351W Head Gasket Question

Russ Dickey · #1 (**permalink**) 08-24-2009, 08:17 AM

A friend of mine is rebuilding a 351W that’s in a boat. Went to local parts store to get head gaskets for it, but when he put them on he noticed that the gasket had no holes for the front cooling passages, and the oil passages in the gasket were much smaller than that on the head.

He's been back to exchange the gaskets, as well as gone to several different parts stores to see if the initial counter guy was just giving him the wrong ones, but said that each set he's gotten is the same.

To anyone's knowledge, did the 351W marine engine have a different head design, and therefore a special gasket? Or are there truly different 351W head designs? Or do I need to supply more info?

Any help will be appreciated.

Mus408 · #2 (**permalink**) 08-24-2009, 10:50 AM

Most head gaskets have a FRONT marking on them. In this position the front coolant holes,in the gasket,will be blocked,which forces the coolant to come up thru the rear water passages in the head. There is also a square tab at the front of the gasket,which should be visible when you have the gasket in place correctly.

PANAVIA · #3 (**permalink**) 08-27-2009, 02:00 AM

the gaskets should look like this

M-6003-A50 Engine Gasket Set

olddog · #4 (**permalink**) 08-27-2009, 09:29 PM

Marine engines usually get lake water pumped through them. They are subject to much more corrosion. They usually have different gaskets on the heads and intake than a car engine to handle this.

It costs more to buy marine parts, but some of the differances between a boat and a car parts can get you killed (boats can go B A N G). Others will just cost you time and money when you have to do it over with the right part (some peope have to do it 4 or 5times before they admit they used the wrong parts).