I am getting ready to build a 351w to put in an '87 F150 4x4. The truck has 3.54 gears, ZF 5sp, and 33" tires. The engine (351W-2V) I have came out of an '86 F350 4x4 crew cab. It ran very strong for a stock engine, but it has lots of miles so I want to rebuild it. I will be switching to a carb. Maybe a Holley or Edelbrock 600cfm with vacuum secondaries, but I'm open to suggestions. I plan to buy one of the 351W billet distributors that use the GM HEI cap & coil. Here are my main questions. Hopefully some of you have built engines for similar applications and can help. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.

1. What is a known good combination of cam, carb, intake, header for a truck like mine? I don't want to lose all my low end torque, but I'd like to make some horsepower, too. I've been looking at the Comp Cams Extreme 4X4 #s X4262H, or X4270H.

2. Will the heads from the '86 351W-2V be decent to use? Any idea what size valves they will have? What cc? I have a friend with a machine shop, so I can get bigger valves done pretty cheap. What size is best?

3. What intake? I see alot of used Edelbrock Performers for sale, but are they any good for torque? What is the best manifold for my application?

4. Headers? Shorties or long tube? What type of exhaust? 2-1/2" duals? Turbo mufflers?

Any other suggestions?

 

i would do flowmasters i have true dual and i love it

 

1. I've always liked the Performer RPM in my opinion the Performer is just a stock replacement low-rise manifold to loose a little weight and gain a little flow. Go with the RPM you'll be happy. The Weind Stealth also seems to be a pretty popular manifold, but I don't have any personal experience with it. Edlebrock 600 cfm is a good choice, but you could also go with a Carter 625 which is a little cheaper.

2.If I was you I would ditch the '86 model heads and go with the early 351 casting known as C9 or D0 (first two digits in the casting number). These have bigger valves 1.84 intake 1.54 exhaust vs your 1.78 intake 1.48 exhaust. They also have smaller combustion chambers 60.4 cc vs your 70 or so cc. If you are going to stick with a stock replacement piston they will help you compression. Gasket match them and clean up the bowls a little and they are a decent head. Also check out this website powerheads.com they have some nice heads with good flow for a decent price. You could also go aftermarket but that gets pricy.

3. See tab 1

4. I would definitly go long tubes with true duals 2 1/2" with a cross over. Mufflers are a personal preference. Me I like my 12" glass packs

Hoped this helped some
Wheelin in Iowa

 

I say stroke it to a 393 or 408. most kits out there are about the same cost as a basic rebuild would run ya. you would need a 750 carb and the rpm performer would be more suited to it. if you stay stock the performer is a torque intake producing better power at lower rpms which for a truck is what you want. if you call compcams they can help alot if you tell them whats all getting thrown together. same with edelbrock. I to would go longtube headers but if you do true duals a cross over is very important. otherwise go with a bassini Y pipe and 3" exhaust out the stock location this will give you better low end torque and probably work better then the duals will . ive heard the weined intake is decent but couldnt tell ya were it makes its power. remember anything over 1500 rpms to start building power is useless in your rig.

have fun

 

the weiand stealth intake builds power in the idle-7,000 rpm range.i have a 351w with an edelbrock performer intake 600 cfm carb and a crane cams powermax truck cam and i love the set up.its got plenty of low end torque.the motor has also been bored 40 over and the heads are stock 351w heads with ported and polished inatake and exhaust runners.i plan on adding a set of gt40 heads and a set 1.7 roller rockers in the neart future.if you call summitracing they have a good tech line and they will be able to you out alot also.their number is 1-330-630-0240