Technical Stroking 289 - Budget Build

I keep forgetting the 2.87/3.00 strokes….

 

Thank you for the sound advice.and I get what you are saying.
I never knew those parts were interchangeable from the 289 to the 5.0
That would be trick!
-Mark

 

I used aluminum versions of the heads of the video they flowed the same numbers as the cnc 185s did. I have a larger cam custom lightweight pistons, I managed 455 hp and the flattest torque curve Ive ever seen with a small block with only 292 cubes. I wouldn’t spend money on stock heads if you’re going to build a 347 or whatever someday, you might as well use the money on good parts the first time.

 

Clarify (we) bought a 306 @380hp from Blue Print - Via Summit Racing. $3250 special price.
2012 time frame.

I figured to make that power guessing would not be easy. Came with dyno sheets. Buddys car, blew motor, (6-71) backfired, no pop off valve, blew front cover and drive off blower, engine was junk. Root cause, guy pinched boost retard MSD timing module wires under a fender edge...

 

I [We] have built a 302 "Grenade" road-race engine using 302 crank, 289 Rods and 302 Pistons.
There was surprisingly little machine work needed. [valve reliefs were critical]
We did this purely to get more static compression without buying expensive pop-up pistons

There are a few things to be wary of especially with roller cam engines
You must use a distributor gear that is compatible with the roller cam,
You must use a 50 oz imbalance flywheel [pre-81 were 28 oz]
You must use pushrods for hydraulic rollers [they are shorter]

You can usually get a complete roller engine for less than you "estimated" machining costs

Down our way ,All the Aussie 5.0 Falcon engines were 5.0 HO Mustang engines BUT they had a front sump oilpan, [and the upper plenum of the EFI intake was swapped 180° for RHD]

I would recommend hunting down a suitable candidate instead [explorer engine] and disguising it as an early engine
Buying the right candidate lets you enjoy your project now instead of the engine being stuck in "Machine shop jail" forever

 

Understood. Thank you

 

I’ve heard both positive and negative things about BP engines. How did yours hold up?

 

It’s almost impossible to beat a roller 302.
I have a stock foxbody 302 in one of my cars and last winter I ported the e7 heads and picked up .40 in the 1/4. Cost me $100 in sanding rolls plus head gaskets.

I’ve seen these engines go 300k miles.

find a roller 302 from a mustang or explorer. The explorer has the better gt40 heads. These engines are often $500 at the wreckers.
Swap in a b303 cam and a weiand stealth intake. Use a 600 carb and a distributor with a steal gear.

cheapest way to get a ford rolling

 

Thank you sir, might have to start taking a few strolls through the junkyards locally.

 

I updated a Fox body car for my buddy. The core 302 was trashed. He bought crate, I dropped it in, ran good, I broke it in drive around town. Delivered 500mi, he street drove it for a year, nothing crazy, parked it, and sold it. Did not leak oil, temps good, started good. 3rd owner still running needs to go to track. 5spd, posi, had roll cage in it. All I can say, its purpose was successful, dead car back on road. Nice was roller cam, nice Aluminum heads, roller rockers. Could not build it for price.

He gave me trashed 6-71 for 100hrs labor to fix wiring, installation and break in. Cost $700 at Hamptons to fix blower. Had fun learning ford differences, damper oz, starters, cam firing orders for distrib (windsor thang). Chevy guy training..

 

Sounds like a win win.
-Mark

 

I have seen 302 HO s with 150 thousand miles and one thousandth cylinder wear

 

I was looking around at Summit and saw these pistons and thought of this thread https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-17370fc-40?rrec=true

 

I'm seriously contemplating a change in direction. I did buy the Wisecos needed for the build but I am now considering a roller block. I found some rollers on different market places but too many of them are missing too many parts. Trying to find a complete block whole. I will be scouring the junkyards.

On a side note, not feeling too comfortable with my current machine shop. A few weeks back I went to look over the block/bore after completion and I noticed that the new freeze plugs have been installed but the block had yet to be tanked. Shouldn't the new plugs go in after the tanking process and not before? I was told that by them they would hot tank it. Maybe they are gonna pressure wash it ? I do not know what some machine shops substitute nowadays to clean the blocks since hot tanking has almost gone away.

-Mark

 

When the machine shop hot tanked my 460 they greased up the cam bearings and slid in an old cam. He told me they were going to do this as the cam bearings were in nice shape or not needing replacement. They removed all the frost plugs, dowels and oil galley plugs before hot tanking.

 

From a comment back in one of your earlier posts, reconsidering your machine shop might not be a bad idea. You mentioned some machine work had been done to the block but you were not sure exactly if anything was done to change the deck height. In the 50 years that I have been having machine work done on blocks, cranks, heads, etc. I can't recall one time that I left the machine shop without a detailed job sheet saying exactly was done and the resulting end product. Can't imagine a shop that doesn't give you that both for their protection and your information.

 

And that is what I have been thinking about all along. I thought well maybe they would give me the build sheet afterwards but we have yet to come to that part. There are also other instances that come to mind. I haven't said nothing to them because I was doing all the research and seeking advice but I called them to simplify things a couple of weeks back and explained to them what was going on. The owner said he could get the pistons for me and he would call me back by end of day. It's been almost two weeks and I haven't heard anything.
My pistons just arrived yesterday so I haven't pushed the issue but my block has been there since Dec 28th and I might just cut my losses and pay what I owe them minus the balancing and get it assembled somewhere else down the road...
-Mark

 

I'm really starting to believe that they might not have a hot tank but I could be wrong. Maybe they heat up the block in a oven and then pressure wash it with hot water, I really don't know...I do know my block was the same color it was painted the last time I seen it and it had the new freeze plugs in...
If they did that wouldn't that damage the new plugs?
-Mark

 

They clean out the rust in all the water jackets hence removal of all the freeze plugs.
All the gallery plugs should've been removed as well

 

Update: Block pictures, left the cast iron heads with them to see if they are rebuildable with some minor upgrades (bowl work, exhaust side porting, stiffer springs and screw in studs. I know SBF factory heads do not flow well but before I give the machine shop the go ahead I am going to try and locate a set of used aluminum. Just don't have the cash now for a brand new set.
By the way the Wiseco pistons I used have the following PHV....
Piston Head Volume (cc):
+7.00cc

 

Did you stroke the 289 or?

 

I used 351clevland pistons with the 302 rods and Cleveland heads.

 

Yes it has a 302 crank and is bored 0.40 over. It is stroked to 308.

 

I have a set of 351w heads I was wondering if I should have them worked to fit...I'm still actively searching for some used rebuildable aluminum ones until the time comes when the machine shop gets back with me. If not I will go with the cast iron and keep moving forward. I still want to get another converter, change my rear gears from 3.25 to something higher and a few other miscellaneous things with the brakes and rear springs.

 

There's a set of GT40P heads in College Station on FB Marketplace for $300, just FYI.

 

Got to be careful with those GT40P heads. They have different angles for the spark plugs, which makes headers a problem sometimes.

 

In other words it’s a 302 with an overbore bringing it to 308 using a 289 block.

 

You’re making this way more difficult than it needs to be. With your 289 block all you need is a 302 crank, rods, and pistons (.040 over). Use anything from 1968 to 1981 or so. Use the 28oz balancer and flex plate. If you want to use the 351w heads, that’s fine you just need the head bolt bushings to go to the 302 size head bolt. That’s it.

 

Read 6 posts before yours. Seems the job is completed.