Building an engine can be a pain in the ass.

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Evadman

Administrator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
Feb 18, 2001
30,990
5
81
I think you are just plain going to have to have a set machined for your application notfred. it is not THAT expensive to machine a .060 dish.
 

Kadarin

Lifer
Nov 23, 2001
44,296
16
81
Tyler, you're only running about 6psi; I tend to think you'd be fine with stock configuration forged flattops. You should only go the low-compression route if you plan on upping the boost.
 

Ronstang

Lifer
Jul 8, 2000
12,493
18
81
Originally posted by: Tyler
I swear I hear something different from every person I talk to about this motor....

You do what you want and listen to who you want. All I can say is that I have owned Mustangs since 1979 and have PROBABLY built more Ford 302 engines that anyone on this board and I have extensive experience with blown and other high performance Ford engines. I'm not saying this qualifies me for anything but an opinion but I am definitely not one of rice boy wannabees that populate this board with advise based on ZERO experience. I know what works on blown engnes because I have personally built them. Your CR is fine. If you go down on the CR you will lose power and not gain much piece of mind. Please investigate your fuel system before making a bad engine decision that you will be stuck with for a long time.
 

notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
38,241
4
0
Originally posted by: Ronstang
Originally posted by: Tyler
I swear I hear something different from every person I talk to about this motor....

You do what you want and listen to who you want. All I can say is that I have owned Mustangs since 1979 and have PROBABLY built more Ford 302 engines that anyone on this board and I have extensive experience with blown and other high performance Ford engines. I'm not saying this qualifies me for anything but an opinion but I am definitely not one of rice boy wannabees that populate this board with advise based on ZERO experience. I know what works on blown engnes because I have personally built them. Your CR is fine. If you go down on the CR you will lose power and not gain much piece of mind. Please investigate your fuel system before making a bad engine decision that you will be stuck with for a long time.

It's not jsut people on this board, it's people like you who've built lots of these, people who run machine shops, people who own high performance places, etc.

I think I'm going to do what you said and just go with something 9.0:1. (not that 8.7:1 is really that much lower) I've already planned to redo the fuel system.
 

Gillbot

Lifer
Jan 11, 2001
28,830
17
81
Check with JE or Diamond Pistons and get a set from them. Alot of times they will sell a special set at regular set cost.
 

notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
38,241
4
0
I was going to throw an adjustable fuel pressure regulator and pressure gauge on it, put a 255lph in tank pump in, then throw it on the dyno and see if holds enough pressure (I plan on keeping the FMU). If fuel flow is inadequate with that setup, I'd add an inline fuel pump. I've known plenty of people who've made the kind of power I'm expecting using the stock fuel lines, so I don't think that will be a problem.
 

Ronstang

Lifer
Jul 8, 2000
12,493
18
81
BTW, for a mild 6 PSI engine the TRW Forged 302 flat top piston w/valve reliefs might be a good option. I use the 289 counterparts of these pistons in my Shelby and I can spin that engine over 7500 RPMs, and with the webber carbs my engine makes more than 300HP and I have enjoyed good reliability with these slugs. I did pull the engine apart at 15K and they looked brand new. Remeber, with forced induction and detonation even a $600 set of JE pistons (I do like JE pistons btw) will melt like butter in the microwave under sustained detonation.
 

Marshallj

Platinum Member
Mar 26, 2003
2,326
0
76
Originally posted by: Tyler
Originally posted by: bob332
check out JE Pistons look on the 2nd page where it shows the inverted dome pistons. looks like you could get 8.4 or less with a 64cc head.

Those do look like they'd work, but they're definitely not cheap. Over $600/set.


That IS cheap!

I'd be lucky if I can get pistons for my car for $600
 

dmcowen674

No Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
54,889
47
91
www.alienbabeltech.com
Originally posted by: Legendary
Hell I trust him and I'm not even building an engine. :D
*referring to Ronstang*

Me too. I built a 302 from scratch back in 1984 (Had a new block delievered from Detroit).

Ronstang is on the mark.

I miss that car. I painted it super Glossy Black with Craiger Chrome tires, small in the front, fat in the back, hugged the road and left a lot of cars in the dust. At the time I was on leading edge Technology with double synced dual Capacitance High Voltage Ignition. Also disabled the mechanical Fuel Pump and put a dual high pressure electric pump system feeding a quad carb. Exhaust Headers were replaced with Open Headers. I had a valve welded in the middle of each pipe to either send the exhaust through a Muffler (City and Neighborhood driving) or bypass the muffler for open road or going to the Firehouse at full speed (I was a Fireman in NY for 8 years).

When I filled it 110 octane either Racing fuel from Islip speedway (Old Nascar short track now an Industrial Building complex :( ) or 110 Aviation fuel from Republic Airport in Farmingdale you can see blue flames out of the pipe when I decelerated.

Guess you can say I was an original Ricer? :D

 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Originally posted by: Legendary
Hell I trust him and I'm not even building an engine. :D
*referring to Ronstang*

Me too. I built a 302 from scratch back in 1984 (Had a new block delievered from Detroit).

Ronstang is on the mark.

I miss that car. I painted it super Glossy Black with Craiger Chrome tires, small in the front, fat in the back, hugged the road and left a lot of cars in the dust. At the time I was on leading edge Technology with double synced dual Capacitance High Voltage Ignition. Also disabled the mechanical Fuel Pump and put a dual high pressure electric pump system feeding a quad carb. Exhaust Headers were replaced with Open Headers. I had a valve welded in the middle of each pipe to either send the exhaust through a Muffler (City and Neighborhood driving) or bypass the muffler for open road or going to the Firehouse at full speed (I was a Fireman in NY for 8 years).

When I filled it 110 octane either Racing fuel from Islip speedway (Old Nascar short track now an Industrial Building complex :( ) or 110 Aviation fuel from Republic Airport in Farmingdale you can see blue flames out of the pipe when I decelerated.

Guess you can say I was an original Ricer? :D

What does the octane of the fuel have to do with what you see out of the exhaust pipe? :p