Ford 302 Piston opinions, options and information needed

TooSlo86

TooSlo86

Club Member
Ok guys, I got word that my block had a cylinder that would not clean up at .030" to match the cheap, heavy, speed pro hypers I had laying around. I initially wanted to run a nice lightweight piston/pin with a max ring pack consisting of 1.5/1.5/4mm but then $ constraints proved that wasn't going to happen so I decided to try to use the speed pros. Now that I WON'T be able to use them I must purchase pistons (somehow). I really don't feel like purchasing another set of the speed pros as I feel if I'm going to purchase pistons I may as well hold off until I can purchase the ones I want anyhow. I'm thinking middle of the road ones here, bottom of the barrel being the heavy speed pros, and WAY over my considered price would be something like a $900 set of Diamonds. I'm looking for something like a moleculite, or autotec equivalent ideally but would settle on a cheap stock replacement type if it incorporated a taller compression height to eliminate the need to deck the block. Not to mention I would be able to order them MUCH sooner.

I'm looking for any of the piston manufacturers, and or pn's that I may be missing for consideration. The ideal piston would use a max. ring pack as the stock metric pistons used, no 5/64's. It must also be for a stock 3" stroke and 5.090 rod. Ideally it would have a 1.611 compression distance, or very near that with absolutely nothing under 1.595".

What are you guys thinking? It seems the possibilities are very limited from what I'm finding, I'm hoping someone has an alternative they know about that I haven't stumbled upon.

Oh yea, need to be flat tops also. DSS options are looking about my best as of now, just lacking the 1.61 C/H. Opinions
 
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Not really special, and I have another one on hand, but I've already done alot of polishing work to this block. Regardless I don't really want to use the speed pros. I just had them so I figured I would so I could get something together. Thanks
 
Yea, just the one cylinder. I contemplated that but by the time I do that I could have just got some cheap replacement pistons or been well on my way to a set of better ones. Thanks.....agian ;-)
 
TooSlo86 said:
Yea, just the one cylinder. I contemplated that but by the time I do that I could have just got some cheap replacement pistons or been well on my way to a set of better ones. Thanks.....agian ;-)
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Sounds as if your mind is set, I was just trying to help, I will check and see what some locals have laying around, What are you looking for Std 302 flat tops in a .40, .60, .80 over ?
 
77 ford said:
Sounds as if your mind is set, I was just trying to help, I will check and see what some locals have laying around, What are you looking for Std 302 flat tops in a .40, .60, .80 over ?
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Oh you were, I wasn't trying to discredit it in anyway. I'm not completely set, I just have to figure out the best way of getting to where I want to be in the long run after this curve ball of not being able to use the pistons I had (but not the ones I want). I'm looking at $120 to sleeve that one cylinder, or $140 to get all new pistons (just like the ones I had in .030") in the .040" overbore that would be required. Here is my thought process though; those pistons were not my 1st choice, I went with those simply out of $ constraints and I already had them so I didn't spend anything on them and it was a way to get it together for now. So since in the long term I'm looking at doing this all over with a much better set of pistons I just don't want to spend any $ on a different set of cheapo's when that $ can go towards a good set. The problem is, affording the good set is along ways off in the horizon, but it would be worth the wait in the long term. Confused yet? I am :laugh:

Anyhow, I'm looking for a 40 over, flat top that uses the metric or smaller ring package, and to be really picky, something with a compression height closer to 1.61 than the stock 1.595". As of now the Autotec's and a corresponding ring package are looking to be my best bang for the buck in terms of weight and cost.

Probe makes one at a good price that fits all the criteria except that it uses the 5/64 ring package.

I know, I have to pay to play, I just play a little slower :doh:

Thanks
 
I'd just go as cheap as possible to get it back together. Honestly i don't think i'd ever rebuild a 302 once thats done for me its always time to find a cheap 351w. By the time you get done with machine costs ect and parts for the 302.. but thats just me :)
 
Stock 302 blocks really shouldn't go past .030 anyhow. I know everyone has seen them at .040 but it's not recommended. If you're on a tight budget, I'd say just find another block and use the same pistons.

I thought those things grow on trees? I know I've personally given them away before.
 
As was stated above, I'd just find a used up old windsor for dirt cheap and do rings and bearings. Done it before with great results.

Actually the Motown PINKS car was an old 89 351w stock block and crank with 150k on them out of a landscaping truck or something. It sat in my garage for yeras before I donated it.
 
Honestly, Thank You guys for the input. However my mind IS set on the 302. I'm playing around with this to learn what I can do to make it work better than stock yet still under a set of rules. I've had great luck with my Explorer long block and I am looking to make some improvements to it using an entirely different long block. That silvolite looks great but it is a dome top. Right now this is a personal challenge that I am VERY dead-set on keeping to so no 351's, and I already have a good stock long block that was running high 11's last fall in the car yet. Thanks
 
TooSlo86 said:
Honestly, Thank You guys for the input. However my mind IS set on the 302. I'm playing around with this to learn what I can do to make it work better than stock yet still under a set of rules. I've had great luck with my Explorer long block and I am looking to make some improvements to it using an entirely different long block. That silvolite looks great but it is a dome top. Right now this is a personal challenge that I am VERY dead-set on keeping to so no 351's, and I already have a good stock long block that was running high 11's last fall in the car yet. Thanks
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Nothing wrong with that, because now that I think about it, unless the heads get a bunch better, the windsor probably wouldn't pick it up too much.

I remember learning that lesson way back in the early 90s.....we took a couple 5.0 cars and went to the windsor using the same 302 heads and cams....all it did was take a 6000 rpm 302 and turn it into a 5000rpm 351 that ran the same times :lol: Oh well, you have to learn somehow.

Anyhow, you should poke around, I bet you can find another 302 block almost free. I'll ask around out this way....5 years ago I could have got you a bunch of them for free.
 
igotaneed4speed said:
Two other options, non-dome

http://www.kb-silvolite.com/icon/icon.php?action=details&P_id=12

http://www.kb-silvolite.com/icon/fhr.php?action=details&P_id=429
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Ok, I'll start with this response as it is easier. The 1st one is PERFECT as it would leave me only .003" in the hole without decking the block while also meeting all the other requirements....and then I quickly realized why I hadn't seen that one when I checked out what they run for a set of them :icon_eek: That is WAY above what I can consider at this point for a set. But if someone has a used set :icon_bigg

Thank You very much for not straying from what I'm looking for in regards to piston info. I know what I want to build and how I want to go about it even though it may not make sense to most. I am very aware there are much more effective ways to get to the et/traps I am looking for.
 
Fryguy302 said:
Nothing wrong with that, because now that I think about it, unless the heads get a bunch better, the windsor probably wouldn't pick it up too much.

I remember learning that lesson way back in the early 90s.....we took a couple 5.0 cars and went to the windsor using the same 302 heads and cams....all it did was take a 6000 rpm 302 and turn it into a 5000rpm 351 that ran the same times :lol: Oh well, you have to learn somehow.

Anyhow, you should poke around, I bet you can find another 302 block almost free. I'll ask around out this way....5 years ago I could have got you a bunch of them for free.
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Technically the heads aren't getting a bunch better. They are another set of P's but they have been treated to a good set of valves, a MUCH better valve job than the stockers, and a "bit" of a milling vs the ones on the car now. But yes, back before I set a goal to put this stock Explorer into the 11's I looked into using P's on a stroker build and the return on the cubes just wasn't enough to warrant it for me so I stuck with this set up. Now that it's been in the 11's it's time to make some tweaks to a different one I have while leaving this one in tact for the day it is needed again. Yes, I'm currently spinning this one 6500 through the traps and it was assembled on the line, as well as "balanced" from the factory back when it had about 160k less miles ;)

I already have another block, in fact it's the block that the 30 overs came out of. If it comes down to it I just may have to resort to using that one for this year but I'm not feeling like spending the time to do all the little things on that one as I have already on the one in question. Initially this cheap 30 over plan was to use these cheap pistons in my "good" block for this year, then next year I would have it sonic checked and have the cylinders honed to the 40 over to match a set of nice pistons. That was the plan anyhow, lol. Ideally I would have an aftermarket block that was "worth" the time/$ I've invested into this one but the reality is; that's either one hell of a good deal or a few years away.

Thanks man
 
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