loeryder21

Just picked up a rebuilt 302 out of an 87 gt. Im pretty sure its still a 302 and not a 306. My friend is giving me a e303 cam (I know) and 24lb injectors for free and i am picking up a pair of gt40 heads that have been rebuilt. I just took the motor apart to the bare block yesterday and everything looks pretty good including the rings and bearings. I already have the cobra upper and lower manifolds and pretty much everything thats on my motor now im going to throw on the new one. My question is what should i look out for? Its a small cam and the heads are rebuilt so i think i should be ok with the springs and rockers, the pistons are notched so and the valves are new so i think i should be ok with that too. I just dont want to overlook anything.
Also how much power do you think that combo would make?
Its going to have full exhaust also as well as the minor bolt ons.

Pony 5.0

That would make for a nice street combo, similar to the Cobra package on the 93 Cobra. My brother in law's 93 Cobra put down 271 rwhp with only a Pro M 75mm, aftermarket shorties, O/R h pipe and K&N cone filter.

mjr46

cam swap = spring swap, you should not!!! and I repeat should not use the stock springs with an e-cam, otherwise full rpm potential of cam will not be reached and potential valve float may occur, however to each his own

tinman

I would also check valve to piston clearances on this deal. Need a MINIMUM of .080"...........

loeryder21

how should i check the clearance?

tinman

I would make a 'solid' lifter out of an old one. Then I would use the clay method on the top of the piston. Take some modeling clay and make a piece the size of a pat of butter and put one on the intake side of the piston and another on the exhaust side. Then, with just about zero lash, turn the engine over one time. Remove the head and take a razor blade, slice the pieces of clay in to and check your clearance...

Liquid_02

Make a pair of solid lifters out of the old ones, put them in. With the heads bolted on and valve train installed. Install a pair of checker springs on an intake and exhaust valve. Place a dial indicator on top of the valves,angled the same as the valves, turn over the engine until one starts to move, push that valve down, and check how much the indicator moves. Keep doing so multiple times, as long as you never see anything under .080 on either valve, i prefer .130 on the exhaust side as a personal preference, as the piston is moving TOWARDS the valve in that stroke, you're set. It's quite simple and really only takes a couple minutes unless you are near the .080 mark when you have to start making sure at that point what degree the engine is at when that happened (as in piston getting closer or moving away from that valve), and whether it's going to be okay.