351/w/c/m??

[raptor]

My friend has two 351 small blocks one is fuel injected and one carb. He will trade me even for my old stock 302HO for the carbed 351 but wants $100 + my motor for the fuelly. Are both these engines the same except for the heads and injection? Which one should I go with? How do you tell windsor from cleveland and modified? Which is better?

[HotRoddin]

well you don't want the M motor at all ... it has some glaring weaknesses and is generally considered not well suited for hi performance applications. If you are planning on putting the motor in your 88, then i wouldn't recommend the cleveland either ... its much heavier and not as well suited for street / strip applications as the 351W. As far as identification goes, the C & M motors look very similar physically. The Windsor is reletively flat on the front of the block, while the C & M motors have part of the timing chain cover cast into the block, so the front of the block has a flared out section on it.
if i could find a couple of pix i'd post them so you could see the difference but i don't have any handy right now.
Hope that helps you some ?
Rod

[lx5091]

I'd snatch the 351W, in my opinion I wouldn't bother with the cleveland and I'd stay far away from the Modified. There really are some excellent discussions on these engines, why not do a search to find some other posts.....there are also issues depending on the year. The biggest advantage of going with the 351W is COST. Plain and simple the volume of 351W produced along with 302 interchangeablity make it MY primary choice.

[sn95gt19]

351m=junk
351c=great motor, parts are harder and more expensive than windsor 351
351w=like stated above....cheaper parts,interchangabilty with 302, and parts are a dime a dozen

(which heads does the clevland have, 2v or 4v)
if cost isnt a consern go with the clevland motor, if it is i would go with the windsor.

my.02

[87BOSS351C]

I have to agree that from the standpoint of cost and the straightforewardness of the swap, the windsor is the way to go. Run away from any 351M. Obviously I went the Cleveland route, but I had the engine before the car. Also, just to point out, the C only weighs about 70 pounds more than a cast iron intaked carbed 302, so weight isn't really a legitimate reason to rule out the C. Now the $430 and up swap headers and $300 oil pan and pickup tube, that may be a good reason. Another plus for the windsor is that you can stay fuel injected if that's your bag.


How to ID:

Windsor: 6 valve cover bolts
fuel pump bolts side by side
thermostat in intake
cast aluminum timing chain cover

Cleveland: 8 valve cover bolts
fuel pump bolts vertical
thermostat in the engine block
flat stamped steel timing chain cover
intake about 8.XX inches wide

Modified (M): same as cleveland except:
intake 10.XX inches wide
front intake sealing surface of block about 1 inch above front block extension where dist. and tstat mount.

The intake widths are from a foggy memory, but the M is about 2 inches wider than the C regardless of the actuall measurement (which can be found in Edelbrocks intake listings)

I've been long winded enough.

[82 GT]

I also say go with the 351w for all the reasons stated above.
Not all the parts bwtween the 351w and 302 are interchangeable.....some....but not all
The easiest way to tell a Cleveland from Windsor is where the top radiator hose enters the block.
Cleveland enters the block and the Windsor enters the front of the intake.
Windsor valve covers are flat across the top while the Cleveland valve covers are almost pointed at the top.