351w restoration....
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351w restoration....
hi, i am new to this forum and would appreciate your help as i am building a 351w engine for either my 1990 f150 or 86 mustang (undecided as to where im gonna put it as of yet).
i just bought a short block 351w and there is a bit of surface rust on the cylinder walls and surface of the crankshaft. will i need to re hone the cylinders to get rid of this rust and also how do i go about getting the surfaces of the crankshaft clean?
there is also one other question i have right now, are crankshaft bearings and main bearings the same thing? sorry for a dumb question, but this is my first engine build.
the engine is out of a 72' galaxy and was build in february if that helps at all.
thanks,
carl
i just bought a short block 351w and there is a bit of surface rust on the cylinder walls and surface of the crankshaft. will i need to re hone the cylinders to get rid of this rust and also how do i go about getting the surfaces of the crankshaft clean?
there is also one other question i have right now, are crankshaft bearings and main bearings the same thing? sorry for a dumb question, but this is my first engine build.
the engine is out of a 72' galaxy and was build in february if that helps at all.
thanks,
carl
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 655
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From: Miami
Here is the best piece of advice I can give ya...... get a book, not a chiltons or a something like that. You will probably have to bore the cylinders and you have both main bearing and rod,crank bearings. The mains hold the crank to the block and rod bearing hold the piston rod to the crank. Another piece of advice is get ready to spend some money. YAHOO, I'm still paying that bill!!!
Al
Al
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 12,170
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From: The hills of No. Calif.
Hi Carl, and welcome to FTE! Please check out the guidelines, they'll give you info you need about posting here.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/guidelines.html
So what I'm wondering is, has this shortblock been rebuilt before and then left to sit for a while, or is it in need of a total rebuild? If so, you'll need the help of a good machine shop to mic things for you and determine what needs to be machined. A crank can be polished if it's not out-of-round, but if it doesn't check out it will need to be turned, or used as a core for a crank kit, which is a re-ground crankshaft complete with the correct rod and main bearings.
Similarly, the cylinders may be worn and need to be bored oversize, in which case you need new pistons as well. Or you may need them anyway, a good machinist will know what to look for.
As ALSAIR said, get a good book. Here's a link to an excellent choice:
http://www.motorhaven.com/product.ph...&cat=44&page=1
I have this one myself, lots of good info there to tell you what to look for and step-by-step instructions. Good luck, and if you have any more questions, just ask. That's what we're her for! -TD
https://www.ford-trucks.com/guidelines.html
So what I'm wondering is, has this shortblock been rebuilt before and then left to sit for a while, or is it in need of a total rebuild? If so, you'll need the help of a good machine shop to mic things for you and determine what needs to be machined. A crank can be polished if it's not out-of-round, but if it doesn't check out it will need to be turned, or used as a core for a crank kit, which is a re-ground crankshaft complete with the correct rod and main bearings.
Similarly, the cylinders may be worn and need to be bored oversize, in which case you need new pistons as well. Or you may need them anyway, a good machinist will know what to look for.
As ALSAIR said, get a good book. Here's a link to an excellent choice:
http://www.motorhaven.com/product.ph...&cat=44&page=1
I have this one myself, lots of good info there to tell you what to look for and step-by-step instructions. Good luck, and if you have any more questions, just ask. That's what we're her for! -TD
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hi,
sorry about not being too specific about what has been done to the engine. the block had been bored 30 over about two years ago and basically the cylinders look like they need to be cleaned up. (they are very smooth and the crosshatching looks new. they were just covered in dust and very minimal rust on 3 of the eight cylinders) the crank and camshaft were both machined. the crank has the same problem with being dirty and a tiny bit of surface rust. the short block also came with new pistons, rods and rings and the rebuilt stock heads.
someother things from my first post that should be cleared up: by february, i meant originally built in february of 1972. and the surfaces of the crankshaft i am concerned with are where the connecting rods attach to the crankshaft.
thanks for your help,
carl
sorry about not being too specific about what has been done to the engine. the block had been bored 30 over about two years ago and basically the cylinders look like they need to be cleaned up. (they are very smooth and the crosshatching looks new. they were just covered in dust and very minimal rust on 3 of the eight cylinders) the crank and camshaft were both machined. the crank has the same problem with being dirty and a tiny bit of surface rust. the short block also came with new pistons, rods and rings and the rebuilt stock heads.
someother things from my first post that should be cleared up: by february, i meant originally built in february of 1972. and the surfaces of the crankshaft i am concerned with are where the connecting rods attach to the crankshaft.
thanks for your help,
carl
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 12,170
Likes: 5
From: The hills of No. Calif.
Okay, I've got a little better picture now. Just to get the terminology straight, "Shortblock" generally means an assembled engine minus the heads, intake, oil pan, and sometimes the water pump. So what you have is basically an unassembled engine. You could probably clean the cylinder rust up with a quick touch-up with a ball hone, just enough to remove the rust and no more. The crank should be polished by a machine shop as I mentioned earlier, and then they can tell if it's just surface rust or if the journals are pitted, which would require a re-grind. Sounds like a polish would do it, however.
You seem to have the makings of a pretty good engine there. Just pay attention to details, there are a lot of little tings that are easy to screw up, that's why we suggest getting a book and following the instructions to the letter. Good luck! -TD
You seem to have the makings of a pretty good engine there. Just pay attention to details, there are a lot of little tings that are easy to screw up, that's why we suggest getting a book and following the instructions to the letter. Good luck! -TD
