Thread: 302 ford

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I Have a 68 302 short block in near perfect condition (heads are shot from a poor long block we bought). I have a good 302 from an 89 lincoln with roller cam. I am trying to figure this out on my own but need some help, nobody around here knows how to piece one together. So I bolt the heads on the block and have figured out so far that the roller cam motor pushrods are about 3 inch short. The 68 pushrods colapse the lifter all the way down so the rocker arm must be different on the roller motor. I got some rocker arms of an earlier motor and tried them, they work better but tighten up slightly compressing the lifter ( i guess due to the heads probably being milled). I think what I need to do is get screw in studs and use the original adjustable rockers. My question is, will that work? Is that the best fix?
I also am guessing that compression will not change enough to matter, everything is stock. Original heads are 58 cc and lincoln heads are around 63 or so using a syringe and plexiglass.

If I have this right, you're putting the '89 heads on the '68 block??? Then you'll need adjustable rockers and the '68 pushrods... Should be correct, but check the pushrod length and pay close attention to where the rocker sits on the valve tip.

You got it.....But the 89 heads are non adj. so after removing the rockers I am left with a threaded hole, I need to get the screw in studs don't I? The 68 pushrods used with the non adj rockers probably smashed the lifter down 30 thsd or so, With the adj rocker I think it will work out. Oh I also figured out why They put two sets of intake gaskets in my kit, now I just have to pick up a 77 or newer intake manifold as the 68 manifold will not mate up perfect on the water jackets.

yup, you'll need some screw in studs

Here's a good initial source of information. It gives you lots of parts information but throughout the catalog are a lot of very good tips on building a Ford engine: http://www.fordracingparts.com/download/catalogs.asp

Download it, then you can bring it up and do a search for the information.

The early 289/302's were notorious for having the press-in studs loosen by all means I'd go the screw-in studs anytime you rebuild an early 289/302. I'm not positive but I think in '68 only the "Boss" engines had the screw-in studs as did the "K-code" 289's.

I would use the roller block,with the roller cam .....that would be my first choice.......

Would have loved to but no clutch ball on the 89 motor. Also not enough meat at its location to drill it out and put a ball. I could have went to the trouble of rigging up a slave cylinder system but...................... Anyway, when I got the car the old man still had the recipt where he spent $2800 to have the motor rebuilt and it now has about 22K miles on it. BUT when I pulled the heads off ( the heads looked new) the first 2 holes had std dish pistons with valve reliefs, the other 6 had std dish pistons with no reliefs. Musy not be enough weight diff to matter because the engine ran very smoth (like a lincoln should). So know I am stuck with a good rebuildable roller cam motor if anyone needs one.