someone help out this ford knowledge challenged guy

I've got access to a early 70's 351w that is disassembled and is supposed to be bored .040 over and ready to assemble, my first thought was they didn't have too many 351's that early, and the local ford guru said its probably a 302, since i have a 351 top end (intake etc) i would want it to be a 351, so with a disassembled 351 how do i tell if that's what it is? i know the 351 has the raised deck but how do i tell without having a 302 to compare it to? also anyone have access to crank, rod, and cyl specs? I want to measure this thing before i buy it and assemble it. and how do i identify the year range of this thing? thanks folks!

 

A 351 intake is wider than a 302 , You say you have a 351 intake, measure across the bottom ( the flat by the distrib ) on the intake you have and the "351" block should be the same size. Most 302 have 302 cast in the valley and other places on the block I think a 351 would do the same. 351 came out in 1969 I did not think of them as very rare.
but a 72 4 barrel 351 have 4 bolt mains that would be rare.

 

351 should say "351" in the lifter valley on the block...block is also taller.

 

well y'all just proved what i thought... I don't know jack about fords lol. gonna measure the intake in a few, but also i just found on a google search that the deck on a 302 is level with the timing cover, where the 351 is about .5" above that, now as for the year vintage of the early one, how do i tell that? i know ford was real good at numbering there stuff, what and where will tell me what year this possible 351 is?

 

I believe that 1969 was the first year for the 351w.

 

Look on the bottom of the block,right behind where the starter sits . If the numbers haven't been ground off it will tell you what the engine is and year. You can even see the numbers if the oil pan is still on the engine. Little pad right beside oil pan mounting lip.

 

The casting number on the block.

Try this site:
http://mustangtek.com/FordDecode.html

Its pretty simple really. C is for the 60's and D is for the 70's and the next number is the year it was made in that decade.

This will help with any casting number that is on ford parts. Keep in mind Ford is notorious for using old casting numbers so the casting number can sometimes be the wrong year.

 

okay, what will i expect to see? some C1VE or something like that? and how do i decipher fords mumbo jumbo? lol

 

ok so going on C0VE and D0VE codes it would be a 1960 and 1970? those were the big block head castings i think, not ones off the motor, those are the only casting numbers i know lol

 

The first letter of the code designates the decade and the second numberic digit designates the year. (C9xxxx) would be 1969 (D1xxxx) would be 1971 and so on for the casting.

Ford has a year, month, day, date code that consist of 4 digits. The first digit is numberic and signifies the year, the second an alpha caracter signifying the month (A= Jan, B= Feb, C= March, etc.) and the remaining two character is the day. You will need to use the casing date code in combination of this to determine the decade.

 

ok i think i have enough knowledge to finger this thing out, was supposed to look at it tonight after work, but the guy never answered my calls.. hopefully i will get to check this out tomorrow... and of course everything is working out to get the cash to put the motor together, but no motor lol....

 

All engine blocks if they have a full number on them will have a 6015 in them 6015 is just the code for engine block. Sample: C9OE-6015-A = 69 Fairlane engine block and the A means it has been modified once from its original design. A 351 Windsor has giant main and rod journals, 3 inch I think on the mains and 2.5-ish on the rods. If its an older block, an easy trick is to look between the freeze plugs and you will see a teardrop indention in the casting. 289, 302 are 1 inch long, 351W is 2 inches long. Also the intake is wider, but if you have nothing to compare to it can be hard to tell if you havent seen a bunch of them. On early 289,302 (pre 83 I think) the firing order on the intake is 15426378 and all 351W's are 13726548. There is a bolt hole in the top passenger side for the alternator, on the 289,302 it is right at the top, and on a 351W it is about an inch down, The front and rear of the oil pan on a 351W is 5 inches wide and 289,302 is 4 1/2 ish. That oughta do it.

JW