Ok people I've got a tired 302, 1977 model its a gas slug! I paid a $125.00 for the whole truck it was totaled f-100. Put the engine in my 53 effie. I put in some new stuff like oil pump,timing chain and gears, pushrods,lifters,and front and rear main seals. I scavenged an old cast iron 4 bbl. manifold out of the bone yard, and stuck a holley 600 on it with aftermarket shorty headers I got at a swap meet! Its got a 3:00 gear in the rear. Iam using the c4 that came with the engine! 17k miles since its been on the road for 5 years. I got my moneys worth out of this engine! my plans are to have the engine rebuilt by a local rebuild shop. I asked the person at the shop if they can put in the cam of my choice in, they said no problem! i dont want to go to extremes here, I'am looking for suggestions to perk up the beast without breaking the bank! I want to modify the valve train with screw in studs, guide plates,go to 3/8" push rods,and roller rockers. any other suggestions are welcome. thanks for looking! Bob.
why spend all that money on those parts for a mild build? your money would be better spent on gears, cam and intake....
I would get a rpm intake a cam with around 220 degree duration at .050 (run the stock valve train with new springs) and some 4.10 gears....
all the roller this and that with guide plates wont make a bit of difference at this level build. but if it has pedistal mount rockers (5/16 bolt no stud) then get some rollers for sure they would be a bolt on with nothing eles needed
This is how I would do it other will have different ideas....
Yeah, what they said... especially about the heads. By the time you do all those upgrades to a set heads that don't breathe in a motor that's mildly built, you've wasted the money you chould have put in making the heads breathe. Just a little port work on the exhaust side of those E7's, and you'll see more improvement in performance than any other single modification you'll make. I don't know if you have to go as high as 4.10 on the gears, but you need at least 3.73's, that 3.0 is killing your low end. No wonder that 302 is tired.lol
Also make sure the shop orders the correct pistons for it. You want flat tops with as close to a 1.610 pin height as possible. Beware that 302 flat tops come in pin heights from 1.585 (these are the ones to avoid) to 1.619 (Only seen this pin height once and don't recall where)
thanks for the input all puter crashed so I am just gettin back online!!! Just one more question what engines did those heads come on, iam really a cheap person, so iam thinkin the bone yard thanks again,Bob.
thanks for the input all puter crashed so I am just gettin back online!!! Just one more question what engines did those heads come on, iam really a cheap person, so iam thinkin the bone yard thanks again,Bob.
Just one more question? Don't ever say that this early in the game, I'm sure you'll have at least one more.
I've found out these heads are an marine application 302-351 haven't put an eye to them yet, they were on craigslist! $100.00 for the deuce!
Marine motor parts are usually more high performance and lack a lot of the smog stuff. I'd grab them, that's a good deal if they aren't any better than stock, but I'll bet they are.
you would be surprised at how little is different in a marine engine.. they are pretty much the same as a car or truck engine. well there's that CCW rotation thing along with all the other marine stuff. But as far as performance the marine stuff is the same.. I had a 195 hp marine 302 that had 76 351W heads, they had the bigger intake ports but had the 302valves... I did a bunch of research about the marine thing cause I heard they had forged cranks but they don't... if anything you might want to get them magnafluexed for cracks, you never know....
I think you should check them out first before you waste your money on them. Might not be any better than a set of good old E7s
