see if its dropped.

 

I am going to have to file that one away. That sounds like a good idea.

 

I have done this with a 302, but not a 351w. I would assume it would be somewhat the same.

Take all the EFI stuff off.

Tear the front of both engines down. Check/replace the timing chain on the efi engine(good insurance) and swap the upper cam gear retainer from the old engine over to the efi to run the fuel pump properly. Install the old style timing cover, water pump, v-belt system, old fan, old style distributor, etc. Then drop it in place with a carb intake on it.

 

Can i just use and externally mounted fuel pump for the carb instead of swapping the covers? Why would i have to use the old vbelt system and not just put the intake and carb on the newer motor and drop it in? I am asking because I do not know and havenever done this before. It looks to me like it would work just fine.

 

If you want to go buy and wire and plumb in a electric fuel pump, you can.

If you have all the accessories on the front of the new engine, and they will fit the truck, you can use the serpentine setup. This means the power steering pump and all the rest. It also means the alternator needs to be the same, a lot of the serpentine setups used a newer style alternator, so that may or may not require a rewire of the truck's alternator harness. You will need the serpentine fan, assuming the waterpump and fan on your efi engine run on the backside of the belt(turn backwards compared to a v-belt fan).

Most used engines with any miles on them need a timing chain. They usually used a upper plastic coated gear, and that should be swapped out for a metal one. If I am in there changing that out, I say why not just change everything around. It will be all original, and you can go to the store and say "I need a waterpump for a 86 f250" and they will give you the one that fits. Otherwise you will need to remember what you have, and make up some imaginary truck or tell them the year and model car it came out of to get the correct part.

You can make it work if you have enough of the parts there, but it's just personal preference how you want to handle it.