lets have a serious discussion about a 351w swap in a 2nd gen

i would like to strike up a new conversation about the infamous 351w swap in a 2nd gen. not some hack shoehorn full of compromises. i mean a no/low compomise build that can look factory. can drive factory. can maintain cruise control and air conditioning. and emissions legal too!

it has been tried by few and i don't know of any sucesses. i may have gotten the closest, as i drove mine on the highway for about 4 minutes.

due to a house that needs work, a 2 week old baby and 2 other kids needing attention, a full time job, a part time job and a wife who wants some of my time too, my project is over with. there's nothing i hate more than unfinished projects, so thats where you come in! if you become the first to daily drive a 351w explorer, my job is complete.

so, i am going to use some free time over the next few weeks to see to it that everyone has access to the knowledge to perform this swap. this is also a discussion for ideas and experience.

TO EVERYONE OUT THERE THAT TOLD ME AND OTHERS "IT CAN'T BE DONE", I REJECT YOUR REALITY AND SUBSTITUTE MY OWN!

let the games begin!

 

[pufferfish]

headers

torque monsters won't work with the 351w. cast iron log manifolds will work, but flow is crap. stock explorer manifolds won't work. custom is the only choice. after i had created my headers, which look pretty good and should flow well, since they are 1.75 primaries and follow the rules of scavaging (primaries feed into the collector in the order of their firing), but there has to be something easier! i got to thinking about stock manifolds again. the chevy LS engines use cast iron manifolds that flow pretty well. they are block hugger style and since the LS changed to non-siamese ports and nearly identical bore spacing, they actually line up with the ford ports. you might have a cheap and easy winner if you took these manifolds, cut off the head flange and welded on a ford head flange.

also, the corvette LS manifolds are formed sheetmetal, which would be lighter and easier to weld, but they may need further modification s on the collector as they exit near the center of the manifold, rather than towards the back. food for thought.

 

[Turbo Tim]

Great info, I have spun rod bearings twice on two 302s in my '99 Explorer and I think its time for more cubes. I was going to swap a 5.3 LS engine in the truck, but after these posts, I think I am going to put a stroked 351w in it instead. Great writeup guys. Posts like this are timeless. I will post pics and give my feedback during the swap.
Plus.... I work at ZZPerformance and we have a dyno, so I can post results. My last 302(TM headers, big Comp Cam, Tweecer) made 240whp through my Manual TCase swap and 33" Geolander M/Ts.

 

[Hppta78]

I am also starting this swap once the weather warms up a little bit! I recently came across a mid 90's 351, trans, and transfer case out of a bronco. I am going to give the Exploder a 2" body lift to make the install a lil easier! I will be posting pics along the way, and hope to have it done by mid summer!

 

[tmsoko]

I would love to see these come together! Just keep in mind these is a fair amount of custom work if keeping the explorer EFI and 4x4.

 

[Hppta78]

I have been gathering everything I think I might need for the swap. I have the wiring harness for the engine from the bronco as well, I just need the ecm for it. As for the custom work, I have access to a full machine shop and being a mechanical engineer and a very good metal fabricator, I have no problems designing and building everything I need to!

It sucks how close a lot of people here have gotten to completing their swaps just to have to set them on the back burner because of things that come up in life! I am a great example of that, my Trans-Am took me almost a decade to get it to where I want it due to stuff happening that needed my attention more!

I will start a new thread covering my build with pictures along the way... I just hope I can see this one through without having to shove it on the back burner as well because that combo would be unstoppable!!