hillbilly pony

OK so here is the question. I am needing to refresh my 351 and i am looking to save some money. I think that im more likely to split the block before a good cast crank fails. and forged I beam rods will be just fine...i mean they used the 50 years before H-beam rods cam along.

OK what do you guys think

67mustang302

Most cast cranks are just as strong as the factory block, and yes, i beam rods are fine in most setups.

mjr46

first question is: what are your goals you wish to achieve with this build??

woodsy

Any windsor block will go 800hp so a cast steel crank is more likely to fail before the block, just the opposite on the 302 stuff. Every rod is forged steel.

hillbilly pony

WOW i thought i had read that 600-650 was about all for a production 351w block

Portmaster

Like Woodsy said, all rods are forged steel. The biggest problems with factory rods are the rod bolts and second are stess risers. Before connecting rods became so cheap and before H beams we took stock rods and magnafluxed them to make sure they wern't cracked, shot peened them to reduce the stress on the rod. It doesn't make the rod stronger but it helps the rod keeping the starting points for cracks to form down. We would also polish the beams of the rods. Not only did this do away with forgeing center ribs where a crack could start but also lightend up the rod. We use to take a stock set of rods and magnaflux and shotpeen them, polish the beams and balance them throw some good bolts in them, resize the rod and take them out and spin them over 7000 rpm. Rods have become so available, so cheap and so strong it doesn't make much sence to go to all that trouble anymore. Thats how we did it back it the good old days, lol

My advice is keep the crank (unless power is outragous) spring for some Eagle SIR rods and call it a day.

If you are looking to make some killer power then "save some money" doesn't fall into that catagory.

MBDiagMan

Huh? This has not been my impression. Can someone clarify?

Portmaster

Not 100% sure but I beleive he is saying that a 351 windsor block can hadle 800hp and in that situation the crank is the weak point and in the 302/5.0 block the block is the weakest link in that chain and the crank will handle more power than the block. It was my understanding

woodsy

Ya I can clarify, I have multiple customers making 750hp on stock windsor roller blocks. The windsor is far different than the 302 roller block

jtmustang

^^far stronger and thicker in many spots compared to a 302 block....... stock vs stock