Strange find during engine swap...
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
From: Huntsville, AL
Update on swap:
Fired the truck last night and broke in the cam, open header. Ran great! I was surprised, but the Comp Cams 35-255-5 cam has a little lope to the idle! I'll fab up the exhaust this weekend, and we'll be good to go. I plan to run a custom 2.5" Y-pipe, into a 3" single exhaust with a Catco cat, and a Dynomax SuperTurbo muffler. The pipe will exit in the stock location, just sound a lot better.
Fired the truck last night and broke in the cam, open header. Ran great! I was surprised, but the Comp Cams 35-255-5 cam has a little lope to the idle! I'll fab up the exhaust this weekend, and we'll be good to go. I plan to run a custom 2.5" Y-pipe, into a 3" single exhaust with a Catco cat, and a Dynomax SuperTurbo muffler. The pipe will exit in the stock location, just sound a lot better.
FTE Legend
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 37,887
Likes: 20
From: North Central Rural Sask.
So 87beater, how hard of a swap was it to do? I also have been contemplating doing this kind of a swap. Did you do alot of modifications to the 351 when you put it in there? I noticed you cammed it, anything else?
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
From: Huntsville, AL
It's the easiest swap I've ever done. I started with a '75 model 351 that I had previously built for another truck, so I had to transfer the timing cover and water pump to retain the serpentine system. That's probably the most "modification" I had to do. I actually had to "de-cam" the motor a little, in order for it to work with the speed density computer. (The old 351 had a much rowdier cam in it). Any stock cam, or the Comp 35-355-5 cam will work.
As far as ease-of-swap goes, all the 302's electronics plug into the 351 (asuming you are using a 351 of the same era...I got the fuel injection system from an '89). If you remove the smog pump, the 302's belt fits perfectly.
Make sure to get a computer for the 351, it is important to make sure the computer matches your engine/tranny combo if you have an electonically controlled transmission. I have a 4-speed manual, so it didn't matter.
The engine compartment has tons of room, so it's really easy to remove/install the engine. I'd definetly recommend it!
As far as ease-of-swap goes, all the 302's electronics plug into the 351 (asuming you are using a 351 of the same era...I got the fuel injection system from an '89). If you remove the smog pump, the 302's belt fits perfectly.
Make sure to get a computer for the 351, it is important to make sure the computer matches your engine/tranny combo if you have an electonically controlled transmission. I have a 4-speed manual, so it didn't matter.
The engine compartment has tons of room, so it's really easy to remove/install the engine. I'd definetly recommend it!
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