Thread: New to Motors and site Need Help

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Hi guys,

I just started my first hot-rod project and it seems I am in a little over my head. I thought this would be easy but it is a lot more complex than I thought.

Here is what I am starting with, the motor is a Ford 302 Marine Motor. It was rebuilt last year for a boat and the owner left it sitting outside so it got somewhat rusted. I managed to save the block, i got all of the Pistons, lifters, bearings, camshaft, and Crankshaft out without too much difficulty. I have a pretty good idea of what I want to do but not sure how to go about doing it, or if maybe I should take a different kind of approach.

What I Have:
Block and Heads are both Cast Iron.
Block: 302 Bored .030 over Casting Number D2OE-6015-AB 3A4
Heads: I believe to be 351 Heads Numbers on Heads 000E, 10A, 351 WF, 2H4 or 2M4
High Torque Camshaft (From a Friend)

Looking to make a 347 Stroker out of this 302.
Keeping the 302 at .030 over
using the 351 Heads if that is what the truly are
Go with a 3.400 stroke Crankshaft
5.4" Connecting Rods (Not sure if I or H Beam would be better)
.030 Pistons (Looking for 9.6-10.2 Comp Ratio, not sure what style pistons would be best, Flat, Dish, dome, or any variation of those with valve reliefs, Forged or Hypereutectic pistons)
High torque Camshaft,
Hydraulic Lifters,
Carb: Not sure Looking at a 4BBL Double Pump Double Feed, preferabbly Edelbrock,
and Intake Manifold is another thing I am not sure of.
Going with just regular Exhaust manifolds for now.

These are just a start to the questions that I will be having.
The motor is going into a 1996 Ford Mustang.
I want to be able to take this car out onto the street, but also take it to the dragstrip for some weekend fun.

Thank You for any and all suggestions.

and what would the best RPM range be? As another side thought I think I am going to use a C-6 Transmission geared down for more torque less high end, and not sure about rear gears yet

I'm kinda building a new motor for my 27 Ford along the same lines as you are, except I decided to go with a 331 stroker kit instead of a 347. If you were simply wanting to do a mild build at the 306 CI size I would say you are going to be ok with the engine you are starting with. But I wouldn't spend the kind of money you are going to have to put into this engine starting with a 1972 Ford marine engine.

You say you are new to this...........we all were at one time, so let me give you some advice if I can. Marine engines always scare me for a buildup. The reason is salt water. Unless the engine was fresh water cooled or run in only fresh water it has seen a whole bunch of corrosion inside the block in the past 37 years. A friend of mine rebuilt a 350 Chevy boat engine and when he was all done one on the cylinder sleeves rusted right through, he had to scrap it and start over.

Secondly, there are so many good late model 302 blocks around that they make so much more sense to build. From 86 up they are already roller cam engines so you can slide in a Motorsport or other cam and be way ahead of what that 1972 engine would give you. You say you cleaned up the rust but that is no basis to build a 347 stroker on. The block should be tested, and then line bored, decked, overbored or honed again, hot tanked, new cam bearings and freeze plugs. The work I outlined will cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $ 700 to $ 800 generally. Then the stroker kit will cost you $ 1000.00 minimum, and you haven't even started to buy the cam kit, do a valve job, or add all the other parts like intake, carb, timing set, etc.

Please understand I am not trying to discourage you, but I think it would be a real mistake to start dumping serious money into a 37 year old boat motor when there are so many better engines to start with. Maybe what you should do is clean up the internals of the engine you have, do a ring and bearing overhaul, and get it running. Use it until you can build the stroker you want. To do what you outlined is going to cost you $ 4000.00 minimum, probably more.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Don

Thanks for the advice Don, The reason I am doing this is because my mustang i drive now only has a 3.8L V6 and it is currently running. But my 1997 Dodge Ram Sport is my main mode of transportation henceforth why I am doing this to my mustang.

I agree with Don, start with a 502 roller and be prepared to do a lot of electrical work if you change to a carbureted engine. BTW< Edelbrock doesn't make double pumper carbs and dp's and automatics don't work well together on the street.

what Don said...and always use forged pistons.

Before you spend a bunch of money building an engine and hopefully hitting the right pieces to make it work, maybe check with a company like CNC Motorsports (I'll use them cuz they're 50 miles from where I live and have good products and service) and compare costs of building the engine to buying one already balanced, clearanced, assembled, and ready to go!!!!! With the price of machine work and parts, if you don't have your mind made up on exactly what is going to work best you might actually save money!!!!!

The shop that does the machine work is probably the most important part of any engine build!!!! If the clearances, balance, cleaning, and hardware isn't right it just doesn't really matter how good the pieces are you put in it!!!!!!

I, too, agree with Don. I think you are tossing your bucks away on that 302 you have. I understand the need for saving a nickel wherever you can, but ----. For what it will cost you to get the parts and get that engine you have running, you can buy a fully assembled, test run remanufactured crate engine, and will have a few less headaches to mess with in your swap. Same expenditure, better outcome. Also, personally, I wouldn't touch a used marine engine, especially an older one, with a twenty foot pole; and in Alaska, it is sure to have been run in salt water, and most likely seriously corroded inside.

The motor was just rebuilt the summer of 2008, never hit the salt water, I have the motor currently down to the bare block there is no rust on the cylinder walls, and the little rust that there is will be easily cleaned up by a shop. and I also have a 302 out of a wagon that was running in a friend of mines stock car that he gave to me, so I have another block as an option. I am choosing to go with the 302 because it fits into my car much nicer than anything else will. The other block has a casting code of D8VE-6015-A3A would this be a better one to start with it? It came out of a Ford Wagon of some sort, don't remember the name right off the top of my head. Also the cam my buddy has for me he says is not a roller cam, but still to use hydraulic lifters would this be correct?