I built a long rod 302. 6.250" rods, 3.00" L99 crank, 4.000 bore block. Put it under TFS195 heads with 11.1 to1 compression. This thing runs all day on 91 octane and never pings. It gets better gas milage than the 305 did. Idles smooth with a 264 duration cam and puts 250 lbs torque on the tires from 2000-5500 rpm's with 230 hp on the tires. I still have the stock intake, prom and muffler on it. Next spring I'm planning a mini ram, custom prom and new exhaust. If I loose a little bottom end it's ok it's a 6 speed. I am having a hard time finding anyone who can really understand how to burn a prom for this. Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

Sounds like a poor plan.... I have a 305 with considerably less compression than your proposed combo, the stock computer-controlled carb and dist and the AIR and cat and everything still on it, runs on 87 octane, got 21½ mpg on the highway the other day with the A/C on most of the time, that puts down both more HP and torque than that. I'd recommend not spending THAT MUCH MONEY to go THAT SLOW.

Whenever you build this, with as MUCH MONEY as it's going to cost, I'd suggest adding $200 for some PROM burning equipment. You won't notice it in the middle of ALL THAT MONEY you're going to be spending to go THAT SLOW. And you'll get a whole lot better results than thinking you're going to call somebody up and "order" a chip that will magically cure all your problems.

Check out the PROM forum on this site, spend alot of time reading and digesting what's there before you start on this project, there's plenty of people there who have EXPERIENCE with these things.

After you acquire and install your 6-speed, if it's going to be a T-56, you'll realize that its first gear is quite a bit less gear than a T-5 or a 700; it's something around 2.65:1, where the T-5 is 2.95:1 for the lowest geared V8 one, or 3.something in the 700. You don't eliminate the need for low-end torque by adding overdrive gears.

All in all, I'd recommend reconsidering your combo. It's not a very efficient use of ALL THAT MONEY.

 

I had to buy pistons, get a crank done and get the block machined anyway. I did the math between a 305 rebuild and the 302 and I was only out about 300 more. I had to get the bottom end balanced and the block decked extra that would not have been needed with the 305. The pistons are 6.00" rod length 350 pistons so they wern't expensive and with .015 off the block came to zero deck hieght. Actually I was surprised at how little the difference was. Oh I also had the crank radiused for duability which I would have done anyway with the 305. The entire nature of the engine is different though. It is more playful. Revs free to 7000rpm's and throttle response is fantastic. The only problem I have is the stock tuned port runs out at 5500rpm. This I will fix with an intake change and since it is no longer a daily driver I don't mind the change in drivability. What I will enjoy is the Mustang owners not beleiving it is only a 302. I'm tired of them wining about chevy's bigger engines. I obviuosly didn't build this for maximum HP. I could have and might some day go to a big inch engine. But for now, noone says "that's been done to death"

 

To each thier own. I personally wouldnt spend that much money to go slow.

 

I'd be cool if you go some custom valve covers that said "Peter Built", i take it your name is Peter.

 

Isn't it "Peterbilt?" Or is that a pun on your behalf?

As far as the 302 is concerned, revving and what not, the engine is a big pump in many ways. The engines ability to rev basically boils down to it's ability to move air in and out in the most efficient manner. Build an engine correctly and any cid can rev to the moon. So that part is negated really.

I also agree with the power part as oh so emphasized by RB83L69. You could be making well into the 400's with a 350 based platform. TF heads are good heads. They can easily supply a 350 to about 6500 or so.

 

Hey... Ya might as well enjoy your 302 as long as it's built and in your car, running.
As a noob to the boards, you probably weren't aware til now that there are some combos that are more popular than others.
Any combo less than 350ci falls into the unpopular category.
Just change your screen name to BlackSheep and have fun driving your car.

 

blacksheep has probably been used
peter is not my name peter315 is a verse from the bible that says,'be prepared to give an account for what you believe'
I believe when I get the right manifold on this and the proper timing curve in it it will run in the 12's. the other guy says he is doing as much power as me with a 305 but he is probably close to the end of his power options. I believe there is another 75-100 ponies in this motor. And I believe it would be boring to do what everybody else does, put a big motor in and spin the tires all the time with bottom end torque. not that there is anything wrong with that.

 

You may be right; but "the other guy" has some old stock 64cc heads that give a little under 9:1 CR, not $1000 worth of aftermarket ones and 11:1. I should certainly hope your combo has a little left in it.

Incidentally, the numbers I gave you, were through the stock cat-back too; except it had a Dynomax muffler on it at the time. It has since fallen apart and had to be replaced, and I used a 3" system, so it probably does a couple more HP than it did before. And, I have a 6-speed in my car, so I'm quite familiar with them.

You'll love the MiniRam though. Everybody I know that's used one, has got HUGE HP increases. It's definitely money well spent. It's a shame it took GM so long to catch up, with the LT1 intake coming out a couple of years after the MiniRam, and basically the same design.

And, someday I might change out the stock computer-controlled Q-Jet and all that, too; I built this motor strictly as a California emissions package (which it easily passed), not for power, and I don't live there any more. I took out a far stronger one, which was getting around to needing serious refreshment anyway, and someday that one will probably go back in, in some shape or form yet to be fully determined.

 

I feel for you with those CA restrictions. I've heard of guys that passed the smog test and failed visual. They have it tough out there when you polute less and fail anyway. I'm glad you are free from that. I'll let you know in the spring how the mini ram turns out, until then happy motoring.