302 head gasket project
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Senior User
Joined: May 2003
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From: Enon,Ohio
302 head gasket project
I have this coming up and want to plan ahead (for a change...). I'm wondering what to do while I'm there and will a Haynes manual be ok to do this with? I did an HG about a year ago with a Haynes on a 4-cylinder and replace the t-stat, water pump, timing belt while I was there.
thanks for any input,
Stan
thanks for any input,
Stan
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 203
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From: Killeen Texas
The Haynes manual should be fine. There isn't much else to do in there unless you just want to change things out. I'm not sure how many miles are on your engine, but you could change out the timing chain and gears since the engine will be torn down anyway. Water pump and thermostat wouldn't be a bad idea either. You should reuse the lifters and pushrods unless they are broken. Its not a good idea to put new lifters on old camshafts. Your valve train wears the parts differently for different cam lobes and lifters/pushrods so be sure to document which came from where and put them in the same spots. The Hayes manual should cover most of this. Remember that no matter how well you think you planned almost always something will go wrong so be flexible.
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From: Enon,Ohio
Thanks yellowjeep76,
Doing the DOHC wasn't too bad, but got one of the cams a bit rotated when I put them back and had timing issues for a couple of days. Best thing was that there was only one head!
(Is it standard practice to do both heads, or common sense or??? when doing a V8?)
thanks again,
Stan
Doing the DOHC wasn't too bad, but got one of the cams a bit rotated when I put them back and had timing issues for a couple of days. Best thing was that there was only one head!
(Is it standard practice to do both heads, or common sense or??? when doing a V8?)
thanks again,
Stan
Senior User
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From: Tulsa, OK
It is recommended to do both head gaskets at the same time. It won't be that much extra work, and will keep you from having to tear down the engine again if the nonreplaced one were to start leaking.
Joel
Joel
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No need to pull lifters just to change head gaskets. It is VERY important to keep the pushrods in the same hole they come out of, though. Ford engines use different length pushrods to adjust the valve lash. If there are different lengths involved, you'll have a problem if you put them back wrong.
Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Albuquerque, New Mexico
what about the rest?
something I'd be thinking about is good money after bad. These 302 motors run forever, so if the head gaskets are worn enough to replace, how long before the rings, valve guides, and other moving parts need replacing? If you're stripping both head and the timing cover, it's just slightly more work and budget to do the rings, oil pump, get your heads done, and change out the cam and lifters. Just a thought. Jim
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