. I do have the Crane 'Hi-Intensity' lifters in my 351W which are supposed to bleed down a little at idle and make the cam seem a little bit smaller at idle... and they prolly resist pump up at higher RPMs, as well... but I'm also running much lower spring pressures... at least at valve closed height... and I run 10W-30 oil...


. In OP's case, now suspect it's likely ignition and/or fuel problem... can be a bear to figure out if two simultaneous problems... but, fortunately, it's usually just one...

 

Good lord! 5-6k must really scream! I 3,500 sounds like Armageddon is busting out of the pipes in my 400.

 

. When I first got my used boat with the 351W, it seemed like the engine was screaming at WOT... but once I got the tach hooked up and working, I discovered it wasn't going over 3600... and blipping the throttle in neutral barely got to 4000... because someone had installed a cam in that 351W that was smaller even than the cam Mercruiser spec'd for a 302"... prolly one of those wimpy 125 HP 302" Mustang II car emissions cams... and one of the pistons was deeper dish than the others... looked like a smoker's ashtray... LOL! ... and my 19' 351W hotrod boat wasn't as fast as my bigger 22' 302" fishing boat... so began rebuild and buildups on the '77 351W looking for 1960's type power... and more...

 

Check out this video 61Steven, a cleveland crankin 7,000 RPM!


And if you really want to listen to some noise, watch this guy racing his Falcon GT

 

. 351 Cleveland has a shorter stroke and better pistons, rod, crank, than 400 Cleveland... would like to have heard 2 or 3 more gears higher of that 351C...


. looks like that Falcon couldn't keep up with that GM/Holden/Chevy... prolly wasting too much power making noise... LOL!

 

Definitely could use another gear or two.

 

At 7k that first video sounded like a damn F1 car! I never knew that these engines cold turn that much, let alone in a street car.

 

BuzzLOL,

To me it sounds like a drag motor in a road race car, probably great power but not tractable. He either needs a lot more suspension / chassis work or, more likely to back the camshaft down a couple of notches.

 

Does it idle? If so the cam is too mild! Lol

 

Double post.

 

There's a video of a race boat somewhere with a cleveland cranking 9,500 RPM!!!! I looked for it but I couldn't find it.

 

8300 sounds pissed!

Sent from my mind thanks to the Internet and an app.

 

And here I am, scared to hit 5500.... Lol

 

So I should t be worried to hit 5500 on a stock bottom end? I held 1st gear to 4800 last night before shifting. Just trying to figure out what shifting would be like with a high speed governor.

 

. What is the highest RPM reached in Drive before it auto shifts?


. I wouldn't fear taking the short stroke 351C out to 6,500 (6,000 with stock cast pistons)... like I do with my stock bottom end 351W (hypereutectic cast pistons)... but taking the long stroke 400's over 6,000 very often may be a different matter...


. Of course, your 204/214 cam prolly loses power quickly after 5500...