302 rebuild
Freshman User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: Atlanta USA
302 rebuild
Hey everybody,
I have a 88 302 bronco. The rear seal is bad, the tranny is on its last leg and in general needs some help. Besides I want to tear it all out and add some performance parts. I know I want to add headers, air intake manifold, airfilter intake, maybe new performance EFI, and pistons,cams, etc.... rebuild. Has anyone done this on a 302 or similar year bronco? If so or even if not any advise on what brand of parts or different ways to pump up a 302 would be great!!!!
I just want to have alittle fun in the shop. Im tired of fixing little things here and there and being left stranded at any given time of night. Any references would be great too. Anyway I know yall like to talk broncos so chime in! Ill talk trucks with anyone.
I have a 88 302 bronco. The rear seal is bad, the tranny is on its last leg and in general needs some help. Besides I want to tear it all out and add some performance parts. I know I want to add headers, air intake manifold, airfilter intake, maybe new performance EFI, and pistons,cams, etc.... rebuild. Has anyone done this on a 302 or similar year bronco? If so or even if not any advise on what brand of parts or different ways to pump up a 302 would be great!!!!
I just want to have alittle fun in the shop. Im tired of fixing little things here and there and being left stranded at any given time of night. Any references would be great too. Anyway I know yall like to talk broncos so chime in! Ill talk trucks with anyone.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 237
Likes: 0
From: Clearwater USA
302 rebuild
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 20-May-02 AT 11:55 PM (EST)]Welcome Bronc7,
As for info on rebuilding your 302 I just rebuilt mine last year. I did not do very much as far as performance upgrades other than what is listed below. I wanted to see how I would like the 302 before spending a lot of money on performance parts. IMHO you will not be satisfied with the 302 no matter how much you put in it (I am not at all happy with mine). IMHO I would rebuild a 351 or bigger most here on the site seem to like at least a 351 or the bigger badder 460 (this is what I plan to put in mine later). You just will not get the performance out of a 302 that you can out of a 351 or a 460 (only thing bad about 460 is you have to change tranny and some other things). You can get a donor 351 almost anywhere and whats nice about changing to the 351 is you can keep using the truck with the 302 while you build up the other motor. Do a search for motors and read some of the others ideas on this, Hope this helps and Good Luck,
Rick
86 302 EFI, bored 60 over, AOD,
Headman Headers, Flowmaster 40 series,
2 inch dual exhaust, MSD ignition
As for info on rebuilding your 302 I just rebuilt mine last year. I did not do very much as far as performance upgrades other than what is listed below. I wanted to see how I would like the 302 before spending a lot of money on performance parts. IMHO you will not be satisfied with the 302 no matter how much you put in it (I am not at all happy with mine). IMHO I would rebuild a 351 or bigger most here on the site seem to like at least a 351 or the bigger badder 460 (this is what I plan to put in mine later). You just will not get the performance out of a 302 that you can out of a 351 or a 460 (only thing bad about 460 is you have to change tranny and some other things). You can get a donor 351 almost anywhere and whats nice about changing to the 351 is you can keep using the truck with the 302 while you build up the other motor. Do a search for motors and read some of the others ideas on this, Hope this helps and Good Luck,
Rick
86 302 EFI, bored 60 over, AOD,
Headman Headers, Flowmaster 40 series,
2 inch dual exhaust, MSD ignition
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,019
Likes: 3
From: Bismarck, ND
302 rebuild
Bronc7:
Check the engine forum (for 302's). Lots of discussion in there on the subject. Before you go any further, decide two things - (1) do you want to keep the 302?, and (2) do you want to keep it set up with speed density (versus the $600 conversion to mass air metering)?
Once you have these questions answered, you'll be able to make some progress. Personally, I'm electing to stay with my 302 (I'm not even going to stroke it, as originally planned), and I'm staying with the speed density set up. Engine is an '85 302EFI.
I'd love to be able to put unlimited funds into the truck, but I just can't justify it. So, no matter how nice the hot cam and heads would be for the engine, the $600 mass air conversion ain't going to happen. As well, I don't have the time to try to swap in a 351W EFI (a carbed 351W would be "correct" for my '85, but it's staying EFI), nor am I going to get rid of the stainless high-performance Y-pipe I just installed last year, which will not fit the 351W.
So, I'm going to keep my 302, have the pistons & rods balanced, have decent machine work performed on the block and heads, including a 3-angle valve job, install one of the computer-friendly cams (Crane and Comp Cams both make examples), and consider shorty headers (which will bolt right up to my exhaust) and roller rockers. I may even bump up the compression a couple of points. All of these mods should work very well with the computer, and all should help out power and MPG, as well. The resulting engine is not going to pull a wheelstand from a traffic light, but it will be a bit smoother and more spirited than stock, which suits me just fine. My $0.02 for the discussion.
Check the engine forum (for 302's). Lots of discussion in there on the subject. Before you go any further, decide two things - (1) do you want to keep the 302?, and (2) do you want to keep it set up with speed density (versus the $600 conversion to mass air metering)?
Once you have these questions answered, you'll be able to make some progress. Personally, I'm electing to stay with my 302 (I'm not even going to stroke it, as originally planned), and I'm staying with the speed density set up. Engine is an '85 302EFI.
I'd love to be able to put unlimited funds into the truck, but I just can't justify it. So, no matter how nice the hot cam and heads would be for the engine, the $600 mass air conversion ain't going to happen. As well, I don't have the time to try to swap in a 351W EFI (a carbed 351W would be "correct" for my '85, but it's staying EFI), nor am I going to get rid of the stainless high-performance Y-pipe I just installed last year, which will not fit the 351W.
So, I'm going to keep my 302, have the pistons & rods balanced, have decent machine work performed on the block and heads, including a 3-angle valve job, install one of the computer-friendly cams (Crane and Comp Cams both make examples), and consider shorty headers (which will bolt right up to my exhaust) and roller rockers. I may even bump up the compression a couple of points. All of these mods should work very well with the computer, and all should help out power and MPG, as well. The resulting engine is not going to pull a wheelstand from a traffic light, but it will be a bit smoother and more spirited than stock, which suits me just fine. My $0.02 for the discussion.
Freshman User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: Atlanta USA
302 rebuild
Great advise! 
I am not really trying to smoke some 35" tires off the line or anything, and I dont do much of road stuff so I dont need granny gears or tons of torque. I drive mainly on the hwy and pull a few boats. However, I would love to just have some more get up and an engine that works. I already have jba shortys and a bassani y pipe and cat w/ a flowmaster muffler.
What do yall mean when you say I wont get the max out of a 302. I have to admit I am kinda attached to her. Been tinkering on her for several years now. But it is time for a new truck or an overhaul. Not really tring to make a hot rod. But would like some cool mods.
Thanks for the comments very helpfull!!!
I am not really trying to smoke some 35" tires off the line or anything, and I dont do much of road stuff so I dont need granny gears or tons of torque. I drive mainly on the hwy and pull a few boats. However, I would love to just have some more get up and an engine that works. I already have jba shortys and a bassani y pipe and cat w/ a flowmaster muffler. What do yall mean when you say I wont get the max out of a 302. I have to admit I am kinda attached to her. Been tinkering on her for several years now. But it is time for a new truck or an overhaul. Not really tring to make a hot rod. But would like some cool mods.
Thanks for the comments very helpfull!!!
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