Hi everyone, I'm looking at a nice 351 W engine. It has a rear sump pan, I know I have to switch that to a front sump pan. What else will I have to switch besides engine mounts. I have a 250 straight six currently in car. Will my c4 trans bolt right up to a 351 Windsor from the current setup with the 250? I know transmission will need redone. The 351 W is a 1983 block. Thanks everyone.
If not on engine you'll need a 28 oz, 157 T flexplate, most 351 used 164 T plates. Also radiator, throttle linkage, complete exhaust system etc.
Hidden in the "complete exhaust system" is headers for this swap. Toughest part of the whole thing. They have to be specific for a 351W in a Maverick. Crites is one source. The exhaust ports point right at the upper A arms, very tight. We cut the shock towers to gain width in the engine bay, but it still doesn't give you room for the headers unless you change to a different front suspension. I also notched the drivers tower for the oil filter. The stock Ford filter would touch the tower and get stressed if the motor rocked. There is a shorter Mopar filter that can be substituted. The whole motor is a couple inches taller. If you are running any kind of intake manifold with some height, you will need to put the air cleaner through the hood and run a scoop. I was running a very short manifold, no spacer, and still needed a very short air cleaner to keep it under the hood. I did this swap in the mid-1990s, because that is what you did then to "inexpensively" get more cubes. Stroker kits for a 302 based engine are easy and cheap now. The motor will actually fit well. The best news is that truly good headers are available. The 351W swap headers that I have seen all look pretty strangled. The ones I had custom made are the ugliest ones I have ever seen. In actual money spent, and time delays, they cost far too much to be this bad. I hate to burst the bubble here, but this swap is a fight, and every complication means money spent. If my 351W needs bearings the next time I look into it, I will be going back to a 302-based motor. A 331 stroker kit is calling me ....
Personalty, I would have never done the 351w install with the shock towers. Removing them makes everything easier.
Thank you so much everyone. Hey, I saw a picture of a pro charged 250 six, anyone ever done that? lol
