Engine Help With H/c/i W/ Unkown Cam

[FoxMustangLvr]

Hey guys, I've googled and searched and I hope I can get a clear answer with my situation. I'm about to pull my 302 motor out of my 87 t-top. The car has gone from owner to owner etc and now I have it and have little info on what's inside it.

The story is that 2 owners ago rebuilt the engine from the bottom up, put a cam in it and bolted all the stock E7 heads and intake manifold back on. Don't know what cam it is or specs. They converted it to MAF, put a 75mm ProFlow MAF on it with stock 19lb injectors, MSD ignition, coil and full headers and exhaust blah blah blah.

What I'd like to do while the engine is out is maybe upgrade to some ported GT-40 heads, port matched explorer intake manifold and BBK 70mm TB.

How do I find out more about the cam? Do I have to remove it to find out lift/duration??? Can I keep whatever rockers I have or do I start over with new everything?

If i can save a few hundred by keeping my cam & rockers I could afford to maybe upgrade my heads to aluminum like GT-40x bare castings and have them assembled locally.

Does anyone recommend porting aluminum cylinder heads? Nobody locally has a flow bench though. My goal is OVER 300 rwhp n/a. Thanks!!
If my combo doesn't seem to match or compliment each other please let me know.

 

[Grabbin' Asphalt]

E7 heads have pedestal rockers so when looking for heads you want pedestal mounts and NOT stud mounts. Gt40s are pedestal mount Unless someone did an upgrade but stud mounts are good for crazy hp applications pretty much. Porting is normal for any racer wanting an edge. To check the cam out, you would have to turn the engine over checking valve lift on the heads on the intake and exhaust lifts but its really a long guessing game. But from the fact E7 Heads are on it, it has to be a weak cam, no one would put $$$ in springs on stock heads to add a big cam....IMO.

 

[RangerJoe]

I would tear the motor down first and see what you've got, then decide on parts. Look for part #'s or grind #'s on the cam.

Joe

 

[2000xp8]

Unless the cam is labeled with a model number, you should consider it worthless.
While i like gt40x, they are not worth porting, just put the money towards better heads if you have that much extra cash.
Gt40x heads are a great used value if you get them cheap, but NIB or bare they are totally over price.

If you buy heads that are stud mount, you can sell your rockers and come out close to equal.

Your 75mm pro m (flo) will need to be recalibrated for $100 and you will need 24lb injectors.

This type of project can get out of control fast, you have to budget for quite a bit more than you think, $100 for head gaskets, then a full gasket kit, new water pump, pump bolts when they break (and they will), arp head bolts which are a mind boggling $150.

If you are going to reach 300rwhp, i'd say without counting the basic shortblock rebuild, you are going to need 2 grand and that's with some crafty used shopping.

 

[FoxMustangLvr]

I was hoping to start buying parts before I pull the motor but to build it around the cam I already have sounds like it's not the best thing. I probably have an alphabet cam in there.

There is somebody local that is selling a complete motor with all accessories, eddy aluminum heads and intake manifold and not sure what cam and TB for $1,500 and comes with the 5spd trans too. I can probably haggle him but I need more info on whether it's a performer, rpm, etc kind. I'll get the specifics but it's the motor that was pulled out of the notchback that I just bought. I thought I didn't need the motor but the more I think about it the motor I already have may not be the best starting point. Even though I was told the motor I have was rebuilt I wouldn't bet on it being the truth and I question the quality of it.

 

[84Ttop]

My .02 cents:

If you have a motor with a good bottom end I would look for a set of aluminum heads and a new/used intake manifold. A new cam is a must in this situation simply for the matter of knowing what you have. I would never want to guess what the cam is or isn't. You could potentially leave a lot on the table this way. I would also skip the thought of buying bare heads and look for a set that is assembled. I personally can't see spending the money on GT40's but that may be just me. I have taken more than a few junk yard mystery stock bottom ends into the low 10's with a set of aluminum heads and a power adder.

 

[FoxMustangLvr]

So what brand/size aluminum heads produce the best HP/TQ for a N/A 302 that's 90% a driven street toy 10% strip.

I want to piece some stuff together here and there and most likely (to do it right) will be rebuilding next winter. I'll just use my motor for this summer as it is and start the top end all over. That's assuming my bottom end checks out to be good enough to keep.

 

[2000xp8]

Best for the money, tw's.
Best period, probably afr 165's.

Now and then you will see TW's for $999 which is a great deal.

Good for cheap used prices gt40x or edelbrock rpms.

 

[84Ttop]

I'm partial to Trickflow heads and have never been an AFR fan although they do work well.

 

[2000xp8]

I'm partial to Trickflow heads and have never been an AFR fan although they do work well.

I was too.
Then a combo consisting of box stock 165's on a stock 302 made upwards of 350rwhp at my buddy's shop. The number may have even topped 360, just can't remember right now.

 

[84Ttop]

^^ Impressive for a head with a 1.94 intake valve!

 

[2000xp8]

^^ Impressive for a head with a 1.94 intake valve!

I think the rest was an rpmII intake, 30's with a 9omm pro m or DBX, 75mm TB and a custom cam.
I had seen similar ones before this car in the 330's and 340's, but nothing crack 350.