About a year and a half ago, I bought a '76 Bronco with a very anemic 302. I tried an aluminum intake and a 4 barrel, but the motor never got much pep. A friend offered to give me a 351 Windsor. Little did I know, but he was not doing me any financial favors.

My junk:
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w229/recoiljunky/__sysMes.jpg

After a good bit of research, I discovered that if you are rebuilding a 351W. you might as well stroke it to 393 because the cost difference is minimal (assuming the old crank needed turning anyway.) Swapping the old 3.5" crank for a 3.85" crank and hanging 302 pistons on the factory connecting rods gives you 393 ci after a .030 overbore. My block had to be bored out .060, hence 398 ci. My machinist said this would be fine since I was not building a high rpm motor.

Here's the cleaned and painted block:
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w229/recoiljunky/Photo_06.jpg

The bottom end got Keith Black hypereutectic 302 pistons. 302 pistons are slightly cheaper than 351w pistons, but the real point in using them is that they are shorter than the 351w pistons and allow the clearance necessary to run the 3.85' crank.

Block with pistons installed:
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w229/recoiljunky/DSC01551.jpg

After my research, I had determined that the stock heads would never do for what I had in mind. So, I bought a pair of Edelbrock aluminum heads. I topped the heads off with Comp Cams roller rockers and pushed them with a Comp Cam Xtreme 4x4 cam. The fuel is fed by a Holley 670 Truck Avenger carb. I live in south Alabama. We don't have hills or rocks. EFI isn't needed and I like carbs.

Motor with top ended added:
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w229/recoiljunky/DSC01804.jpg

I've always wanted a set of over-the-frame headers and I found a great deal on these custom made ones:
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w229/recoiljunky/DSC01772.jpg

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w229/recoiljunky/DSC01803.jpg

Somehow I let someone talk me into doing the Ford Explorer serpentine belt swap on my motor. V belts suck. Anytime I get water on mine they sqeal. Serpentine belts are cool. Problem is, not many serp set ups will fit in the short classic Bronco motor well. The Ford Explorer's set up will though. Add more $$$ for Explorer parts, electric fuel pump, etc.

Picture of motor with Explorer belt set up:
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w229/recoiljunky/DSC01926.jpg

The Explorer set up made necessary the lower radiator cross over pipe seen in the last picture.

Yeah, I know, I should have painted the motor well before adding the new pretty motor. My wife wouldn't let me keep the Bronco in the driveway long enough to do that (well, she didn't tell me to get it out of there but you have to pick your battles in order to stay married.)

I didn't take any pictures of the finishing touches. Suffice it to say, buttoning up this project has taken longer than I expected.

Yesterday was the big day. I waited for the neighbors to go to work and fired this thing up at 8:30 am. A flat tappet cam motor has to be run between 2000 and 2500 rpm for the first 30 minutes of the engine's life in order to avoid damaging the cam. I don't have any exhaust on the motor except for the headers, so this was LOUD!

The motor busted right off. It warmed up to and maintained a 190 degree temperature. Oil pressure hovered around 55 psi. Blipping the throttle was impressive! Assuming this thing doesn't blow up like Chernobyl soon, it will be the most powerful engine I have owned. I still have to clean up some wiring, tune the engine and adjust my hydraulic clutch.

As it looks now:
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w229/recoiljunky/DSC01935.jpg

I'll try to post an update when I get that done, but it's likely to take a few 'cause I'm swamped at work.

Very cool. The one thing that bothers me though, it looks as if the cylinder bores were bone dry during assembly.

Very cool. The one thing that bothers me though, it looks as if the cylinder bores were bone dry during assembly.

Shitty lighting / camera. I slathered the cylinders down wth oil and I dipped the pistons and rings in oil before slapping them in place.

nice. I want one for my jeep so bad!!

Great build, I love the valve covers, got some of my own too...

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k231/Jtrux/Valvecovers2.jpg

ummmm I thought just the 3.85" crank made it a 393? Making .030 over a 408?

ummmm I thought just the 3.85" crank made it a 393? Making .030 over a 408?


He's .060 over, thus making it 398.743558752

Bore X Bore X Stroke X .7854 X # of cylinders = Cubic Inches

ummmm I thought just the 3.85" crank made it a 393? Making .030 over a 408?

You need a 4" stroke to obtain 408ci.

ummmm I thought just the 3.85" crank made it a 393? Making .030 over a 408?

A 3.85" crank, stock connecting rods and .030 over make a 393. To make a 408 you need a new crank and new connecting rods. The 393 Stroker is the poor man's stroker. The 398 Stroker is the poor man with an old block's stroker.

Great build, I love the valve covers, got some of my own too...

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k231/Jtrux/Valvecovers2.jpg

Yours looks bigger than mine. :(

408 ci with just a over bore is a good torquey engine. Even better with EFI on it.

Yours looks bigger than mine.

cause it looks to be a 335 series (400/351m to be exact) motor and not a wheezer :)

cause it looks to be a 335 series (400/351m to be exact) motor and not a wheezer :)

Yeah, I noticed the water passage and the valve cover bolts.

I think the Edels took the wheeze out of this Windsor.

yeah those edels are a decent head, and any head work on anything from the windsor family goes a long way to wake them up, nice build.

I bought a couple of Spin Tech Sportsman mufflers for it last night. 3" collectors, 2.5" reducers, 2.5" pipe into center in / center out Spin Techs, exit right in front of rear tires.

Is it Friday yet?!? I'm dying to get back to work on this.

It looks like you ran out of money to have your accessories bead blasted and made purdy?

Your motor looks purdy, however, what did your machinist use to hone your clyinders, a piece of 80 grit sandpaper? I have never seen a machine shop hone job that looked like it was done with a drill and stone/dingleberry hone.

What did your buid cost you?

It looks like you ran out of money to have your accessories bead blasted and made purdy?

Your motor looks purdy, however, what did your machinist use to hone your clyinders, a piece of 80 grit sandpaper? I have never seen a machine shop hone job that looked like it was done with a drill and stone/dingleberry hone.

What did your buid cost you?

I did run out of money but that's not what kept me from having the accessories bead blasted; I can have that done for free. I was sick of this project dragging on. I may come back and bead blast them later. It takes about five minutes to get the brackets off.

I thought the cylinders looked rough too but I have never done this before so I didn't have anything to compare them to. The machinist came highly recommended. He said something about the roughness but I don't recall what it was. I think maybe that it was that he left it like that so that he would not have to remove more material. I don't know.

any pics of the headers and the motor installed? would like to have a set as well and wanted to see how they fit before trying to make a set.

steelman

any pics of the headers and the motor installed? would like to have a set as well and wanted to see how they fit before trying to make a set.

steelman

I'm out of town and can't take a picture of mine right now, but here is the thread that brought these headers to me. http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=113739&highlight=custom+headers Dig through all the pages because there are some updated pictures and videos later on in it.

My headers were built by the same guy who made the headers in that thread and they look very similar (mine are a little shorter.)

As a noob I ask, what is the output of this motor hp/tq wise?

I have a EFI 351w that I'd like to get into and stroke when I rebuild.

Thanks

As a noob I ask, what is the output of this motor hp/tq wise?

I have a EFI 351w that I'd like to get into and stroke when I rebuild.

Thanks

The guy whose plans I used to build this motor said that his motor produces400 hp / 400 lbs of torque. Before anyone hollers "Bullshit", these are his numbers not mine. I don't remember at what RPM these numbers fall in.

The guy whose plans I used to build this motor said that his motor produces400 hp / 400 lbs of torque. Before anyone hollers "Bullshit", these are his numbers not mine. I don't remember at what RPM these numbers fall in.

From a 398 I can see it happening. It's people with 500HP 302's that I dont understand.:laughing:

I'd like to give y'all an update on the motor, but I'm recovering from a 24 hour case of the Volcano-ass accompanied by :barf: .

Figures; I spend all week out of town, thinking about working on the Bronco, only to come home and stay stuck in the bathroom.

I might tinker with it some this afternoon, but today is Sunday and I'm still running the open headers in a neighborhood. I'd have to let it warm up before I set the timing and idle mixture. 10 - 15 minutes of idling that loud bastard may be a little too much for my neighbors. Maybe I'll just cut out of work early tomorrow.

Well, it's getting closer to tuned. I'm having to work on it quickly, for short periods of time because I still don't have any exhaust and I don't want to upset the neighbors.

The hydraulic clutch is giving me issues too. It would be easier working on this with some help.

So the fact is this thing still has not been road tested. :(

how much $$$$ do you have into that engine? say just the longblock alone

how much $$$$ do you have into that engine? say just the longblock alone

I had a free wore out 351W so:

Block - $0
Rods - $0
ARP Rod Bolts - $65
Scat Crank - $288
KB Pistons - $320 (yeah, I know I paid too much)
Rings (Moly) - $38
Main Bearings - $32
Rod Bearings - $40
Crane Cam - $120
Crane lifters - $85
Timing Chain Set - $40
Oil Pump and Shaft - $44
Machine Work (bored, decked, balanced, cam bearings, rods reconditioned pistons installed) - $650

Looks like around $1,722.

So far it's keeping its temperature fine. It's spent a lot of time idling in the driveway (the neighbors love that.) It maintains a steady 190 degrees without the overflow tank being hooked up.

It took a while for me to get the hydraulic clutch adjusted, but now it is functioning. It still needs a little dialing in.

I can't seem to get the thing tuned though. I'm setting timing with a vacuum gauge. While turning 1500 rpm it pulls 21 inches of vacuum. It 750 idle it only pulls 18 inches of vacuum and it's unsteady +-1 inch. I've twisted that damn dizzy every which way and adjusted the idle mixture to no end. Where it runs best, it drags on starting (too advanced.)

I road tested it one block. It's STRONG.

So far it's keeping its temperature fine. It's spent a lot of time idling in the driveway (the neighbors love that.) It maintains a steady 190 degrees without the overflow tank being hooked up.

It took a while for me to get the hydraulic clutch adjusted, but now it is functioning. It still needs a little dialing in.

I can't seem to get the thing tuned though. I'm setting timing with a vacuum gauge. While turning 1500 rpm it pulls 21 inches of vacuum. It 750 idle it only pulls 18 inches of vacuum and it's unsteady +-1 inch. I've twisted that damn dizzy every which way and adjusted the idle mixture to no end. Where it runs best, it drags on starting (too advanced.)

I road tested it one block. It's STRONG.

Whats your altitude where youre at? You should have about 20 at idle, but subtract 1" per 1000' in elevation. I only pull 16" and im at 4300'

Whats your altitude where youre at? You should have about 20 at idle, but subtract 1" per 1000' in elevation. I only pull 16" and im at 4300'

I'm pretty much at sea level (+320 feet.)

hmm

hmm

Awesome insight on a 2 year old thread.

where did you get the headers?

Very cool. The one thing that bothers me though, it looks as if the cylinder bores were bone dry during assembly.
You dont want much oil there anyways.. I just use some ATF to clean the cylinder walls and thats it. You want the rings to seat and they will almost instantly get a lot of splash in the cylinder area anyways....

hmm

I'm very pleased with my decision to build this motor. A 351W fits in an EB with a body lift just as easy as a 302 does. Stroking a 351 to 398 costs practically the same as rebuilding to 351. While the motor is being build you might as well have it balanced for 50oz and put an Exlorer serpentine on it.

Nothing magical or ground breaking with the motor build, just a series of good decisions in my not so humble opinion.

where did you get the headers?

Clear Image Automotive in Oregon or Washinton State (can't remember exactly where they are at.) They had a jig built. but the owner said mine was the last set they were building. It's worth a call to them though. The headers were very affordable considering they are custom.

Awesome insight on a 2 year old thread.

hes been thinking about a turbo on his EB, maybe he was searching, found this piqued his interest and decided to bump it back for more info.

hes been thinking about a turbo on his EB, maybe he was searching, found this piqued his interest and decided to bump it back for more info.

This man speaks the truth! I wasnt trying to be a smartass at all. Im very excited to see this build thread and I will be doing my own turbo setup just got to figure it out on a 4x4 Im use to lowriders and GNs.