Thread: Good heads for a 351-W

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I have a 80s 351 in my 55 sunliner and need to put on a better set of heads,it has late 70s to mid 80s smog heads and would like to find a better set of factoory heads to put on it when I change the cam. I found a st of 69 or 70 heads in a junkyard but are there any late model heads that re just as good since the early heads do not have hardened seats. Jeff

Maybe a set of the 5.0 Mustang GT heads..... You'd have to do a bit of research to find the heads with the right cc's so you don't bump the compression too high..... or, if you don't drive it a whole lot maybe the 69 heads with a bit of lead substitute in the fuel tank???? Might also want to consider a set of the late model GT 40 heads, just not sure what all they came on. Guess I'm just spoiled, I just pop the big bucks for the aluminum aftermarket heads!!!!!

With the motor being of the 80s era I would think it would have dished pistons so bringing up the compression some might not hurt but since the moron I had build it put in a 302 cam who knows what is in the motor. Jeff

Should help Jeff! One of those "mystery motors", huh????

I put 100K miles on a set of '69 C90E heads with no seat problems, all since the demise of leaded fuels. The only head I ever had trouble with was one camel hump Chevy, and that was after years of use. It pounded out an intake, I just reground the 1.94 seat to take a 2.02 valve and drove it 50K more. The whole hardened seat thing is highly over-rated, at least in my experience.

Over 20 years ago I had a 70 351-w that had one exhaust valve go bad and needed a new seat and at the time and leaded gas was still available,of course I knew no history of the motor and it came out of a 75 dollar parts car so I would not want that to happen again. Jeff

If you are looking for stock type cylinder heads try Alabama cylinder heads.
They have new 351 W heads for $350 a pair plus shipping.

I will look into them,I went to a all Ford swapmeet today to see what I could find but found a bunch of 289 and 302 heads plus two overpriced sets of 69 351-W heads. Jeff

Unless you can find a set of really nice DO0E heads, or better, a set of GT40P's out of a 5.0 Explorer, you will be paying a LOT for a good rebuild and probably quickly exceed the price of a set of after market aluminum. Most of the OEM cast iron heads have badly worn valve guides and of course the valve are also worn so need replacement. And then a set of rocker arms because they are grooved, but then the studs are also bent or worn, so you need to pull them and install screw ins. Oh - and the springs have 100K miles on 'em so need replacement. The retainers and locks - oh he!!, might just as well replace them too. It's "only" a few bucks more. When you take a look, most of these heads are pre lead free gas so the seats are shot and need replacement. Oops - they are warped and need to be milled. A pair of $50 swap meet heads can quickly become a $1200++ drain to your wallet - unless you are really lucky

there was a 351 5.8 motor that was put in mustangs in the late 80s early 90s.... good luck finding a head though.... they were very limited production.... i knew a guy that had on..... it was the only time i've seen a ford 5.8 badge

Originally Posted by thesals

there was a 351 5.8 motor that was put in mustangs in the late 80s early 90s.... good luck finding a head though.... they were very limited production.... i knew a guy that had on..... it was the only time i've seen a ford 5.8 badge

"Very limited production head"???
You do know that the 351 W heads will fit on a 302???

different chamber sizes though..... the 351 is a larger chamber head than the 302........ i guess maybe on a lower compression 302 it might be the same chamber size as a 351..... but the 5.8 HO motors themselves were a limited motor