I hope you all can help a former chevy man see the light! I have a 91 e150 van that has a blown motor and I am converting to a carbed engine. The engine of choice is a 1972 302. I have had it cleaned bored .030, and checked for trueness. I had the crank turned 10/10 and checked tolerances and everything is spot on. Kudos to perfomance machine in Port Richey FL on a fine job. One of the cleanest yet. Well, I have a set of E7TE heads and D80E heads. I plan to buy some flat top hypertueretic (know I slaughtered the spelling) two valve relief pistons and moly rings. I also have a ( I assume stock for the 72) two barrel cast intake and a holley 4bl contender intake. I would like to use the 4bl as I have a few carbs that fit it, and the intake looks to sit lower (remember going in a van!) So which heads should I use and what cam grind should I look for. I am trying to find a high 9 comp ratio but nothing to crazy as the van will double as a work truck and fun vehicle on the weekends. I need mostly low end power in the 1100 to 2500 range probably (have to check what the rear gears are). Also how hard is it to press the wrist pins out? I heard they need to be done with special tools? I have torches and shop press if that is sufficient. I have built chevy engines before and am finding out that fords are an entirely different animal. What about balancing? Am I going to need to send it off for balancing? I don't intend to turn an astronomical amount of RPMs but do want this motor to last a while.
Oh what about porting heads? I head for lower end I dont need much more the flow porting around the bowl area anything else may do more low rpm damage then good.
couple questions for you, what tranny is currently in the Van because if its an E4OD you must stay efi or spend around $1500 for a stand alone computer to control the tranny.
next question is if you want this for a work rig also i wouldnt spend anymore money on that 302. the torque just isnt going to be there to get you around. a 5.8 swap would be a much better investment and is a drop in swap especially staying efi.
If you don't have an E4OD(check the trans code on the door pillar, E is E4OD) and you still want to go carbed a gear change to 4.10 would really help and there are cams that will deliver decent TQ with that setup. You could also put the EFI system on the '72 motor using the E7 heads with a different cam, but regearing is still a good idea. The E7 heads need the exhaust bowls and ports completely reworked and opened up as much as you dare, but you can leave the intake alone except for cleaning up obvious defects or casting flange.
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Paul O
1990 F150 4x4 XLT X-Cab 5.0, 3.55LS, Comp XE264HR-14, Flowtech LT's to 3" single, FRPP Mass Air Conversion, TweecerRT with BE, Innovate LC-1 wideband O2
When pressing out the piston pin you need to have the piston supported solidly which is a little tricky since the surface around the piston pin boss is not flat. Depending on your shop equipment, making a support jig from hardwood might be simplest. Turn a piece of stock to provide a snout that will fit into the piston pin with a little clearance, with the major diameter about 1/32" smaller than the pin OD.
To assemble, the pins are cooled and rods heated so that they slip together. But don't overheat the rods, about 400 F. is maximum.
Check with the piston supplier if piston is stock weight. If so, you do not need to rebalance.
being I have a bunch of money already tied up in the 302 it will be the one going in. I did come across a worked set of 351w heads cheap and am strongly considering those on the 302. I heard they make a big improvement in performance on the 302. The tranny in it IS the e40d but I have every intention of ripping that out as well. Call me old fashioned but I will probably put a c6 in there as I found one rebuilt with warranty for $375.
I am not really concerned with the pulling power as long as it is a fun van to drive on the weekends It had a v6 so a 302 should be a big improvement.
So if I make a jig for it I could heat the rods in an oven to press them out as the pin won't expand as much and do the cool/heat for re-install.
If the 351 heads are C9OE or D0OE castings then they have bigger valves and smaller combustion chambers and will make more power, but everything else is pretty much the same as the E7's or worse if it's a smog era head('78-'84).
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Paul O
1990 F150 4x4 XLT X-Cab 5.0, 3.55LS, Comp XE264HR-14, Flowtech LT's to 3" single, FRPP Mass Air Conversion, TweecerRT with BE, Innovate LC-1 wideband O2
The hot/cold technique is used for assembly only, disassembly is done cold. The interference fit is between the piston pin and rod, both of which are steel so expand equally with heat so won't loosen with heat.
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It had a v6 so a 302 should be a big improvement.
