Engine Questions....

[Mr. Austin]

1. What is the right length of a 302 pushrod?
-what happens if i go .---- amount bigger? or smaller?

2. when looking at cams
-whats a good low priced mild cam?
-whats the best combination of valve springs,pushrods?

3.Are motorsport Head gasket anygood?

4. Ideas on the timing chain? double rollers best choice?

[1966PonyGirl]

i may not have exact answers, but its some of advice i have gotten.

First off you might want to find and developing a relation with a machine shop. (Speed machine shops tend to be better/more exact) You can take what you have and have them straighten some stuff out.

when it comes to cams and timing chains......at this point.... the question that come to my mind:

do i want to go totally stock?

save up, get a nice lopey cam, find some sweet heads and go gear to gear baby! if you are going stock and not going super preformance-y then the stock-type chain should suffice.

[Mr. Austin]

oh no i have found a nice MILD eldebrock cam with lifters for around 160 and i will give the car a nice lope at idle to 5500 RPM's im no racer to a cam at idle is exactly what i am looking for. i have been saving up a little and am willing to spen more than 200 but that was what i am trying to stay around (saving for a weddin ring ;). ) double roller chain and gears with a hair thicker push rods for strength. new lifters 90lb springs. and hopefully a 4 bbl carb :) yay!!

[HanksGT]

I always try to use a system, and the factory tech support. Also be honest with yourself on what you want to accomplish. Still a commuter car or a bracket racer or corner carver. You would be hard pressed to have it all, so decide which one you want. Then call Ford, Edlebrock and Comp Cams among others and get their opinion. If you get your parts from differnt vendors they will always point to the other guy when it doesnt work. Stick with one company as much as possible.

Double row will last a long time and gets rid of the factory plastic covered timng gears.

Good luck!


oh no i have found a nice MILD eldebrock cam with lifters for around 160 and i will give the car a nice lope at idle to 5500 RPM's im no racer to a cam at idle is exactly what i am looking for. i have been saving up a little and am willing to spen more than 200 but that was what i am trying to stay around (saving for a weddin ring ;). ) double roller chain and gears with a hair thicker push rods for strength. new lifters 90lb springs. and hopefully a 4 bbl carb :) yay!!

[Steve2000GT]

billet double roller ftw

[Mr. Austin]

nah i dont need the billet you wont see it so whats the point of spending the extra cash? and i am getting My timing chain + gears, the Cam, lifters, are all from Edlebrock. the pushrods are the only thing coming from Comps. and im looking for a street racer. (sounds bad) im looking for more power(who isn't?) so when i pull up to a idiot in a honda with a fart pipe im not gunna look stupid if i am in the mood to race. Sorry im not going to lie and say that i have never pulled up to one and raced them. Alot of times i dont race because im not in the mood or i know better but there are nights like a friday night when the week is over and you just wanna gogOGO!!

[Mr. Austin]

BTW All parts are purchased from Summit

[HanksGT]

Smart move getteing all one brand and from one source.

Street racing=not smart. Go to the track and you'll have more fun - safely. One error and you could lose your license or someone could lose a life. And your life would be ruined forever.



nah i dont need the billet you wont see it so whats the point of spending the extra cash? and i am getting My timing chain + gears, the Cam, lifters, are all from Edlebrock. the pushrods are the only thing coming from Comps. and im looking for a street racer. (sounds bad) im looking for more power(who isn't?) so when i pull up to a idiot in a honda with a fart pipe im not gunna look stupid if i am in the mood to race. Sorry im not going to lie and say that i have never pulled up to one and raced them. Alot of times i dont race because im not in the mood or i know better but there are nights like a friday night when the week is over and you just wanna gogOGO!!

[Mr. Austin]

true true. But like i said i cant lie to you and say i have never done it. and i forgot to say i actually found a 16 set of valve springs on summit made by Edlebrock. And i think the next time i hear about a track day i may join in and do a run just to see what she can hit. need to find a helmet to borrow or find a used one.

[Mr. Austin]

Ok so now that i have my engine back together i am having antifreeze drip...was from thermostat. but thats fixed. and its coming from further back. as far as i can tell not a hose

[HanksGT]

Sorry to hear you have a leak. Freeze plug? Intake manifold?


Ok so now that i have my engine back together i am having antifreeze drip...was from thermostat. but thats fixed. and its coming from further back. as far as i can tell not a hose

[Mr. Austin]

hopefully the intake manifold. I will cry if it's my freeze plugs...Thanks for the tip

[88BlownGT]

Been there and done that on freeze plugs. Good luck though.

[Mr. Austin]

soo i assume the next thing to ask would be if anyone had talent and a cherry picker? how much are plugs as well?

[1966PonyGirl]

You may have to talk to Barbra real nice.... make her stop weeping! have you tracked down where its coming from??? i know once w/ my thermostat adventures, i thought my by pass hose was still nice and all... turns out it wasnt.


Harbor Freight has some smoking deals on engine stands and cherry pickers, btw!

[Mr. Austin]

yeah um hun you moved harbor freight on bell has closed....i loved there cheap good tools but there gone :'( soo yeah. but i think i fixed it. tightened some stuff down and just waiting to see what happens. she is still getting to hot but i think its the new cam....time for an electric fan...

[White90GT]

Absolutely hate freeze plugs

http://www.fontenotshome.org/coppermine/albums/bigblockfox/normal_DSCF0233.JPG

My 347 had these as well, absolutely will not go back to tap in freeze plugs. I've had them come out of the block going down the strip and that'll make your ass pucker when that crap gets under the tires.

[HanksGT]

Bell & 51st Harboor Freight is gone? I was at Bell and 32nd St last week and bought some good stuff.

I had a friend put a new core in my '69 radiator (years ago) and still had cooling issues. Went somewhere else and they showed me it was a cheap core. Got a good one and cooling issues were gone. I have a Pep Boys 3 core in my '89 and have had great results (for $130).


yeah um hun you moved harbor freight on bell has closed....i loved there cheap good tools but there gone :'( soo yeah. but i think i fixed it. tightened some stuff down and just waiting to see what happens. she is still getting to hot but i think its the new cam....time for an electric fan...

[1966PonyGirl]

I just went there a week or two ago and there were no going out of business signs! i bought some california dusters!