I took my Eco for a spin today and was in the mood to put "the pedal to the metal".
Unfortunately the speedometer of the '89 ends at 85mph / 130km/h.

I was at around 95mph (150km/h)
or whatever speed at the last 3 or 4 digits of the odometer are

I installed a tachometer and i saw at ca 4000 rpm: there is more to come.
So i was a bit scaret to damage the engine because i don't know if the ECU of the 302 EFI limits the engine speed.

The ECU of my BMW 525i limits the engine speed at 7000rpm.
But i guess the FORD 302 doesn't rotate that high

The previous owner of my E-150 managed it somehow to bend the pushrods.
I always thought he over-reved the engine.

So i'm asking: Whats the Highest a '89 302 with EFI can rotate?

Short info:
I installed
- Edelbrock Sure Seat Valve Springs
- Edelbrock Performer cam and lifter (2122)
- Scorpion Performance 1.6 Aluminum Roller Rocker


And for those who say: How can you go that fast?

I say: There are no speed limits on the german Autobahn
If you don't believe me, believe Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks on German Autobahn - YouTube

 

My 351W cant breathe much over 5000RPM. If your 302W is in good shape, it shouldn't have too much trouble getting to 5500-6000RPM. Due to oiling concerns, I wouldn't hold it there.

I've seen a very well built (heads, fabricated inteake, custom MPFI, custom headers, custom pistons and crank) 351W hit 7500RPMs on the engine stand. I've also seen 302W built off of a DART block bounce off of 9k. Depends on how much you want to spend ;D

The aerodynamics of the ford van mean anything much past 120 is going to require power far beyond what could reasonable added. That, and I don't think the vehicle itself would be all that stable.

Edit to add: The stock ECU (EEC-IV) doesnt have enough CPU power to fire the injectors fast enough past 6200rpm.

 

It was just a short sprint - not longer than a minute.

Oiling: The Pump is a new high volume one.
The heads are stock, i cleaned and polished the valves, all ignition parts are new,...

I know the Econoline is no race car, but i would like to know where the limits are.
It's just a funcar for me, cause i got a BMW as a dayly driver.
With a gas price here in Germany of around 8 $/gal I cannot afford to drive the Van too much...

 

i would think it safe to maintain not more than 5000 for the long haul. sure, it can go faster, but we know that the harder you push it, the shorter it'll last.

 

Right.
I was just wondering because the transmission shifts at full throttle at 4500rpm
So I thought it is the max rpm

 

1989 mustang 5.0 is set at 6250 rpm.not sure if van 5.0 is the same
jim

 

My '85 E350 tops at 75mph

4.10's with the C6, and a governor set at 3600RPM, I hit the governor at 75.

 

I know from driving the 5.4 Tritan powered van of mine, you'll lose your nerve before the engine tops out. There's only so fast you want to go in an 8000 lb extended van, it registers 100 MPH, took it what seemed like forever for the needle to come off the peg when I let off of the gas.
The 302 was never made to rev that high, that is why they designed and built the Boss 302, which has nothing in common with yours. You can expect the power band to end at 3000 RPM, truck/van engines are tuned for low end power, unlike the car version, reason being, their size and weight difference. I suggest you keep it below 4000 RPM or get ready to replace it when it cuts loose, high volume oil pumps are not the answer on stock engines, they pump all the oil up to the top before it can drain back down in the pan. Engines built for high RPM have high volume pumps, larger passages, and the drains are not only increased, but screened to catch debris.

 

I usually love to drive in the low RPM.
So i barely drive more than 60 miles an hour.

And if i do the engine would suck me a hole in the tank.

The high volume oil pump was just a replacement for a worn out stock pump.
Pricewise there was no big difference.

The previous owner seemed to never made an oil change.
As i looked deeper into the motor the more charred oil i found.

So i hope with an high volume oil pump it loosens faster and my engine gets clean from the inside.
I made a couple of oil changes so far - so all 1000-2000 miles - but you can still fill fresh oil inside and it comes out darker through the drain plug -> without spinning the engine.

 

I can't imagine it pulls very hard after 4500 based on other posts here.

I would go with keeping it under 6000, and not staying there long.

It sounds like you have fixed the valve train to run higer revs, but you have a worn bottom end and some questionable maintenance history. You might have a spun bearing in your future and high revs will hasten that.

It's not pretty when that happens at 5000 rpm--you can end up with chunks and oil all over the place as the rod will slice right through the block if it breaks.

 

Get some of this, you have to order it, I suggest no more than 500 miles before changing oil and filter, unlike the crap than thins the oil, this conditions it, and helps break down the sludge, rather than attempt to wash it out, it doesn't effect viscosity. I've run it before, and it does break the gunk up, it comes out with the oil, and some remains in the filter, if you fear you're engine is extremely dirty, you can change the filter at 250 miles, top it off and continue for another 250 to change it all out.
I need a tach, I ran my 73 Econoline 70 MPH, likely had the RPM's high, did so for near 200 miles, it had enough power to pull beyond it, but I feared it, because deceleration was fast when I let off the gas, indicating not geared for it. They are extremely durable engines when cared for, I've heard many guys having 300,000 miles on theirs, but they don't speed around either, I need to lighten up.

 

Like i said: The AOD shifts at 4500 - and only in full throttle.
With less gas - earlier
So i can run over 4500 only in the area that the speedometer doesn't show anymore.

The Edelbrock cam has an operation range from Idle to 5,500.
I always watch that the "Tuning-Parts" increases torque or operate in low RPMs

When i revised the engine, i cleaned all parts as good as possible.
It's "just" the block that i couldn't clean from the inside.
Almost all gaskets and bearings are new.
The only that isn't new is the bearing between the Crankshaft and Transmission

I would ask for oil suggestions, but i'm afraid that the Brands or viscosities aren't avaiable here in Germany.
But i usually fill 5W30 or 5W40 in.

But any suggestions about the filter?
K&N Filters filter particles of 10 microns, but Fram High Mileage Filter have a gel additive...


@marples01:
Good point.
Maybe i change the oil in the next few days.
I don't know how many miles my eco has run down, because the mileage indicator has only five digits.
But right now it says round 96.000 miles.

 

than run the engine out to 5500 rpms. I'm almost 100% sure you will never hit the 5500 rpms in top gear. A 302 will rev all day long without any issues. I've ran them at 4500 rpms for hrs non stop.