Once you get above 408 the kits start to burn oil due to the wrist pin location. How that affects it, I don't know. But, I do know they burn oil. I know if mine ever has to be rebuilt, and if I have the money I'm going to build a low end torque 408.

 

351w miles 30,000 no headers or carb

Would this be a better option? For simplicity sake, would I be able to get away with bolting my top end junk on this block with better results than what I have now?

 

If the engine is what the guy says it is, then there shouldn't be a problem swapping your top end to that one.

 

What I dont see anyone saying is how hed have to buy another intake manifold cause a 302 manifold wont fit a 351 as its not wide enough.

 

Didn't realize that part. He could buy a new one and always sell the old one.

 

Ironically enough, I have a 351w manifold sitting in my garage. Was going to use it on my old truck but never got around to it.

But heads and headers will swap, correct?

 

I wouldn't buy a "fresh short block". I don't take a Craigslist sellers word for anything, and certainly not the condition of an engine. I would, though, buy a used 351W, tear it down, and take the block, crank, and rods to the machine shop asking how far each needs to be machined to be "new". Then I'd buy, or have them buy, the correct pistons to get to my desired compression ratio with the heads I have. And that will let the machine shop do all the work on the engine, buy the right rings, gaskets, and bearings, and hand you back an engine kit. Just assemble and enjoy.

But, Rusty is right that the 302's intake is too narrow for the W. And, if you tear the 302 down make absolutely certain that you tag each lifter as it comes out because they are mated to the cam and you cannot move them to a different lobe or they'll self pdf-destruct.

 

That and the fact that the rod angle on a 427W stroker is no wheres near as ideal as it is for a 351W, the engine will wear out a lot sooner.

For me I am thinking about getting aluminum Edelbrock Performer heads with the emission setup for the EGR valve, run either a oem 4bbl manifold or a Edelbrock Performer manifold with 4bbl EGR plate and either a oem autolite 4bbl carb or a Edelbrock 4bbl.

Couple that with a good Low end torque cam (guy that builds our engines, he told me good flowing heads with a RV cam is no good, that the better flow heads kill the low rpm power.), and maybe some shorty headers. Might just stick with the oem exhaust manifolds if they are the better ones that will build low end trq better than the shorty headers would.

That is what I was planning on. The truck has a good amount of power for a 302 with 31x10.50-15 tires, just want a little more low end grunt for mine.

Now I have mixed signals on what the orignal poster wants to do with this engine. Sounds like he wants high rpm so he can spin the tires like crazy in the mud, like ive seen done all too common at mud events. personally id say get low rpm trq and dont worry about high rpm, generally you dont want to spin your tires too fast in mud as it does nothing but digs you deeper in and gets you stuck. Ive always let the engine pull itself through in low, but then again I guess not much fun is found in that.

 

heads will swap not too sure on headers as a 351W is a wider block the headers might not fit in the vehicle.

A trick Ive seen a lot of people do is take a 351W head and slap it on a 302 for better performance. Thing is though I cant recall which way it is but I think if you use 351W heads on a 302 block you have to use different bolts.

 

I'm really just trying to get the truck to do what my last truck did. It had a 351 stock pushing 42" swampers with 5:13 gears. Wasn't a rocket but it had plenty of oomph to clear the tires.

The truck I have now seems to not even want to spin the 36's that are on it. I was hoping the 4:88's would be enough but the truck as a whole just kind of left me thinking "this is it?"

It revs nice and high in park, but put a load on it and it seems like it just wants to bog down. I know I still have a lot of learning and tuning to do, but if I'm at a point where I should cut my losses in favor of a 351 to get me where I want to be, then that's the route I'd rather take.

 

Guy I know I think said it best.

HP is how fast you hit the wall, Trq is how far you push it.

In this case you want torque, and a 302 can make good trq but with a 36" tire it might not make enough trq to be good. I am very happy with the performance of my stock 302 with stock axle ratio and 31" tires. So I am thinking it might be as others said, if it has a high rpm cam put in there but the bottom end wasnt changed, then you are making no compression and thus no power.

With 4.88`s and a 36" tire, it should run better than the truck did stock with 2.95"1 axle ratio with the stock 27" tires. If its not then its the engine is the problem. Thing is though you could bump up the compression by having the short block redone to bring compression up might be cheaper than getting a 351W engine and then having it reconditioned.

 

Understood. I have a ton of reading and learning to do before I choose a direction.

Here's a video of it idling with the restrictive exhaust taken off.

 

sounds like it has a little bit of a cam in it, doesnt sound too big of a cam though.

 

Aluminum Cylinder Heads - Ford - Small-Block - Performer RPM - Edelbrock, LLC.

I'm pretty certain these are the heads. Gotta double check the number when I'm home from work in the morning.

 

That's an old trick with old hard to find 351w heads that had the larger valves. They are very hard to find now, they were only made in the late 60's and very early 70's.

Starting in 1978, 351w heads are EXACTLY the same as 302 heads, except the head bolts are larger on the 351w. A 302 head can be drilled out for the larger head bolts, and they have adapter washers you can buy to put 351w heads on a 302.