Engine Do I have a 302 or 302 HO??

93CalypsoConvert

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Nov 26, 2020
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Hello, I'm having a hard time determining what engine I have. I bought my 1993 fox with a swapped 5.0 from 2.3. Previous owner built the 5.0 but neither he or I really know if it is a 302 or 302 HO. It a 302 block with short lifter bores and runs flat tappets, but it uses the 302 HO firing order. Was there such a thing as a standard 302 with a HO firing order? I'm at a loss here.
 
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Was this a discussion with you on an earlier thread?
Some google foo:
 
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The camshaft determines the firing order. That isn't a 5.0H.O. if it has flat tappets. It could be an older 302 block...or a 289. Converting to roller rockers would free up some power....but if it runs it runs.
 
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Was this a discussion with you on an earlier thread?
Some google foo:
No, that wasn't me.
 
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The short block is essentially the same other than the pistons. You need to look at the parts bolted to the short block to determine what

There's a number of posts in this thread that tell how to identify what you have on your engine. Give it a good read and then head out to the car and ID parts. Anything additional, ask away.

 
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If the firing order is same as 302 HO and has hydraulic flat tappet lifters, this is likely a non-HO block (HO block will have threaded holes in center of valley for roller rocker retainer) with a 351W cam.
 
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1982 was the first year of the 5.0 HO engine in the Mustang. This engine was available in the Lincoln Mark VII for the 1984 model year. It used a flat tappet cam with the 351W firing order thru the end of the 1984 models. It was essentially a standard 302 with a firing order change.

To answer your question, yes, there is such a thing as a flat tappet 5.0. If it didn't originally come from a 1982-1984 Mustang or 1984 Mark VII then you don't have an original HO engine. Originality is not normally a big concern in a car converted from a 4-banger.
 
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Mark VII did not get H.O. 5.0L until 1987, and not all of them in 1987 had it. Some still had the S.O. 5.0L in 1987.

H.O. 5.0L came in..
1982-86 Mercury Capri*
1982-95 Ford Mustang*
1987-92 Lincoln Mark VII
1991-93 Mercury Cougar
1991-93 Ford Thunderbird

*1982-84 carb, and 1984-85 CFI, H.O. 5.0L Capri and Mustang had flat-tappet camshaft
 
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