[iStang65]

So with everything I'm learning, I'm looking at getting into my first rebuild. Where do I start? How much should just the block run me? Used vs new? How extensive is the rebuild process?

 

[Tyoung68]

The extent all depends on the state lf the block you get. May only need gaskets may need to get new sleeves put in

 

[iStang65]

The extent all depends on the state lf the block you get. May only need gaskets may need to get new sleeves put in

I'm wanting to find a used engine, tear it down to the block, and then rebuild it for performance.

 

[Tyoung68]

Yeah i plan on that too. I want to save up around 2500 before i buy anything. I say about 1500 for top end and 1000 for bottom

 

[iStang65]

Yeah i plan on that too. I want to save up around 2500 before i buy anything. I say about 1500 for top end and 1000 for bottom

Not too bad of a price estimate. How soon do you plan on doing the rebuild

 

[Tyoung68]

Well as i am jobless and have a girlfriend.... Not anytime soon haha probably in a yearish

 

[iStang65]

Well as i am jobless and have a girlfriend.... Not anytime soon haha probably in a yearish

Haha. Have her fund your rebuild and tell her it's for a great cause. I'm hoping to find an engine by April and start the build during the summer. We'll see how that goes. Cost of living here in Alaska makes projects like this a luxury

 

[Mlarv5]

I'm wanting to find a used engine, tear it down to the block, and then rebuild it for performance.

The best tricks I can tell you is this.

Take Pictures as you go with a phone or camera and have them handy to look at when you reinstall also you can send in some pictures so we can see it also

1 Have a place to spread out the parts Take Pictures
2 You will need a valve spring compressor
3 You will need a ring compressor
4 You will need a torque wrench
5 You will need an engine hoist
6 You will need an engine stand
7 Replace motor mounts and tranny mounts
8 When taken off the hood have a sharpy and mark the hinge so you can line it up when replacing it
9 Pull the tranny at the same time it is easier
10 Replace the front seal in the tranny and the rear seal in the tranny
11 As you go Take Pictures
12 You will need a Harmonic Balancer puller
Pull the tranny and place aside to work on later make sure there is a drip pan under the front and rear shaft
Place the engine on the engine stand use tranny bolts to hold it most of the time

Start by Taken Pictures so you know where things go

When you pull the heads / intake lay them on a flat surface on cardboard not on the concrete

Replace the carb gasket and oil sending unit thermostat

With heads off flip the engine over and open oil pan take the oil pump and sump out if you are smart you will replace these before you put the engine together.

Pull the Harmonic Balancer

As you pull the pistons and main bearings make sure you Keep Them In the Order you removed them!!! Place in a safe place that you know you will not need to move them. I use an old milk crate

Now the fun starts pull all the freeze plugs and toss them away

Pull the timing cover and then the chain (please replace these) and then the cam

Use valve spring compressor and pull the valves place in the order they came out.

Send the block and heads in for any machining and have them install the cam bearings

I always have mine Hot Dipped and blued to see if there is any hair line cracks in them

Pull the torque converter and drain it pull the tranny pan and drain it replace filter. replace rear seal and front seal replace the gasket on the pan and reinstall

Clean up the firewall any wiring paint anything you want painted and make sure you get the rust off wire wheel on a drill works great. When you get the engine back take some pictures. If you want to port it and polish it which is pretty easy with a die grinder and a lot of time let us know.

Paint the block the heads and reinstall the parts.

Take pictures as you go

I am sure I missed something it has been awhile since I reworked an engine so this is just off the top of my head

Good Luck and have fun

 

[2013mustang5.0]

Haha. Have her fund your rebuild and tell her it's for a great cause. I'm hoping to find an engine by April and start the build during the summer. We'll see how that goes. Cost of living here in Alaska makes projects like this a luxury

0.0 all i got out of this was Alaska........ How do you like it up there? Have you ever been to the. 48 states? What part of Alaska are you from?

 

[Aggiesrok]

The best tricks I can tell you is this.

Take Pictures as you go with a phone or camera and have them handy to look at when you reinstall also you can send in some pictures so we can see it also

1 Have a place to spread out the parts Take Pictures
2 You will need a valve spring compressor
3 You will need a ring compressor
4 You will need a torque wrench
5 You will need an engine hoist
6 You will need an engine stand
7 Replace motor mounts and tranny mounts
8 When taken off the hood have a sharpy and mark the hinge so you can line it up when replacing it
9 Pull the tranny at the same time it is easier
10 Replace the front seal in the tranny and the rear seal in the tranny
11 As you go Take Pictures
12 You will need a Harmonic Balancer puller
Pull the tranny and place aside to work on later make sure there is a drip pan under the front and rear shaft
Place the engine on the engine stand use tranny bolts to hold it most of the time

Start by Taken Pictures so you know where things go

When you pull the heads / intake lay them on a flat surface on cardboard not on the concrete

Replace the carb gasket and oil sending unit thermostat

With heads off flip the engine over and open oil pan take the oil pump and sump out if you are smart you will replace these before you put the engine together.

Pull the Harmonic Balancer

As you pull the pistons and main bearings make sure you Keep Them In the Order you removed them!!! Place in a safe place that you know you will not need to move them. I use an old milk crate

Now the fun starts pull all the freeze plugs and toss them away

Pull the timing cover and then the chain (please replace these) and then the cam

Use valve spring compressor and pull the valves place in the order they came out.

Send the block and heads in for any machining and have them install the cam bearings

I always have mine Hot Dipped and blued to see if there is any hair line cracks in them

Pull the torque converter and drain it pull the tranny pan and drain it replace filter. replace rear seal and front seal replace the gasket on the pan and reinstall

Clean up the firewall any wiring paint anything you want painted and make sure you get the rust off wire wheel on a drill works great. When you get the engine back take some pictures. If you want to port it and polish it which is pretty easy with a die grinder and a lot of time let us know.

Paint the block the heads and reinstall the parts.

Take pictures as you go

I am sure I missed something it has been awhile since I reworked an engine so this is just off the top of my head

Good Luck and have fun

+1
Also get lots of ziploc bags and separate screws, nuts, washers for each category as you take them off - mark the bag valve cover bolts, for example. This saved my ass when I did mine. You can rent an engine crane, you only need it twice, but buy the engine stand.
You may consider having the machine shop install the crank after its turned, balanced. It's good insurance to have them install the bearings. They will install the pistons as well if you're not comfortable with it. That way the bottom end is completed. There are some good books for rebuilding a 302, it's invaluable as well as the Ford shop manual.

 

[nickysixx]

The best tricks I can tell you is this.

Take Pictures as you go with a phone or camera and have them handy to look at when you reinstall also you can send in some pictures so we can see it also

1 Have a place to spread out the parts Take Pictures
2 You will need a valve spring compressor
3 You will need a ring compressor
4 You will need a torque wrench
5 You will need an engine hoist
6 You will need an engine stand
7 Replace motor mounts and tranny mounts
8 When taken off the hood have a sharpy and mark the hinge so you can line it up when replacing it
9 Pull the tranny at the same time it is easier
10 Replace the front seal in the tranny and the rear seal in the tranny
11 As you go Take Pictures
12 You will need a Harmonic Balancer puller
Pull the tranny and place aside to work on later make sure there is a drip pan under the front and rear shaft
Place the engine on the engine stand use tranny bolts to hold it most of the time

Start by Taken Pictures so you know where things go

When you pull the heads / intake lay them on a flat surface on cardboard not on the concrete

Replace the carb gasket and oil sending unit thermostat

With heads off flip the engine over and open oil pan take the oil pump and sump out if you are smart you will replace these before you put the engine together.

Pull the Harmonic Balancer

As you pull the pistons and main bearings make sure you Keep Them In the Order you removed them!!! Place in a safe place that you know you will not need to move them. I use an old milk crate

Now the fun starts pull all the freeze plugs and toss them away

Pull the timing cover and then the chain (please replace these) and then the cam

Use valve spring compressor and pull the valves place in the order they came out.

Send the block and heads in for any machining and have them install the cam bearings

I always have mine Hot Dipped and blued to see if there is any hair line cracks in them

Pull the torque converter and drain it pull the tranny pan and drain it replace filter. replace rear seal and front seal replace the gasket on the pan and reinstall

Clean up the firewall any wiring paint anything you want painted and make sure you get the rust off wire wheel on a drill works great. When you get the engine back take some pictures. If you want to port it and polish it which is pretty easy with a die grinder and a lot of time let us know.

Paint the block the heads and reinstall the parts.

Take pictures as you go

I am sure I missed something it has been awhile since I reworked an engine so this is just off the top of my head

Good Luck and have fun

Since it's your first rebuild I +1M this. MAKE SURE YOU LABEL EVERYTHING. Pictures will be your best friend along with blue masking tape and plastic baggies. If you pull out a bolt, put in a bag and label exactly where you pulled it from.
Ex: When I pulled my buick motor apart I label EVERYTHING, Blue masking tape on even the valve covers which side they go too. This will help you a tremendous amount I can gaurentee it.

 

[rbohm]

The best tricks I can tell you is this.

Take Pictures as you go with a phone or camera and have them handy to look at when you reinstall also you can send in some pictures so we can see it also

1 Have a place to spread out the parts Take Pictures
2 You will need a valve spring compressor
3 You will need a ring compressor
4 You will need a torque wrench
5 You will need an engine hoist
6 You will need an engine stand
7 Replace motor mounts and tranny mounts
8 When taken off the hood have a sharpy and mark the hinge so you can line it up when replacing it
9 Pull the tranny at the same time it is easier
10 Replace the front seal in the tranny and the rear seal in the tranny
11 As you go Take Pictures
12 You will need a Harmonic Balancer puller
Pull the tranny and place aside to work on later make sure there is a drip pan under the front and rear shaft
Place the engine on the engine stand use tranny bolts to hold it most of the time

Start by Taken Pictures so you know where things go

When you pull the heads / intake lay them on a flat surface on cardboard not on the concrete

Replace the carb gasket and oil sending unit thermostat

With heads off flip the engine over and open oil pan take the oil pump and sump out if you are smart you will replace these before you put the engine together.

Pull the Harmonic Balancer

As you pull the pistons and main bearings make sure you Keep Them In the Order you removed them!!! Place in a safe place that you know you will not need to move them. I use an old milk crate

Now the fun starts pull all the freeze plugs and toss them away

Pull the timing cover and then the chain (please replace these) and then the cam

Use valve spring compressor and pull the valves place in the order they came out.

Send the block and heads in for any machining and have them install the cam bearings

I always have mine Hot Dipped and blued to see if there is any hair line cracks in them

Pull the torque converter and drain it pull the tranny pan and drain it replace filter. replace rear seal and front seal replace the gasket on the pan and reinstall

Clean up the firewall any wiring paint anything you want painted and make sure you get the rust off wire wheel on a drill works great. When you get the engine back take some pictures. If you want to port it and polish it which is pretty easy with a die grinder and a lot of time let us know.

Paint the block the heads and reinstall the parts.

Take pictures as you go

I am sure I missed something it has been awhile since I reworked an engine so this is just off the top of my head

Good Luck and have fun

+1
Also get lots of ziploc bags and separate screws, nuts, washers for each category as you take them off - mark the bag valve cover bolts, for example. This saved my ass when I did mine. You can rent an engine crane, you only need it twice, but buy the engine stand.
You may consider having the machine shop install the crank after its turned, balanced. It's good insurance to have them install the bearings. They will install the pistons as well if you're not comfortable with it. That way the bottom end is completed. There are some good books for rebuilding a 302, it's invaluable as well as the Ford shop manual.

Since it's your first rebuild I +1M this. MAKE SURE YOU LABEL EVERYTHING. Pictures will be your best friend along with blue masking tape and plastic baggies. If you pull out a bolt, put in a bag and label exactly where you pulled it from.
Ex: When I pulled my buick motor apart I label EVERYTHING, Blue masking tape on even the valve covers which side they go too. This will help you a tremendous amount I can gaurentee it.

lots of good advice in these posts. here is some more;

1: now is the time to decide what direction you want this engine to progress. do you want a healthy street engine, a toy, or what? once you have decided what direction this build will take, start choosing parts that complement each other. for instance lets say you want an engine that runs strong on the street. that means you want the rpm range to be in the 1000-5000 rpm range, so select intake, cam, carb, headers, heads, etc that all work in that rpm range. you can fudge a bit, but not much.

2: once all the machine work is done, have the machine shop balance teh rotating assembly, it is money well spent.

3: DO NOT spend the money on blueprinting. this is where every clearance is set to exact factory design specs with NO deviation. unless you are building an all out race engine for the top racing class, you wont get enough from the effort to be worth while.

4: when disassembling the engine, note the rod cap markings, if they are. some are marked from the factory some are not. if yours are marked keep the cap with the rod, and note the direction of the mark. if they are not marked, then mark them before you remove them. you can get metal stamps from the hardware store for this job.

5: the main caps are marked from the factory, both with a number and an arrow indicating which direction they go. take note of that.

6: inspect EACH part as you remove it for damage or wear. post pics if you have any questions.

7: one big piece of advice i will give you is to replace the major fasteners, head bolts, rod bolts, main cap bolts, etc. with ones from ARP. they are the best money can buy, and the extra cost isnt excessive, and it is good insurance against future failure.

8: when buying parts dont cheap out, quality will pay dividends in the long run. DO NOT USE hardware store bolts as they are not designed to handle the loads.

9: when reassembling the engine, use a high quality assembly lube everywhere, and if you are installing a flat tappet cam, use the proper lube for its lobes, again dont skimp. and dont forget to lube the distributor gear either.

10: one last thing, TAKE YOUR TIME when assembling the engine, in fact you might want to draw up a to do list and check things off as you do them so you dont forget later., and of course if you have any questions, we will do our best to answer them.

if you pay attention to detail, and take your time, this build will go together nicely and you will have a strong running engine that will last a long time with proper maintenance.

 

[iStang65]

Thanks everyone for the very detailed and descriptive explanations. This will help a lot along with the book I picked up on rebuilding ford small blocks. Next question is obtaining the block. Should I buy a used engine from a junkyard or somewhere of that sort or buy the block new off the Internet? And if I buy it used, (this being my first time) what do I need to look for when inspecting it? Some questions I have are 1) how do I know if the block is cracked or damage 2) do I need to keep all the parts that come with the engine 3) 302 or 351

Ill post more questions as they come to mind

 

[Tyoung68]

Most junk yards will guarantee the block and the can run it sometimes so just make sure it spins freely also check how dirty the block is like oil leaks if really dirty then theres a high chance that it ran with low oil a lot and that there is going to be damage to the block. Also check the dipstick and make sure its only oil in there no rust or milky fluid and make sure its all there oil pan to air cleaner you never know what youll need for core charges

 

[Mlarv5]

Thanks everyone for the very detailed and descriptive explanations. This will help a lot along with the book I picked up on rebuilding ford small blocks. Next question is obtaining the block. Should I buy a used engine from a junkyard or somewhere of that sort or buy the block new off the Internet? And if I buy it used, (this being my first time) what do I need to look for when inspecting it? Some questions I have are 1) how do I know if the block is cracked or damage 2) do I need to keep all the parts that come with the engine 3) 302 or 351

Ill post more questions as they come to mind

What engine do you already have on the car? If it is a 302 or 289 why not just redo it. If it a straight 6 then you will have to do more work to the car and I think tranny bell housing.

When I used to get engines from junk yards a lot I would pull the dip stick as stated and make sure the oil is not milky (means water in the oil) if it was sitting outside it might just be rain water if it is inside then this might a bad head gasket or cracked block or head. So with all this said I would not worry about getting a junk yard engine from a good yard. You will need to know are you getting a new intake and carb? If so don't worry so much about them on the JY engine if not check all the linkage on the carb to see if it is there.

 

[iStang65]

What engine do you already have on the car? If it is a 302 or 289 why not just redo it. If it a straight 6 then you will have to do more work to the car and I think tranny bell housing.

When I used to get engines from junk yards a lot I would pull the dip stick as stated and make sure the oil is not milky (means water in the oil) if it was sitting outside it might just be rain water if it is inside then this might a bad head gasket or cracked block or head. So with all this said I would not worry about getting a junk yard engine from a good yard. You will need to know are you getting a new intake and carb? If so don't worry so much about them on the JY engine if not check all the linkage on the carb to see if it is there.

I have a 302 on my current car but I'm wanting the second engine to rebuild so I can drop it into an engineless fastback that's sitting in the pops garage back in Texas with hopes of making the car mine someday

---------- Post added at 01:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:11 PM ----------

0.0 all i got out of this was Alaska........ How do you like it up there? Have you ever been to the. 48 states? What part of Alaska are you from?

Alaska isn't too bad. I recently moved here from Texas and I like it better here then I did there. I'm up here in anchorage at the moment.

 

[Termi]

The 302 was in a lot of the f150s. Youcould go to a junk yard or something to just get a block if your not against a used one for cheap.

 

[Aggiesrok]

The machine shop may have a used block that's already been checked for cracks and cylinders with excessive wear or out of round. Be careful that your used one isn't already bored out or so far out of tolerance that it can't be bored.

 

[iStang65]

The 302 was in a lot of the f150s. Youcould go to a junk yard or something to just get a block if your not against a used one for cheap.

Do you know what year they stopped putting the 302s in the trucks? Junk yards here suck and have everything on a computer based system so if you don't have a year make and model, they can't look it up for you

---------- Post added at 03:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:17 PM ----------

The machine shop may have a used block that's already been checked for cracks and cylinders with excessive wear or out of round. Be careful that your used one isn't already bored out or so far out of tolerance that it can't be bored.

If I pull one out of a junkyard, how can I tell if its been bored over before

 

[Termi]

Do you know what year they stopped putting the 302s in the trucks? Junk yards here suck and have everything on a computer based system so if you don't have a year make and model, they can't look it up for you

---------- Post added at 03:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:17 PM ----------



If I pull one out of a junkyard, how can I tell if its been bored over before

1996 was last year for a 302 in a f150

---------- Post added at 07:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:01 PM ----------

Any f150 from 1996 to 1975 has a chance of havin a 302. Might even find a 351w in one

---------- Post added at 07:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:02 PM ----------

And you can use a t gauge and micrometer to check bore