I'm looking at rebuilding my 302. The rings are shot. Looking for a few suggestions. I have a powerdyne on the car. Y303 P&P heads. If I am going to take it all out and redo it, I might as well upgrade a thing or two. Should I change the stock cam? Should I stroke it?
Looking to rebuild my 302
- Thread starter a94cobra
- Start date
Budget will really depend on which route to take. More displacement is always good if you want more HP, but comes with a price also. If you get a cam, plan for a tune. Then locating a good tuner for the 94\95's is tricky also.
What's your budget and purpose of the car, track, strip or street, combination of 3? You going to the work or shop?
Where in Texas?
What's your budget and purpose of the car, track, strip or street, combination of 3? You going to the work or shop?
Where in Texas?
Last edited:
I'm in Lubbock. I will do what work I can. I have a friend with shop and lift. I was going to get the parts for the rebuild and let a place here put the bottom together. The rest we can do easy. I don't care about the track. Not to say I will never go, but not a priority. So mainly just a street car. Got a chip on it now. Probably have to have it redone if I stroke it. If I stay with a 306, I'm thinking not much would change. Budget, I'm not gonna break the bank on the build, but will splurge for what is needed.
DSS makes good "kits", I would not trust a short block myself. Get the kit and rebuild the engine, heads will work. I would go with a custom cam. You want good street manners, good idle and driveablity (no surging or dying). Get the lowered Cobra by Tom Moss, TMoss. Should need a retune.
And TMoss ports the lower Cobra intakes, correct? What kinda gains are people seeing there?
What cam you suggest. Want good driveability.
Eric at DSS suggests the 331 kit with dished pistons. Now I just need to find all the extra parts for the build. Need 28oz balancer and flywheel.
What cam you suggest. Want good driveability.
Eric at DSS suggests the 331 kit with dished pistons. Now I just need to find all the extra parts for the build. Need 28oz balancer and flywheel.
Yes, Tmoss ports the lower. That is a good route to go to keep the stock look. If looks are not important or cost, then go aftermarket for the most power.
Custom cams, Ed Curtis, Jay Allen, google them, both are good. ARP head studs or bolts also.
Might get with your mechanic and or machine shop to see what they prefer. Summit Jegs or FRPP can get the parts you need.
Custom cams, Ed Curtis, Jay Allen, google them, both are good. ARP head studs or bolts also.
Might get with your mechanic and or machine shop to see what they prefer. Summit Jegs or FRPP can get the parts you need.
Are you happy with its performance with the current parts/setup?
If so, freshen up the shortblock and put it back together again.
Or if you want a ready to go shortblock, have a look at CHP:
Ford Short Block - Ford 302 Short Block, 306, 331, 347, 363, Stroker
Its really about how much you want to spend. I would go with the stroker if you can afford it. I have a D.S.S. 331 in a 79 mustang and its been great. I agree with the custom cam. I'm currently having one ground from Ed Curtis for another setup. We shall see how it goes but I've heard nothing but great things about his cams.
This is just my opinion and experiences, but others opinions will vary, if you know this already, then please disregard.
Have them check the crank (magnaflux and check for cracks and polish),
Resize the rods (big and small ends), with arp rod bolts
Line hone the mains with arp main bolts, you can go studs if you want to, but bolts work fine
Check the cylinders, will it need a simple hone? or have to go .30 over? Find that out, get some forged pistons from say summitracing or jegs (Probe, TRW, Speed Pro, JE etc...). Make sure they use a good set of piston rings and not onion rings and are gapped properly for a blower application even though its a little Powerdyne!
If its not much more have the rotating assembly balanced (have the crank polished after balancing).
Get a good oil pump (if you are using a stock pan and pick up, you can modify the pick up tube (ie, cut the opening up larger for a high volume pump for instance), double roller timing chain, new roller lifters, and while you are there a better camshaft.
Off the shelf "small" cams like the E and F-303, Comp Cam NX264HR, Crane 2031, Anderson Ford, Trick Flow Stage 1, etc etc, would give you a little extra power.
Get the intake ported by TMoss.
If the heads need any work, ie valve job and seals and resurface, get those done as well. If you have ARP head bolts, they can be reused.
Put a new clutch in it if the the old one is worn, and also a good time to put a new water pump, thermostat, etc
Then put it all back together again. Should have it all done for under 3 grand if you stretch the dollars by shopping for bargains and looking for used items like a cam.
Very good info.
DSS has 331 kits with dished pistons for $930, Balancing for $200. Local machine shop will take care of the block work for $460. Going .30 over anyway.
What do you consider a good oil pump. I was just gonna use Ford Racing parts, unless I find a deal. What about the oil pump drive shaft, any problems with those? Do I need to replace?
Cam wise, I was hoping to get some advise and find a deal on one of the above mentioned ones. I don't care about every last hp, but want it drive and idle good.
Clutch is fine, but at 100k I'm planning to replace it while I'm there.
DSS has 331 kits with dished pistons for $930, Balancing for $200. Local machine shop will take care of the block work for $460. Going .30 over anyway.
What do you consider a good oil pump. I was just gonna use Ford Racing parts, unless I find a deal. What about the oil pump drive shaft, any problems with those? Do I need to replace?
Cam wise, I was hoping to get some advise and find a deal on one of the above mentioned ones. I don't care about every last hp, but want it drive and idle good.
Clutch is fine, but at 100k I'm planning to replace it while I'm there.
Last edited:
Users who are viewing this thread
