351 Windsor
 

We're sticking a 351 Windsor into a 65 Mustang. We're having a problem with the starter not meshing into the flywheel properly (4 speed). This is supposed to be a stock starter, but it doesn't look like it. Does anyone know what appropriate stock starter or after market starter will work.

Also, what is the recommended radiator capacity for an engine like this.

Thanks.

Cobralee;

Stuck a 351-W in a 65 Fastback in 1995,18,000 later still driving it and racing it.....Not an expert,but if it could go wrong, it did with me.

As for the starter,I,m using the $19.95 special from Auto Zone,just replaced it this year as the first one lasted since 1995,love those lifetime warranty parts... It is the stock starter for a 1972 LTD with a 351-W. They always ask what type and year car,so I just tell them a 1972 Ford LTD with a 351-W motor,can't go wrong...If it does not want to mount up or engage the flywheel you may have the wrong size flywheel.... 302's used a 15? tooth if I remember and the 351-W uses a 164 tooth flywheel,but the 302 will bolt up to the crank I believe....Also my engine is 10.4 to 1 compression and the stock starter works just fine,never had any problems hot or cold....


As for the cooling,well, I'm an expert on that one,believe me....Chased overheating and tried every remedy for three years and spent more money than I care to have my wife find out about....Here's my setup;

I'm running a 19"x26" Griffin aluminum radiator from Summit,about $175.00 right now I think,STOCK SIZE crank and water pump pulleys, Flow Kool high flow aluminum water pump,again from Summitt,not too expensive, and a 19" diameter electric puller fan from an unkown Ford or GM car.... It idles all day long at 180 degrees (180 thermostat) with the fan running,on the highway no matter the outside temp anything above 40 mph I never use the fan,temp stays 175 to 180.. 2002 forth of July parade,1:00 pm,outside air temp 101 degrees,road temp approx. 120 degrees,idled in parade for 50 minutes,the first 40 minutes temp stayed pegged on 180, last ten minutes it began to climb slowly,at end of parade it was on 190,half mile down the road on the way home it was down to 175.... THIS SETUP WORKS....

Tried an original size and style three core radiator,very marginal at best,summer time city driving saw 200 to 210 pretty often,went to the Griffin and things were better,but at the time had an underdrive crank pulley,BIG MISTAKE,underdrive pulleys are for race only applications... Highway driving was o-k,city driving ran the temp up,idling around you just are not turning your water pump fast enough to pump enough water thru the system....Water pump and crank pulley should be the same size or at most the crank pulley should NOT be more than one inch in diameter less than the water pump pulley....

Hope this helps;

David

351Windsor
 

Dave-

Boy, you answered all my questions quite thoroughly. I appreciate the info and will let you know how it turns out I'll check the #teeth on the flywheel. The Griffin aluminum sounds the way to go.

Thanks again,

Ron

Ron;

Always like to help out a fellow car nut,wish someone would have told me some of this stuff in 1995,would have saved me from trying three radiators,three water pumps,five different fans (mechanical and electric),a lot of money and skint knuckles....

Also, for the electric fan,found it at a local body shop,(free)it had one of the four mounting ears broken and the insurance company was replacing it,the body repairman had it on the side and offered it to me for free as thay had to replace it anyway,works like a charm,I would suggest a relay to turn it on and off....If you buy one,get the biggest that will fit on the radiator and make sure it is shrouded,mine has the curved blades and for some reason unkown to me they seem to work better than straight blade fans and puller fans work better than pusher fans....

David