I've pretty much decided that i'm going to rebuild the 351M thats in my 79 F150. I'm going to build it as a 400, eventually though. It's nearly all stock form 1979. Should i find some new heads for it or just get them cleaned up?

 

Have'em cleaned & checked for cracks then go for it.

 

Bill,
got a set of aussie heads, 2v closed, tell me what do with them next?
heard all sorts of stories pro and con
I am polishing exhaust ports, now read I should probly round edges on combustion chamber and polish them some. installing new valves and matched springs( am running 4v springs)
question are the spring tention same on intake and exhaust?
new sets One has green stripe one set has white stripe, no paper to tell witch is witch. also need info on proper set up for full roller rockers, screw in studs and mainly guides, do I have to mill pedistals? running 4v springs to keep lifter float minminal using roller lifters and harded pushrods, I don't plan on twisting this engine hard (rev limit set 4000) but know 351M have top end oiling problems and want to eliminate friction, also am installing external oil line melling hi vo oil pump, timing is kept content by c-n-c planetary gear set.
I am feeding through a low restriction hi flow filter through a new Holley truck advenger 680 cfm(a little large but price was right)
proformer 400 intake port matching to heads exhailing through flow tech headers also port matched out 3 inch un restricted dual exhaust to the front of back tire exit.
have rv cam looking for dual pattern that favors exhaust side
have stock 351M (1977 4x4) low end moly rings.
fire from hi energy mallory coil and mallory vac adv dis with manual remote retard set up piggy back cd ignition with rev limiter. thinking about not runing piggy back and just run cd system for the closed chambers, I hear closed chamber don't require multiple spark sequence as do open chambers.
do your performance tune. after dialing cam.
will run on pump gas as daily driver locally, used to recover 02-04's (road kill) looking sounding good.
maybe pull at county fair.
what have I done correct what am I doing wrong?
I have read much of your experence with this sleeping beast and have ultmost respect for your thoughts as they concure with the other true tried and tested clevland authorities from my area that also have been there done that walk the walk know the talk and not reading out of some mag written by a chev lover gm knows best author who is convenced investing time and money into a 351m is just beating a dead horse, I'd bet who ever subscribes to this notion never owned one.
have $6873.41 invested to date 03/11/04 this rebuild that started by replacing exhaust manifolds that had cracked to be sure it would pass saftey inspection(we don't have emisitions test) of course many bolts broke off, not wanting to pull engine removed covers to pul heals and found ALL valves had hard seats beat off the steams and had mushroomed one that came off with the touch and tried to take my finger and face with it( mental note to self....dont lean over a spring to play with a broken retainer) once i got a look inside of motor and seen the peening job done by these hardened peiced of meatal floating around, I found myself taking off another peice and shaking my head in awah of how this engine held together, one part lead to another and now I,m trying to get her back together rite. she has never made me walk home, I sorta fell I owe her for all the YEARS of domestic abuse i've delt her starting in my teen years progressing and perfecting to the present. I can't find a dimond ring to fit her so i decided to out fit her with new crome and fresh paint while I figure out this presonality transplant.
I've ordered a performance standard auto tranny that will hold any rpm in any gear to bolt to my new 202 devider, will rear housings take this new and inproved design or can you think of any other pit falls I might stumble into or get snaged by?
I know I feel I'm asking alot from you, I also know you have alot to offer. you seem to me to be the person whom enjoys sharing your lifes passion for these ol fords, i'm interested to what you have to share. thanks!

 

There's quite a few threads on the Aussie heads here, you might want to take a look at them. Basically they should be "massaged" just like any other head, polish the chambers, unshroud the valves, pocket port and smooth (not polish) the ports. You're going to have to be very careful about the compression ratio with these heads. It would be ideal to get a dished piston with the dish corresponding to the shape and location of the combustion chamber to maximize quench. You could easily run 9.5 or 10:1 compression depending on what grade fuel you use.

I've never seen an engine with different spring rates for exhaust & intake so I'm not sure what to tell you about the stripes. Probably a good idea to contact the spring manuf.

Are you talking about roller lifters or roller rockers? Roller lifters require much higher spring rates than flat tappet cams and would require studs, guideplates and hardened pushrods. If you just want roller rockers then you can either have the pedestals milled and install studs & guideplates or you can get away with a conversion kit like Crane offers that doesn't require any machining or hardened pushrods.

Any decent properly functioning electronic igniton system will work just fine. IMO an MSD type ignition won't work any better in an open chamber than it will in a closed.

 

Yes, you have to mill pedistals for guideplates and studs.
The 351M doesn't have top end oiling problems.
Installing external oil line is a complete waste for this application.
Don't port match the performer 400 intake to heads unless you want to ruin it.
3 inch un restricted dual exhaust is WAY to big.

What are 4v springs?
Why only 4000 rpm?
Timing is kept content by c-n-c planetary gear set? What?
Manual remote retard set up piggy back cd ignition with rev limiter? What? Why?
Closed chamber don't require multiple spark sequence as do open chambers? Huh?
I'm not sure where all this info comes from, but you need new sources.

 

Brian, as well as any other clevland builder.

Have 351M stock with aussie heads, full roller set up, alum intake, holley carb, headers all the trimmings.

send me a set up to consider, I'll run it throught a desk top dyno.
explain all modifcations, natural asperated only, Pump gas.
max horse and torque, daily driver (Ie- I want it to last at moderate duty rate-towing pulling extended time periods and distances) also play in mud from time to time.

Start at one end or top to bottom, all you guys feel free to jump in here, pictures will be supplied when finished whith what comes to be the best ideas.

I always consider other professionals ideas, don't be shy.
Money is no object but you have to use only the list if main parts,
stock 351M block 0 deck +.30 and aussie 2v Heads -.10 two sides
point me in the right direction.

thanks in advance.

 

"send me a set up to consider, I'll run it throught a desk top dyno.
explain all modifcations, natural asperated only, Pump gas.
max horse and torque, daily driver (Ie- I want it to last at moderate duty rate-towing pulling extended time periods and distances) also play in mud from time to time.

Start at one end or top to bottom, all you guys feel free to jump in here, pictures will be supplied when finished whith what comes to be the best ideas."

Generally that's not how things are done here, that's asking a lot from people's time. The best advice on any build will come from researching archived posts, otherwise you're just limiting yourself to a couple opinions.

If you are doing a complete rebuild, most will agree the 400 is a much better way to go. The extra 50ci is the easiest, most cost efffective way to make more power.

There's a lot of hype on the net about Aussie heads. They are not God's gift to the 335 series engine. They are harder to set up properly and cost a lot more than most people know.

 

yes you are correct to my surprise, but that being so and that being what I'm stuck with along with $6378.47 of other assorted parts.
I just want to make lemon aid now.
the more I research, the more confussed it gets.
why should it be so hard to find good solid advice on the same engine. most builders agree at a base level but have their own tricks and twist.

I have found with this engine, I don't think you could find two builders in the same room that agree on much with the 351M to wake up the beast that I know is inside it.

Ifin something doesn't work out I'm gonna have to buy a creat 350 and stuff in it.

thanks for the reply

 

I think we already started to agree the best bang for your buck is the easy 50ci increase of a 400 crank and pistons.

The first thing that comes to mind with a 351m is when is it going to become a 400.

P.S. Pictures?, planetary gears?, not only do you have me baffled, but you have also succesfuly hijacked this thread.

 

somebody tell me how to put pictures on this thing.

Hijacked this thread?
I figured this was a Ford site.

explain the picture thing, I'll flash a photo and give info ifin someone might want to order there own then you'll be rid of me.

You have one cam gear,
you have one crank gear.
then you have two plentary gears or a set that floats between them keeping constant valve timing ending that dreadfull ford Stretch on even roller chains making dialing the cam in a more enjoyable task.
Sorry i miss quoted they come from TMD Riverside Cali
(909) 369-0200
Fit 351C 351M 400

Now I'm a terrorist, thanks pal you've just named my next mud truck.

Peace out,
I'd stay but i've gotta go dig a hole in the mountians to hide in.

 

You can put pictures on the forums by adding them to your gallery then using the "Forum codes" link and cutting & pasting the picture links into your message.

We've discussed the pros & cons of gear drives here recently. Basically it ended up:

Cons:

More expensive, no performance increase, potential cam damage because you eliminate the shock absorbtion inherent in a timing chain

Pros:

They sound really cool

 

Hey guys thanks for all the replys, i'm a little short on money at the moment, so this project is gonna take some time, but i plan on driving this truck for a long time so it'll be worth it. I've got to get a good camera to take pics as i do this too.
I did just recently get a set of dynomax full length headers and b&m shift kit starting out to get this rig ready to go. It's starting to wake up more and more every day, sounding better and quicker response when I mash the gas.
I'm looking for some good ideas as I wait to strike oil in my backyard.

 

People have begun to parrot the phrase "Aussie heads" any time heads are mentioned. Most of them don't seem to have any idea what Aussie heads really are, what effect they have on the engine, and how hard they are to set up for street use.

This person just mentioned he'd like some tips for a minor 351 buildup, and suddenly "Aussie heads" are in the fray. It just gets a little irritating after awhile.

"There's a lot of hype on the net about Aussie heads. They are not God's gift to the 335 series engine. They are harder to set up properly and cost a lot more than most people know."

Very well said.

 

I think a pair of Aussie heads would realy wake up a 400. Unfortunetly it would require higher grades of gas. I would love to afford a engine combo like that and still maintain daily drivability. Good gas they key, and the ever so present money factor.

 

Could you break this total down into parts cost? It would help me figure out the best way to make lemonade.