E7 heads or 351 heads for 302 in F150

[Jason Burson]

the short of it...

I have a '87 94K mile F150 w/ 302 C-6 short bed std cab that I am building with my son. The truck is stock except for pullies and off road H-pipe and flowmasters and turn downs. I bought a couple of '86 parts trucks, one has EFI 302 AOD and the other is 351 C-6 w/ carb. digging through old parts, i also have a set of stock mustang shorty heads and E7 heads. The '87 has a C-6 so over the Christmas break we are planning to install the AOD from the '86. For Christmas I got him a cam (1500-4000 RPM 280/290 Adv. Duration .448/.472 lift 112 Lobe Center) and while at it I was thinking about installing the set of stock '89 mustang shorty headers.

My question is while in the engine should I consider installing a set of stock E7 heads, or maybe the 351 heads from the '86 351 truck, or perhaps have the set of E7 heads or the 351 heads reworked (slight port/polish, maybe bigger valves installed *if possible*) locally since we will be right there?

btw, this summer (sooner if needed for cam) I plan to convert the truck to SEFI and mass air.

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

The E7 heads are probably better than the 351 heads on the 86, if they're not the same ones. The Mustang's E7 heads were taken from the parts bin, which just happened to be something Ford already had in its inventory and used in production, on other cars and trucks.

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Correct...the '87-up E7TE heads were in fact F150 heads of the same year. The '86 heads might be a lot more restrictive if they're also the same ones from the Mustang of that same year, so I wouldn't chance it.

Also, keep in mind that the 351W heads will have 1/2 head bolts, so you'll either need to sleve the head for the smaller 7/16 bolts, or drill and tap the block for the larger ones.

Either way...the 351W heads of the 80's held no advantage over the 302W heads. Valve size is the same, as are the intake and exhaust ports.

If you want to work them over, that's fine...but for what it might cost, you'll probably be further ahead just buying a used set of aftermarket aluminum heads and calling it a day.