Starting my explorer 302 rebuild. Which springs?

[NJBronco]

Finally cleaned up and setup to start tearing into my 2000 explorer 302 rebuild. I'm looking to stay cheap. I know everyone says upgrade the valve springs. Got a part number? I'm sending out the gt40ps to get cleaned and a valve job they said send the springs.

Any other things I should be doing? Will the explorer oil pan work? I believe the stock exhuast manifolds will work but what do I do to delete the egr on them. Just put a plug in it?

Other then a straight forward rebuild what has to change for the bronco if anything

 

[broncnaz]

valve spring choice is based upon cam choice. If using the stock cam then the stock springs are fine. If other cam then use the springs recommended for that cam.

 

[NJBronco]

Easy enough. I thought everyone was saying the stock springs were junk.

 

[WheelHorse]

Easy enough. I thought everyone was saying the stock springs were junk.

The internet is full of go big or go home mantra. Mustang forums are full of it where GT40 heads are weak, and anything under .550 lift is for wussies.

You could always run something like this:

http://alexsparts.com/sb-ford-gt40p-drop-in-valve-springs-kit-hyd-roller-580-lift/

 

[73azbronco]

if your using stock heads and valvetrain, keep stock springs. They'll only last about 250,000 miles

 

[NJBronco]

Excellent. Stock springs it's is. This low buck and stay nice and reliable for a long time kinda project. No interest on hot rodding around in it.

Any other gotchas? Like does the oil pan from the explorer work in the bronco? My ecu has been programmed by efi guy already. Harness will be done when the motors in the bronco. Deleting the ac pump. What about the egr bung on passenger exhuast manifold. Do I cap it or shave and weld it shut?

 

[blubuckaroo]

Excellent. Stock springs it's is. This low buck and stay nice and reliable for a long time kinda project. No interest on hot rodding around in it.

Any other gotchas? Like does the oil pan from the explorer work in the bronco? My ecu has been programmed by efi guy already. Harness will be done when the motors in the bronco. Deleting the ac pump. What about the egr bung on passenger exhuast manifold. Do I cap it or shave and weld it shut?

Even with everything stock, I'd still have the machinist check the spring pressure with the springs in the heads. They can vary a lot.

 

[broncnaz]

As was kinda said its the hype of the go fast crowd. Which tend to use larger camshafts with way higher lifts and run higher RPM's all of which the gt40 springs are not ideal for. While sometimes the hype is just that. You have to consider the other parts being used. So sometimes the hype is correct. You cant always just bolt on something because it fits and expect everything to be kosher.