351w Fresh Paint and Chrome Valve Covers!

I just finished my winter/spring project. My dad gave me some new valve covers for Christmas. Together we disassembled the engine and began work on the 351w "facelift". After seeing the disassembled engine and all of those parts, I was nervous about putting everything back together correctly. But now that the project is done, it wasn't too difficult.

This project took several weeks. Progress seemed really slow, mainly because we had to wait for parts to come in the mail and let the paint dry.

This project consisted of..

-Fresh paint on all engine components (old ford blue).
-Fresh paint on exhaust manifolds, engine mounts, and trans.
-Several coats of white bilgekote; bilge, stringers, and battery box.
-New chrome valve covers.
-New gaskets.
-New hoses including water, fuel, bilge, and EXHAUST.
-All new SS hose clamps.
-New transmission fluid lines.
-New belts.
-New spark plugs and wires.
-New distributor cap, points, rotor.
-New water temp. send unit.
-New oil pressure send unit.
-Polished flame arrestor.
-Untangled and reorganized the electrical wires.
-Replaced all non-ss hardware with SS.
-Replaced plastic elbow fittings on exhaust manifold with metal fittings.
-Oil change/new filter.
-Trans fluid change.

I'm sure that there are other things that I forgot to list. Here are some pics.

BEFORE:






Here are some "almost" complete project pictures. I was waiting for my new plug wires and still missing some hoses, but still felt the need to take pictures..












Official "complete" pictures will be posted after it stops raining...

Next project.. NEW CARPET!!

I agree, gives me something to shoot for. Great job.

Very nice! I like it.

Nice and clean!

FYI, thats a 302, not a 351w. (The 351w was never offered in the 1st gen Ski Tique).

Looks pretty good man.

Very nice job Alex.

But I will have to say that the intake manifold on the engine in the photos, clearly belongs to a 302.

sweet77 wrote: The valve covers say 351 high performance. where did you get them.

Here

Very nice job, Looks awesome.

Did anyone notice the water hose routing? Looks like it comes out of the RWP then goes back around to the trans cooler then back under the motor and up to the thermostat housing. Is that correct for this year? that should work but it seems like an aweful lot of hose.

Sweet 302/351, you would be able to tell by head bolt size, one of the only physical ways to tell, except for dis-assembling and measureing the bores...there may be other ways, but this is the way that I can tell...i believe the 302 will be a 5/8ths socket and the 35i will be a 3/4 socket   7/16"ths bolt or 1/2" bolt   

Nice job. Are you running straight exhaust? That has to sound great...

snipe wrote: Are you running straight exhaust? That has to sound great...

Straight exhaust with two hose clamps on each of the through hull fittings. Engine sounds awesome!

eric lavine wrote: Sweet 302/351, you would be able to tell by head bolt size, one of the only physical ways to tell, except for dis-assembling and measureing the bores...there may be other ways, but this is the way that I can tell...i believe the 302 will be a 5/8ths socket and the 35i will be a 3/4 socket   7/16"ths bolt or 1/2" bolt

That's your inner chevy talking Eric...

The bores on 302 and 351 are the same.
So one would need to measure the stroke.

Yes, a head bolt would clinch it.

deck height and width are measurable externally.

One snapshot of where the distributor mates the block would also clinch it.
If its fairly even with the valley, its a 302, if its about 3/4" below the valley, its a 351.


Its also common to find 351 heads on the marine 302's, so anything written under the valve cover is suspect.

My eye also says 302.

Even the rear shot says 302. see how the intake is even with the bellhousing. It would be raised on a 351. This says the deck height is a 221/260/289/302 block.

A very good looking 302, well done

GottaSki wrote: Alex47 wrote: 8122pbrainard wrote: ...you did use a marine pump rather than an automotive. Please, this is important - tell us about it. I just cleaned up the same fuel pump that was on the engine. Yes, the newer marine pumps look just like that.

I edited my initial post about 15 minuets after making the first one. I spotted the overflow tube!!   

8122pbrainard wrote: EDIT: Alex, I see the overflow tube now. It's pretty hidden - glad to see it on the engine!

Paul,
I don't have strainers on ANY of my boats and have NEVER had a problem. A lot depends on the water you run in!

GottaSki wrote: One snapshot of where the distributor mates the block would also clinch it. If its fairly even with the valley, its a 302, if its about 3/4" below the valley, its a 351.

Agreed, doesnt look my 351. My distributor is much lower than that one, the top of the cap is much lower in comparison to the carb on mine.