Hi all,

Looking to improve the performance in my 1979 302. As a lot of you are aware the ’79 302 was anemic when it came to horsepower, rated at 135hp if memory serves. Anyway
I would like to sparkle up the performance a little bit and I would appreciate suggestion from you guys. If it were your engine what would you do and do it with out breaking the bank. I purchased this truck about two years ago and the previous owner had completely gone through the original stock motor and it runs really good, always starts and uses NO oil. Therefore I’m thinking aluminum Intake carb combo, cam, hotter ignition, maybe head, what do you guys think? With that said I’m not looking to make a pavement ripper as I drive this tuck almost daily to work and that 30 mile one way.

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Thanks, and all suggestions greatly appreciated.

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Jeff

 

Swap the heads for a set of the E7TE's found on all '87+ 302's(port the exhaust side for a bit extra juice), upgrade the cam, bolt on a 4bbl carb and intake and headers and you'll have double the HP.

 

Amen conan...... I have a 74 302.... did not change the heads but, I used the Eddies performer cam, intake and 600 carb, added headers with 1 5/8" primaries, and I also installed a shift kit in my C4..... made that bitch a zero to hero. Faster throttle response, improved mileage and just really woke it all up, like a new truck again

 

Thanks guys,

This is starting to sound like fun, haven't done this since I was a kid back in the late 70's on a fastback (wish I had that one back) '70 mustang. Found this intake on ebay (see link below) I'd love to be able stick with FORD parts, what'ya think?

Oh, and Conanski, found another guy on eBay, out of Atlanta GA, with the ET7E heads rebuilt for $115ea plus $35 shipping, doesn't sound too bad.

So, Elderbrock carb (600cfm vac secondary’s) and their cam?

Thanks guys for all the help, I'll keep ya posted as here as things develop.

Jeff


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/RARE-...spagenameZWDVW

 

yeah jeff, I have never really tinkered much with performance, only general maint and engine swaps and the like, but now I am old enough and make enough money that I can. The 600 carb is really nice and it will run, right from the box, the cam however, was not too easy for me to do, but it is done now, and it has a really nasty lopey idle, definitely turns heads. That manifold is sweet, if i did not have one already I would be bidding

 

My '79 swb had the same set up. I did replace the heads with the later HO heads from my local pick n pull (removed and replaced as is condition) used a wieand intake ($150 new) a summit brand cam a lifters ($90 new) flowtech headers ($80 new) and got an edelbrock 600 ($20 used) flowmaster mufflers ($40 used)
I don't know how much horspower I have but I can barley beat my brother in his stock
5.0 92 F-150.

 

Turrett......what kind of headers did you put on your 302? I have an 1980 F-100 with a 302 and I am rebuilding the motor now. I am having trouble finding some headers for it.

Thanks in advance

 

Wow....DOUBLE the horsepower?? Can you imagine the difference that would make?

For a 302 in a truck, I would think the 600cfm carburetor might be too big. Using the carb formula, 437cfm is what you would use if you plan on keeping it under 5000rpm and if your truck has a volumetric efficiency of 100%.

 

keep in mind with vacume secondaries, you are only using 300 cfm while normal driving, and another 300 during high manifold vacume while heavy throttle, ie whenever the primaries do not flow enough air, so the 600 i would think would be just fine.

 

78 you would actually flow 350cfm on the primaries only. Carbs built on the size of the primaries was set to 2.0" of mercury at WOT to reflect what the restriction of such a small carb would actually flow.

 

Flowtech FLT12502 are long tube headers that will fit your truck as long as you have an automatic. They are $139.95 from Summit. I don't know how you get a set of Flowtechs for $80 new, unless maybe shorties.

 

well i have a 84 f150 w/302 i'm going to install some off a 92 gt mustang if all goes well. i'm currently running a stock engine with an edelbrock 600cfm(1406) carb and preformer intake and a summit catback dual exhaust kit. so far she runs good a little thursty thou. but i really gotta get that useless smog pump and it's plumbing out of there it's in the way.