# Just bought a new truck and want to put a 351 windsor in it **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [June 17, 2011, 4:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/just-bought-a-new-truck-and-want-to-put-a-351-windsor-in-it/65506 "2011-06-17T04:47:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 7:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/just-bought-a-new-truck-and-want-to-put-a-351-windsor-in-it/65506/21 "2011-06-18T19:47:14Z")
Another engine will likely need to be refurbished to provide decent performance. You can refurb the 302. Is the damage so bad that this is not possible? If you really just want a new engine, that’s fine. But reworking the existing engine, even a major rebuild, might be cost effective compare to a refurbished 351. ---
**Author:** ![kawasaga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/2acd7d/32.png) [@kawasaga](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kawasaga)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 8:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/just-bought-a-new-truck-and-want-to-put-a-351-windsor-in-it/65506/22 "2011-06-18T20:51:24Z")
351’s are a are about as cheap as a 302. Bolts in the same way. There is a difference when the 351 is from a \>8500GVW from '83 on until fuel injection. It has a “belly pan” intake manifoled gasket rather than a stamped steel exhaust crossover shield on the intake. Make sure you don’t you get the proper intake gasket or you’ll have mess of burned stinky oil and sludge under the intake that will ruin the engine. Seems like an odd happening but I’ve seen it a few times. ---
**Author:** ![kawasaga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/2acd7d/32.png) [@kawasaga](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kawasaga)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 8:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/just-bought-a-new-truck-and-want-to-put-a-351-windsor-in-it/65506/23 "2011-06-18T20:53:19Z")
BTW, that Cleveland/Windsor comment is exactly backwards. The Cleveland and modifieds were the hunks of iron that aren’t worth using. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 10:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/just-bought-a-new-truck-and-want-to-put-a-351-windsor-in-it/65506/24 "2011-06-18T22:08:05Z")
Make sure there will be no hood clearance issues. As I said, the deck height on the 351 is taller than a 302 and this means everything on top of the block sits up higher. ---
**Author:** ![eric16](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/aeb1de/32.png) [@eric16](https://community.cartalk.com/u/eric16)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 10:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/just-bought-a-new-truck-and-want-to-put-a-351-windsor-in-it/65506/25 "2011-06-19T22:10:07Z")
got it. and I want to put headers on it with dual exhaust and 18 inch glasspacks. I can’t decide between 2.5 inch and 3 inch pipe any suggestions ---
**Author:** ![eric16](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/aeb1de/32.png) [@eric16](https://community.cartalk.com/u/eric16)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 10:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/just-bought-a-new-truck-and-want-to-put-a-351-windsor-in-it/65506/26 "2011-06-19T22:11:13Z")
I still think I am going to go with the 351 ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 4:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/just-bought-a-new-truck-and-want-to-put-a-351-windsor-in-it/65506/27 "2011-06-20T04:00:35Z")
I’d stick with the 2.5 inch pipes since this will be a street driven truck. On an all out race engine 3" may be justified but not in this case. Every situation is different but many times the engine’s torque curve at low/mid range will be better with the smaller pipes and that’s where the bulk of the driving is usually done. ---
**Author:** ![eric16](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/aeb1de/32.png) [@eric16](https://community.cartalk.com/u/eric16)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 3:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/just-bought-a-new-truck-and-want-to-put-a-351-windsor-in-it/65506/28 "2011-06-22T03:29:54Z")
ok I was leaning toward the 2.5 inch any way [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/just-bought-a-new-truck-and-want-to-put-a-351-windsor-in-it/65506.md?page=1)