As some of ya'll are aware, I have a 351M that (I was told) came out of an '82 F250. The engine did not have a flywheel/flexplate or a starter when I bought it. I plan on mating it to a C6 trans. I know there are a number of things to consider in selecting a flexplate; pick wrong and the motor is toast in a few miles. Can anyone tell me which flexplate to get (tooth count, weight, diameter, imbalance, etc)? Anything I should be aware of before <NOBR style="FONT-FAMILY: inherit; COLOR: darkgreen; FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-WEIGHT: normal" id=itxt_nobr_0_0>buying</NOBR> a starter or is it simply buying one that fits the 460? Finally, should i stick with the shorty bellhousing or will the tall one fit as well? The engine/trans will be going in my '54. The cab floor is relatively flat so I'm concerned that the tall C6 bellhousing may not sit in the engine bay right; concerned it could hit the firewall. Any and all info appreciated.

 

the c6 only has one bell housing that fits a 351m which is the same bolt pattern as the 460 family, and the bell housing is part of the case so there is no swapping unless you swap the entire case, and I believe there are only 3 different cases, FE, Small bock, big block there are also 2 different tail shaft housings and 2 different tailshafts to go along with them one being 4x4 the other set being 2wd

 

As Dan mentioned, since the 351M uses the tall, big block style bellhousing pattern (351M-400-429-460), you don't have the choice to use anything else. It shouldn't be an issue to have it fit. Worse case, your engine sits a little farther forward for bellhousing to firewall clearance.

It's best to know what your trans came out of, that way you can get the correct flexplate and starter for that application. The starter bolts to the transmission, not the engine, and the flexplate size/tooth count needs to match the starter location dictated by the transmission case/bellhousing.

 

And the thin plate that goes between them has to match the trans.

 

I know we may have covered this, but it seemed like the 351M/C6 combination came with a lot of restrictions and difficulties.

Was there a reason you wanted the C6 as opposed to a Cruise-O-Matic - something that was more common on the back of the 351M Motor? Just curious.

 

Julie
No, no special reason I chose the 351M/C6 combo, I just thought that it was a natural pairing. I'm not aware of the difficulties you mention, and by all means am open to a better solution. I'm just about finished with the mild refreshing of the 351M and am now/have been on the hunt for a trans (i.e. Craig's List) Any insight you can share or suggestions for a tried and truecombination motor/trans will be GREATLY appreciated.
Rich

 

I think C6's will be a lot easier to find, and a much better trans than the FMX, imo. Size difference isn't that great, either.

 

Find a C-6 that fits the 351M-460 block. They are all basically the same.
Be sure to get one from a car or 2 wheel drive truck so you get a tail housing with it.
Check that the pilot on the torque converter is the right size to fit the pilot hole in the crankshaft.
Order a new flywheel/flex plate by application of what the engine came out of. Same for the starter.
You also need the plate between the engine /trans as Havi mentioned.

 

I used a C6 with my 351 Cleveland. It previously was on a 302, I know this because they were both mine. You will need to find a C6 that will also bolt to big blocks...390's and such, these C6's will bolt to the 351M and 400. 351M and the 400 are the same but the 400 has more stroke for more torque and have the same bolt pattern as the big blocks.

 

C6 castings are for 302/351W/C, the FE, and the 351M/400/429/460. That's three different versions out there. Most common, I think, would be the C6 from a late 70's/early 80's pickup 2wd (already mated with a 351M or 400). Other common ones would be late 70's Tbird/Cougar/Lincoln. A rare species, of which I have one, is the elusive C4 with D5OP bellhousing.

 

289's also will accept the C6

 

Nope no particular reason, I'm just really not enthused about the 351C/M engines. I had a 351C in my 56 and really disliked it. And the 351M is even weaker. It just seams like a lot of nothing of an engine for so much transmission - was just wondering if you had any specific requirements - towing, hauling and such. A matter of personal choice I guess.

 

I may get flamed for this but in my opinion the 351 Cleveland is the best motor Ford ever built. Very easy to work on and also can build lots of power with the 4v heads. People tend to over carb the Clevelands therefore discover poor performance. Found this out first hand, put an Edelbrock intake on the Cleveland then put a Edelbrock 600 and was very tame. Put the stock intake and a Holley 2 barrel back on and it ran very strong. I am also fond of the 5.0 motors. For a tranny I prefer the C6. I know this is the wrong forum for these items but just giving my opinion.

 

Sorry, but this is incorrect. The 351M and 400 have the same bellhousing boltpattern as the 429 and 460. The FE version, which includes the 390, 428, 427, 352, and several other sizes, have a totally different bolt pattern all their own. The C6 bellhousing is intregal with the transmission case so there is three different versions available, and as such you would need an FE trans for FE engines, a small block trans for small block engines, and a tall deck 335 series or 385 series transmission for those engines.

 

Yep, I think it's all subjective. Some people love them - and that's super! To each there own! It make this hobby great.

With me I deliberately used a 289 with Overdrive 3 spd in my 55 for economy It was a reasonable motor and got great mileage. At the time I was doing a lot of long distance commuting between school in Oregon and San Diego I had both a 55 running board tank and a 56 cab tank. I could drive the distance of California without buying gas.

On my 56 the 351C didn't seen to offer any better performance than the 289. It was in the truck when I bought it. It didn't seen to offer any more power or maintenance ease than the 289 but the mileage was less. Maybe I expected too much, or was really looking for something different.

Now this 390 is a whole different story! I used to have a 67 GTO with a 400 in it and the 390 in the truck is as quick as that Goat. So at the moment I'm pretty enthused about FEs.

Hey some folks wouldn't have anything but a flathead. It's all good - just a personal preference based on my experiences.