1979 302 info needed.

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Dec 31, 2010 | 02:14 PM

finneys98xj

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1979 302 info needed.

Can anyone tell me anything about a 79 302 from LTD. I have searched and found nothing about it. It has a serptine and v-belt set-up on it. I have not seen anything like it, is it worth keeping like that on swap it to an all v-belt? I plan to get rid of all the smog crap before swapping it into my 72 f100 so that going. It is a 2v. Are the head a decent set or are they crap? Everything is stock at the moment when I pull it from the car I will be upgrading some of the easy to do items.

Any ideas on what to do before I swap it into the truck pleas speak up.

Dec 31, 2010 | 04:53 PM

Conanski

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From: Ottawa, Ontario

1979 was the height of the fuel crunch so that is a low compression smog motor which ain't at all desirable. The shortblock is as good as any other 302 but would need a complete HCI(heads,cam,intake) upgrade to produce respectable output.

Dec 31, 2010 | 04:54 PM

85e150

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Nothing from 1979 is worth a crap.

Rebuild it with better heads--you can see threads here about Explorer heads, some compression, and a cam with lobes, a decent intake and a decent carb.

Factory rated at 135 hp or so, the only turd worse would be a 351m, rated about the same and using more gas.

The "smog crap" includes the cam, heads, compression etc, so do a complete job and rebuild it from the bare block out.

Dec 31, 2010 | 05:34 PM

finneys98xj

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Quote:

Originally Posted by 85e150six4mtod

TH motor runs great with about 65,xxx miles that and we picked up the whole car for only 300 is the rason we bought it in the first place. The motor we are replacing is a 351m that is completely worn out. I will be rebuilding the 351m for my aunt(soon to be mine) 79 f150 supercab 4x4. We may swap the heads but that will be the must we do. money is tight. We have already rebuilt the carb. WE are planning on putting on a new fuel pump, t-stat, and possibly a water pump. That is all we can budget for right at the moment.

Is there anything you can tell me about the belt set-up?

Dec 31, 2010 | 05:46 PM

85e150

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Nothing about the belts, but you know your bell housing pattern is different for the 351m vs. the 302, right?

Oh, they can run good, just low power and low mpg for the amount they produce.

Dec 31, 2010 | 06:04 PM

finneys98xj

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Quote:

Originally Posted by 85e150six4mtod

Nothing about the belts, but you know your bell housing pattern is different for the 351m vs. the 302, right?

Oh, they can run good, just low power and low mpg for the amount they produce.

Yea I know the bellhousings are different. We are planning on using the tranny out of the car temporary. TIl we can get a better tranny. I may have a set of 289 heads on a motor I have in my 63 that I want be using. I check tomorrow.