Hi All!!

Ok, I have enough self confidence to have a go at building an engine. I have put engines together several times before but many were diesels and the petrols were only for general use. I am led to believe performance is a whole new ball game and I am willing to take any and all suggestions you might have.

For a high reving Cleveland V8 engine what is better:

Pistons: Cast/Forged/Other
Crankshaft: Steel/other, What type?
Con rods: What type?
Bearings: What type?
Rings: Molly rings or other?
Valaves: Stainless steel/Other

I am also lead to believe that for a high revving clevo, I am better off ditching the stock hydraulic valve gear and going for a roller timing chain set, roller cam, solid lifters, roller rockers, and dual valve springs. Any ideas? An what type of pushrods would go with this set up?

Thankyou, 335C

 

Pistons it depends on what your running ie.. nitros = forged, gas gussler = hypereutic, everyday driving = cast.

If you are planning to race your engine I would say forged for the crank. Mind you there are stroker kits available for the Clev.

You can do a retro fit for a roller cam now so I would say run those. Don't forget the roller rockers. Reduces the stress on the valve train. God knows Clev's has a funky valve set up so all the help you can give it will be worth it.

This is all the time I have for posting I will stop back later.

 

Thanks!!

>Pistons it depends on what your running ie.. nitros =
>forged, gas gussler = hypereutic, everyday driving = cast.

I want to run on normal (high octane) fuel with no nitrous or supercharging. I want my engine to last so nitrous is out.

>
>If you are planning to race your engine I would say forged
>for the crank. Mind you there are stroker kits available for
>the Clev.

The only racing I will do will be showing certian GM boys what a 'pos' a ford really is, and driving a little bit fast on open roads. This V8 will not see much work on the street in actual built up areas. Is a forged crank is best for high RPM?
>
>You can do a retro fit for a roller cam now so I would say
>run those. Don't forget the roller rockers. Reduces the
>stress on the valve train. God knows Clev's has a funky
>valve set up so all the help you can give it will be worth
>it.
>
>This is all the time I have for posting I will stop back
>later.

OK look forward to it,
335C

 

A Crane roller cam would be the cat's meow! However it's gonna cost. I always recommend using all Crane valve train parts as spec. for the cam.
For my.02 the 351C likes lots of compression (forged pistons) and a hot cam. I don't think you can build it to run on pump gas however. Anything over 9.5:1 is gonna be problematic on 92 octane.
Single plane intake.


Bear Tracks

 

Used to build and race clevelands but back in the seventies, were you around then? Forged pistons, forged steel crank and definitely roller cams with a good high lift. The Australian blocks were the best. There are two different stock heads, 2V and 4V. 2V is good for the street with some mild porting. you can get by with the 4V's on the street but the power really kicks in at high RPMs. You want to spend some money get a pair of Yates heads. Crower or Manley con rods with a single plane intake and Holley carb. These engines can kick out some serious hp if done right. Sounds like you want have some fun. Good luck.

 

Nope, I wasn't around in the 70's (Im only 17). I have got the Ausie block I'm pretty sure and about half a dozen closed chamber 2V heads. I will probably find a set of 4V's, I have seen them around here, and if you look they can be had for very little. How many RPM's can the Crower or Manley rods take?,

Thanks,
335C

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 27-Apr-02 AT 01:15 PM (EST)]Hey there WWWES:

<Used to build and race clevelands but back in the seventies, were you around then? Forged pistons, forged steel crank and definitely roller cams with a good high lift. The Australian blocks were the best. There are two different stock heads, 2V and 4V. 2V is good for the street with some mild porting. you can get by with the 4V's on the street but the power really kicks in at high RPMs. You want to spend some money get a pair of Yates heads. Crower or Manley con rods with a single plane intake and Holley carb. These engines can kick out some serious hp if done right. Sounds like you want have some fun. Good luck.>

Now for the few of us that where around back in the seventies can you give us more detail of all the goodies you use to put in those High Winding 351C,And just think what would happen if you put all that good stuff in a 400. How many ponies do you think you could get.

I know

ShaZam

 

No offence intended, but I don't really like the idea of a 400. Mostly because it has a 4 inch stroke, and in my way of thinking this would be great for low rpm torque but do horrible things when subjected to high rpms. Ford used the 351 C at Bathurst and did quite well, sure as hell beat the Holdens (Chevs), which is what I want to do. While a 400 has more low end torque and cubes than a 351, and could probably accelerate better than a 351, I don't think it could 'wind off the clock'. Basically I cannot picture a 4" Bore x 4" Stroke engine doing 6000-7200 rpm. From what I have read about the GTHO's it should be possible (with the right components) to build a 351C capable of 7,000rpm, without self-destructing.
335C

 

Sorry I didn't resond earlier but but it seems like most of the suppliers we used to use are no longer around or are not making hipo parts. We were mostly high school kids in 72-74 and raced a 71 Mach 1 with the 351 4V engine. After breaking a rod we started using Crower rods. There used to be a shop named Hank the Crank who made forged steel cranks for these engines. Pistons were forged TRWs and crane cams. Weiand tunnel ram setup with dual Holley carbs, a top loader tranny and 456 rear gears. Our main competition were 454 Chevys and a few Hemis but we still kicked butt. Car owner also had a 70 mustang with a 429 Boss Hemi and my personnel ride was a 67 GT fastback.
Building a 351C today you might contact Scat Cranks for a forged unit thats knife egded and lightened. To used a stock crank make sure its the D1ZZ-A series which had the high nodular iron content and good to 7500 rpm's as is. For rods Crower and Manley might make you a set thats good for 8000 or even 8000+ depending on series. But if you want the best Carillo rods still makes them for 351C's.
Also Eagle started making cranks and have been making rods for some time. Cams, there are still quite a few for 351C's but use the roller types and good push rods, used to bend quite a few stock rods. Prep the block for good oiling and have it balanced by a good shop. Avoid the 2V blocks.
For the heads I would use 4V with the exhaust ports ported and the intake side basically stock. The Achilles heel for these heads are the exhaust ports whereas the intakes were considered overkill for the street. They were actually banned from NASCAR for breathing to good. As for the intake thats up to you depending on the type of racing. You can probably run 12.1 or higher compression on racing fuel but no more than 10.5.1 for street.
As for Shazam on 400 engines the only pieces that you can use is the heads, cams and timing parts. You can use 351C intakes by getting adapters from Weiand, Holley or Moroso. Pistons will also work for more compression. But then reading the hp figures on your engine you don't really need my input.

 

Check out the classifieds on this site there are a set of 351C CJ heads for sale. 75.4cc compression chamber, 2.19 intake valves and 1.71 exhaust valves. That should give a really good kick in the pants.

 

 

Hello do you have any of the Aussie 2v closed chamber heads you would like to part with?? If so please e-mail me at cttong at bellsouth.net Thanks!!