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Loss of oil pressure and an oil leak ... could be a head gasket.
As for the '69 vs '73, not sure when they put the hardened valve seats in to be safe with unleaded gas - was that '73 or '74? May need to use an additive in your fuel with the older model if it hasn't been overhauled. Also not sure when they dropped the compression ratio from ~9.5 to 8.4? 69 could be better from that perspective...
Theres a wives tale that says "if your vehicle came with cats you have hardened seats" doesn't apply to gvw's of 10,000 and over. $1600+ to do full rebuild, $600 for gasket kit and top end rebuild + oil pump. I'd be worried about putting in the 69 302 unless the heads were upgraded.
Theres a wives tale that says "if your vehicle came with cats you have hardened seats"
It's a useful rule of thumb, and true in that direction just not necessarily the other. By 1974, every engine was coming with hardened seats to run unleaded gas, whether it needed cats yet or not, according to my owner's manual. That started sometime in the early 70s I think, but I don't know precisely when.
couple parts showed up. I had ordered these prior to the intake gasket stuff.
called around for a rebuild.. looking at about 2500 + machining and any other stuff. To get them to do all the gaskets about 600. BUT the motor has to be pulled...
At $2500 + machining your getting into shortblock crate territory. Sure you can't rebuild it yourself or hunt around for a newer 5 to 5.8 from a mustang. If you were closer I'd sell you my 89, 5.8 without intake for $350 exhaust included.
For around $2k, they sell a reman short block with forged pistons, etc. for race applications...
Those are just short blocks w/o a cam though, no heads.
But I think what they quoted him was completely rebuilding his 302 ... 2500 is probably about right there, *if* it includes all the labor & machining. By the time heads, gaskets, add'l labor, etc. are included, that's about what you'd end up with if the short block is around 1k.
Prices in Canada can really fluctuate depending on where you live. In Vancouver you can get Bond mechanical to return your 5.8 block to you complete 9.2 comp w 256h cam, heads w springs for $3500 in a week. They do mostly commercial and light duty trucks and Rvs.
Dont be to shy about checking out a 5.8 windsor. They'll take a 2 bbl and the extra torque and ponies will make your truck a good runner. The newer efi blocks last a long time and you can get some $ back on the intake as the bottom half is a cobra unit as long as it comes from an exploder or 1 ton. Rumour has it that the 94 and newer have roller lifters same as the 5 liters. Google your motor options, wikipedia has some good spec and historical information.
Converting to a standard from an auto would have been a pita between pedal set, mechanism, flywheel, clutch, shifter and etc. Hope the 302 is a good score. When insurance cashes me out I'm gutting the truck, my 351m is really a cleveland.
Well I suck at updates lately. Not much to update but I found a donor. '70 302 out of a bumpside. Drove 500km 325miles to find it. only to find its originally from my town lol... oy vey..
Then a princess auto pig iron engine stand. things so cheaply made that one wheel wont go on.. so trusting eh?!
03-09-2015, 10:32 PM
By 1974, every engine was coming with hardened seats to run unleaded gas, whether it needed cats yet or not, according to my owner's manual. That started sometime in the early 70s I think, but I don't know precisely when.
