Refresh on a 302: Any Advice or build secrets?

[Jerry Clayton]

I'm not going to go into why or why not-----

But, I do have to comment on a few things---
If you are going to change the heads, do it in the car--just be careful with the fenders--You are more likely to damage the car pulling the engine than working on it in the car---

Just keep in mind that as you go along, you may get to a point with what you find that will result in you removing the engine---

As to the use of dial bore guages and torque plates ----doesn't happen in this case--you are removing pistons and reinstalling in the same holes--sizes won't be an issue
The use of a flex hone doesn't require a tirque plate---they are flexable and do not change the straightness or crookedness or out of round of a cylinder and THAT is there biggest selling point and reason for using them---

If you are removing the oil pan to fix a leak, you should check the bearings for wear patterns, this will require removing the oil pump and you can change pump or drive while doing that--you might want to use High PRESSURE pump for the added plumbing of an remote filter---

ERA Chas---If I had any engine with 10% leak down it would come apart---I'm sure you must mean 2 %

[DAVID GAGNARD]

The way I see it, Dangerous Doug has a few minor things with his engine he wants to fix and at the same time do some upgrades..He wants to do them himself and learn about engines as he goes, BEEN THERE/DONE THAT.......there is nothing more rewarding than being able to say you did the engine yourself.......my first time was 36 years ago when I did a cam/intake/carb/header upgrade on my otherwise stock Ford Truck (302), did it kinda like Doug's suggesting, in the truck,didn't even take the hood off, PITA, but I was very young and energetic, would never do it again without pulling the engine......live and learn by your mistakes!!!!!!!!!

I don't agree with all what Doug's planning to do and how he is planning to do it, but, he didn't ask that question, he just asked for help in doing it the way he wants to do it and if he's dead set on doing it a certain way, then let him do it that way...
I'll offer him advise if he ask's for it and let it go at that....
I'm guessing he has a basically stock 302 bottom end, don't know any different,and the in-the-car honing method for his intended purpose will suffice for what I would consider a "standard rebuild/freshen".....
We're not talking about a 9000rpm NASCAR engine, just a 302 with a cam/cylinder head upgrade.......

David