How do I determine if my 302 is worth rebuilding? (It wasn't, bought long block)

[73azbronco]

cam looks nice, you realize thats for a non roller motor, correct? Just checking.

 

[Vragor]

Here are a few pictures of the long block I bought before I start putting everything on it. I've been out of town for 5 days. I'll start the real work tonight.

 

[Vragor]

When I tried to fit the valve covers, the oil baffle on the vent and PCV hit the rockers. I just have the original stamped sheet metal covers that say "Powered by ford" on them.

Can anyone tell me what heads these are? The shop that did the work is closed today so I can't ask them.

I guess I'm actually lucky that the valve covers didn't fit. It made me look at the rockers much closer which led me to see that 2 of the tabs on the rockers were bent and nearly broken. I'll call the shop Monday and ask what they want to do about it.

 

[new to bronco]

All the tab does is keep oil in the rocker arm as it comes up pushrod, so should be no problem unless one is about to come off. There should be numbers on hear around valve springs that you can find out what they are.

 

[Vragor]

All the tab does is keep oil in the rocker arm as it comes up pushrod, so should be no problem unless one is about to come off. There should be numbers on hear around valve springs that you can find out what they are.

I was just going to bend them back up until I noticed the stress crack along the edge. The cracks go 2/3 of the way through. I think the tabs would break off with a little heat and vibration, then I'd have a couple pieces of metal bouncing around. Nothing good can come of that.

 

[Viperwolf1]

Pedestal mount rockers make them later model year heads. I forget when they changed from the positive stop studs, late '70s or early '80s. There is a casting number but it's underneath where the pushrods go through. Might be able to see with a mirror.

 

[73azbronco]

gt40P? I don't really know. casting number?

 

[todd.gorman]

They're not P's... the plugs are still coming out at an angle. Do they have 3 hash marks casted in the ends? If so they are GT40 heads

..... oopss... just looked a the photos again.. they're not GT40's either... no bars casted in...

 

[JDJ]

They look like a set of stock 5.0L mustang heads.....but like everybody else I don't know with out the numbers

 

[Vragor]

Is there a simple fix for the oil baffles hitting the rockers besides removing the baffles?

I've searched the boards and see way too many people who wound up sucking oil into the carb or having oil running down the side of the motor for lack of baffles.

New valve covers is all I can come up with.

 

[73azbronco]

get some efi valve covers, the ones with a long neck and locking filler cap, should easily find those on craigslist or junkyard.

I think your going to want to ask them about the cracks in the rockers, I just looked at a box of mine and none are cracked, those can easily be cracked during shipment or poor handling.

 

[Vragor]

I'm going to ask about the rockers tomorrow. Hopefully I can just take the rockers to him for replacements.

I'm going to ask if he has valve covers I can swap with him while I'm there.

 

[Viperwolf1]

You can use some 5/16" valve cover gaskets to gain a little clearance.

 

[Nightstick]

Do you mind telling us how much you paid for the long block?

 

[broncnaz]

look like they may be E7 heads the T cast into the corner of the head verifies that. I would just break off the tabs that are cracked they are no big deal they just help keep oil from squiting all over earlier versions didnt have the tabs.
I believe ford started using the pedastal rockers in 77.

I've clearanced stock valve cover baffles with a hammer to make room for rockers.

 

[Viperwolf1]

Might be worth a look at the pushrods under those rockers. If it got wacked hard enough to break the tabs it could have bent the pushrods.

 

[73azbronco]

or lifters....

 

[Vragor]

I took the 3 rockers back today (2 bent and cracked, 1 just cracked) and he gave me replacements. These are used rockers and he has buckets of them. The push rods and tappets are new though.

He didn't have a carb valve cover to swap for me. He gave me a thicker gasket and we tapped the baffles with a dead blow hammer to see if that would give enough clearance. If I want, he'll swap me EFI valve covers and even drill a hole for the PCV, but I want to check and see if the current covers will work.

As for the price of the long block, it's in other posts in this thread, but I paid $1,000 plus $200 for a better cam plus taxes.

 

[Rox Crusher]

I took the 3 rockers back today (2 bent and cracked, 1 just cracked) and he gave me replacements. These are used rockers and he has buckets of them. The push rods and tappets are new though.

He didn't have a carb valve cover to swap for me. He gave me a thicker gasket and we tapped the baffles with a dead blow hammer to see if that would give enough clearance. If I want, he'll swap me EFI valve covers and even drill a hole for the PCV, but I want to check and see if the current covers will work.

As for the price of the long block, it's in other posts in this thread, but I paid $1,000 plus $200 for a better cam plus taxes.

Your doing good so far !

 

[Nightstick]

You ever find out for sure which heads they are?