takeoutexodus

i just finished reading this article on a 400 hp 302 without breaking the bank and keeping a good amount of it stock! ..

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles...ngine_buildup/


what do you think ?

KBunny

I dono, to me it sounds like they are just trying to sell you a set of heads...

fast66

For starters, their baseline STOCKfigure of 278hp seems a little high to me, so I'm led to suspect the dyno was reading high. (I could be wrong here, but Im sure someone will correct me)
Secondly, they are reving a dead stock bottom end to 6200! without at minimum quality big end and main bolts, and a complete balance, that is a time bomb.
I guess the article is based around showing how good those heads are, but IMHO, that combination is not going to last.

takeoutexodus

Its a magazine article , they are not at all trying to do that .

They have tons of build ups for budget resto's .

I was actually impressed to see that from a 302 with so little .

takeoutexodus

well considering their " brush up" job and intake. im sure its doable .. speaking of which , this engine was a later engine . So what do you expect from an HO ?

And about it being a time bomb , Well maybe , but odds are it shouldnt be , im guessing the engine must have had a very little amount of miles on it .

I was just using this as a guideline for a build up .

Curse The Sky

The block they started with already has forged pistons, hydraulic roller cam, double roller timing chain, etc. Also, they started the article by saying: "the only things we'll change are the heads, headers, and rocker arms..." but later: "Weiand dual-plane along with a brand-new Road Demon Jr. 625-cfm carburetor..."

So... heads, headers, intake,AND carb? Seems like they're just spicing up what everyone already knows - put in some performance parts, and you'll get some power out of it. Why not go for a .030 bore and / or a 330+ stroker kit while you're at it, since you're starting with a short block... And since you're doing everything else, why not spend a little extra for the cam?

Edit: I should clarify - intake and carb seems like a no-brainer upgrade. However, the article very clearly wants to promote 400HP out of a decently easy, decently inexpensive build. However, when you figure in the price of the intake and carburetor, it evens out with most other builds. It's not a bad guide at all, though. Good find.

Aussie66Fastback

I'm with Fast66
a fair chunk of any engine build $should be spent at the machine shop if you want it to last.
its a good article just the same.