What IS this?
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Joined: Sep 2009
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What IS this?
Bought this old girl last week. The guy said he dropped in a rebuilt 302. I bought an oil dipstick/tube for it and doesn't seem to fit. (Is it obvious that I'm a truck newbie yet?) What I guess I'm really asking is: what am I looking at?
The ride:
The roar:
The ride:
The roar:
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,271
Likes: 2
From: Mexia, TX
Welcome to FTE! 
The safety certification sticker on the driver side door jamb should tell you what month and year the truck was made (example, 7/82).
I'm curious about this one, since my truck's 302 has the dipstick about 3/4 of the way back toward the rear of the block, and it sticks up between the driver side of the block and the exhaust manifold on that side.
On your truck in the first engine pic, I see what looks like the oil dipstick in front of the exhaust manifold on the driver side. Is that it?
I'm not sure if the 302 blocks varied like that, but that just stood out to me.
The safety certification sticker on the driver side door jamb should tell you what month and year the truck was made (example, 7/82).
I'm curious about this one, since my truck's 302 has the dipstick about 3/4 of the way back toward the rear of the block, and it sticks up between the driver side of the block and the exhaust manifold on that side.
On your truck in the first engine pic, I see what looks like the oil dipstick in front of the exhaust manifold on the driver side. Is that it?
I'm not sure if the 302 blocks varied like that, but that just stood out to me.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,781
Likes: 1
I thought it was on the drivers side as well a little out of position. Also strikes me as a little newer than what should be in there but I am not really familiar with new dipsticks (purchased from Ford after you get the truck).
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Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,271
Likes: 2
From: Mexia, TX
Looks like yellow wire covering to cover various wires. Some of those are probably for the DS box wires, since it continues on to the distributor.
Also seems like you've got vac lines going everywhere. That might be something to take a look at and straighten out.
Also seems like you've got vac lines going everywhere. That might be something to take a look at and straighten out.
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
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From: Simi Valley, CA
1980/83 F100. The largest engine available was the 302.
The grilles are the same 1980/81, 1982 and grilles later have the Blue Oval.
But...you should not go by what the grille looks like to ID the year, because after 1981, the ONLY grilles you could get from the dealer were 1982 grilles.
Why? Because Ford obsoleted the 1980/81 grilles in 9/1981.
1980/86 F100/350 & Bronco: The front fenders, doors and hood are the same. Only the trim is different.
The 302 in this truck has a later (what appears to be a Nippondenso) Compressor. These compressors are commonly used when the A/C is changed from R-12 freon to the newer gas.
Or the 302 engine is from the same era the compressor is, because Ford factory installed these same Nippondenso compressors on later models.
The grilles are the same 1980/81, 1982 and grilles later have the Blue Oval.
But...you should not go by what the grille looks like to ID the year, because after 1981, the ONLY grilles you could get from the dealer were 1982 grilles.
Why? Because Ford obsoleted the 1980/81 grilles in 9/1981.
1980/86 F100/350 & Bronco: The front fenders, doors and hood are the same. Only the trim is different.
The 302 in this truck has a later (what appears to be a Nippondenso) Compressor. These compressors are commonly used when the A/C is changed from R-12 freon to the newer gas.
Or the 302 engine is from the same era the compressor is, because Ford factory installed these same Nippondenso compressors on later models.
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,649
Likes: 2
I don't think the grille is the only thing not original to the truck. Unless I'm mistaken that's a car engine. I have the same problem on my '80. If I'm right, that dipstick goes in the timing chain cover. It doesn't do any good when the oilpan has been swapped out to a rear sump. As low as it sits in the bay, it looks like a 302, but that little air cleaner makes the intake look wide like a 351W. I think it's a 302 and maybe the AC came with it.