need help deciding on what cam i should get for my mexican block 302

[the.dman20]

I just recently bought (and when I mean recently I mean today) and also this is my first engine rebuild EVER, but anywayS I bought a 302 block that almost comes with everything (but not with connecting rods) but I'm wanting to bore it out .030 over and I'm gonna need some new piston heads, a new cam, flat tappet rollers, pushrods, rocker arms, valve springs, etc. But I just wanted to ask for anybody's opinion to see what would work with my block. I'm also gonna run stock heads for a while until I get enough money to buy some
BluePrint Engines Muscle Series Cylinder Heads, and also would stock heads work with everything I'm wanting too?

 

[General karthief]

Kinda not enough info but lets start with what you got, first thing I would do is take it to a machine shop to get it checked for cracks and stuff to see if it is worth rebuilding.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Really not enough info. Need more of a detailed parts list, vehicle weight, transmission, and your expected use. Is this going to be a high RPM race motor? or a low RPM street car that needs excellent idle characteristics?

Spring pressure on those heads looks relatively weak, so it will limit your cam options, or you can change them out for springs with a little more seat pressure to use a more aggressive cam profile. You wouldn't be able to use it with stock heads however.

Cam should be the last component you purchase once you know all your other engine vitals. I'd also assemble the motor with the final heads you plan to use so you don't need to compromise on the cam to make it work with stock heads.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Sounds like a can of worms to me...

Before you go down the path, understand that you are going to use a flat tappet cam. Whether that be a solid lifter piece, or a hydraulic lifter version instead, a flat tappet cam has a critical break in period that occurs immediately after start up. Once the engine fires, it HAS to run for at least 20 minutes at RPM’s above 2500. That usually requires that you have everything dialed in close enough for the engine to be able to run at that rpm w/o getting hot.
Research flat tappet cam break in, and the required additive that you’ll need for the first start up, because something done wrong that causes a cam failure ultimately results in the entire engine needing to be redone, because the metal debris that comes off of the failing cam lobes and lifter(s) that are now eating themselves is also circulating back through the engine.
The way around that is to either use a known combination that you know will start and run from the jump, to know what you’re doing, and what to expect, or convert that engine to a retro-fit roller cam that won’t require a break in period.

You said it comes with everything, minus rods, but you intend bore the engine. You do not know it needs that until a machine shop tells you that it does. If it does, that will require a piston purchase. So now you are minus both rods, and pistons. Once you stick pistons and rods that are different than what originally came on the crank, you should consider having everything weight matched ( balanced). $$$$ it all starts snowballing from here.
All this goes to say that your recent purchase may end up costing you far more than you think. A first time engine rebuild should be done to an existing engine, or a complete engine at the very least. A newer 5.0 engine will be injected, it will have a roller cam that doesn’t have the break-in period hurdle, and you’ll have everything that came off the engine so that you won’t be hunting obscure brackets and pullies trying to make accessories fit.
A joy 5.0 is still out there although it’s getting more and more harder to find. My advice for you is to ditch the pieces parts, and find yourself a complete 5.0 running engine instead of what you currently have.

 

[7991LXnSHO]

The best advice you are getting is find a good machine shop to start (or get a good take out engine.)
I will never again buy ever something from Blueprint Engines, formerly known as Marshall Engines. As much as I’d like to support a hometown business, I will not trust their work again. I bought a reman. E-7 long block that smoked worse than the engine it replaced. They had so poorly knurled and fit the valve guides that the valves had side play. And the even with less than 50 miles, I could get no help from the warranty.

 

[Mustang5L5]

That’s funny because the Factory Five guys practically worship Blueprint, but I never heard anything good about them on the Mustang forums

 

[7991LXnSHO]

That’s funny because the Factory Five guys practically worship Blueprint, but I never heard anything good about them on the Mustang forums

Quality work and quality control might have, should have, increased enough to justify the name change. But after getting the brush off under the old name and same ownership in my first year of teaching when it was a chunk off money, it’s not worth another try to me.

 

[2000xp8]

A quick distance search of car-parts.com found about 20 5.0 explorer engines within a 50 mile radius of me.
So i think they are still out there.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

And even though I didn’t tear into the guy, and actually offered positive advice...He’s still just as gone.