Just purchased 77 bronco sport & it appears I need to do a motor rebuild. This project is for my daughter so dependability is my main focus. Would love to hear best options. I am also gonna go thru tranny. It has the 302 w c4 trans. Opinions on both would be greatly appreciated.
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Need help on motor
- Thread starter Dademmy77
- Start date
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2012
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- 3,597
Are YOU doing the build or are you hiring someone else. Are YOU pulling it or do you need that done too?
Assuming you get it (or have someone else take it) out, a local machine shop with good reviews is a great option. If you buy a crate motor, typically they're not cammed to work efficiently in a 4500 lb truck, but they work. Blueprint or ATK seem to have fairly good reputations.
Assuming you get it (or have someone else take it) out, a local machine shop with good reviews is a great option. If you buy a crate motor, typically they're not cammed to work efficiently in a 4500 lb truck, but they work. Blueprint or ATK seem to have fairly good reputations.
blubuckaroo
Grease Monkey
I'm in favor of rebuilding what you've got if possible.
That way you can actually discuss any issues with the rebuilder.
Also, some crate motor builders will only warranty professionally installed motors.
That way you can actually discuss any issues with the rebuilder.
Also, some crate motor builders will only warranty professionally installed motors.
X2 on working with a local builder vs a crate.
I did my own disassembly. Took the parts over to "my guy" and he checked the bore and did some micrometer measurements and we talked about options. After all the machine work was done, I did the assembly.
Then and my bad luck would have it....there was a problem with my engine. Cracked head that was missed during the checking process. Magnifluxing didn't catch the internal crack. The local shop made it right (even went above and beyond) and I wouldn't hesitate to drop another off to them tomorrow.
I think you save some money by using local too. I know I did.
Tim
I did my own disassembly. Took the parts over to "my guy" and he checked the bore and did some micrometer measurements and we talked about options. After all the machine work was done, I did the assembly.
Then and my bad luck would have it....there was a problem with my engine. Cracked head that was missed during the checking process. Magnifluxing didn't catch the internal crack. The local shop made it right (even went above and beyond) and I wouldn't hesitate to drop another off to them tomorrow.
I think you save some money by using local too. I know I did.
Tim
I definitely won't do the rebuild. I will probably do the take out & reinstall. Just don't know much about motors and want to make the right choice in what I do for reliability. I would rather rebuild original if done right it will be good.
Hi, I wonder why you plan to have the engine rebuilt. I would do a compression test, and say what is going on with your engine. Good luck
- Joined
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Good man. For reliability, keeping it as stock (with probably the .030 overbore needed) as possible, with maybe an RV cam for a little extra power, and you'll be fine. I did a 65 mustang 302 for a buddy in the early 80's, 100% stock rebuild. His grandkid is driving it today, as an adult now. Never had a problem with it.
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Times two on the "why" aspect. If you just got it, have you and your daughter (cool project by the way) checked it out, including perhaps a compression check as Ron suggested?
Have you been driving it much, and more pertinent to this, did it sit for a long time before you bought it? Motors don't like just sitting around, and you might find that changing the oil, adding a solvent-based oil additive (and probably some gas additive to absorb moisture and clean out some varnish), and then just driving it extensively, putting a lot of heating and cooling cycles on it for a couple of months improves things greatly. It has for many of us over the years.
If it's truly bad though, then you're on the right track. Maybe it's got 150k miles on the original engine without ever having a valve job, or the carburetor ever being rebuilt, or a water pump ever being changed. Then yeah, it's time to at least give it a full refresh.
Good luck whichever road you go down.
How old is your daughter? Already driving? Maybe already commuting? The '77 is a fun year, depending like any other year, on what all needs doing to make it habitable inside.
Safety first too, as I'm sure you're already thinking about.
Brakes, drivelines, suspension and steering. All are basic fare on a 41 year old cheap utility vehicle. Ford didn't lose a lot of sleep figuring out ways to make these things better for the road. They did do that of course, but it was in very small steps. So neither of you should be expecting some version of a modern vehicle when driving.
They're pretty good in fact, but only as compared to other sixties-era trucks.
Maybe you're already a family of old car people. If so, you're gonna have a lot of fun with this one.
Paul
Have you been driving it much, and more pertinent to this, did it sit for a long time before you bought it? Motors don't like just sitting around, and you might find that changing the oil, adding a solvent-based oil additive (and probably some gas additive to absorb moisture and clean out some varnish), and then just driving it extensively, putting a lot of heating and cooling cycles on it for a couple of months improves things greatly. It has for many of us over the years.
If it's truly bad though, then you're on the right track. Maybe it's got 150k miles on the original engine without ever having a valve job, or the carburetor ever being rebuilt, or a water pump ever being changed. Then yeah, it's time to at least give it a full refresh.
Good luck whichever road you go down.
How old is your daughter? Already driving? Maybe already commuting? The '77 is a fun year, depending like any other year, on what all needs doing to make it habitable inside.
Safety first too, as I'm sure you're already thinking about.
Brakes, drivelines, suspension and steering. All are basic fare on a 41 year old cheap utility vehicle. Ford didn't lose a lot of sleep figuring out ways to make these things better for the road. They did do that of course, but it was in very small steps. So neither of you should be expecting some version of a modern vehicle when driving.
They're pretty good in fact, but only as compared to other sixties-era trucks.
Maybe you're already a family of old car people. If so, you're gonna have a lot of fun with this one.
Paul
