Stock short block vs 306

[rw95gt]

Trying to decide what I want to do with my short block. My engine is currently stock tb to pan and runs great. No smoke, no oil consumption. It does have a bunch of miles on it. Not sure how many but at least 120k. The odometer stopped working before I bought the car. I know it has the hyper pistons and with the miles I was considering rebuilding it with good forged pistons, arp main cap bolts and rod bolts using the stock crank and rods. I feel like the rebuild will give me a little insurance with the hci setup in planning and a boost in compression. This will be a NA car. It will costs around 1200-1500 with machine work and parts to do this. BUT I also feel like my engine is healthy why not just put hci on my factory short block? Thoughts? Will I be throwing money a way to rebuild what seems like a healthy 302?


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[CC'S95GT]

first 120k isn't a lot of miles. I have 220k+ on my stock block and I'm going on a 10hour round trip drive this weekend.\

IMO get an explorer short block and build that with the HCI while you drive the car. That's what I'm doing.
What are your HP goals?

 

[rw95gt]

Goals for the engine are 300-330rwhp/rwtq with decent street manners. Nothing crazy. Afm cam, tfs heads, ported Cobra intake. Those parts are ordered or I have already.

I like the idea of getting another engine to use for the build so I could still drive the car. Although I would rather use the engine in the car because I know it's in good running order. I'm leaning towards moving forward with rebuilding the short block. Just seems like the right thing to do considering the money spent on the top end.

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[BigBore96]

Personally I would go ahead and throw the HCI onto that engine and enjoy it. Especially if you know it's in pretty good shape. Forging the internals for your goals IMO would be pointless unless the motor popped and you were rebuilding it anyway and needed to buy new internals.

 

[copmagnet]

Why get.forged pistons but reuse stock rods? Is this a common pushrod thing?

 

[rw95gt]

The stock rods and crank are relatively strong. The block will give usually before the crank or rods. The factory rod bolts take a bunch of abuse and can stretch. As long as good rod bolts are used in the factory rods they can handle a good amount of abuse.

I forgot to mention I will be spraying the car. 125-175 shot with a stand alone fuel system at some point. I have a complete system ready to go on at some point.

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[Jgehret]

The factory rods are forged. The crank is cast. I ran 3 seasons with my HCI 306 in my 93 LX. Spraying 125 every run. The car ran consistent 10.80's and is still living in my wife's 90 lx without the spray

The engine was a stock block, crank, rods, .030 kb hyper pistons, f303 cam edelbrock performer 5.0 heads with 2.02/160 valves, cobra roller rockers, 24lb injectors, Holley systemax, 75mm maf and tbody. Centerforce dual friction clutch, ram billet aluminum flywheel, faceplated T5, 4.10s with a spool, lots and lots of team z suspension, and strange 10 ways at all four corners.


In short, bolt your HCI on, find an oldschool Motorsport rev extender and spray it

 

[rw95gt]

I guess the main concern I have are the factory rod bolts and nitrous on hyper pistons and the condition of the rings.

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[DavidBoren]

Rebuild it. Fresh pistons/rings and ARP bolts definitely won't hurt anything. It's a little insurance before adding the juice. Sounds like a good build. Let us know what you decide to do.

 

[BLWNBYU]

I have NEVER in all my years heard that 5.0 rods are forged

 

[rw95gt]

Yep, forged rods and cast crank.

I think I would be fine just bolting my parts on my stock short block but it would make me worry a little more on spray. Seen some crazy stock short block combos and some very basic stock short block combos in pieces. I still can't decide. Lucky me I'm in no rush.

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[RichV]

Don't be a pussy, HCI and spray it. These motors have lasted with a lot more, even tho they are not supposed to.

Make sure the oiling is good, and the tune is not lean, and go have fun.

 

[Jgehret]

I have NEVER in all my years heard that 5.0 rods are forged

Look a little harder. All 289/302 factory rods are forged. I can't speak for the 351w tho

 

[castine917]

Stock block is the gamble. Save money from buying forged parts for a stock block that could still cost you all those forged parts. Expect to maybe need to buy another block and stash some money for that.

 

[spank 141]

Put the parts on what you have spray the hell out of it until it blows. In the mean time build a stroker short block.

 

[rw95gt]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm going to do a compression check and if it checks out ok I will move forward with the stock short block. Should have all my parts besides push rods this week!

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