302 teardown

I have the same basic setup Chris.I also have a 600 I'm rebuilding so I can try it out too. Since you already have the 450,why not just trying it? It's always easy to change. Mine was sure running fine last weekend,with JBear and Eddie in the back, it was moving right along

877-369-6693

Well I've decided to use the stock crank on this one. If I could do it all over again, I would have gotten a seasoned one piece block and gone the stroker route.

Does anyone have suggestions on clearances when we put this thing back together? (Joe)

Joe, thanks for the heads up. Like Billy said, looks like I need to go on a search for a seasoned block with a 1 piece seal and order some more parts from Race City Marine

We haven't ordered a crank yet so if anyone has suggestions... I'll take them! I've heard an Eagle crank is the way to go but any numbers and corresponding parts would be helpful.

Right now my only concern is that we've already magnifluxed my block, bored it out and it's sitting ready to be built. I'll have to talk to John and see if I can barter my old block with him? Unless someone here has a need for a freshly bored 302 block so I can get my money out of it? If I can work something out so I don't loose too much money I'll be full speed ahead with a stroker, if not I may have reconsider and wait till my next project to build a stroker?

Yeah what Reid said and newer crank sometimes also means new flywheel and balencer...

Thanks Joe! Just got confirmation that it is in fact a 2 piece block. I guess our options at this point are

1. get a crank with no wick lines and use a bidirectional seal
2. grind off the LH lines and redo with RH lines
3. new one piece block with Reid's seal

When redoing the lines, how much clearance do you have before you start changing the size of the crank drastically?

TRBenj wrote: I bet if you throw those seals in the for sale section here you might sell a few... there always seems to be a market for impossible to find parts. Just make sure you keep a few on hand, just in case!

Reid, I've got dibs on one of them!

I didn't think those new stroker cranks came with any wick lines at all . But if Chris or anyone else with a one-piece 302 needs a RR rear seal, I've got them, as I believe we had 25 made in order to get a decent price break, and like Tim said they were for the 347 we had built. I'll probably be stuck with them for years to come.

No real updates on the motor progress other than the heads coming in and getting ready to order pistons.

I've had several good talks with Reid and Billy in the last couple weeks. I can't thank these guys, and all the help from you guys here on the site, enough as I would be either lost, broke down or still ticking away with out you all.

I have a question on rear main oil seals. Does my (1978) 302 have a 1 piece or 2 piece oil seal? After talking with Billy, he informed me that you cannot find them for a RR 302. He suggested going to a junk yard a buying an old seasoned 302 with a 1 piece seal.

I'm not opposed to doing this but want to make sure it's necessary. We've already done the work to my block so it'd save me the 100 bucks for the seasoned block and the cost of having work done to the seasoned block.

This is where I get in a little over my head, so any information on this from a 302 standpoint would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

Pete, that was one of my concerns before. I think your right and the 331 will be plenty of boat for what were going to use it for.

Looks like we found the correct colors thanks to Critter.

Chris,
Go for the 331. I drove Billy's a couple years ago at GL and trust me, it was enough engine to say the least!!!

Also, I feel it has a higher level of reliability.

That green looks great! So who has the info for the very dark blue to go with it. I'm trying to do the one in JMurph's orange Promo to take to the SJRR.

Chris, not much else to say other than !

Send some of that warm weather out east, will ya?

Well I am back from a week of work in Vegas and got to enjoy some beautiful weather here in Iowa working on the boats. I started by taking some detergent water and scrubbing the bilge since the motor and trans are out. What a difference some elbow grease makes! I'll have to snap some pictures when I get home tonight to show the results.

On the motor end, I should be seeing the heads today or tomorrow. I was hoping they would come in on Friday but I guess we can wait another couple days. Once these are in we'll order pistons and get a stroker kit picked out. I'm still torn between a 331 and 347 but I've done some reading and am leaning toward a 331, nothing final at this point.

While I'm waiting to get the motor back I figured I would start getting the Trans and misc parts ready for paint. I need to find some high temp green like Keegan used to get the mainfolds back to the original green, As for the motor itself, I am probably going to go back to the Dark blue and keep it more original looking.

Keeganino wrote: Stripped all the black paint off the manis and got some painting done today. Back to original green.

More images to come tonight.

Happy Valentines day!

my comment was geared towards stroking that 302 to a 347, not throwing in the towel and going with a 351, it was more or less if your going to stroke, stroke it..I road in a couple 347 mustangs (cars) well worth the efforts....lottsa low end torque