The block should already be drilled and tapped for the spider. The 302 in my ’89 was roller ready.

 

I think your going about this the wrong way.
just my opinion, but I started with the cam, then bought the stuff to go with it.

so, from what I know, start with the cam, that dictates the torque/power curve for at what rpm you want.

just stating big cam doesn’t mean much. A big cam can produce big sound with zero power. Most want that big lumpy sound from a big cam, but that rarely equates to big power.

 

mine don’t have any tapped whole in the valley just oil wholes for the came and a couple ford logos I’ll post pics but **** I wish my luck with the engine had been the worst lol

 

im sure your not wrong I don’t know much about these plat forms but I was just going for a stock rebuild on this truck and ended up turning into a night mare I just figured flat tappet would be the easiest most cost effective way to get the truck on the road I am planing on buying a maf truck and was gona build that one for sure or Mabey convert this one but wires are out of my league

 

have u heard of the set up with out the spider is it just as good or is it even available

 

Ive heard several people over the past decade having issues with the new flat tappet cams. Unless you’re getting a custom billet grind, personally I’d avoid them.

Another member on here who’s been building a few comp engines the past couple years, has sworn he just won’t use flat tappet cams anymore. Period.

Do you still have the original cam? Was it worn out, damaged? I skimmed the thread, but if it were me with a possible wiped out lobe I’d want to pull that cam out and have a good look. Especially if you’ve got flakes or sparkles in the oil. It sucks, I know. Better than taking out everything else with it.

Yrs ago, we replaced flat taped cams in equipment / service trucks (BBC). The only break in they received was pulling out of the shop straight into service. The only break in lube I used was a healthy coat of STP. No issues. Still in service. That was 20+ yrs ago now. The cam core materials were different then. I’ve read several articles on the internet about it - look up SADI cam cores. Then look up steel billet cores, and roller cams. You can get a custom billet grind if stuck on flat tappet.

Imo, I think you’d be further ahead to just get a roller cam that works for your build requirements and carry on. Maybe start a thread in the engine section, let them know what your goals are and get some suggestions for which cam to use.

Good luck with it.

 

that’s crazy weird how they have issues like that today and yes old cam was worn truck had close to 300k miles on original motor but melted a piston probably due to bad maintenance I knew the original owner and the oil was never changed when I opened the engine there was an inch of sludge all around not even exaggerating it did sit in a field for 15 years to but ya I would like to go roller just don’t feel like taping and drilling I’m sure I could do it but also don’t wana **** it up just sucks all the other lifter worked fine but one the cam was wrong any way so woulda had to pull it but woulda probly never new if the lifter didt fail so I guess it all worked out deff gona do my research on roller cams and see what I can do don’t wana deal with the flat tappets if I don’t have to just sucks because I got all the parts already gona shove this cam down the machine shops throat and see if they will give me my money back for the cam at least because as I said before he bored it .60 over instead of .30 also the place just sucked

 

Hard to tell from the angle in this photo


This shows the two places that should be tapped for the spider bolts

 

I’ll check when I get home but I’m almost 100% certain that it has just casting spots right where the wholes should be just looks like a mess of casting not clean like yours with threads I’ll get you pics in like an hr

 

So I check and I don’t have the taped wholes for the spider one side has a number were it would be and the other has a casting stop where the other should be but also what do you guys set ur timing at do u do exactly 10 degrees or do you advance it little