looking around at junkyards for a 360 core.

I'm new to gas engines, what external differences are there between the 302 and 360?

thanks,
Drew

 

Nothing is the same. A 302 is a small block, a 360 is an FE big block. The first thing I look for to ID an FE big block is that the valve covers actually bolt to part of the intake.

 

FE's (360) will have "352" cast into the block, the 302 in stock form is pretty gutless, the 360 is a good TRUCK motor with gobs of low end torque (despite its reputation as being a boat anchor) but can be much improved with a 390 crank and rods.

 

hey the 302w's are not gutless! unless its a mid to late 70s smog motor, but then most motors of that time period where poor on power and where horrible in stock form,

i would suggest a 1971 or older 302w, but then i can't really recommend many engines in the late 70s since there all low compression smog motors, and thus i think they should be rebuilt, i really wish they never went the route of going low compression and all that smog garbage,

-Brent

 

Also a nice running 302 is one from a newer Explorer. They can be found cheap in junkyards and the GT40P heads flow quite well plus they are roller cam, the intake is also good if you have EFI. I'm into 5.0 Mustangs and a Junkyard Explorer motor with a cam swap and good exhaust can make 350 horse, quite the improvement over the 210 they are rated at.
I also re-ringed & bearinged a 1989 GT short block, used GT40 iron heads from a Lightning pick up with a motorsport F303 cam, Edelbrock RPM intake intake, along with exhaust, TB, MAF, injectors etc. It dynoed 288hp at the wheels which would be around 330 at the flywheel.
My cousin has an 89 F-150 with an explorer motor with homemade dual exhaust, B303 cam, etc. It's a 5 speed and will smoke 33 inch super swampers on pavement in second gear with a spool in the rear end.

 

yep i agree a 302w/5.0 can make good power, but in stock form, 1971 is the last of the last, unless you want to get into computers, than you can go with the late 80s and 90s 5.0

but personally, i try and avoid computers like the plague! lol lol lol

-Brent

 

If you don't like EFI you can still take an engine from an 80/90s Mustang or Explorer and just pull the EFI off and bolt a carb'd intake to it. In my opinion the 80s Mustang motor is leaps and bounds ahead of an early 302. Rated at more power (even after the ratings change), forged pistons and roller cam.
I also have a 1985 Mustang GT. It's a 4 barrel carb, 5-speed with forged pistons and roller cam. I bet you'd like that one! Runs great too. Stock engine on street tires with just underdrive pulleys and an offroad H-pipe, I ran 13.96 @ 99mph, which is damn good for what it is.

 

bought a truck a few days ago, '76 F100, ended up having a 302 in it.

I'll keep it for now, but I was really interested in going with a big block. It runs tho, but I thought in 76 the 302's were phased out. Guess not.

Has a Motorcraft carb on it, 2barrell, I can't find a number, and was kinda wanting to rebuild it.
Anyone know what that'd be, 2100? 2150?

thanks,

Drew

 

the 302w was available in the '73-'79 F-100/F-150 trucks (only in 4x2 trucks)

'76-'77 where the last years for the 360/390

-Brent

 

The 5 liter ho is a good engine. It makes 300 lbs of torque which is really not bad at all for a heavy pickup. Only a few years came with forged pistons. The rest had hypereutectic pistons.
The 351W from a later F or E series is a better choice. More torque is what you need to get something heavy like a dentside moving. And, it bolts right in place of a 302.

Of course, a 460 is ideal.

 

I agree. And if you can find a 351w block with an F4 casting number (near the starter), those blocks are roller cam. And the 5.0 HO has forged pistons from 1985 to 1992, the majority of them you find in junkyards will fall in between those years. I'm really surprised not to see more Windors in these trucks especially since they take the same bell housing as a 300 6-cyl which was an option.