resleeving a 351?

due to the lack of availability of 351 blocks i had a friend recommend that i resleeve the existing block. also one of the pistons read 040 which makes me think it was rebored. if it has been rebored can i still resleeve it? should a local machine shop be able to do this?

Yes you can add sleeves if it was bored. A good engine builder can install sleeves, maybe a race builder. I would look to get it overbored again before I tried to resleeve the block. I'd also look seriously at a crate engine before I started a rebuild that required sleeving the block.
When you add sleeves to a block you bore out the cylinders enough that you can press fit a steel cylinder. Then you bore out the cylinder to give you the bore you need. You need a good machinist with the right equipment.

I would't sleeve a 351 windsor. I got to believe that a local junk yard has to have a mid 80's ford light duty truck with a 351 windsor.

I second what he said^^^^^^ They came in Broncos,econoline vans and f250 trucks not to mention a hand full of cars.

my motor is a 95 and is efi. would i need to do anything special if i grabbed an older block? there is a guy locally that is selling a rebuilt block for 500. ive read some stuff about these blocks have 2 bolt and 4 bolt pattern which i have no idea what that means. ive also read that these blocks are 351w (windsor) 351c (cleveland) and 351m (no idea). im not sure what i have are they all interchangeable?

(Message edited by alanp on October 15, 2008)

not interchangeable. The blocks are different. IIRC, the windsor and cleveland have different crank and head deck heights. Can't remember what's different on the modified (351M).

2 and 4 bolt refers to the crank main bolts. Either 2 bolts over each crank bearing or 4. I can check my SBF manual when I get home, if someone can't clarify. 4 sounds like it would have less play in the crank, but those 351s aren't known for that, so it wouldn't be a deal killer to go 2 IMO.

also agree that you should be able to find a windsor block. one of my buddies has one just sittin in his shop.

The 351m and 400m engines are based on the Cleveland block, not the Windsor. The Cleveland is a much bigger engine physically than the Windsor and is not interchangeable.
Two bolt and four bolt refers to the number of bolts that hold the caps for the crankshaft onto the block. 4 bolt is stiffer and would be nice if you are building a 600 hp version. Not necessary on a 300 hp engine although it wouldn't hurt.
I don't know what the rotation of the engine is. You need to check that out. A different camshaft is needed if your engine runs backwards to a car engine.

Nacho types faster than me.

hmm as far as the rotation, its a supersport nautique correct craft vdrive. i noticed when i took the heads off i noticed the gasket had forward printed on it and was at the back of the block(towards the rear of the boat). could i use the the existing camshaft??

do you guys think i have a windsor? i'll throw a call down to sourtheast correctcraft to see what they say

pull the intake. its stamped in the lifter valley.

Alan if you can still crank the engine over, have someone turn the key while you watch the pullys. Looking from the rear of the engine toward the pullys if they rotate counter clockwise its standard rotation (car rotation) if they spin clockwise its marine rotation.

be careful on this rotation issue. Car guys look at the pullies, marine guys look at the prop. Just make sure you're on the same page with who you're dealing with.

I had to have a cam recut b/c of this. Cam research (who I would recommend) was cool about it, but it could've been a hairy deal.

Hey Alan Doug russel marine sells remanufactured long blocks for 1700.00. I dont know what your budget is but its an option.
http://www.dougrussell.com/Products/index.cfm?fuseaction=ProductDetails&ProductID=176& Category=6&Brand=49

Lol, Yea Nacho also if he looks at his Intake Manifold for the firing order stamp they are different for marine versus standard rotation.

1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8

That should be your firing order IF its a standard rotation block. Alan go look at your intake mani and match those numbers up

ok, well thats the same firing order my 351W has. And my engine rotates clockwise, looking at the pullies. So, obviously firing order and rotation dont' go hand in hand.

351s originally used the 302 firing order, then changed to 13726548 after several years of production.

not trying to get into a pissing match here, but there are a lot variations that went on over the years.

shane that is my firing order.

i just got back from the machine shop. i was told its a 351 w. he looked at the heads. i blew a head gasket between the #3 and #7 cylinder. the spark plug electrode in the #7 cylinder was also busted(im guessing that happened when i blew the head gasket, dunno tho. the guy at the machine shop pointed out that the intake valve had tuliped/mushroomed so i decided to have him install a new valve and do a valve job on both heads. he's charging 300. does that sound about right?

Nacho I have the same engine as you also, standard rotation 351w. The firing order is different for a marine rotation.

Alan that sounds like a good deal. Is that all you need to get her back together and in the water?

Just an fyi on the fireing order.

V8 - 351W / 5.8L
Std. Rotation 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8
Reverse Rotation 1-8-4-5-6-2-7-3

good deal. So I guess we don't have solve the firing order mystery after all...

That sounds ok for the work being done. a little pricey, but worth it to get your boat back together I'm sure.

shane/nacho et al...
when i ripped the heads off i saw that the 6-5 and 1 cylinders were scarred pretty badly. compression wasnt to bad but i figured that since ive done all this work i might as well do it right and put a new block in. (thats when a buddy mentioned resleeving this one but it sounds like a rebuilt block is the way to go. my heads are supposed to be done by friday. so im just searching for a block now. hopefully i can score that block in phoenix and have my girl back on the water within 2 weeks.

I have a nice running 1975 stock bore 351 Windsor that would work perfectly. I would never bore a small block Ford more thant 30 over or they overheat. 30 years experience and a coupele of mistakes. The sleeve is a poor idea the heat transfer is different and you can have pre ignition problems.........
Rick

hmmm.. a rebuilt block is definitely an option. Personally, I'd get a mic on the block you have to see if/how much it was bored.

Either way, you'll have a fresh motor when you're done!

nacho maybe i should post up some pics of the scarring?? a few of them are pretty deep. are you suggesting reboring the existing block? i did see that one of the piston had 040 marked on it. i dont know how much can be shaved before i run into problems. what kind of mic would i need to get the measurements?

Did you run an LKQ search? I have hard time believing that you can't find a block. I can still find AMC and Hemi blocks in the junk/salvage yards. I found both a 331 and a 426 hemi block and even a 302 Chevy block last month.

i have never heard of a lkq search. i'll look into that when i get back to work.

ive found 2 blocks w/in 3 hours to the east (phoenix) and 3 hours to the west (san diego)

Alan there has to be a closer option...try a local salvage yard.

http://1077.yippie.biz/az/yuma/

^^^this list should give you some options

i'll give those guys a call tomorrow. what should i be looking to pay for a block, and then have it rebuilt(parts included). i guess what was attractive about the block in phoenix was that it was already rebuilt.

Ewing he's prolly in Havasu/Parker area if hes 3 hrs west of Phoenix, he wont have many choices except what he listed. 3hrs west of phoenix is the boonies, lol

shane im in yuma. actually about 2 1/2 hours east of phoenis in just didnt feel like writing 2 1/2 at the time hahaha

I don't know how much a block is out there Alan. I would say around here upwards of 200 for a block is about right.

For example - I just sold a 429 SCJ block with crank for 150. The block needed to be bored and cleaned, but was solid.

(Message edited by johnsvt on October 16, 2008)

AP, that's what I was thinking, bore and rebuild yours, but if the scarring is that bad another block is your only option.

Let a machine shop look at it and put a micrometer (mic) on it. Stock bore is 4" so you'll know where you stand.

so i got a call today from the machine shop today. he tells me that i have a cracked head?? when he took a look at the heads when i brought them in he just pointed out the bad intake valve and at that time i decided to authorize a valve job. im a little upset cause i probably wouldnt have asked him to do anything if he had told me i had a cracked head. i would have just picked up a long block and started from scratch

i feel like just leaving the things there actually

well i found an engine exchange place that will exchange long blocks for 600-800 bucks. i think im gonna go that route.

http://www.lkqcorp.com/home/home.asp

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/boa/885381919.html

if i get a reman engine and it has has different heads do you guys know if they will be compatible?

sam i sent lkq an email but havent heard back from them?

sent you an email.

if the heads are for the same engine, they should work.

I usually just call them. They have a direct line to most of the larger salvage yards across the country and can usually tell you in minutes if the parts that you are looking for are available.