72 302 perk up?
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72 302 perk up?
I have a low compression 72 302. What can be done quickly and easily to perk it up? Advance cam timing as with the 460's. Is there any way to increase compression easily w/o new pistons? Different head gaskets? Any other ideas. My apologies as this likely has been covered previously, but I am new to this forum.
Thanks for any help
Scott K
Thanks for any help
Scott K
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Joined: Apr 2004
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What carb?
If a 2bbl, the easiest thing is to go with a bigger 2bbl. Talk about a cheap-0 mod. The Ford 2bb's had numbers on the side telling the venturi size. The bigger the number, the better. Look on the casting of yours for the number. It looks like a clock with the number inside. 1.10 or 1.09 or stuff like that. You want 1.23 or the biggest one you can find.
Elsewhere on this site, the numbers and cfm's are listed.
A Holley 500 CFM 2bbl will bolt on, but look for big puffs of black smoke when you gas it.
Twice pipes? With balance tube?
This is the stuff I had on my 289 for years and it ran good enough, and certainly better than its original set up.
If a 2bbl, the easiest thing is to go with a bigger 2bbl. Talk about a cheap-0 mod. The Ford 2bb's had numbers on the side telling the venturi size. The bigger the number, the better. Look on the casting of yours for the number. It looks like a clock with the number inside. 1.10 or 1.09 or stuff like that. You want 1.23 or the biggest one you can find.
Elsewhere on this site, the numbers and cfm's are listed.
A Holley 500 CFM 2bbl will bolt on, but look for big puffs of black smoke when you gas it.
Twice pipes? With balance tube?
This is the stuff I had on my 289 for years and it ran good enough, and certainly better than its original set up.
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Ocala, Florida
Why is the compression low? Is it just from normal wear? Are you burning oil? If so, you may want to try Lucas oil stabilizer, or any other brand. It is a temporary fix, just till you get enough money for a rebuild.
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Joined: Feb 2004
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From: P-dot, Manitoba
Originally Posted by mako5972
Why is the compression low? Is it just from normal wear? Are you burning oil? If so, you may want to try Lucas oil stabilizer, or any other brand. It is a temporary fix, just till you get enough money for a rebuild.
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Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Concord, New Hampshire
you may want to just invest in a re-ring, it can be done for under 200 with main bearings, and you can do it youself, its just sorta a pain getting to everything. im in the process of one with my truck, and its a 351w, so far not to bad to do until i just realized after getting a piston and having it pressed on that my block is .040 over bored Ooops. thats another thing if you really wanted to, you could bore it, but thats a bit more money.
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Sorry I was not clear
Sorry to mislead and confuse. The compression test on my 302 is Ok. I believe that the compression ratio was lower on 302's in 72 than previously. I think it went even lower in 73. I know that on the 460's the cam timing was retarded as well and you can reset the cam timing and really perk them up. Did this happen with 302's ? Thanks for the ideas.
Scott K.
Scott K.
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Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Calgary
I have a 302 in my '72 also. The things I did which seemed to may a difference were as follows:
Installed a Pertronix points replacement kit, the higher voltage Blaster coil and then opened up the spark plug gap. This made a noticable difference. ($120 cdn)
Installed an aftermarket cam and lifters. The one I went with had very mild timing 210º intake, 214º exhaust I believe but with higher lift than stock. This is called a torque cam. ($250 cdn)
Headers and dual exhaust. ($500 cdn)
Believe it or not I got a big boost by replacing the complicated multi-link throttle linkage with a single rod link from a '74. It snapped right on the existing levers. With the old linkage the throttle was not opening all the way and with the new link it did. What a change that made. ($.50)
Installed a Pertronix points replacement kit, the higher voltage Blaster coil and then opened up the spark plug gap. This made a noticable difference. ($120 cdn)
Installed an aftermarket cam and lifters. The one I went with had very mild timing 210º intake, 214º exhaust I believe but with higher lift than stock. This is called a torque cam. ($250 cdn)
Headers and dual exhaust. ($500 cdn)
Believe it or not I got a big boost by replacing the complicated multi-link throttle linkage with a single rod link from a '74. It snapped right on the existing levers. With the old linkage the throttle was not opening all the way and with the new link it did. What a change that made. ($.50)
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From: Baltimore
knox,
Does your motor have the concave topped pistons? My 73 F100 had them and from the factory, the motor was rated at 134 hp. I couldn't run the AC because when it kicked in at idle, it would stall the motor unless I had the "AC on" idle set absurdly high. I just rebuilt this motor and I replaced the concave pistons with flattop pistons to get the compression up. I also replaced the cam with a CompCam "RV" cam which is a torquer cam. I replaced the intake with an Edlebrock dual plane Performer intake and I replaced the Ford 2 bbl with a Holley 650. I run it with 89 octane and that lets me set the timing to about 12 degrees BTDC. The engine in that truck has really come to life with these "mild" mods. This truck that previously couldn't get out of its own way will now run circles around my 2002 E150 that has a 5.4L in it.
Does your motor have the concave topped pistons? My 73 F100 had them and from the factory, the motor was rated at 134 hp. I couldn't run the AC because when it kicked in at idle, it would stall the motor unless I had the "AC on" idle set absurdly high. I just rebuilt this motor and I replaced the concave pistons with flattop pistons to get the compression up. I also replaced the cam with a CompCam "RV" cam which is a torquer cam. I replaced the intake with an Edlebrock dual plane Performer intake and I replaced the Ford 2 bbl with a Holley 650. I run it with 89 octane and that lets me set the timing to about 12 degrees BTDC. The engine in that truck has really come to life with these "mild" mods. This truck that previously couldn't get out of its own way will now run circles around my 2002 E150 that has a 5.4L in it.