I can't find out easily, can I?

did you ever hear this run. because this is totally off the wall and will show how dumb i was and still could be but! closely check the timing of the firing order one time i got the wrong cam in a motor. (seems like it was a 351 back in 1980 don't totally remember all details) it ran ok but had low intake vac. and every so often the valve would smack the top of a piston and break the rocker arm stud i am thinking it was always cylinder 6 that broke. after the first time or two i drilled out and tapped the hole so i could fix that in about 20 min. maybe 302 verses 351? neighbor had same thing on a boat some one put a 302 intake on a 351 then hooked up plugs for 302 ran bad. he bought it cheap started to tear it down i stopped him checked the valve timing only to find out he had a 351 in there change the firing order then he ran for years just fine. just take this as a story but some one else put it together do you know what his quality is. oh yea the boat was bought at a local boat shop marina

 

the 512 lift WILL pull out your studs and cause many other problems in your head. you have to get the right springs to mach the cam.

I know first hand because I did this being a rookie I changed the cam and not the valve springs. AND GUESS WHAT, I had a serious miss when my engine fired. I couldnt figure it out to save my life. I kept going back and going over everything two three even four times I checked the timing marks I reset the distributor even taking the number one plug out and resetting the timing marks then re installing the distributor JUST right. checking all of my wires even replacing the wires checking the plugs over and over just to find out if I wouldve just changed my springs I wouldnt have had that problem to begin with.

my machine shop pressed the stud that pulled back in the hole and welded it in and said it was ok to run it like that until I can afford some new aluminum heads but theres no guarantee that the others wont pull. with the new springs I wont have to worry about any studs pulling

since you didnt build the motor I would rip it apart and have everything scoped at eh machine shop. a good machine shop will be able to eyeball a cam and tell you if its screwed up or not and wont charge you anything.

my comp cam kit came with the cam 512 lift new springs and new lifters for $385 in town. I was looking at comp cams on line on like summit and that was about what they were asking just for the cam so I thought I got a pretty good deal

 

couple of things I would comment on there.

First.. it's not so much the lift itself that will pull the studs.. so long as they don't coil bind solid. And at that lift.. even most stock springs wont go solid. But the bigger concern is that they won't keep the valves under control as you rpm the motor and it'll end in pumping the hydro lifters full open for an awful racket and maybe even a few bent valves out of the deal if the timing spec's are aggressive enough. Though it's doubtful that a 512 lift cam has such tight clearances unless the head is milled excessively and the piston to deck height has been zero'd out for reduced quench.

The biggest thing to watch out for with those heads is the pushrod holes knocking the pushrods out of the lifter and rocker cups in the slightest. Which will cause much bigger oiling/galling issues without the need to rpm the motor to even see them. They will need to be enlarged by relieving the rocker side of the hole to allow sifficient clearance with high lift cams. When mocking the valvetrain to clearance on these hydro setups.. you need to use a dummy lifter that has been mod'd to be fully extended/pumped up.. or use a solid lifter to gain correct geometry for precise slotting of the holes. If done right by only removing what is needed for clearance + .020-.025 thou .. you woun't need guideplates at all.

Wasn't going to say it since there are so many oponents to pinning studs.. but if it were me and I was trying to build a decent running street motor on the cheap like this one seems to be spec'd for?.. I would pin the studs as everyone(including myself) used to do not so very long ago.. slot the pushrod holes(usually about .050-.070 thou will do).. install dirt cheap chevy z-28 springs with about .030 thou shims underneath to add a bit more seat pressure(should give you about 110-120 closed).. and then happily rev to 6,500 rpm all day long if I wanted. And I've done just that on quite a few ocassions with small Ford stuff.

Have to keep in mind that these old school rodding tricks have been around and are heavily proven over the years. May not be fit for a full roller setup with 200/400 lb seat/open pressures.. but it gets the job done just fine for warmed over builds such as this one.

 

Roger
Normally i would not commit on tech issues but here is my take on this.
I build a 302 with 1969 351 heads and the the same cam you have. It's the comp cam 305h I used the stock 351 spings and never had a problem. And i beat the crap out of that motor.
The other thing is if that is an original 69 hp 351 windsor it is pretty rare and would probably be worth putting back stock and keeping it.
ray

 

Hi ray, Stock intake factory four barrel engine, I would like to keep it looking original with same intake and factory valve covers, thinking I might just get a new smaller cam and set it in it and have the two bent valves replaced and go with that, I really at this time (after reading everything here) would rather concentrate money on cosmetics for the body and interior, later on if I have any problems with the engine, I can replace it without much problem.

 

Well it seems the 351W is looking more and more like a money pit, took the head off of the other side and ALL of the valves are bent, the pistons have dings where the valves smacked them, might just look for a 302 to stick in it......thinking

 

Nawww I want a 351W, so I bought one got it for less than the price of the Edelbrock intake and Trick Flow Valve covers!!! $450.00..... yeah I'm gonna tear it down some and see whats up, but for that price at least I have something to work with.
http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh579/Moneymaker-1/1972 Maverick Grabber/351W.jpg
Sorry about the blurry pic...pulled it from CL.

 

To bad you are so far away, I could donate a race prep'd block with fresh line hone......................just .040 over.