Hood clearance with 351W

[foothilltom 33]

Hi guys, doing a 302 to 351 engine swap on my 69 coupe (standard hood w/faux scoop) and I'm sitting her totally unsure if my setup is going to fit under the hood.  Does anybody know generically how much space there is between, say, an Edelbrock Performer manifold and the hood?

Sadly, I didn't take any good measurements before removing the original 302 and the current motor is sitting on an engine stand in the garage, so I feel like this is all going to come down to installing the motor and finding out the hard way, but I'm hopeful there is some way to get out in front of this.

This drama all started when I bought an HEI dizzy from Summit (still wondering if this was a good idea) as I had no original dizzy to use.  This thing is gigantic with the coil built into the top.  Mocking it all up, I would need a 1" carb spacer plus the 1/2" air cleaner spacer that came with it.  The air cleaner seems to be low profile compared to my original, but I'm sure this setup is going to be at least 1" higher than my previous setup.

In summary: Performer 351-W intake, Holly carb, "oval shaped" air cleaner from Summit, HEI dizzy

Including a photo with arrows pointing to the two spacers (1" block of wood and the plastic space that came with the air cleaner)

Thoughts and opinions are very much appreciated.

Tom

[nymustang1969 22]

In my 69' with a 351W I'm running the Ford / Shelby dual plane intake which looks to be about the same height as yours. I'm using a 1" space and the same Cobra air cleaner you have. Hood clearance is very tight. With the 1/2" spacer I don't think it will clear the hood.

[foothilltom 33]

Thanks, I do appreciate the response.  I'm starting to think the right move is to return this dizzy and go with something low-profile.  Can you tell me what kind of dizzy you are running?

[nymustang1969 22]

I'm running the Ford DuraSpark setup. Very reliable and any parts you might need are available at any parts store.

[foothilltom 33]

Thanks again.  Going to switch distributors.  That should save me the precious inch that I need.  I like the look of the air cleaner, and it's probably overly influencing my decision away from this massive HEI dizzy.  It was just a Summit model, so probably not that great anyway.

[barnett468 418]

1 hour ago, foothilltom said:

Thanks again.  Going to switch distributors.  That should save me the precious inch that I need.  I like the look of the air cleaner, and it's probably overly influencing my decision away from this massive HEI dizzy.  It was just a Summit model, so probably not that great anyway.

That distributor is overkill so don't feel bad about not using it, plus imo it's kinda ugly. 

 

 

[det0326 179]

Sold my 69 fastback the other day but the set up was 351 Windsor,  rpm performer intake,  FiTec, 2 inch filter and no spacers. I had 1 inch hood clearance 

[1969_Mach1 333]

Yeah, return that distributor.  Go with a stock one if that's what's in your budget.  Duraspark is nice as well but those also require a large diameter cap.  Unless somebody knows of a stock rotor and cap that fits the Duraspark distributors. 

The Weiand Stealth or the Performer RPM are a better choice for intake manifolds on a mild 351W.  I don't know if you noticed carb pad positions when selecting intake manifolds?  But, some like the Performer you have,  the Edelbrock Torker II, and the Edelbrock Victor Jr. move the carb pad forward.  This creates air cleaner to distributor interference if you try to use a round drop base air cleaner, thus forces you to install an air cleaner that fits over the top of the distributor.  The Weiand Stealth and Performer RPM have the carb pad more rearward like the original intake.  So, if you have a stock distributor or small diameter MSD distributor you can fit a drop base 14" diameter air cleaners if needed for hood clearance. 

[foothilltom 33]

Thanks guys!  Went with a NOS dizzy and all the fitment questions have gone away.  I'm probably 48 hours from breaking in the new motor.  God help me.

[1969_Mach1 333]

Where did you find an NOS distributor?  I'd like one for a backup.  I like my MSD setup but my confidence level with it isn't the highest.

Watch your engine temps during the initial break in period.  Sometimes they creep up higher than normal during that time.  Have an electric box fan or something ready in case you need more air flow through the radiator to be safe if needed.

[foothilltom 33]

eBay.  But the gods were not smiling.  I'm having all kinds of interesting problems that point to ignition and I'm starting to wonder if this distribution was truly new or refurbished or worse.  I may need to switch again.  Grr.  May post my woes elsewhere in case people have run into my hard-to-start, won't-run issues during breakin.

[barnett468 418]

should be very simple.

have you checked for spark yet?

exactly what distributor did you get?

[foothilltom 33]

Mis-spoke about the NOS dizzy.  It was a refurbished OEM distributor.  Photo from eBay attached.  Need to stop buying eBay parts in the middle of the night after a long day of wrenching.

But yes, I definitely have spark, though that was a challenge until I realized I needed a full 12V to a new Flamethrower Coil (in combination with a first-generation Pertronix ignition unit and this dizzy).  With the stock coil, she wouldn't spark at all.  Wired 12V from the battery (as a temporary measure) and I can get it to fire up but she won't stay running w/out me constantly working the throttle.

I'll post a separate message about my startup woes (there have been many), but I suppose at the moment, I suspect my brand new Holley carb, or my remanufactured dizzy, or something else entirely.  It will start, run for a bit, then lean out and die.  Carb bowl appears to be full and the accel pump is working great, so I'm thinking I have plenty of fuel pressure.  Gonna make sure I'm advanced enough today...been hard to get a reliable timing read because I can't get her to run without the vacuum advance line hooked up...  makes me think my timing is retarded.

Anywho, I do appreciate the response.

[Mach1 Driver 560]

You could set your timing before starting the engine. I copied this response from Barnett:

barnett468

on new engines i set it before i start it and also fill the fuel bowls with gas.

i first mark the end of the pointer then the damper with white out where i want the timing to be.

i then remove all the plug wires except for number 1.

then i connect the timing light and jump the solenoid to see where the timing is.

with the engine off, i then rotate the distributor to get the timing closer so i don't have to keep spinning the engine while trying to set it.

once it is set, it is good enough to start.

after starting i run the engine up to around 2200 rpm and maintain that rpm for a few minutes.

i then try rotating the distributor until it makes the most rpm. this reduces the chance that it will get hot during break in.

then i reset the rpm to around 2200 and let it run for 20 minutes.

[barnett468 418]

Pleeeease do not keep trying to start it if it does not have a roller cam, as it can kill the cam if it hasn't already.

We can help guide you thru the initial start up process so it hopefully goes easy.

What oil and/or additives are you using for break in?

You do NOT need to start it to set the timing, and that is the worst way to do an initial start. If you set the timing the way it is described in Mach 1 Driver's post above, it will be close enough to get it started and for it to continue running.

Engines sometimes need some choke for initial start up and can die just like yours is without it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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