Howdy

I have a 71 bronco that I have been "working on". It has a 302, and I was in the process of putting a edlebrock 4bbrl carb + manifold, new water pump, fuel pump, etc.

The more I take the engine apart the more I am scared - the previous owner/builder I believe lacked in skill or precision - judged by the copious amounts of silicon, finger loose pan bolts, severely rusted water pump, a chipped up timing chain cover right where the bottom seal was? (I have no clue - he just added more silicon and hoped that it would seal - it didn't).

Anyway I am thinking about buying a longblock – slap my new parts on and go.

My requirements are mostly reliability rather than a “performance” motor. I am going to use this vehicle for my surf adventures in baja. Mostly dirt roads and pavement, no serious rock crawling, etc. I don’t need a hopped up cam, etc.

Do you all have any recommendations for remanufactured engines? Long blocks? I live in northern California.

I would appreciate any information and advice, the local parts store sells AC Delco engines.

Thanks

badmechanic

 

Central Coast Mustang is not that far from and sells the absolute best deal on 302 longblocks in your area. For $1995 the sell a 302 with a brand new roller cam block, with new bearings, new hyperutectic pistons, double roller timing chain, new rods(new, not used, on all parts!), new crank, new GT40P heads with stainless valves, all new valvetrain parts, new springs rated for .560 lift, new pushrods, new roller lifters, and you choice between a B-303(manual tranny) or E-303( Auto) ford motorsport roller cam, good gaskets, oil pump,(I cannot remember what else) and it is assembled(I think). Roller rockers are a 179.00 option. All of this together with good intake and exhaust parts(not race stuff) produces 320 hp. This is reliable drive-anywhere equipment and should get good gas mileage due to the efficient GT40P heads, and is almost indestructible(unless you like to try to take to 10,000 rpm alot). The ford 5.0 mustang engines stock usually last forever or 200,000 miles with good care, and that is with people racing them around even. I have yanked a few AC Delco rebuilds that lasted all of maybe 30,000 to 60,000 and are usually complete junk when I get to them.......There are no better deals anywhere.

 

Tell me by the way what tranny you are using, It will make a difference in what parts you will need(flexplate, flywheel, the 82-up 5.0 has a different weight imbalance than older 302's)

 

Tranny - right now the stock 3 speed. There is a modification for a New Venture tranny - that has a super low and a overdrive, but the require many modifications including a 2 inch body lift. So for now it looks like to stock 3 speed.

Thanks

badmechanic

 

Swell, you will need to dig up a flywheel and harmonic balancer with the 50 ounce imbalance, I might suggest getting everything balanced before installing it... although with new parts I think everything will be okay.

 

Thanks for the awesome reply.

Why the imbalance? I am sure there is a fundamental reason that I am missing being a "badmechanic".

What are the advantages of the roller rockers?

Have you purchased a longblock from central coast mustangs? What mileage did you get?

Thanks

badmechanic.

 

To get the rotating weight balanced out properly at the factory, the 302 uses weights attached to the flexplate and cast into the harmonic balancer (and flywheel if a manual tranny). The 302's(and 289's) from day one until 1981 required a 28 ounce weight. The 302's built from 1982-up use a 50-ounce weight.( I know this sounds really dumb and hokey the way I am explaining it, somebody else could probably give it a better explanation, but at least I am close) You simply need a harmonic balancer and flywheel with the 50-ounce weight setup, which Central should be able to set you up with, or find out who has one at least. I have 3 friends that bought engines from them, 2 of them set up as I described. One beats the stuffing out of his on a daily basis, but when he settles down can average around 24 mpg on the freeway. The other has had similar experiences, and has been running a little nitrous(150 horse shot) with no trouble, and has had it for 2 years. The roller rockers have a roller fulcrum point on which the rocker arm rides(unlike a sled or ball arrangement) and reduces friction to the point of gains approaching 10-20 horsepower. The tips of roller rocker arms that contact the tops of the valves are also on a roller point, cutting down friction. Another good feature of roller rocker arms is that the standard stock rocker arm usually does not have the proper ratio(1.6 is stock, the Central Coast arms are 1.7)meaning the proper length, and the valve does not open as far as it should. The roller arms are more accurate, and can generate more power that way, also, if the stock ones are way off.

 

Keep in mind that my friends all have EFI, so naturally they will get better mileage, but yours will be close if your carb and ignition is tuned properly