Ford Small-Block Engine Parts Interchange. George Reid
a higher nickel content.
Early 351W blocks are numbered C9OE and D1AE. One other option is 351W blocks cast in Mexico for high-performance applications. They are difficult to come by. They pop up from time to time in U.S.-built Fords and Mercurys. Like the 302 blocks mentioned earlier, these blocks weren’t limited to Mexican-built vehicles.
A Boss 302 block with a “C8FE-B” casting number is a 1968 302 Tunnel Port block. Aside from the casting number, they’re virtually identical to the production Boss 302 blocks of 1969–1971. This particular block was cast December 5, 1968. According to Randy Ream of the Boss 302 Registry, C8FE-B blocks wound up in production 1969 Boss 302 Mustangs and even some early 1970 units.
The Boss 302/302 Tunnel Port block has this AE 302 marking in the lifter valley. Not all Boss 302 blocks were marked this way. This is an early 302 Tunnel Port block, which ultimately became the Boss 302 block.
This is a Boss 302/302 Tunnel Port block with the vehicle’s consecutive unit number stamped in the valley end rail. Because this is a C8FE-B block, it probably came from a production 1969 Boss 302 Mustang.
The 351W block is easy to identify because it sports a 1-inch-taller deck than the 221/260/289/302. Look for the raised stiffeners in front on either side of the distributor.
The 351W’s block sides are different than the low-deck 289/302. Look for a greater distance between the deck and pan rail along with dimples, which provide strength.
Ford produced 351W engines through 1996. This is an F0AE-6015-AA-9 flat-tappet block. Ford didn’t produce a 351W roller block until 1994. The F4TE roller block was first produced for the F150 SVT Lightning pickup. Although the F4TE block is a roller-tappet block, not all F4TE blocks received a roller cam from the factory. Most had flat-tappet cams for non-performance applications.
Casting numbers are also a quick means to 351W block identification. This is a D2AE-6015-BA-16 block casting poured on April 5, 1972, at the Windsor foundry.
Make Your Own One-Piece Block
Jim Grubbs of JGM Performance Engineering in Valencia, California, has demonstrated that you can convert a classic two-piece seal 221/260/289/302/351W block to a late-model one-piece rear main seal by placing your block in a boring bar and machining the main cap and block to accept the one-piece seal. The crankshaft lip can also be machined flush, making crank and block compatible.
Did you know that you can take a two-piece rear main seal block and have it machined for use with a one-piece rear main seal? Any competent machine shop can do this with a boring bar.
Block Identification — 221/260/289/302/Boss 302/351W
Bold Indicates High-Performance Application
Finding a Cleveland block with a standard bore is challenging because so many of them have been rebuilt or recycled into scrap iron. Most have been bored to at least 4.030 inches. Boring them beyond 4.040 inches is discouraged. As with other small-block Fords, 351 Clevelands can be sleeved and brought back to standard for about $100 per bore by a qualified machine shop.
Two basic 351C blocks, two-bolt main and four-bolt main, were produced with casting numbers visible above the starter. This information enables you to identify these blocks without removing the oil pan. Although there are two basic blocks, there are several casting and part numbers.
Ford Australia produced a NASCAR Cleveland block for the North American market; however, not much is known about this block. These blocks had thicker cylinder walls and decks along with four-bolt mains. The bad news is that they were rejected and returned to Australia due to casting core shift problems and sold on the Australian performance market.
The best 351C block has four-bolt main caps. Not all D2AE-CA blocks were four-bolt main. All 351C blocks can be converted to four-bolt mains with factory or aftermarket main caps because all have provisions for four-bolt mains.
This is the D2AE-CA Cleveland block with four-bolt main saddles. As you can see, there’s enough iron at each main saddle to convert any 351C block to four-bolt main caps.
The 351C block casting number and date code are located just above the starter, just as on the 221/260/289/302/351W. The D2AE-CA is the ultimate evolution of the North American Cleveland block. This block was cast February 30, 1972.
This is the 351C’s rear main bearing cap, which is much wider and capable of supporting greater stresses. It is also designed to be more leak resistant.
The 351C’s controlled bypass flow brass insert must never be removed. This insert is crucial to proper engine cooling because it limits thermostat cycling and reduces overheating issues. The 400 and 351M had this feature cast into the block, which means there is no brass insert.
Not all 351C engines produced in Australia employed blocks cast in Australia. According to reliable sources, Ford’s Cleveland foundry and the Michigan Casting Center produced 351C blocks for Ford Australia with North American casting numbers. Michigan Casting Center blocks received an “MCC” logo/code. Blocks produced both in and for Australia were used for both 302- and 351-ci