Hi, fellas.
I am rebuilding my 1983 351 Windsor. I just wanted to know what brand water pump I should get. And any other details you think I need to know. Do I need a gasket or do they come with the water pumps? Is OE replacement good enough or should I get a high flow one? And then do I need a special thermostat?
I have AFR 165 heads, Performer intake, and Comp Cams CL35-235-3 Xtreme Energy 4x4 cam.

I'm pretty new to this stuff so thank you for the help.

- Thomas

 

On the pump I get what ever the parts store can get, nothing fancy on anything I had done pumps on.
They all have come with a gasket. You will want to pull the gasket out of the box and place it between books to get it flat again.
I use a little brush on sealer on the pump side only and dry on the cover side this way when you have to do the pump again you can clean the cover side with out cuss words LOL

On the stat again what the store can get.
But know todays parts are a crap shoot if they are good or not out of the box.
Dave ----

 

Okay thank you, Dave.

Thomas

 

What about the pullies? Is there a set I should buy?

 

Any reputable name brand should be fine. Stay away from no-name or discount chain store brands. Most parts come from China these days, but the name brands at least come from the better factories.

When a parts store offers several choices, generally go with the more expensive versions. There’s a valid reason why the cheaper ones sell for less.

Be aware water pumps of this era often used a mix of SAE and metric fasteners. The bolts that thread into the block were usually SAE. Brackets that thread into the water pump could be either. Don’t be alarmed if the existing bracket bolts don’t fit. You’ll need to figure out if the new pump has SAE or metric female threads and use corresponding fasteners.

For the new thermostat, be sure to test it before installation. I’ve had several new ones bad from stock for different vehicles. No rhyme or reason, OEM, brand name, generic. It’s all a crap shoot. Test in a pot of water on the stove. The thermostat should start to open at the rated temperature and be fully open 20F higher. I’ve had such bad luck I won’t install a new thermostat without testing it first. The location on the 351W is such a pain, you’ll be glad you did.

 

From the “Questions You Didn’t Ask” department, here’s a little light reading about break-in oil and procedures for when you get ready to fire her up:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...brication.html

 

Sweet. Thanks, all.

- Thomas