I have a 1988 302 AOD single cab long bed. At least a year or two from now at minimum I will be able to start collecting things to do this…

https://blueprintengines.com/product...ons-roller-cam
I started with just wanting to fix leaks, to wanting to pull the engine to fix them. Now I’m thinking if I ever decide to pull the engine what’s going back in there is gonna be way better than before. My 302 is slow, and I have to work it to keep up with traffic. I see this engine comes with a Holley sniper EFI, but being that I have an AOD, I’d have to get a E40D, and I’d have to get a trans controller. I know rear diff would have to be upgraded to withstand more power.
What exactly would need to be done to do this? How much would something like this cost if I bought a built engine and transmission? I know it’s very involved and it’ll be months to a year or more project once the engine is pulled. I know I’d need a bigger driveshaft as well.
My main concerns:
What needs to be done to mount this engine where the 302 was?
What has to be done to put an E40D in place of an AOD? (I know it’ll have to be a built one)
If I replace suspension bushings, will this suspension withstand this?
What electrically has to be done to make this work? (Anything from re wiring, to sensors)
Would the EGR work with this engine? I want to keep it to keep cylinder temps down, and to pass smog.
Will it pass smog if it’s done right?
What type of low pressure and high pressure pumps would be needed to accommodate for this type of thing?
Will the current ignition system work? (Not spark system, key system)
I know there’s a lot more to it than just this stuff but this was kind of a base line for me to have an idea of what it would take. Like I said I won’t be starting this anytime soon I’ll have to save money for it, but it’d be cool to do to lean and have the truck be more powerful.

 

A more stockish 351 will go a long way to make your life simpler and the project easier on the wallet. A C6 would be simpler as well.

Parts and expertise are expensive regardless of what direction you go. The more custom you make it the more you are on your on for maintenance and troubleshooting.

 

That’s a SBF-based engine, so it goes right where your 302 goes.

Ignition cylinder will be fine. That has nothing to do with this.

The specs tell you this engine isn’t passing smog, so you’re going to have to dial down the dream if that’s a concern on a 36-year old truck.

Like R&R is getting at, maybe trying to build up a Lightning 351 would be more realistic at this point. At least you aren’t boxed in by the aftermarket EFI-not that it doesn’t seem cool, but it does limit you here.

Save about $25K for this idea and talk about it then. You’ll like a beefed up 9” rear, several grand for a transmission to take that power reliably, a juicy radiator and trans cooler…

 

Why not mild cam that 302 and some decent heads? Stock 302 intake manifold flows well, hell Holley used the lower to make their Systemax fox mustang setup.

Used Edelbrocks, old FMS, Canfields, TFS, Holley, AFR, etc. Tons and tons of used SBF heads out there. The lesser known, the better the deal usually.

Bigger valves, better comb chamber, etc.

The 31T 8.8 will be fine with a good carrier. AOD is easy to build, do it yourself.

 

Nope not even close, if you have those restrictions then a motor like that is way too radical and really unnessary... you simply don't need a forged steel rotating assembly in a daily driver.
It's actually quite easy to get more power out of these engines while keeping it smog legal.. I have done it several times. A simple cam and exhaust upgrade will really wake up that motor, but a smog compliant 5.0 will never be mistaken as torquey, a 5.8 swap will fix that but the 5.0 truck intake is better designed so another way to get the added displacement is to do a 347 stroker with the 5.0 block. Add better heads and an EFI/smog friendly cam and you could easily have 300 to 400 HP and torque which will be way more entertaining to drive, won't be nearly as expensive to put together, and the AOD can be built to handle it.

 

Thanks for your inputs. I will look into these ideas.