Cleveland stuff
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Cleveland / Boss 302 heads
Boss 302 heads are Cleveland-style heads, but with some important differences.
The biggest difference is that Boss 302 heads will have a provision for a water passage to the intake manifold. Windsors have a 'wet' intake, meaning there are water passages in the intake, whereas Clevelands are 'dry' meaning no water passages in the intake manifold. Clevelands route their coolant through that extension on the front of the block.
Boss 302 heads also have an adjustable valvetrain, although the Boss 351s and 351HOs do also. The 1971 Boss 351 and 1972 351HO were the only adjustable valvetrain engines in the Cleveland engine family.
Boss 302 heads are Cleveland-style heads, but with some important differences.
The biggest difference is that Boss 302 heads will have a provision for a water passage to the intake manifold. Windsors have a 'wet' intake, meaning there are water passages in the intake, whereas Clevelands are 'dry' meaning no water passages in the intake manifold. Clevelands route their coolant through that extension on the front of the block.
Boss 302 heads also have an adjustable valvetrain, although the Boss 351s and 351HOs do also. The 1971 Boss 351 and 1972 351HO were the only adjustable valvetrain engines in the Cleveland engine family.
Boss 302 heads
I keep yamming on about the Boss 302 heads, as a friend of mine has a set and I'm still contemplating their installation onto my 302. He has the intake too, and the 780 cfm carb already sits atop my motor. I know my cam (0.560" lift/ 294 duration) and 3500 TCI race converter would handle it ok, although I know there is some loss of torque at "normal" driving rpm's. My car is for play only, and is not used, nor will be used to have to drive anywhere like work or anything. My pistons are already flycut to handle such a wild cam, along with 2.02" intake valves and the smaller combustion chambered, 289 heads. I think you warned me before to just stay with what I've got, but I just think too much. Ron.
I keep yamming on about the Boss 302 heads, as a friend of mine has a set and I'm still contemplating their installation onto my 302. He has the intake too, and the 780 cfm carb already sits atop my motor. I know my cam (0.560" lift/ 294 duration) and 3500 TCI race converter would handle it ok, although I know there is some loss of torque at "normal" driving rpm's. My car is for play only, and is not used, nor will be used to have to drive anywhere like work or anything. My pistons are already flycut to handle such a wild cam, along with 2.02" intake valves and the smaller combustion chambered, 289 heads. I think you warned me before to just stay with what I've got, but I just think too much. Ron.
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Boss pistons vs Windsor pistons
The other thing about Cleveland-style heads is that the valves are canted or twisted off center. Windsor valves are inline. The flycut pistons for your Windsor will not work with the Cleveland or Boss vavle geometry. You gotta use Boss-specific pistons.
The other thing about Cleveland-style heads is that the valves are canted or twisted off center. Windsor valves are inline. The flycut pistons for your Windsor will not work with the Cleveland or Boss vavle geometry. You gotta use Boss-specific pistons.
A piston change is too engrossed for me right now, maybe someday I'll build a "spare" motor and go that route at that time. My motor only has a few 1/4 mile runs on it, and I've driven it maybe 100 miles or so, but thats it. The first oil change after I got the car running last Thanksgiving had the characteristic metallic look that goes with the first or second oil change after a total overhaul. I changed it again a couple weeks ago and it does not have any metallic look to it, so everything must be at least seated now. I'm just glad that after 15 years in Joe's garage that there was no harm to that engine. The gas was FUNKY! Big job to purge the fuel system. I pulled the spark plugs and put about a couple tablespoons full of Marvel's Mystery oil on top of the pistons to lube the rings, and then turned the motor with a wrench on the harmonic balancer. Turned out not to be stuck, but I wanted to be cautious, had heard horror stories of broken rings due to hitting the starter after a sitting spell. Ron.
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its an Edelbrock Performer intake for the 351C with the 4v heads. if im not mistaken, the PN for it is 2665. nice intake, but the throttle lever hits one of the intake runners with the carb atop it. ill have to run a spacer with it to deal with that.
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Building a small block
Ronzoni,
It used to be that Cleveland heads were the way to go on a small block. With some of the aftermarket Windsor heads they have nowadays, that isn't the case anymore. Most of the better aftermarket Windsor heads will outflow a set of 4V Cleveland heads. Hard to believe with those huge 4V ports, I know, but its true! Those Cleveland exhaust ports are really a mess. Extremely poor flow characteristics. The bend in the stock Cleveland exhaust port is just too sharp.
Another savings if you run aftermarket Windsor heads is the weight savings. You save almost 80lbs by going to the aluminum heads over Cleveland heads. An added benefit of the aluminum heads is the heat transfer is better. Better cooling is good!
If you really want to run canted valves, look into the TFS 'Twisted Wedge' heads. I had put a set on a 351W and they worked wonders! You'll still run into the limited piston availability issue though. There are some out there made to fit the TW heads, but not many.
Hard to believe that this information is coming from a dyed-in-the-wool Cleveland fanatic, huh? I live and breathe Clevelands, but I have come to realize their shortcomings. Hey, Ford only made Clevelands (including the 351M/400) for ten years (1970-79). The Windsors came out seven years previous, and have been made for more than twenty years after the Cleveland was killed off. Hmmm. Does that tell you anything?
Ronzoni,
It used to be that Cleveland heads were the way to go on a small block. With some of the aftermarket Windsor heads they have nowadays, that isn't the case anymore. Most of the better aftermarket Windsor heads will outflow a set of 4V Cleveland heads. Hard to believe with those huge 4V ports, I know, but its true! Those Cleveland exhaust ports are really a mess. Extremely poor flow characteristics. The bend in the stock Cleveland exhaust port is just too sharp.
Another savings if you run aftermarket Windsor heads is the weight savings. You save almost 80lbs by going to the aluminum heads over Cleveland heads. An added benefit of the aluminum heads is the heat transfer is better. Better cooling is good!
If you really want to run canted valves, look into the TFS 'Twisted Wedge' heads. I had put a set on a 351W and they worked wonders! You'll still run into the limited piston availability issue though. There are some out there made to fit the TW heads, but not many.
Hard to believe that this information is coming from a dyed-in-the-wool Cleveland fanatic, huh? I live and breathe Clevelands, but I have come to realize their shortcomings. Hey, Ford only made Clevelands (including the 351M/400) for ten years (1970-79). The Windsors came out seven years previous, and have been made for more than twenty years after the Cleveland was killed off. Hmmm. Does that tell you anything?
Technology
In a previous life, I built a hot rod 327 about 15 years ago. Mid three hundred horsie range. I havn't worked on much since, until I bought my Cougar off an old friend last fall. I can't believe how much stuff has changed just in that period of time. My Cougar has been sitting in my friend Joe's garage before I bought it for about the same time period, 15 years or so. It was hot rod for its day, but the stuff that was neat then is relatively cave man now. Dual point distributor, to name just one. It hasn't been just the computer stuff that has come a long way!
Ron.
In a previous life, I built a hot rod 327 about 15 years ago. Mid three hundred horsie range. I havn't worked on much since, until I bought my Cougar off an old friend last fall. I can't believe how much stuff has changed just in that period of time. My Cougar has been sitting in my friend Joe's garage before I bought it for about the same time period, 15 years or so. It was hot rod for its day, but the stuff that was neat then is relatively cave man now. Dual point distributor, to name just one. It hasn't been just the computer stuff that has come a long way!
Ron.
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