Ford Interchange

[cdiedrick]

hey guys,
I just received a book titled "HIGH PERFORMANCE FORD PARTS INTERCHANGE." I won it off e-bay. Maybe old news to some, but I found it interesting. Lots of useful info here. Covers 221-460. Ford engines are actually quite interchangable, which is good. The book of course talks about the 302 and 351W the most. Some Cleveland info there, 460, unfortunately they say the 351M/400M is a great engine, but is not recomended for a build up due to lack of aftermarket parts. I guess I am still determined to prove people wrong. Keep finding stuff to make mine better, I only wish I knew that stuff 6 years ago when I rebuilt it.
If anyone needs to know anything, I'll use this new "bible" to help out.
Chris Diedrick
http://chrismotley1979bltbird.homestead.com/CHRIS1979FORDTHUNDERBIRD.html

 

[bigbrownbird]

Hey guys,
I've also got the same book, I found out that it also covers the old FE style blocks as well, while none of us have an old 390 in our 77-79 birds, I found it very useful way back when I was building 390s and my neighbor was building his 428 Cobra Jet. And Chris, don't give up on the old 351M-400 engines, they make great sleeper big blocks (everyone calls mine a boat anchor until they see me cruise at 140) and there are parts out there. I even hard a roumor that Edelbrock was going to make heads for it. I'm not so sure about that one, but they are a great engine. Which reminds me, hows the 351M doing?

Lee

 

[cdiedrick]

351m

Lee,
Well, the 351M is still sitting in the garage, but hopefully it will move soon since it looks like I am moving into an acreage hopefully next weekend. Then I can proceed to wrench on stuff. Preferably the T-Bird, I still say that the 351M is a good engine, and you only encouraged that more. Sleepers are cool!
Chris

 

[Gearworks]

hey guys,

ole man here... Just a little trick you might want to pull on youre 351m400 that will make sure it has enough oil pressure to live at high rpm's and not self destruct! it also cures that annoying passenger side lifter tick that will NOT go away. this requires a steady hand and alot of bravery if you want to do it yourself. first of all the reason they say those motors dont last is an ignorant oil passage system. the drivers side bank of lifters is fed through all 5 mains. the passenger side is only fed through the #3 main, therefore the passenger is always starving no matter what you do.
Now here's the cure, either you can do this, or have the machine shop do it, P R I O R to having the block cleaned
drill and tap an 1/8 taper pipe hole in the lifter oil galley between the first and second pairs of lifter bores at the front of the block, and then 2 more between the rear pairs. Connect left to right in front and left to right in the rear, with -4 BRAIDED STAINLESS hose. and Viola' oil pressure that will handle 7500 rpm! I know ive done it!

 

[marine165]

first of all the reason they say those motors dont last is an ignorant oil passage system. the drivers side bank of lifters is fed through all 5 mains. the passenger side is only fed through the #3 main, therefore the passenger is always starving no matter what you do.

Holy catfish!!
Who the hell came up with that oiling system? Sheesh... Was the Cleveland like that, too, or was it only the Modifieds? One of these days I plan on building a supercharged 351C (Waaaaay off in the future, but it will be done...), and that would be something good to know, since I'd like it to be able to scream up to 7000 RPM or so... Love solid lifters. Also, do you know if you can somehow retrofit roller lifters into a Cleveland, perhaps by doing something creative with 5.0 HO rollers and cams, or by using 351 roller retrofit cams (smaller base circle)? I don't even know if the cams will interchange or not, though I wouldn't be surprised if they did, since the bore spacing is the same and all that jazz...
Just wondering...

Mike

 

[bigbrownbird]

Hey everyone,
Paul is right, the oiling system sucked on 351M and 400 engines. I cured my problem the same way paul did, but I used hard lines. When I swapped to a different intake about a yaer and a half after driving it, the line still looked fine. As for your 351C questions Mike, I don't know if the cam would work, but I'd be willing to bet that the oiling system is similar.

Lee

 

[Gearworks]

the 351c's have the "better" oiling system in them but they too can benefit from the trick i mentioned earlier. and as far as the roller kits i believe crower makes a retro kit to fit them. The roller lifters from an Ho. 302 will not work. Reason being is that if you measure the depth of a roller blocks lifter bore it is deeper (Although same diameter) than a stock hydraulic block's lifter bore. i seem to remember a friend trying that and it ended spraying oil out around the lifters.


Paul

 

[Gearworks]

Another Interchange book

hey y'all.

I dont know if this is the same book you guys were referring to earlier but the one i use has paid for itself MANY times over. It costs $14 and has 88 pages of HiPo ford #'s and the like.

It is published by Sunset Mustang, and is called "FORD High Performance Parts Identifier" It is made to be able to put in your back pocket and carry around the swap meets.

Sunset Mustang
7846 Chase Woods Drive
JonesBoro Georgia
30236

it covers 1960 - 1973 Boss 302, Boss 351, 289 Hipo, 429 CJ/SCJ, Shelby GT350H & R, Shelby Gt 500, 390 HiPo, 406,
428 CJ/SCJ, 351 CJ and the 427's including S.O.H.C.!!!!

get one! you wont be sorry!

Paul