351M Upgrades (looking for power)
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,364
Likes: 3
From: Eustis FL
351M Upgrades (looking for power)
I want to do all I can to my 78 351M to get some power out of it. I am about to do the timing set soon, don't have parts yet. I am thinking about a better cam. I already have dual exhaust from factory manifolds. I am also thinking about a 4V dual plane intake with 4V carb, maybe 600 cfm. Someday, maybe headers.
Any suggestions? What have most of you power junkies done?
I like power. A LOT. I have a 1971 Torino GT with a 351C 4V, lotsa juice, so I know an M block can do better than stock. (without the huge 4V ports, of course!)
Mark
Any suggestions? What have most of you power junkies done?
I like power. A LOT. I have a 1971 Torino GT with a 351C 4V, lotsa juice, so I know an M block can do better than stock. (without the huge 4V ports, of course!)
Mark
New User
Joined: Jan 2008
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351M Upgrades (looking for power)
Maybe look at this.
Also, Go to the 351C/M/400 engine forum and look for a thread called
"351M/400 Performance"
[i][font color=blue]Dennis[/font][i]
[font color=red]Calgary,Alberta,Canada[/font]
http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion/Minimorleytruck.JPG
[i][font color=green]
http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion/Mil1ion.html [/font][i]
[font color =green] Please Don't Ask Me Any Tough Questions,
"I'm Saving My Memory For When I Develop Alzheimer's" [/font]
[font color=blue]78 F-150 429CJ,Silver,Explorer Pkg.
641/2-Mustang 260,Pre-World's Fair Car.
64-Fairlane500 S/C waiting for a 390-4spd.
68-Mustang 289-Sunlit Gold 80,892Mi
78-Buick LeSabre 403 4V
84 Volvo DL Wagon [/font]
Also, Go to the 351C/M/400 engine forum and look for a thread called
"351M/400 Performance"
[i][font color=blue]Dennis[/font][i]
[font color=red]Calgary,Alberta,Canada[/font]
http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion/Minimorleytruck.JPG
[i][font color=green]
http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion/Mil1ion.html [/font][i]
[font color =green] Please Don't Ask Me Any Tough Questions,
"I'm Saving My Memory For When I Develop Alzheimer's" [/font]
[font color=blue]78 F-150 429CJ,Silver,Explorer Pkg.
641/2-Mustang 260,Pre-World's Fair Car.
64-Fairlane500 S/C waiting for a 390-4spd.
68-Mustang 289-Sunlit Gold 80,892Mi
78-Buick LeSabre 403 4V
84 Volvo DL Wagon [/font]
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 378
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From: USA
351M Upgrades (looking for power)
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 04-Apr-02 AT 10:30 PM (EST)]I wonder also.I rebuilt my 400 few years back w/.030 bore,shaved heads,small cam,new timing set,truck has duals but still stock {rejetted}2bbl.Sucks fuel like crazy w/only modest gain over old 7 cylinder special.Disappointed,so I have never spent $ on 4bbl intake & carb.Afraid it will just burn more gas.I think 460 must be the way. Brian
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 156
Likes: 0
351M Upgrades (looking for power)
>I wonder also.I rebuilt my 400 few years back w/.030
>bore,shaved heads,small cam,new timing set,truck has duals
>but still stock {rejetted}2bbl.Sucks fuel like crazy w/only
>modest gain over old 7 cylinder special.Disappointed,so I
>have never spent $ on 4bbl intake & carb.Afraid it will just
>burn more gas.I think 460 must be the way. Brian
Brian,
Unless you are going to mash the gas pedal to the floor a lot the 4 barrel carburetor (spread bore type - small primaries/big secondaries) typically will deliver better mileage than the 2 barrel. The reason is that the butterflies (primaries) on a 4 barrel are smaller than the butterflies on a typical two barrel. The secondaries are normally closed until you mash the pedal. If you stuck to a 600 cfm spread bore carb your mileage should increase (with a light foot) and so should performance.
Fordy
1978 F-250 Custom
>bore,shaved heads,small cam,new timing set,truck has duals
>but still stock {rejetted}2bbl.Sucks fuel like crazy w/only
>modest gain over old 7 cylinder special.Disappointed,so I
>have never spent $ on 4bbl intake & carb.Afraid it will just
>burn more gas.I think 460 must be the way. Brian
Brian,
Unless you are going to mash the gas pedal to the floor a lot the 4 barrel carburetor (spread bore type - small primaries/big secondaries) typically will deliver better mileage than the 2 barrel. The reason is that the butterflies (primaries) on a 4 barrel are smaller than the butterflies on a typical two barrel. The secondaries are normally closed until you mash the pedal. If you stuck to a 600 cfm spread bore carb your mileage should increase (with a light foot) and so should performance.
Fordy
1978 F-250 Custom
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 378
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From: USA
351M Upgrades (looking for power)
Fordy,I drive like theres an egg under the pedal.Spread bore-Quadrajet?Are spread bore intakes available?When I built this thing 7 years back or more,everyone said to toss the 400.Reading Dennis' post & looking seems now some stuff can be done but I lack $$.Just got it painted.Horrible mileage does keep the miles off-134,657 in 23 years. Brian
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 378
Likes: 0
From: USA
351M Upgrades (looking for power)
I have had a few Ch**ys really like response etc. of a Quadrajet,even Ford used them at one time.I dont care for the adapters but maybe someone knows something that works.If fuel mileage really would improve,I think I would do it.Truck has 400,auto,weighs nearly 3 ton.I get 7-9 MPG.Has since new.Would drive it more if I could afford to-I can watch fuel gauge move while driving. Brian
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,364
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From: Eustis FL
351M Upgrades (looking for power)
Is that the article by David Resch?
If so, I have read that several times over.
I am just looking for someone who may have done some of these mods, I guess...
Thanks!
>Maybe look at this.
>
>Also, Go to the 351C/M/400 engine forum and look for a
>thread called
>"351M/400 Performance"
>
>[i][font color=blue]Dennis[/font][i]
>
>[font color=red]Calgary,Alberta,Canada[/font]
>http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion/Minimorleytruck.JPG
>
>
>
>
>[i][font color=green]
>http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion/Mil1ion.html [/font][i]
>
>[font color =green] Please Don't Ask Me Any Tough
>Questions,
>"I'm Saving My Memory For When I Develop Alzheimer's"
>[/font]
>
>
>[font color=blue]78 F-150 429CJ,Silver,Explorer Pkg.
>641/2-Mustang 260,Pre-World's Fair Car.
>64-Fairlane500 S/C waiting for a 390-4spd.
>68-Mustang 289-Sunlit Gold 80,892Mi
>78-Buick LeSabre 403 4V
>84 Volvo DL Wagon [/font]
If so, I have read that several times over.
I am just looking for someone who may have done some of these mods, I guess...
Thanks!
>Maybe look at this.
>
>Also, Go to the 351C/M/400 engine forum and look for a
>thread called
>"351M/400 Performance"
>
>[i][font color=blue]Dennis[/font][i]
>
>[font color=red]Calgary,Alberta,Canada[/font]
>http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion/Minimorleytruck.JPG
>
>
>
>
>[i][font color=green]
>http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion/Mil1ion.html [/font][i]
>
>[font color =green] Please Don't Ask Me Any Tough
>Questions,
>"I'm Saving My Memory For When I Develop Alzheimer's"
>[/font]
>
>
>[font color=blue]78 F-150 429CJ,Silver,Explorer Pkg.
>641/2-Mustang 260,Pre-World's Fair Car.
>64-Fairlane500 S/C waiting for a 390-4spd.
>68-Mustang 289-Sunlit Gold 80,892Mi
>78-Buick LeSabre 403 4V
>84 Volvo DL Wagon [/font]
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New User
Joined: Apr 2002
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351M Upgrades (looking for power)
My '79 F-150 has a 351M that I have built up incredibly w/a mild Edelbrock cam&lifters,Weiand action-plus intake and a Holley 600cfm 4-bbl,not to mention the headers,open air cleaner,etc.Really found what my 351M was missing!!!!
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,312
Likes: 1
From: Eldorado Ca. USA
351M Upgrades (looking for power)
>Really found what my 351M was missing!!!!
What, a stick of dynamite to blow it up?? I dunno, I have 2 of them and my opinion of them is this, "You can't wake 'em up, and you can't kill them either." Souping up these turds is like a crapshot. Once in a while, somebody gets lucky. My "souped" 351 has a cam, headers, Weiand stealth manifold, 600 cfm holley, 4.11 gears, and believe me, the 460 will be well worth the expense once I stop procrastinating and put it in.
Tony
'77 F250, 460 transplantee, "Flamer"
'74 F250. 460, "beater" now "1 dead ford"
'73 F250, "midnight auto" now a trailer for the flamer
Junior User
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 88
Likes: 2
From: Vegas
351M Upgrades (looking for power)
My whole theory on the 351m is its an overweighted cleveland with the power of a worn out 302. Fixing them up just doesnt make sence. If you wanna stay in the 351 range, swap your bellhousing or tranny, and drop in a 351c. To the unknowing smog guy eye, it will still look stock, and will run a whole lot better. If you wanna stay with that block, get the 400 crank and pistons, some aussie 302 cleveland heads, and a good 4 barrel and headers. Then you'll have a 400 that is capable of some decent numbers depending on your cam. Now lets say you want power and dont mind diggin up lots of parts. Take that 351m out, and kick it as far away from you as possible and bolt in a 460. You can build a bone stock smog era 460 (low compression, advanced valve timing) and it will still run circles around the 351m. Use some good heads, a comp 268h extreme cam, a 750 holley and a decent exhaust, and the truck will have more power than you ever thought possible. Your possibilities are endless, decide what ya want, make sure its also what you can get, and start tearin it apart!
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 714
Likes: 1
From: Zville, Ohio u.s.a.
351M Upgrades (looking for power)
I'm rebuilding my 351M this fall. So far I'm planning on using an Edlebrock performer intake, 600cfm carb, sending my stock heads out to Steve Blackman (no not the wrestler), and running full length headers into mufflers and then exiting out the sides just in front of the rear wheels. I'm also going to ad a cam, Edlebrocks performer #2172. I gathered all the parts by looking at the TECH ARTICLE on this site titled PERFORMANCE MODS FOR THE 351M/400 ENGINE. Then I took the knowledge that I gathered,(I've saved the article under favorites for quick ref.) and went online to find parts that will match up. Then I used the Desktop Dyno 2000 at www.geocities.com/chevyreallysucks. Entered the specs they asked for and was pleased with the results. My goal was a max hp rating of 325-350 hp and 300 lbs ft of torque. My result was 386hp max @ 6000 rpm's and 393 lb ft @ 4500 rpm. Works for me! Hope this helps, good luck.
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