All exploder 5.0's were 50oz. C6 flex should work ad long as it's a 50 oz, it had nothing to do with the rear seal. Just make sure to use thread sealer on the bolts. I use the Teflon paste from the hardware store

 

Thanks for the reply, yep the C6 flexplate I have now is a 50oz and the one I'm getting to replace it is a 50 oz as well. Its just every description said "for 2 piece rear seal" and had me wondering if there was a difference.

Its good to know because I really have made my mind up with going with the explorer engine with the gt40 heads. Might even upgrade to a Edelbrock Performer manifold with a 2V EGR plate if it seems like my oem 2V manifold wont work.

If I could get a 4V carb that would accept my cruise control, my C6 kick down linkage, and my throttle cable I would consider just going with like a 500 CFM 4V edelbrock carb as an upgrade. But at last every thing Ive seen pointed to I would have to drop my cruise control even though its functional and I use it on the highway.

 

Ok I have been working on a parts list so I can get a price estimate so I know what I am looking at. This is what I have so far.

96-97 Ford Explorer 302 GT40 - Block # F1SE, Head # F1ZE-AA : $2,639 including $350 for core and $200 for shipping.
Edelbrock Performer 302 intake : $277.95
Edelbrock 1" carb spacer or EGR Adapter
Edelbrock AVS2 Series carb - Electric choke 500 CFM : $379.95
Summit Racing Fuel feed line 3/8" inlet : $26.97
Powerbond Premium OEM Balancer 50oz : $59.97
Dormand Timing Cover : $80.95
TCI Auto Forged Flexplate 157-Tooth - C6 - 50oz : $91.97
ATI Dampner Bolt 5/8-18in : $16.50
Edelbrock throttle lever adapter : $26.95

Right now I am looking at oil pumps since the crate engine doesn't appear to come with one. I don't know if I want to go standard volume or high volume.

I looked it up it looks like 96-97 Ford 5.0 engines used 5w20 or 5w30 oil. So it looks like I would be using 5w30 oil. That should considerably improve my gas mileage over what I have now running 20w50 to slow down my valve guide leak.

But I know my oil gauge was always on the low side of normal not sure if I want to up it to a high volume pump or not. I know either way I have to get a oil pump for a '82 truck so I can reuse my oil pan.

 

That's the wrong flexplate for a C6. All C6's were 164 tooth. I would go with a Performer RPM over the Performer. You're bottomend will be the same but you'll have room to grow on in the upper rpms. You want standard volume on the oil pump with a fresh engine. I would replace the puny stock oil pump drive as well with an HD shaft. You're gonna need a steel geared distributor too for the roller cam.

 

Question, how does the 94-96 302 stand up to the 96-97 302?

the heads are E7TZ and i can get this motor from napa for $1,879.99 plus $325 for core vs the 96-97 that is pushing $2,799.99 plus $325 core locally.

also have a 302 hot rod motor at work i might be able to get to turn in as a core.

but im curious about this engine as it should have the same explorer cam just not the gt40 heads.

it also has me wondering if shorty heads, my stock intake and stock 351crm 2v would be enough to break 200hp with this motor.

if so then it will save me nearly $1500 over the other motor since i can reuse quite a few more parts.

 

The 94-96 is the same bottom end as the Explorer motor. Same F4TE cam. You're right, same engine, different heads. You can remove the Thermactor bumps from the exhaust ports of the E7 heads in 30 minutes time with a good porting bit and that alone will move the power output up about 10-15 hp. If you had a bare set to begin with, you can port and bowl blend the E7's and get them close to what the GT40's do. Add 1.7 full roller rockers and a better intake and it'll put out 275 hp. I built one 5.0 like this and it was a blast to drive in an 89 Ranger with a 4 speed and 3.73 rearend. Mileage was good too, 16-18 mpg without overdrive.

 

Engine is built already but I might be able to use a bit and smooth out the thermactor bumps before I install the motor. I don't plan on running my air pump even if I do bolt it on to make it look like its there. I am thinking about gutting my air pump since I have no converter anyways.

But lets say I don't remove the thermactor bumps and just take the motor throw a Edelbrock Performer intake on it with a Summit 600 CFM 4V carb, and a set of Headman Headers street headers for a 86-96 truck with a 5.0. What kind of power could I expect out of this motor?

I know I was told that a GT40 equipped 5.0 would make around 275 HP. I figure this engine with shorty street headers, and a 600 CFM 4V carb and a Performer intake it should make around 200 - 225 HP. If it makes at least 200 HP that is considerably more than my smog 302 that's in my truck now.

I'm working the numbers right now for pricing I knocked my build so far from $4,000 down to $2,831.13 now but I forgot to add on the timing cover and a composite dist gear that will add another $200 to the price so I should be around $2,900 by time I am done vs $3,995.99 that I was before with the same parts.

I also want to check out jegs and rock auto for some of these parts as I might be able to obtain them cheaper than the pricing I have which is from summit.

After all Napa locally wants $2,204.99 for this DFN1 302 long block and I can get it from Rock Auto for $1,859.78 which includes $127.99 for shipping and $285 for the core charge.

 

You're about in the ballpark on the power numbers. I wouldn't waste the money on the Performer intake. Get the RPM. Same bottomend power, but leaves room on top for improvements. Which ever engine you get, use a torque wrench and check the torque values on the rods and mains. I started a build with a reman shortblock years ago and the rod bolts were WAY over torqued. I replaced those with ARP's with the engine assembled. Takes time to do this right but can be done without taking the engine apart.

 

I thought about that myself. Pulling the rod and main bolts and torque them to spec to make sure. I didn't think about replacing them with ARP`s but I guess it wouldn't hurt.

As far as intake goes I haven't fully decided on it yet I am leaning towards the RPM. It does say 1500 - 6500 rpm. For this truck 1500 rpm is about 40 mph so it would still be in the power band for driving. After moving the slowest the truck would go would be about 25 mph once in the town but aside from that would be 60-75 mph everywhere so I will be turning for the most part 1,500 - 2,600 rpm.

Be nice if I could just get the cost down some more. I could say screw it and reuse my old flex plate it has some wear on the face of the teeth and every now and then the starter doesn't mesh happens probably once every few years. Would like to replace it but if I don't I could save $70.89 there. But everything else I cant cut its what would be needed. I cant cut the $114 dist gear as I need the composite dist gear for use with the roller cam. I cant cut the $81 timing cover cause mine when I did the water pump couple years ago one of the bolts in the timing cover stripped out. I could probably drop the $26.99 comp cams engine finishing kit but I don't know if the new long block will have the timing cover dowels this kit comes with the dowels and the two piece fuel pump eccentric.

In the end it looks like $3,673 is what I am looking at for everything from the flexplate to the powerbond prem replacement balancer to the summit 600 cfm carb to the hedman headers shorty header to the balancer bolt to the off road Y-pipe and cat back exhaust kit.

I guess in the grand scheme of things that isn't a bad price for a complete engine and exhaust system.

Another thing I just started thinking about is windage trays. I pull a lot of Chevrolet LS engines apart for oil pump pick up tube O rings and every one comes standard with these windage trays ive seen. I am wondering if I can find a windage tray that will fit and give me no problems. I wonder if its worth the time and money to use one.

I see Canton has one that states it fits stock or aftermarket oil pans.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/c...view/make/ford

But I still wonder if its really worth it for a stock motor that wont turn much over 4500 rpm unless I go changing axle gears and install a GV over drive unit.

 

You don't need a windage tray. I replaced those rod bolts because they had been torqued to 50 ft/lbs. Didn't want those over stretched bolts in that engine. Use the torque wrench to figure what the bolts were torqued to. You can do this by ratcheting up the torque setting little by little till you get to a setting where the clicker doesn't set. Pay no attention to that 1500 rpm number. I've run high rise dual planes in many engines and they work as well as the stock intakes in the bottom rpms.

 

That's what I figured wouldn't need it cause those are usually higher rpm issues. But I figured since I could get a tray for $20 wouldn't hurt to throw one on. Could also upgrade the mains to ARP bolts while I am at it.

One thing I did add to my little wish list was a $20 ARP oil pump drive shaft which is supposed to be considerably stronger than stock.

I also found that instead of spending $114.95 for Comp Cams Composite gear I could run the right sized MSD Steel dist gear for $75.53 to $81.39. Or go even cheaper and get the Mallory brand steel dist gear for $41.85 to $44.35.

I just need to do some final verifying to make sure the one I get is a press fit gear.

But I think I have made a decision. Go with the 94-96 long block for $1,859.78 which includes core and shipping. That will put me at $3,592.30 but that includes a Jegs Off Road Y pipe for a 86 and up truck, as well as the Hedman headers shorty header for '86-'96, and a 75-89 single cat back exhaust system. Better than spending $3,999.99 for a explorer GT40 302 without the exhaust system. I could always upgrade later on get some reman GT40 heads and pull these heads off and swap them. Not like the motor has to be pulled for that.

 

Late update but I got most of the stuff I need to do my build now. I just today got my set of Scorpion 1.6:1 roller rockers for use with 7/16" studs. problem is I got to wait on a email from Scorpion as I have one rocker arm that has a mile of side to side slack in the trunnion bearing and I have a second one that has almost no side to side movement. the rest of the set are pretty much all the same with a slight side to side movement.

Other than that I got all I need except for the short block which I will be ordering last, the cylinder heads which I will be ordering next, the camshaft if blueprint cant install that camshaft for me for the cost of the short block, then just the head gaskets and pushrods followed up by the short block and I should be ready to be back on the road.

 

Got everything ? Sounds like you're a might short of that to me

 

Lol seems like I'm still short but I got shorty factory connection headers, edelbrock intake, summit 600cdm vac secondaries everything to make the carb work, new water pump, new balance, new timing set, new timing cover, two piece fuel pump eccentric, gaskets, bolts, ford racing tall valve covers, a new nos factory aircleaner to replace my broken one. Got a bunch of tools as well such as pushrod length checker, huge 18" degree wheel, etc.

I just got high dollar stuff left that I have to save up for as work is dead slow.

 

Well I measured all the rockers, side to side on all but one was between a snug 0.008" and under 0.015" which is the range for side to side play. The one that is bad that I will have Scorpion replace is actually 0.026" side to side play which is very excessive. I think the poly locks would rub with how much side to side slop there is.