The upgrade bug

[Allen_69]

So, I'm in the middle of my resto on the 69. Pulled the motor and decided to tear it down and maybe do a cam, intake and exhaust. Pulled the heads and low and behold one cylinder was rusty rather than the sooty black that the rest were, so now I'm going deeper. which equates to more $$$

Well in for a penny in for a pound. Been keeping my eye open for a roller 351, but I generally felt like I'd be in the same boat with a tear down on a high mileage engine. Low and behold I just closed the deal on a 58K miles 351 from a F250. So after reading my story here's my question.

My thought Is as follows
1. Swap the intake for a alum 4bbl and go holly sniper. add their dual sync to get timing control
2. Run the accessories with a AC delete.

Since this is from a auto truck I'll need a new flywheel correct? It's eventually going to meet an NV3550.

Can someone offer up a better or cheaper way to go? I know to stay with the all ford EFI, I'd have to source several more pieces and parts, like cobra/lightning lower, and then harness and computer.

 

[sprdv1]

My whole philosophy is break it and upgrade

 

[sanndmann3]

My whole philosophy is break it and upgrade

LOL, that seems to be my m.o. as well...

original engine replaced with a 351 14 years ago. waiting for it to break so I can do that stroker... (I beat it pretty hard but it just won't die!)

 

[MarsChariot]

Many thoughts but, Thoreau once said that “the old man says you can’t do something and the young man sets about showing that you can.” But later he writes, “The young man sets about collecting wood to build a bridge to the Moon, and at length as an old man concludes to build a wood shed with it.” Which is a round about way of saying that I too have been through this story and have found at length that the vehicle I really enjoy the most is the old 302 with an iron four barrel intake, an Autolite 4100, and an RV cam of some sort. Runs smooth. Runs clean. Runs strong. That’s the old man speaking there.

 

[yakelys69]

Many thoughts but, Thoreau once said that “the old man says you can’t do something and the young man sets about showing that you can.” But later he writes, “The young man sets about collecting wood to build a bridge to the Moon, and at length as an old man concludes to build a wood shed with it.” Which is a round about way of saying that I too have been through this story and have found at length that the vehicle I really enjoy the most is the old 302 with an iron four barrel intake, an Autolite 4100, and an RV cam of some sort. Runs smooth. Runs clean. Runs strong. That’s the old man speaking there.

Are you saying a replacement for displacement might exist?

 

[yakelys69]

I need a 460 double pumper after that

 

[Scoop]

I think you're on the right track. In the past I've done stock Ford EFI on my 302 and on my 78's 351M block. Today I would go with the Sniper - much easier to install, fits better, looks like a stock carb to the untrained eye and is MUCH easier to tune. And yes, you'll need to swap the flex plate for a flywheel.

 

[BanditBronco]

Only issue with going Ford EFI right now is that not a lot of tuners will do OBDI tunes anymore. In my opinion running Ford EFI on a 351 would require a tune to run properly. Unless you were thinking of going Explorer EDIS then the tuning should be easier but the devil is in the details either way isn't bolt on and do burn outs.

 

[Allen_69]

Only issue with going Ford EFI right now is that not a lot of tuners will do OBDI tunes anymore. In my opinion running Ford EFI on a 351 would require a tune to run properly. Unless you were thinking of going Explorer EDIS then the tuning should be easier but the devil is in the details either way isn't bolt on and do burn outs.

this is my thought process as well. I've run tuners in my Harley's for a while now and the big difference is the ability to on the fly build a tune and upload it to the stock ECU, all while leaving everything in place on the vehicle. Vance and Hines makes their unit Bluetooth capable so you can just plug it into the ECU and leave it. Run an auto tune for a while, take a look at the changes and then upload it and be done. I've got a Power Commander on my wifes bike and it's very similar to the Sniper. It has a small screen that can be mounted and then disconnected.

 

[BanditBronco]

this is my thought process as well. I've run tuners in my Harley's for a while now and the big difference is the ability to on the fly build a tune and upload it to the stock ECU, all while leaving everything in place on the vehicle. Vance and Hines makes their unit Bluetooth capable so you can just plug it into the ECU and leave it. Run an auto tune for a while, take a look at the changes and then upload it and be done. I've got a Power Commander on my wifes bike and it's very similar to the Sniper. It has a small screen that can be mounted and then disconnected.

If you aren't scared of a little tuning there are options available to still run mustang style harness and computer. I am finishing up a 351w swap with a plug and play computer from megasquirt. My dyno guy in town said he would tune this computer, I plan on giving it a shot myself first though. They are about $900 to your door so I wouldn't consider it the cheapest EFI option. I do think it will get you the best running engine out of all the options though. I haven't seen a sniper/Fitech equipped truck that I was like "damn that thing is a runner"