302 engines old versus new

[dablack00]

oops yep. The Roller 302 could spin easier so they lighten the flywheel and the balancer so they did spin up faster.

I thought the later ones used a heavier balance, same as the 351.

Ok, originally the 289/302 had a 28.8oz flywheel/flexplate. The 351W came along in the late 60 and it picked up the same 28.8oz balance. Then along in 81 (IIRC) the 302 went to 50oz balance. The 351W stayed 28.8oz.

I might as well keep going. In 83 (IIRC) the ho motor came out but it wasn't much to write home about. The first real return to performance was the 85 HO motor. It got the first roller cam, better heads (E5), and forged pistons and was the last mustang to have a holley on it. I think CFI was an option (yuck). In 86 the mustang went EFI and got flat top pistons with some weird heads (E6). It was a bad combo and only a one year thing. The next year in 87 they went back to pistons with a little dish and a new version of the E5 heads. The 87 heads (E7) stayed on the 302 until 1995 (IIRC).

Now, if I wanted to find a 302 for a project I would get one from car-part.com. Get one from a 97-01 explorer or mountaineer. The only thing you have to worry about is the weird angle of the plugs for the gt-40p heads that came on the mid 97 to 01 heads. If you are running manifolds it won't hurt at all. Swap out the cam, put in some better springs and have fun (or just keep it stock). Now that I think of it, truck 302 headers might give you room with the weird plug angles too, but I'm not sure.

Of course you could also try and find a early 97 with the original gt-40 heads. These are very similar to the heads they ran on the 93 cobra and Gen 1 lightnings.

I could go on and on and on..

[peanutman]

I have a stock 70 302. When i go to rebuild i am having my block redone, but thats me- will save a lot of headaches with parts from this and that, plus i want to stay stock.
If you want a hopped up engine i would find me a late model donor and pull everything i need. I would think it will save you a lot of headaches.

[basketcase0302]

dantheman71,

Main 302 engine issue i see here is that there was a "pilot hole" (for lack of proper terminology)machined into the rear of our older 302's for the clutch linkage.
I've been told that the newer 5.0's don't have the same "boss/pilot bore hole" for the manual clutch linkage to bolt up to.
Maybe because the newer ones used wet/hydraulic clutches?
Hope this helps.

Basketcase

[dantheman71]

I did read something about the new clutches being driven my a cable instead of a linkage. For my automatic it is a none issue but for a standard it would be.
I am waiting for a call back from the machine shop, thinking I will do the old front cover on a late model block and get a custom engine built.

[peanutman]

Good point basket, i didn't think of that , so in my case it would have to be there or convert to a wet clutch. Most bumps with a factory 302 was automatic as well. I have yet to see one with a standard in the bone yard. (302 and standard that is)

[averagef250]

Roller cam bearings were never used in a Ford V8. They take a considerable amount of machinework to install and need a custom cam. I'm not a 302 expert, I've only built one windsor race engine and started with an SVO R302 block. Even at that though the R302 block was advertized as being a pretty close replacement for a roller 302 block except being dry sump ready and having twice as much iron in it. I went with a 3.4" crank and negated the whole balance issue by going with neutral balance on everything. Bought the R302 block in the mid 90's and it does have a clutch stud hole.

For the expense of a 347 stroker, why not just find a late model 351W? The newest ones even had roller cams. Sure it'd save you a load of cash in the long run.

[dablack00]

Good point basket, i didn't think of that , so in my case it would have to be there or convert to a wet clutch. Most bumps with a factory 302 was automatic as well. I have yet to see one with a standard in the bone yard. (302 and standard that is)

I forgot about this. Yes, since the 80s, the 302s in trucks have hydralic actuated clutches. In 79 (and maybe before), the mustang with to a cable actuated clutch. IF you already have a clutch pedal I would weld a piece to the pedal to pull the clutch cable and put that in the truck. I think that would be cool. You can get all the parts from mustangsteve.com He converts old mustang clutch pedals to cable and will sell the parts to convert other pedals.

Now, do the modern 302s have the spot for the old clutch pivot point? I dunno. That is a question for sbftech.com. Those guys will know for sure.

thanks
Austin