Not a marauder but... 351 Rebuild

[MAD-3R]

How easy/hard is it to rebuild a 351 that overheated, put out some white smoke, and has a definite clicking noise from within the engine? This is in a 1980 Mercury Herse

[prchrman]

351W...or 351M...or 351C...w is easy...c is not as easy all though it is a good motor...m is not that good of motor IMHO...just had 351W rebuilt and it is sweet...If you have a 351M I would bolt in a 460 or 429...if it is a W you can bolt in a 302 also...can pick up 302HO for about 400 to 700 dollars around here...willie

[prchrman]

OBTW you gonna try to take sly dogs trophy home next year or what...willie

[MAD-3R]

For a marine friend of mine. He needs some wheels cheap, and I have this option. Sence it's in a 1980 car, I don't think it would be a C or M.

SO a W would be something someone who knows whitch end of a wrench is what, and a good manual could rebuild?

[prchrman]

Yes...Ws are the easiest by far...and the strongest bottom end...Mad...the best way to do this is to find another car with a running motor that someone wants 2 to 3 hundred for and swap engines...lots old rusted out granadas, monarchs and such...and a swap is lots easier than a rebuild...willie

[MAD-3R]

ok

[Ross]

I assume by W and C you mean Windsor or Cleveland. I didn't know there was an M. What was that one?

[MAD-3R]

m was the long strock of the C block

[prchrman]

W, C and M...the best thing is none will bolt up where another one came out (not really a good thing)...all had different bell housing bolt patterns...willie

[Heavy351]

There are several good how to books on ford small blocks. I have done 3 351W's and they are not that hard at all. mostly regular hand tools and a torque wrench are all you will need. Parts are cheap and can be found from several different manufacturers in any jegs or summit catalog.

If you have an engine hoist, and you don't need any machine work (things arent too worn), you can easily have it back together and in the car in a weekend for a few hundred dollars.

Go for it!:D

[jparrie]

Originally posted by Ross
I assume by W and C you mean Windsor or Cleveland. I didn't know there was an M. What was that one?

The 351M was Born in 1975, and is a 400 block de-stroked to 351 cubic inches. Not one of my favorite engines, I would use the Windsor or the Cleveland.

Jim

[FordNut]

The 351C and early 351W will fit the same bellhousing and motor mounts but pulleys, brackets, and accessories are different. The 351M is different and is the least desirable. Since the car is an '80 model it may have a 351M or 351W, but probably the 351W. The 351C was discontinued in the early '70s (in the USA).

Rebuilding: The 351W block is a thinwall casting, so overbore should not exceed 0.030 . The 351W balancing, like the 302, was changed sometime in the early '80s so if crankshaft, balancer, or flywheel replacement is necessary make sure and get the right type. Otherwise everything is pretty straight forward.

[Brutus]

Mad I have a couple of books on rebuilding ford engines. All versions are covered. I will bring them with me on Saturday.

[MAD-3R]

Cooooool

[Heavy351]

The first 351W I did on the extreme cheap and bought just these extra tools.

-valvespring compressor
-piston ring expander (I was afraid of breaking the rings putting them on with my fingers)
-ring compressor (to get the piston back in the bore)
-ball hone tool for the end of an electric drill to clean up the bores
-oil pump primer (an extension to spin the oil pump to prime the motor for its first start)
-Feeler gages (measure piston clearance and ring gap)
-plastigage (poor mans' micrometer)

Thats it for specialty tools, borrow them if you can.

Minimum parts:
gasket set (toss the useless end seals for the intake and use silicone)

oil pump (splurge on a high volume model)
freeze plugs
main bearings
rod bearings
valve seals
ring set

I think thats it.

Things start to get expensive if the cam lifters are really worn or frozen (not spinning) then they have to go and the cam too.

[MAD-3R]

Heavy,
Some of the advice I've gotten on this is that sence it's and over heated Motor, not to even bother with it. What should I look for when I inspect it before buying it?

[Heavy351]

Sure, its always better to start with a motor without something obviously wrong with it but sometime you have to work with what you have.

Sounds like the motor runs at least.

Overheating is not always a bad thing. When the motor gets too hot all the clearances normally filled by oil start to close up. Hopefully, nothing touched.

Best case is the cooling system failed (hoses, water pump, rad, themostat) this is what you are hoping for, find the cause here and I would be ok with buying it sofar.

Worst case is something in the motor failed (bearing failed, no oil pressure) this can be expensive and is a going to cost $= judgement call.

get a timing light and hook up to the running motor and listen for the tick. If the tick is the same speed as the flashing light, then the you are looking for valvetrain issues (lifter< rocker arm). If you rev the motor (add oil pressure) and it goes away= clearance in valvetrain= cam & lifters.
2X as fast than its in the lower end or rods. could be OK if clearances check out. otherwise machine work.

If the noises only occur under load while driving = exhaust leak= easy fix.

while still running, pull the dipstick, pressure coming out of the hole? you have a busted ring= trashed cylinder wall or piston= machine work. look for another motor.

Stop the motor, Look at the oil, is it all there? if it overheated from lack of oil just walk away. smell gas? see busted ring above.

if it is like white, yellow, gooey anything but just black then there is coolant inside the motor = blown head gasket.
to confirm pull the plugs and the one with the crusty white or yellow deposits obviously different from the others is where the head gasket failed. worst case= head is warped but you really have to heat things up for that on a 351W cast factory head. I would risk it unless he says he drove it for 20miles without any coolant:rolleyes: Or you can assume needing a new head =$20 at a junkyard

Pull the radiator cap, yellow scunge or oily film see head gasket above.

White smoke (more like water vapor that disperses quickly) AFTER overheating is always a blown head gasket.

White real smoke on decelleration (pulling lotsa vaccum) is oil getting past the valve guides and burning and was probably always there. Replacing the rubber boots on top of the valves MAY solve it otherwise machine work on the heads is needed. This is a judgement call on a "quick rebuild"

sorry for the length but you got me goin'

[MAD-3R]

This is beutifule stuff, thanks