How hard can it be?
 

Ok just so we all get off on the right foot, I have no experience in building engines. The farthest Ive ever gone was replacing the head gaskets on my 351W. What I want to ask and tap everyones expertise with is how to make a stroker out of it. I thought originally that a stroker was an engine option direct from ford. Now I see there are kits to modify a 351W to a stroker with different displacement options. What I want is a big torque monster without having to buy a different/standalone EEC or any other mods Stock everything else. (was thinking about a mild cam as well.) So what displacement should I look at using with pump gas and stock everything else? Are these kits just bolt in kits? Time isnt an issue. Money is but I dont want a 460ci. anchor up front. Is there something Im missing already? My plan is to buy a 351W out of the junkyard (u-pull it 150.00), have it bored and honed. Then rebuild from there. I still plan on using my C6 transmission because its in fine condition and the 4.10 gears are good as well. Just want to get some more beef without reving high to get it. In fact the farthest up the tach Ive ever seen my engine was 4200rpm. So, how nuts is it to do this.

A stroker is made by altering just that the stroke of the engine by either changing the length of connecting rods or the throw of the crankshaft to move the rod differently. You can buy a complete stroker kit which would probably be the best given you don't have a huge amount of experience with engines or you can buy the components seperately. The thing is to get the benefit from a stroked engine you need the other components to support it, if you build a 408 or something like that and then use a stock intake,heads and exhaust manifolds you are not going to gain much over the engine you have now. It will gain power by stroking it and using stock you just won't really notice it compared to if you have the heads rebuilt to match with a cam that will make the power in the rpm range you are shooting for, then you will have to improve the intake system somewhat to get the air in you need and then the exhaust will need to flow out the extra air you are getting in the motor. I did a quick search on summit racing and it will cost you between $900 to $2300 for the complete rotating assembly you need, then you have machine work and it depends on if the block needs clearanced +$200to$600 roughly from what the shop I worked at charged and then you have the cam $80to$180 and head work thats $100 to $400roughly and all the other parts you need so you are looking at a couple of thousand at least and then having it assembled is more if you do not feel comfortable or capable of doing it yourself. The big thing is what you do with the truck and what you need the power for to justify if a stroker is the route you need to go.

Check out www.pawengineparts.com Its been a few years since I have ordered from them. I do know there still around. Newest catalog I have is 05 sooo. They use to sell a ton off different kits for rebuilding, stroking, What ever.

I had a 420 starting with a 351W block, and a 552 from a 460 block. Lot of cool stuff and they use to list everything that was in the kits. I am not sure but I think they will even supply the block. But like I said it's been a while. check them out.

is this a 2wd or a 4wd truck?? I have seen many folks put stroker motors into 4wds and never quite understood why as they really arent good for that application... I always prefer torque over anything in a 4wd , but if its a 2wd stoke away.... just my 2cents for what its worth....

When you stroke a motor you get more displacement & more torque , not sure what you mean by your post????....Lew

Ok The truck is a 4x4 and like I say I am looking for lots of torque in the 1000 to 3500 rpm range. I want the extra power for the towing around PA and just to have it. I dont do any serious off roading at all but the capability to do so is always nice to have. Do you guys think that the HP gained wouldnt be worth the cost if I did nothing more than the stroker kit, cam, lifters (of course) and valve springs? Oh and is there an advantage to the dish head pistons?

... :-X15 I'm not sure I understand you. Strokers are perfect for 4x4's because they give you the torque which is so valuable in off-road situations. Are you talking about destroking an engine?

I am sorry I guess I should have explained a little better , LOW END TORQUE, is what I prefer in a 4x4 , I dont see a need in having to wind the hell out of a motor to make power in a 4x4 truck.. I guess if its a mudrunner or a hillclimber I can see it.. I have seen many trucks around here that people have done strokers in because they read somewhere that strokers are the best thing in the world not realising they will soon be rendered there truck into a useless beast, such as the Chevy Dually I had bought a few years back because the kid thought was a great idea to put the motor from a Modified stockcar in and couldnt understand why the truck wouldnt tow for **** anymore unless he had his foot to the floor.... anyway its just what I have encountered in a place where mudrunning and hillclimbs are basically a thing of the past..... sorry if I upset the high RPM guys.....

...If your not going to do anything with the exhaust or intake i wouldn't do it , the stock 351 is starving the way it is...Lew

.....The OP is looking for low end TQ from 1000 - 3500 , i don;t think thats to much RPM sorry ...& whats wrong with 6000 RPM , my 302 sees it all the time , & yes you upset me ...Lew

Ok you win ...... to the original Poster, listen to Lew so he doesnt get upset anymore and build yerself one of dem dere Stroker Motors.......:-roll

....Dam i was just kidding about being upset LOL , but the cam , intake , and exhaust will determine the RPM range , stokers make good low end TQ when built for it ...Lew

And this is why I LOVE THIS SITE! So my truck is EFI. Are you guys talking about new aftermarket headers and intake or to have the head ported and upper/lower intake polished? Will all the extra air make the EFI screwy?

Lew we both obviously know what is what when it comes to Hipo Motors, BUT the feller stated he knew nothing about motors in the OP which led me to try and save the feller lots of hassles in the $ department.... as we both know there is lots more to building a stroker motor that actually works at a reasonable cost for his application... hes already got 4:10s so why not just put a good Torque cam in it, shut the hood and walk away.... I dont like to see unknowledged folks get in over their heads when they right off the bat admit they are getting in over their heads as things like this usually discourage them right out of the hobbie and into the poor house in no time at all.....

Uh thanks, I think. Yeah Im starting to get a better picture of what Im getting into. Lots and lots and lots of workin and figurin and cursin'. Maybe your right. A low end torque cam might be the way to go. But the question then goes, how much lift can a lobe have before I send a valve straight through the top of the piston? Its all stock. Someone somewhere has got to have a stock clearance number for that.