351w engine block?

[protouringstang73]

Hello

I need some help.. A guy got 3 351w engine blocks, and I need to hear which one is the best, if any of them are.

Engine codes:

1. D4AE= 1974

2. E9AE= 1989

3. F4TE= 1994, from a truck

I was told that after 1973, the engine blocks is not so strong as before 1973, is that right?

My idea is to build a engine with around 400-500hp, so I need a strong block to start from..

Best regarda Daniel

 

[73MustangCoupe]

go with the 1994. It uses roller lifters which will eliminate the problems of using ZDDP or wiping the cam. It's a truck block and should be plenty strong. I have one in my 94 F150 daily driver, and I have another 89 351W motor that I stroked to a 410 that lives in my 86 F150.

 

[protouringstang73]

So you will suggest the 94' block from the truck? My plan was to put a 408 stroker kit on, do you think it's strong enought for that? How many hp does your 410 stroker engine make?

 

[73MustangCoupe]

94 would be plenty strong and would be preferable over the others as it came stock with roller lifters. My 410 Stroker (bored .040 over) desktops at 488 hp, 502 ft lbs of torque. Haven't had it on a chassis dyno yet. I did add a retrofit roller lifter kit, but that's an added expense that would be avoided with the roller block. I did add ARP studs for the mains to beef up the bottom end just a bit.

 

[Boss1Ray]

94 would be plenty strong and would be preferable over the others as it came stock with roller lifters. My 410 Stroker (bored .040 over) desktops at 488 hp, 502 ft lbs of torque. Haven't had it on a chassis dyno yet. I did add a retrofit roller lifter kit, but that's an added expense that would be avoided with the roller block. I did add ARP studs for the mains to beef up the bottom end just a bit.

How about some pics of this torque monster pickup? Sounds cool.

What is rpm for those specs? I know you mentioned theoretical but curious where your powerband sits for that build. THX

Ray

 

[73MustangCoupe]

94 would be plenty strong and would be preferable over the others as it came stock with roller lifters. My 410 Stroker (bored .040 over) desktops at 488 hp, 502 ft lbs of torque. Haven't had it on a chassis dyno yet. I did add a retrofit roller lifter kit, but that's an added expense that would be avoided with the roller block. I did add ARP studs for the mains to beef up the bottom end just a bit.

How about some pics of this torque monster pickup? Sounds cool.

What is rpm for those specs? I know you mentioned theoretical but curious where your powerband sits for that build. THX

Ray

It's an 89 351W block with an Eagle stroker kit. The torque is 473 ft lbs at 2750 and peaks at 502 at 4500. I've went with Edelbrock Performer RPM heads and intake, Edelbrock Rollin' Thunder cam with 235 and 238 intake and exhaust duration, with .573 and .582 lift, respectively. The powerband for the components I chose is 1500 to 6500 RPMs. I went with March Performance Serpentine kit up front, and on top, a FAST-EZ EFI system to feed it. I went with BBK equal length headers and custom 2.5" exhaust. It's a Ford truck, so it has the dual I-beam front suspension, so I used DJM Dream beams to lower it 3 inches up front. Out back, I notched and boxed the frame and added a custom 4-bar coilover rear suspension. I rebuilt the 8.8 inch rear end adding an Eaton Posi, but sticking with the 3.55 gear ratio.

Mocked up in the truck.



Installed in the frame after the frame was powdercoated so I could build the custom exhaust.

Currently, the truck is completely disassembled, once again. The body is over in Nashville where Rick Bacon, former host of Muscle Car, is doing the body work and paint. The custom paint should be done by the end of March, so then I can start putting it all back together. And the beginning of April, I'll be picking up another 73 Mach 1 to replace my car-b-qued coupe. It's going to be a busy summer.

 

[protouringstang73]

Wow! It sounds to be a really nice engine. And I like how it looks! How much money did it cost to build a engine like that? I'm a little green on this area, but it sounds to be really nice stuff you had put together!

 

[73MustangCoupe]

Wow! It sounds to be a really nice engine. And I like how it looks! How much money did it cost to build a engine like that? I'm a little green on this area, but it sounds to be really nice stuff you had put together!

Please don't ask me to add it all up. The wife might find out, and then I'd really be in trouble. It wasn't inexpensive, though.

 

[protouringstang73]

Haha, the same here, they don't understand why we are spending so much money on a car :-D

 

[Mesozoic]

Aren't the '74 blocks higher nickel content and quite a bit stronger than the later blocks? You can rollerize anything with a minimal amount of effort, so I wouldn't just jump for a thin wall late model roller block.

 

[73MustangCoupe]

Aren't the '74 blocks higher nickel content and quite a bit stronger than the later blocks? You can rollerize anything with a minimal amount of effort, so I wouldn't just jump for a thin wall late model roller block.

The nickel content isn't really a factor when building a 500hp stroker. It might be a bit stronger, but that's not really a factor at this level. If you wanted to add a major nitrous hit, it might be, but when building a normally aspirated, 500hp stroker, it really isn't. As far as the thin wall, the thicker webs add to the strength and you can add 4 bolt mains (like the Cleveland blocks), but for his application, it really is major overkill. Yes, you can rollerize the 74 block, but its several hundred dollars more, and then if you want to capitalize on the thicker webs, that's another several hundred bucks, so for an extra grand or two, you can build a 500 hp motor that will handle twice that. Not really cost effective, in my opinion. But then, that's just my opinion.

 

[Mesozoic]

I don't think folks that are building 500 hp engines are looking to skimp out on parts, especially if they're planning to pro tour, so I would encourage anyone with the opportunity to purchase a '74 and earlier 351W block to promptly jump on it. The cost of a $300 reduced base circle camshaft is barely a drop in the bucket if you're considering the machine work necessary to make a reliable 500 hp motor.

I always take what Wikipedia states with a grain of salt, but according to them:

"Early blocks (casting id C9OE-6015-B) had enough metal on bearing saddles 2, 3, and 4 for four bolt mains, and as with all SBF, were superior in strength to most late model, lightweight castings. Generally the 1969 to 1974 blocks are considered to be far superior in strength than the later blocks making these early units some of the strongest and most desirable in the entire SBF engine family including the 335 series."

I run a C90E block with a girdle and never bothered to drill for 4 bolt mains - I regularly run mine up to 6000 RPM and sustained at 4500 RPM with no issues. Bottom end consists of a Scat 4340 crank, H-beam rods, and SRP forged pistons all perfectly balanced for smoothness throughout the whole range.