Got a '92 F-150 302 5-speed. It is my undestanding this is a roller block assembly just like the 5.0 HO mustang block. What year did Ford start implementing the roller assembly in the truck market? Thanks, Don

 

yep, but with crummy pistons, cam, rings, and timing chain......

 

>yep, but with crummy pistons, cam, rings, and timing
>chain......


Anythoughts on upgrades...performance mods?? Looking for as much torque as a 302 can muster.

 

i would first look at more gear. i like at the very least a 3.73 with the 302. an aggressive gear choice will give you the low side muscle.

 

very true....Here's what I was thinking. Truck has 150,000. Freshen the block. Gt 40P heads/headers. Dual exhaust (emissions are not a problem here yet). Then a mild RV cam, maybe a comp 260 series, something for the roller lifters, and 4.10's a must! (5sp w/overdrive).

Any thoughts?

 

sounds like a good plan. i feel that the most important part of a build up starts with the cylinder heads. the gt-40p heads are nice and will support most if not all of the mods that you mentioned. i would retain the smog equipment and consider it just part of the game. if you do your home work you can find smog legal parts that will let you still build a butt kicker. the dual exhaust is nice, but keep in mind that pipe diameter is very important. since the cam is the brain of the engine and its difficult to swap out. ask a lot of questions and don't be afraid to call the cam company tech lines. have fun

 

I would stay away from an RV type cam with your stock speed density! Try to find a cam that will work with speed density rather than one that makes the most power. Believe me, I have a B cam with my rig and it has mass air. It runs very bad and I'm in the process of changing the cam! No idle quality and low vacuum..... It sure screams from 3000 to 6000 though!

 

Yea Brett, I've been going thru the same stuff with my '88 mustang (speed density as well), I am familar with your concerns. There is a great site (5.0Tech.com) that deals with speed density mods exclusively. Its a great resource.

Anyway, I thought I might bother Ed Curtis for some info, advise as well concerning cam choices.

Off Topic, but what is the fuel pressure supposed to be at idle, vacuum off on this 302?

 

30 psi? and that should be at idle with vaccumm on(I am probably wrong, do not have the book handy, that is the last car I checked)


Unless you are running 31 inch or taller tires, use a 3.73 gear, you will wear out the shifter trying to keep up with the gear hunting.
Make sure the block is bored and honed with block plates!!! The late 302 blocks are nasty about core shift. Also, make sure the machine shop can actually get a cam to go into the engine, AND spin freely. Make sure the deck( head mounting surface) is squared and flat, and also, make sure that the crank journals are in line. Use ARP rod bolts, and get the rods refitted. There is no need for a high volume oil pump unless your machine shop gets sloppy, or you plan on racing around at 6000 rpm alot( "but dear, we are just in the driveway, could you slow down?"). Use a cloyes true roller double row timing chain, and all fel-pro gaskets. A good non=leaking oil-pan gasket to get is a bolt ring reinforced, one piece rubber setup from a 91(somewhere around that year) to 97 302 truck. Get the steel reinforced valve cover gaskets too, and Ford-dealer-supplied front and rear main seals. More info if needed........

 

Sounds like great advice. I just checked the fuel pressure @ idle vacuum off - 44psi on - 33. When I checked with just the key on, it went up to about 12 psi then dropped off sharply to 0 after just a few seconds. Don't mean to sound stupid but....normal?

Getting quite a bit of ping and roughness under load. Timing is set at 10* BTDC. Throttle body is clean as a pin (after a couple of cans of carb cleaner). New O2 sensor. Air bybass valve. Throttle position sensor (although I need to check voltage). New plugs, wires, fuel filter. No check engine light as of yet, but I am going to try to pull any codes. Any advice?

 

The regulator is supposed to hold pressure, if it is not, then it is a dud. Yank it and get an adujustable one, the price is about the same as a stocker, available at summit or anywhere else. You will have to pull the upper intake to get to it, the allen head bolts are underneath,(I think, go out and look) and with the upper intake off, this would be a good time to change valve cover gaskets....maybe roller rockers?

 

By the way, lay off using carb cleaner on the throttle body, it eats the plastic bushings that the throttle shaft rides on,causing vaccumm leaks,,,,, Non-chloronated brake cleaner does not eat it up as much.....

 

darn you.....

 

Darn Me?!? I gotta a Kirben AFPR for my '88 mustang I like so far. So...even with the engine not running, with the ignition on, the fuel pressure should maintain ?? psi.

Thanks for the info on the carb cleaner....live and learn. Don

 

Curses! I have been wounded!!! That's okay, my family will avenge me!!!

You have to have at least the 44 psi at start up, that is how you get the little " accelerator pump" when you start it, and then it drops to 33psi when the engine is running and pulling vaccumm. The pump just kicks on enough to pressurize the lines, and the regulator is supposed to hold that pressure for startup. It sounds like the Kirban company may have an early fatality..........