R.I.P. to my 302 - What should I do now?

[bobbywalter]

When you had your block machined last time did they deck it? I don't know much about machining engines but it may just be lower than the rest of the engine, and if thats lower it wouldn seal as well in that spot.But if it was decked it would be level. It might be a warped head too. You might try taking some thing with a strait edge and seeing if it will lay flat across the block then seeing if the head is strait too.

good luck, hope you can find a simple solution

that is what i was referring to by out of square...even if it was decked...the over heating issues may have caused some fresh distortion. hot block and hot head makes for wobbly head....

like baddad said, possible questionable gasket....combined with a possible case of wobbly head...

hell ya never know.

get er in the shop and see if there is any deck left and go from there....for all i know the deck is fine

 

[bigmike]

I'm still "cutting my teeth" at engine building, so I I didn't notice you had already brought that up. I'll pay more attention to what I'm reading next time. But it does sound like he's got alot of things to check out so he can find the problem...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I'm still "cutting my teeth" at engine building, so I I didn't notice you had already brought that up. I'll pay more attention to what I'm reading next time. But it does sound like he's got alot of things to check out so he can find the problem...

It is good to know what was wrong with it if he can before he drops another in and finds out that it was something besides a posessed engine. Like the water pump, radiator or headgasket installation problem that could cross over to another engine down the road.

I haven't heard much about it on here yet so those that are more in the know might have already ruled it out, but in my "how to rebuild SBF" library they mention it is easy to put a headgasket on backwards and unknowingly block off a coolant passage. That could two simple mistakes in a row.

 

[baddad457]

It is good to know what was wrong with it if he can before he drops another in and finds out that it was something besides a posessed engine. Like the water pump, radiator or headgasket installation problem that could cross over to another engine down the road.

I haven't heard much about it on here yet so those that are more in the know might have already ruled it out, but in my "how to rebuild SBF" library they mention it is easy to put a headgasket on backwards and unknowingly block off a coolant passage. That could two simple mistakes in a row.

When it's installed backwards, only the two end passages are affected. The front passage is supposed to be blocked off to direct the flow of coolant toward the rear of the block and prevent the coolant from short cutting back up to the head and intake in the front. This is to allow sufficient coolant to travel to the rear, then up to the heads to soak up more heat before going back up front and out the intake. Now on a Cleveland something more drastic happens when the gasket is backwards, in this case, the coolant passage back to the T-stat gallery is blocked off completely. The motor will run normally until the trapped coolant flashes to steam and back fires thru the waterpump and out to the radiator, where the cap will be unable to contain the pressure and you'll see a steam release.

 

[dagoof]

When you had your block machined last time did they deck it? I don't know much about machining engines but it may just be lower than the rest of the engine, and if thats lower it wouldn seal as well in that spot.But if it was decked it would be level. It might be a warped head too. You might try taking some thing with a strait edge and seeing if it will lay flat across the block then seeing if the head is strait too.

good luck, hope you can find a simple solution

Yeah, When the engine was originally built, the block was decked and the heads were planed too. Then last year, when I replaced the head gaskets, I had the heads completely gone through. The planed them again, magnafluxed then and re-did the valves.

 

[dagoof]

It is good to know what was wrong with it if he can before he drops another in and finds out that it was something besides a posessed engine. Like the water pump, radiator or headgasket installation problem that could cross over to another engine down the road.

That's a good point. I just don't trust this engine any more for a couple of reasons. First because it keeps having issues and I suspect that there may be problems with the machining or a slight crack or something. Secondly because the engine was built by someone else. It was built with a mix and match group of parts, and that makes it too hard for me to follow. For all I know, I could have a 289 crank in a 68' 302 block with 85' heads on it. Since the block and heads have been decked and planed at least once or twice and I don't know what the pistons are in it, I'm not even sure what compression I am running.

You do make a good point though. I would really like to find out exactly what was going on with this engine. It may help me out in the future, and if nothing else its a good learning experience.

I haven't heard much about it on here yet so those that are more in the know might have already ruled it out, but in my "how to rebuild SBF" library they mention it is easy to put a head-gasket on backwards and unknowingly block off a coolant passage. That could two simple mistakes in a row.

The backward head-gasket thing has got me thinking now. I don't think that they were backward, but sounds like that would make sense. This engine always felt pretty hot even though according to the water temperature, it was running cool. On longer drives, it seemed to get hotter and hotter, and whenever you pushed it hard enough to get it a little lathered, it would start burping into the coolant. Hmmmm.....

I'm going to do a little more checking into that.

 

[baddad457]

Backwards head gaskets on a 302 will not block off anything. It only allows the coolant to shortcut back to the radiator and thus make the engine run hotter.

 

[dagoof]

Well, I checked, and the gaskets were on right.

 

[dirtcowboy]

Try this.... on the back of your air gap manifold is a threaded plug. Remove this plug and put in a 1/4" valve. When you get this thing back together and full of coolant, open the valve and be amazed at how much air burps thru. When coolant runs out of the valve close it and run it like you stole it, no more problems. Been there done that.

One other thing, make sure your timing cover is the correct one, they be different for serpentine (reverse rotation) and the correct type.

I'm sure glad i din't know I couldn't 4 wheel with a carb and a c4 back in the 70's, I'm one lucky stiff. I woulda had to wait til the 90's to have any fun.

 

[baddad457]

One other thing, make sure your timing cover is the correct one, they be different for serpentine (reverse rotation) and the correct type.

Ford used the same timing covers for both pumps from 79 to 85. The reversed port timing covers came out with the 86 HO 5.0 to improve the coolint circulation.

 

[shane96ranger]

Ford used the same timing covers for both pumps from 79 to 85. The reversed port timing covers came out with the 86 HO 5.0 to improve the coolint circulation.

Also, the 86 and up don't have the provisions for a fuel pump.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Also, the 86 and up don't have the provisions for a fuel pump.

My '87 has the surface with the two tapped holes to mount it, but it is filled in. At a angle it looks like it does have the provision though. Standard rotation pump.

 

[baddad457]

Also, the 86 and up don't have the provisions for a fuel pump.

Yes, some did. The boss is cast in some but the oval center hole the fuel pump lever fits thru isn't opened up. I have one of these covers on my 331.

 

[okietheranger]

I've put a lot of work into this ranger, and I would hate to give up on it, but with a bad engine, unsatisfying transmission, and needing new suspension, I just don't know if it is worth it. The body would be the only thing that I am keeping, and it's nothing to write home to mom about.

Here are some pictures of the work that I've done:

This is what I started with.

This is what she looks like right now. (I need to put bumpers back on it)

This is what the engine looked like when I got it.

This is what the engine looks like now.

Another engine Pic.

hope this dont sound to dumb but the deal that hides ur wires on ur valve covers were did u get it? i would love and need to get me that

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

hope this dont sound to dumb but the deal that hides ur wires on ur valve covers were did u get it? i would love and need to get me that

Most aftermarket companies (Summit, Jegs...) have a ton of different loom kits.

Here is the one I got, it has gone up 2 bucks since last fall but I think it is still a pretty good deal. It leaves them open though, but I still like the look.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MOR-72133/

At least with the Ford Racing wires I got you have to get the cut to length ones.