Got the 351C overhaul started

Well, I finally got my rebuild for my '71 Mach 351C motor underway. I had a short (1 week or so) interruption to fight off a bout of pneumonia, but it's going.

First things first: I *KNEW* I had a big oil leak someplace, and once I got the motor pulled apart, it was obvious. The harmonic balancer is badly grooved and scored around its shaft, making it not seal through the front cover. So, that's on the replacement list (and I can't believe the number of people who media blast a balancer - including the collar on it). If anybody has one laying about in great shape, let me know. :shy:

Everything is apart and is at the machine shop now. I didn't find any major damage to anything, and even the valves were in better shape than I suspected they might be. I hope to have everything back from the shop in about 5 or 6 weeks.

In the meantime, I'm going to have the valve covers & intake manifold powder coated, as the paint just ain't adhering to the aluminum manifold worth a darn.

Film at 11...

Got a balancer here. Look at pics,if intrested shoot me a pm with shipping info.

Jim

I am glad to hear you have apparently isolated your "oil leak" problems and that it wasn't as bad as you thought it might be.

What is the Machine Shop doing for you? I know you had indicated you were going to Hyper pistons, so I assume you are doing an overbore?

Keep us updated on the progress.

BT

I am glad to hear you have apparently isolated your "oil leak" problems and that it wasn't as bad as you thought it might be.

What is the Machine Shop doing for you? I know you had indicated you were going to Hyper pistons, so I assume you are doing an overbore?

Keep us updated on the progress.

BT

Click to expand...

The machine shop is owned by a guy who REALLY knows Ford motors, and comes highly recommended by Ford guys around this area. Heck, we had a 10 minute discussion on oils when I "interviewed" him for the job.

I'm going for .030 over. I doubt I'll have to do anything to the crank, they're pretty bulletproof. I'm going with a Comp XE256H grind cam and hydraulic flat tappets (I'm on a budget, the extra grand for a roller setup put it out of reach). Stiffer valve springs, new locks & retainers. Hardened exhaust valve seats, new valve guides, better valve stem seals (both the machinist and I believe I'm losing oil down the valve stems from 40-year-old stock Ford seals). Roller timing chain setup, as the crappy OEM-style set I put on 3 years ago is already stretched almost to requiring replacement. I think I'm going to change from the KB domed pistons to Sealed Power flat tops, still staying with hypereutectic. I'll lose a bit in compression ratio, but after talking with my engine guy he's concerned about the KB pistons running so much hotter at the top compression ring and with much less tolerance for ring gaps.

If you dont have them already, get yourself a new set of SS one piece valves. This is the number one failure of stock cleveland engines, especially when bigger cams and stiffer springs are added to them.

The originals are 2 piece construction with the heads welded on the stem and the heads like to seperate.

If you dont have them already, get yourself a new set of SS one piece valves. This is the number one failure of stock cleveland engines, especially when bigger cams and stiffer springs are added to them.

The originals are 2 piece construction with the heads welded on the stem and the heads like to seperate.

Click to expand...

x2 what he said

:runninpony:

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but I'm reading every word of it, as I'm rebuilding the top end of my 351C right now. Although I have a 2V and won't be racing, a lot of what you are discussing is very relevent to my project. I'll be looking at one piece valves now, and I've got new lifters and springs and all that. How about the push rods? Reuse or replace (depending on the cost)?

Doc

SS valves are a must. I have broke a valve it wasn't pretty. Broke piston Bent rod broke piston skirt.

I use the SS valves from Alex Parts on Ebay. Very good stuff, nice price.

Ive had 2 original balancers where the timing marks slipped. The rubber gets old. I finally bought a new one from summit.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PIO-872027/?rtype=10

Also when I had my 351 rebuilt I had to get a crank kit. So don't be surprized. Mark

I use the SS valves from Alex Parts on Ebay. Very good stuff, nice price.

Click to expand...

Me too..........

Dito on the SS valves with the single groove locks and keepers! It really is cheaper in the long run.

Well, I’ve *FINALLY* settled on a cam and pistons. Comp XE256H grind (hydraulic flat tappets), and hypereutectic flat-top Sealed Power pistons. The pistons won’t give me as much a bump in compression as the Keith Black pistons would, but then again, the KB’s have issues with destroying the top compression ring – and thereby other engine parts - if everything isn’t EXACTLY perfect when you install them (and they required mods to the top rings for much bigger gaps than standard).

On the good news front, the block & both heads have been magnafluxed and pronounced healthy, so I have a good platform from which to start. I’ll be meeting with my machinist Friday to go over all the measurements on the motor and parts to see where we go from there.

Cool good luck!!!!!!!!!!

That sounds like a good start Dan, Keep us posted, take some pics.

Keep us posted, Dan. I'm in the middle of the budget version of your project.

Doc

Heck, this *IS* the budget version. Realistically, if I stayed with stock cam & pistons, it wouldn't save me a heckuva lot of money. 1/2 the cost is machining (boring the holes, etc). I should have right at $900-$1000 in parts, and about the same in machine work. Originally I was looking at roller cam and lifters, more aggressive grind, etc., and that alone tacked on the better part of another $1000 to the cost (which is why I'm staying with hydraulic flat tappets). The other thing that's saving me $$$ is doing all the assembly work myself (something I really enjoy, so that's not really a chore to me).

Ouch, Dan. Maybe instead of "budget" I should have said "cheapo". The cylinders I lucked out on, because they don't need to be bored, just honed, so I don't have to replace rings or pistons. Plus, I just going for a weekend burnout machine and occasional track runner, not a racer.

I'm hoping that 90% of the cost will be intake and exhaust manifolds, carb, hoses, dizzy (maybe) and such, and that me and the boys at the high school auto shop can do the rest.

Doc

Well, at this point the machining costs are sort of worst-case, assuming a need a bore instead of just honing, and that I need to have the rods reconditioned (which I really don't think I do). I prefer to use the pessimistic numbers for planning, it makes it easier to take when they don't happen. But regardless, I'm still going with new pistons, they're less than $300 for a set including rings. The new cam shaft was always a given, and of course that means you have to replace lifters, etc.. I would also, if I were you, check out your valve stem clearances, that sort of thing to make sure you don't need new valve guides. Not a real expensive thing, but something that can pay off down the road.

I would think that at a minimum, you should replace the pistons rings and all the bearings even if you don't need boring out. Was the taper in the piston bores checked out, as well as the physical condition of the pistons themselves?