351w
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Freshman User
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351w
I'm looking to buy a 351w its an 83 and was wondering if this is still 2 piece rear main seal or one I can't remember the year Ford went 1 piece.. Also I was wondering how good are these motors, how reliable are they... I know there's lemons and I've been told they have weak rods is this true? Thanks
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2009
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From: Chicago area
If I were looking for a 351 it would be one of the late model ones, or at least one that came with FI and not a carb. They tend to have less wear in the cylinder bores as the oil doesn't get washed off like on a carb that runs rich or floods out. The very late 351's were roller cam or at least the block was cast with that in mind. Roller cams can add HP even with similar lift to a flat tappet cam.
IF your going to use just the block and replace the lower end and heads then any year is going to work. The very early blocks were stronger but the later blocks are still good. Unless your supercharging, turbocharging, or racing it any 351 block will do fine. .
1984 was the first year of one piece seal.
IF your going to use just the block and replace the lower end and heads then any year is going to work. The very early blocks were stronger but the later blocks are still good. Unless your supercharging, turbocharging, or racing it any 351 block will do fine. .
1984 was the first year of one piece seal.
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Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2016
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If I were looking for a 351 it would be one of the late model ones, or at least one that came with FI and not a carb. They tend to have less wear in the cylinder bores as the oil doesn't get washed off like on a carb that runs rich or floods out. The very late 351's were roller cam or at least the block was cast with that in mind. Roller cams can add HP even with similar lift to a flat tappet cam.
IF your going to use just the block and replace the lower end and heads then any year is going to work. The very early blocks were stronger but the later blocks are still good. Unless your supercharging, turbocharging, or racing it any 351 block will do fine. .
1984 was the first year of one piece seal.
IF your going to use just the block and replace the lower end and heads then any year is going to work. The very early blocks were stronger but the later blocks are still good. Unless your supercharging, turbocharging, or racing it any 351 block will do fine. .
1984 was the first year of one piece seal.
Cargo Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,071
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From: British Columbia
Crankshaft seals
There are no lemons in the sense of weak engines for any natural aspirated street engines in the 351W lineup, but the late '70s to early '80s were the lowest power, so some might call them "lemons".
They also all have good rods.
The seal redesign date is not entirely clear. My 1985 Crown Vic engine has a one piece, and fairly knowledgeable people say that the change was in mid-1984. However Ford racing says the one piece fits 1982 and up.
Since your 351W is 1983, unfortunately the sources conflict for that year.
Hopefully you can tell us, when you get that far.
They also all have good rods.
The seal redesign date is not entirely clear. My 1985 Crown Vic engine has a one piece, and fairly knowledgeable people say that the change was in mid-1984. However Ford racing says the one piece fits 1982 and up.
Since your 351W is 1983, unfortunately the sources conflict for that year.
Hopefully you can tell us, when you get that far.
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