Hey Guys, I'm Lance I've followed the forum for quite some time and have always enjoyed learning along with you guys and spunging up the information. This is my first time posting and It's a pleasure to meet everybody. I'm working on a Model A tudor project right now and I've dropped a 5.0 302 (non-HO) from an 88 Mercury Cougar in with a c-6 three speed automatic. I've got multiple projects going on at the moment so I'm trying to keep this fairly budget friendly until I can focus my full attention on her for the long haul, but getting her on the road as a cruiser (possibly semi-daily driver haha, how could I not, I'm 27). I've decided to go with a two barrel 2100 setup and throw back v-belt up front. I've got the pully set up and correct rotation water pump. Egr (or whatever the hell those needless things on the back of the heads are contained). I'm about to make a run to the scrap yard and pick up an old alternator for and regulator for the time being to finish up the front of the motor. I'm going with a duraspark II ignition system and fabricated the wiring harness a few years ago. I have the older duraspark dizzy in place and in time, but I'm sure it's got the incorrect cam gear for the hardened roller cam (I would imagine the engine has one, 88 EFI 5.0 Non-HO turned Carb) My question is, they made the full roller blocks with the hardened cam for years (up to 95 I think in some trucks, 94 I know in mustangs) before going to that modular piece of crap. Would the Dizzy gear out of a stock dizzy from one of these Real engines be interchangeable with my older Dura Electro Pickup Coil Distributor? Thanks in advance for any help guys - Lance.
Just buy a new gear from Summit racing they are not expensive. That way you don't have to guess and waste your time when you could be doing something else.
Maybe, maybe not.... Ford used two different shaft diameters in their V8 distributors; a .467" shaft in the 221-302 motors, and a .531" in everything else (including the roller cam '5.0'). Only the .531" shaft version came from the factory with the steel gear when needed. You can buy a 'conversion' steel gear for the smaller shaft distributor, Summit, Ford Motorsports, and others sell them.
Hello Lance! First off, you should make a proper introduction before some Old-Timer rips you. Tradition. Second, sounds like they got the right idea about the gear. What I learned with my 302 was those Egr bolt on tubes on the back of the heads, just cut off the tube & plug the little block with JB weld, then use some silicone & bolt it back on. Mine ran fine without it. If you use an altinater with an internal regulator don't use a external regulator as well. One or the other but not both. It will start & run fine with both hooked up but you won't be able to kill the engine even with the key removed unless you pull the connection to the external regulator. The other thing is that Duraspark II dizzy can be easily hooked up to a GM HEI 4-pin ignition module for a easy, low maintenance ignition system. I'd like to see pictures of your pulley set up & your wiring harness. Thanks.
You could also just get a rebuilt Duraspark distributor from the parts store. Part number 302831 has the hardened gear on it and will plug right in to your harness/ignition box. It's for an '85 Mustang GT w/ manual trans. Should be around $50 + core. Malcolm
Buy a distributor for an 85 Mustang GT with a 5 speed. There are Dura Spark II with the steel gear already installed.
Well I didn't rip him and I'm the only one that counts. Besides he is very respectful which is more then you can say for the 'beaner. Man I just priced distributer gears, they are all over the board price wise. looks like you can get one for a billet cam for about 50 bucks new. if that helps.
When Ford came out with the roller cam engine they did 3 things to tell a roller block from a standard block. 88 could be either 1. The quickest way to tell if the engine is out is a 1 piece rear seal. If you take the timing cover off and it has a double roller chain it's a roller block and in the lifter valley will have the lifter retainers.
Being a non HO, are you sure it has a roller cam? I wouldn't bet on it without checking. It may be a roller block, but it is probably like my 94 F150 and has a flat tappet cam.
Thanks Everyone for the warm welcome and the much needed information. You gentleman have all helped me greatly and to answer a few questions, I just assumed being that late model of fuel injected 5.0 that it was a roller engine. I would venture to guess that it probably isn't, however now that everything's in place I would prefer not to tear into it to know for certain. The distributor that's currently in it has seen better days and from looking around price's on the net, I think I would be better off just picking up a new one from the parts store than buying a replacement gear. I'll definitely be grabbing one up from an 85 GT Standard, but just to be safe and run it past everybody - this gear should be safe for Either roller Or flat tappet correct? As for the EGR's on the back of the heads I cut the tubes and leaded them in, I did at one point have a GM "one-wire" alternator bolted up but wound up robbing it off for my 67 mustang coup (blasphemy I know, but now I can drive that car everyday). I wound up shimming out the water pump pulley about a 1/4" and flipped the aftermarket alternator bracket 180 degree to sit down and to the right as opposed to up and to the left. I had it mocked up with a belt and all the geometry worked out well running only alternator/water pump/crank pulley. Thanks again guys for all the help - websites like these are perfect for guys like us. If there is a more appropriate place for me to introduce myself as a newbie to the forum I would be much obliged if pointed in the right direction. I'll do my best to get some pic's up as soon as I can - Work's kept me pretty busy the last week or so - Just thankful summer's here. - Lance
Nope.... The roller cams are steel, flat tappet cams are iron and you MUST use the matching gear or the mismatch WILL eat the distributor gear and/or gear on the cam, and maybe put enough crap into the motor to kill it. The only gear type safe on both is an aftermarket bronze gear, and they don't last long either but the soft bronze particles it will shed are relatively harmless. All this is discussed here: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...-for-347-stroker-wtf-did-this-dude-do.978014/
You're going to have to take a look and see if it has roller lifters, sorry. All later blocks are roller compatible, but only Mustangs, Capris and Explorers and Mountaineers have roller cams.
Turns out she's a hydraulic lifter Non - H.O. 302 This is out of an 88 Mercury Cougar - Standard firing order Some definite board wisdom here. A+++ Guys. 85 GT Standard Dizzy here I come!
Ok, here's the Dizzy I just got in and some parts store pick up's. She was $64 and some change for a 1985 Mustang GT (Standard Transmission) Distributor from Spectra Premium or Ignition & Engine Management Solutions/Richporter Technology Oreilly Part # FD30 http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d...=Search_02780_1133761_4036&pt=02780&ppt=C0334 This looks like a great product. Steel gear and very well re-manufactured - no core charge (so I get to keep my old one for the flat tappet 302 sittin in the corner hehe). Comes with both distributor cap types (large and small) new with a rotor bug for each. The O-rings and wiring harness look good, bearings feel great and it's got that beautiful new (and functioning) vacuum advance. The vacuum advance seems really stiff, and I can hear the diaphragm doing it's job. To be honest I don't know anything about it so I'm sure I'll have more questions to ask For instance - what port on the intake (or carb? wouldn't think so) do you plumb your vacuum line for the advance hose. Where do you hook it up? I'll do my best to get some pic's up after I get her stabbed and everything tied up this evening
We're getting everything buttoned back up. Any tips on how to run the positive crank case vacuum with aftermarket tappet covers like this? I have a line run to the edelbrock on my 351w and just a breather on the other side, will two breathers be ok? A good vacuum diagram of fords simplest set up would be nice to find.
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