Well let me first say that my original "bad" buy isn't so bad as I look into it more. what was a gt 350 clone with a bad rings and a few bad frame spots. is really a 66 fastback original 4 sp car with the original motor and trans and on top of that it I got the title back and it has 74000 original mile. So i am much happier about my ford now. However brings me to motor I will be rebuilding the original to its original condition, so in the mean time i will be putting in another motor. My question is one is there a differanc e between the 302 and 289 in my original post a guy said there is only a harmonic balancer differance is that is? and can i go with a 87 or newer rollar motor? i see alot of them around. thanks

Joe

[IMG]local://upfiles/15479/6967C7515F8C496D8BCA9A5CFBF8E9F5.jpg[/IMG]

 

I don't know the diff. between a 289 and 302 except 4 cu. in. I think the stroke is lil shorter or something too. as for putting a roller engine in there's no prob. with that. A roller engine only changes the heads, cam, tappets, and rockers; it has nothing to do with the block so all the mounts and what not should be the same.

 

I've been following your post's regarding your engine problem. Have you done a compression test? If it's good, you may just need a new set of valve seals. If it's the original motor, and it's never been rebuilt, they are probably hard and cracked. I've seen them actually break apart and partially block the oil returns causing the oil to puddle in the head and cause alot of smoke when hot. Just throwing it out there.

 

well thare is a coupple difffernaces mostly inside the block . 66 is close to when they changed the bolt pattern on the back of the block from 5 to 6 bolts . all 302 are a 6 bolt pattern and all 260CID and lower arre 5 bolt . 289 is the olny windsor block that has 5 & 6 bolt bellhouseing pattern

from the top of the motor to the top of the starter on the passanger side thare olny 2 bolts on a 5bolt bell houseing and 3 on a 6 bolt bellhousing

B/W
keep the 66 heads they will bolt to the 302 . the newer roller blocks have *** for heads the 66 289 are way better for proformanace than the post 1970's . you will gain a full point in compression with the older head

 

Are you sure about the starter bolt numbers? IIRC, the only early Ford motors I've seen three a bolt starter on is an FE or maybe a six.

 

The 289 and the 302 share the same block. The only real difference is the stroke. The 289 is 4.00x2.87 and the 302 is 0.130 longer stroke.

 

Not the bolts in the starter, the bellhouing bolts above the starter . 2 = 5 bolt bell & 3 = 6 bolt bell

 

Sorry, I misunderstood.

 

Basic physics indicates that the 302 has a little more performance potential. The additional 13 cubic inches that come from the increase stroke length will yeild more torque. I'd go with a 302.

 

Im not sure,maybe someone can clear this up. I heard that the earlier 302 (69-73) were the strongest of the years and much stronger then a 289 block. It has something to do with cylinder wall thickness. The 289's cylinder is not not that thick and can not take as much heat. Again, i heard this from many places and people but do not know this for sure.