Ideal 302 Roller Block Year?

68conv4sp · Jan 6, 2010

Please correct me if I'm wrong. I think that the 89 5.0 roller may be an excellent platform because it has the roller cam, forged pistons, and basic EFI. Is there a better year block/engine to start a 302 or 331 build?

shoguun · Jan 6, 2010

i think its like 87 to 91 or 93. im not sure. mines a 91

68conv4sp · Jan 6, 2010

Hmm, another question: What are the external tell tale signs that a motor has been rebuilt? i don't want to get it and open it up to find that it has been everbored 30 or 40 thousandths.

tx65coupe · Jan 6, 2010

To the best of my knowledge, its 87-93.

88gt · Jan 6, 2010

68conv4sp said:
Hmm, another question: What are the external tell tale signs that a motor has been rebuilt? i don't want to get it and open it up to find that it has been everbored 30 or 40 thousandths.

umm..don't buy it w/o opening it up first. If they won't let you open it up...walk away...quickly.

D.Hearne · Jan 6, 2010

The roller blocks are all the same from 87 to 2001. The rods were revised in 91 or so and aren't quite as strong as the 68-90's (C8OE rods) I've personally seen two 90's motors with broken rods, rods not the bolts. Forged pistons are not a requirement for a perfomance build. And chances are any blocks you find now after 10-20 years will need a rebuild. Factory reman motors usually have a metal tag riveted to the outside that lists the overbore and crank undersize

68conv4sp · Jan 6, 2010

Good point. Since it will likely need a rebuild, the pistons are not going to be reused. The rods might be, right?

D.Hearne · Jan 7, 2010

68conv4sp said:
Good point. Since it will likely need a rebuild, the pistons are not going to be reused. The rods might be, right?

Not if you're going to stroke it.

htwheelz67 · Jan 7, 2010

I may be wrong but I thought they are all the same from 85-93, all I know is every 5.0 I have seen opened up and late 5.8,s show very little cylinder wear my 94 5.8 block came from a van with over 200k on the clock and I could have just honed it. I'm thinking late 80's mid 90's blocks must have a higher nickel content or something even chevy's in those years have almost no cylinder wear BUT maybe its because most of those cars came equipped with OD trannies?

D.Hearne · Jan 7, 2010

The 85 blocks have 4 pounds less iron in em than the 86-up blocks.The extra iron was added to the decks and bore bottoms to strengthen these areas. The lesser wear is due to the switch to low tension ring assemblies. Ford blocks always were harder in the bores than Chevy blocks. Just a better iron alloy used.

htwheelz67 · Jan 8, 2010

you learn something new every day no matter how hard you try not to..........

Red5oh · Jan 8, 2010

The blocks prior to 92 were forged from the factory. 92+ were the hyperutectics (sp?) The blocks would be the same if you are planning on a full rebuild though.

D.Hearne · Jan 8, 2010

Red5oh said:
The blocks prior to 92 were forged from the factory. 92+ were the hyperutectics (sp?) The blocks would be the same if you are planning on a full rebuild though.

Forged blocks ? Forged pistons, yea, but only in the HO motors and 99% of those will need replacing now after twenty years.

Red5oh · Jan 9, 2010

My bad... pistons... its a little hard to read my writing. Otherwise all is good.

You will be surprised on how long those things last... especially under the 100k mark. Over that, replace it all.

Ideal 302 Roller Block Year?

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