i have a 289 and i am planning on building another but i have a question can i use a 302 can and all i have to do is use the 302 firing order or do i need to go find a 289 cam

 

302 uses the 289 firing order unless it a 302ho from the mid 80s

 

Why???

Most 289 are pre emission- Therefore are better for performance than emission cams.

PS if you buy gears and chain make sure that the key way in the crank lines up with the timing mark. Some later big engines retard the cam slightly by doing that. I don't know if they carried it down to the smaller engines or not.

 

the later cam offers a better firing oreder that takes stress of the crank u can order plenty of non emmisions 302 cams but i beileve most use the vintage firing order so u can just get a cam for a 351w and use the new firing order

 

thats what i want i don't care bout firing order if i gotta change my plug wires i just want to be able to use it with out changing the crank

 

you dont need to change the crank.. All 90 degree V8s have just two firing orders. GM uses the same one that ford does, they just number the cylinders differently. 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 is the same as the late 351W firing order(it just is cylinder numbered differently). The crank throws are all the same in relation to degrees of rotation because if you did it differently it would shake itself apart or want to have two cylinders firing at the same time..

There really isnt much to gain by going from one stock cam to another one. From what my ancient book tells me, the non K code 289 and the 302 used pretty much the same cam. The 73 had a very slightly higher lift, but duration was nearly identical. If you are going to tear it apart to put a stock cam in it, you are wasting your time and money. Putting a different cam in there with more lift/duration, different LSA and such could be an improvement.

All you need to know with a cam swap is if its the early 302 or the 351W/late 302 firing order that the cam is ground for.

 

ya i don't want a stocker i have a 289 crank and rods in good shape but i wanted to know cause i am gunna use an older 302 block and build another 289 cept i am gunna hop it up a bid and then i am gunne preserve my original 289

 

FWIW, when I checked cam specs on my 1970 302 2V, I found that Ford used the same cam until 1974 on the 289 and 302. It was the 225hp 289 cam. Late 302 engines are roller lifters and require a different block. GM (most) and Chrysler firing order is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 with #1 being the driver's side front Ford equivilant is 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8. Buick nail valve engines were 1-2-7-8-4-5-6-3 with #1 same as Ford the Ford equivilant is 1-5-4-8-6-3-7-2. The common GM firing order is the same as most Fords other than 351-400, 302 HO and Modulars. The Buick is the same as the flathead and Y block Fords and the modulars. The 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8 of the 351-400 and some 302 HO is unique, in GM and Chrysler numbering it would be either 1-5-6-3-4-2-7-8 with #1 on passenger side front, or 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 with #1 on the driver's side, one of which may be Cadillac 472-500 engines firing order as it is weird too.