should I keep the 360?
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Junior User
Joined: Apr 2005
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should I keep the 360?
I recently bought my first ford pickup, It is a 1970 f100 with a 360 and a c4 auto. The 360 doesn't run that great at the time being but I know with some $$$ and a little time I could make it run a lot better. But, I also have 2 302's in my shop and I know that one of them was a good runner when it was pulled. Would it be worth the time to swap out the 360 and replace it with a 302? Also, would swapping a 302 be a pain, or more of just a drop in deal? I know I would lose a little torque with a stock smallblock, but I have seen some modified 302's that could really go. I plan on spending money to fix up this truck so I would just like to start be getting some opinions on the engine. Thanks
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 337
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From: Lost Wages, NV
Well, just my opinion of course, but by all means keep the 360. There are no shortage of people on here that will tell you that you need to go onward and upward (390, 429, blah, blah, blah...), but I have no issues whatsoever with the amount of power from my 360. It's a time-proven strong buck of an engine with more than enough hp to get the job done. As for the 302, it's a great engine in it's own right and I can't say anything bad about it. It's just that I wouldn't trade the 360 for it.
I know that this is all just opinion and not the tech side that you might have been looking for, but my 2-cents anyway.
I know that this is all just opinion and not the tech side that you might have been looking for, but my 2-cents anyway.
Moderator
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Depends on what you will want, alittle better gas milage or a little extra power. Both are good engines Also on the condition of the 360 and what it will take to get it running well $. It is no big deal to swap the 302 in if you can find a complete donor truck or all the parts that you will need for the change over as the motor mounts, tranmission, exhaust and rad are different just to name afew parts. Also if you have a good place to do the swap. If you can locate all the parts needed it is basically a bolt in project. Right now I have a 302 in my truck that is using some oil and isn`t running all that great so I maybe swaping in a 390. I have a 390 in my 71 F350 and my 67 Mustang so it would be neat to have the same in the truck. I don`t drive my 69 all that much so mileage isn`t so important to me. It`s your choice and both will be fine.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 1,360
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From: Iowa
I've had great luck with 360/390's. No experience with 302's. It's worth mentioning that the 360 in your truck has a different bellhousing bolt pattern than your 302 - the two will not interchange.
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 3,447
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From: Littleton, CO
Might I also toss in that your FE is not backed by a C4. Keep the 360 in there and tune it up. If you want to start with the basics, a 4 barrel manifold and carb would improve performance and may gain you mpg's, if you can keep your foot out of the secondaries. Also consider a set of headers to make it breath a little better. Drop by the FE engine forum a little further down the list on the left. Welcome aboard!
--Mike
--Mike
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I didnt think that it was a c4 until I was reading the tag put inside the door and in one spot it said f100 C 4. I looked under the truck this morning and noticed that it was a c6. Since I have been driving the truck every day, it seems to be running better. I will still either replace the carburetor with a holly 2300 or get a 600-650 cfm 4 barrel with an aluminum intake. I already have some headers, I just need to money to have the exhaust redone. I want to also install a cam that will give my idle a little bit of a gallop, but nothing too extreme.
