need input 302

MALACHI

MALACHI

Forum Member
Ok, before any flaming happens, I already know I don't know what I'm doing. I fully expect to blow this up due to stupid mistakes.

Here is what I got.
1979 Foxbody

Was told it had a blown headgasket and just needed reassembly. yuk yuk yuk

Got it all torn down.
Heads were checked out and milled down and are good to go. GT40P w/matching headers, Offenhouser intake, Holley 750 DP. (yeah I know it is too big) I was told it was cam'd.
And then began the problems.............
Old engine was run with a bolt in the combustion chamber. it seems some moron thought it was ok to just upgrade the heads, and leave the banged up piston in it. So I went and got a piston/rod from Part Galore. (took apart a whole motor for just that.)

I then pulled the block. Holy crap. It looked like someone took copper pennies and laid them on the train tracks for bearings.
The rings were broken into so many pieces, almost none were unbroken. Once the pistons were all removed, I discovered that the block had a crack in a cylinder wall.

Then I pulled the cam.... 2 lifters were stuck and after cam was out I found that the cam was ruined. Comp Cam. About a .325 lift. Nothing too special. only 14 of the lifters would remotely servicable.

So I bought a replacement engine. an 87 from an old truck I beleive. Stock.


Currently have 1.6 SVO roller rockers for the heads.

Now here is where I get stupid. I am pretty sure this will be a roller motor given the year and type vehicle it came from. I have yet to tear t down, but presume it will have roller lifters in it?
I am looking to spend no more than $100-125 for a better aftermarket cam off Craigslist.

Does anyone have any input or advice that I might be able to use? Hell someone who can give me a hand would rock. Engine rebuild is happening in Madison Heights.

Other noes on the car: 5 speed, aluminum driveshaft, tied frame, notchback, fiber hood and trunk. (dings and rust were added free by the previous owner)
 
No sir ford didnt put a roller motor In the trucks untill 1994 or 95 (if my memory Is correct) Depending If your engine Is a roller motor you will need a non roller flywheel, distribtor.
 
Ok, update on this.

I took the 87 motor apart, and found nothing internally wrong with it. The crank could have used a clean up, but lack of funds means it will be used as it is. The motor seems to have been a legit running motor and I found nothing amiss.
I installed 303f cam. The diameters of the lobes seemed to be smaller. I presumed to compensate for the longer roller lifters. But as the stock roller cam had larger base, I am thinking my reasoning is flawed.
I did a light honing to get any glaze off. However the rings purchased did not fit.
I ended up finding I had the wrong rings. I had to buy the metric ones whcih Hastings got for me for pretty cheap. But much faster than any of the local chain stores and for less.

Also, neither water pump I had was gonna work. The aluminum one I had gaskets for was shot, and big cast iron one seems to be impossible to find a gasket set for. So rather than make gaskets, I oped to buy a cheap rebuilt pump. It was from Autozone so should last at least 2-3000 miles before failure.
Heads are torqued down, and compressing overnight. I did a 3 step torque. 55/65/75.
I went all Obama on everything and used Liberal amounts of black assembly lube. :D hahahahaha j/k of course.

Now I am in the issue of getting correct length pushrods. I am also pretty sure I'll need shims for the roller rockers. I do not have the tool to measure my required length.

Does anyone have this tool? Also, is there a good local source for on the shelf pushrods that may fit? Does Detroit Speed Shops carry these instock?
 
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