What Am I Missing?

[Nathan C Ely]

Putting together a 306 looking at all of my parts sitting in front of me right now and I just feel as if something is missing.

Xe268h comp cam
Comp lifters
Comp pushrods
Holley 650cfm track warrior
Weiand stealth intake
Large tube shorty headers
Gear drive timing set
Electric water pump
New timing cover
Adjustable Fuel pressure regulator
HEI distributor

The lower end is assembled Keith black flat tops w/valve reliefs, oem rods, oem crank, brand new melling oem oil pump. All emissions have been deleted. It's going in a 5spd with 3.08 gears.

Any recommendations on what aftermarket heads would match this cam nicely? Also what rockers I should go with?

Thanks
-Nathan (this is my very first ford engine I've ever built all feedback is welcomed, please tell me what i am doing wrong)

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Uhhhh where to start?

KB pistons are crap if you intend to add any nitrous to the engine (look up nitrous/detonation and hyper-eutectic) Otherwise, If it's a N/A build and the rings were set up correctly you'll be fine. KB pistons are still crap, but you'll be OK to use them.

The carburetor. You didn't say what the car was. Depending on the car,..you'll have to change the fuel system, you cannot regulate a high pressure pump intended for injection down to carbureted pressure. It's a fire hazard.

or conversely you can just do this:

The gear drive.....You'll hate it exactly 5 minutes after you start the car if not sooner. IT DOES NOT SOUND LIKE A ROOTS BLOWER. It sound like ass instead. And it may not be compatible w/ your camshaft,..(gear drives and steel distributor gears.....they don't play well in the sand box together.)

3.08 gears........Why? Is your name beaky buzzard?

 

[Nathan C Ely]

The kb pistons are just what was in the short block I suppose..nothing I purchased but it's just a n/a build anyway. The regulator I have is designed to work with the stock in tank 50-60psi pump and it puts out 4.5-9psi. It's a bypass regulator. They work well. I run gear drive on everything..even my twin cam Harley engine has gear drive cams. I don't see how it wouldn't be compatible with the cam? They don't spin the cam any faster or slower than a chain set and installed correctly should have zero lash. I've never had an issue with a gear drive. The 3:08 gears are just what I have..im sure they won't last long after I get the engine running. I was just trying to be descriptive i suppose. Any suggestions on a good match head for the xe268?

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

The kb pistons are just what was in the short block I suppose..nothing I purchased but it's just a n/a build anyway. The regulator I have is designed to work with the stock in tank 50-60psi pump and it puts out 4.5-9psi. It's a bypass regulator. They work well. I run gear drive on everything..even my twin cam Harley engine has gear drive cams. I don't see how it wouldn't be compatible with the cam? They don't spin the cam any faster or slower than a chain set and installed correctly should have zero lash. I've never had an issue with a gear drive. The 3:08 gears are just what I have..im sure they won't last long after I get the engine running. I was just trying to be descriptive i suppose. Any suggestions on a good match head for the xe268?

Gear drives have no ability to dampen harmonics. They become a direct link to the crank. The crank has it's vibrations to dampen, and the valvetrain has it's own. Linking them directly together with steel gears.......meh.
They had a place back in the day before the quality true roller chain and adjustable billet gear sets came along, now they are just one noisy waste of money.
No race team uses them where they were originally used solely,..now a belt does the job because it's lighter and dampens said harmonics far better.
I get ya on the 3.08's just give yourself a little extra time to get to work.

 

[Nathan C Ely]

Yeah I understand the gear drive literally does nothing other than insure 200k miles from now my chain isn't broken or stretched out. I just run gear drive because it's something different and annoys most everyone but me Although on the Harley it definitely is the bees knees.

 

[a91what]

Ford 302 uses a double roller timing chain.... just sayin.

If you have the stuff and like it go ahead and run it. Your car

Please please please do the efi to carb swap correctly. Remove the high pressure pump modify the pickup and use a correct pump.
That said why ditch the efi? Was it missing or damaged?

@jrichker for the detailed carb swap writeup

What is your budget for the heads? A used set of afr or trick flow would do nicely.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

The guys are right about the fuel pump. It's cheap enough to buy the pickup and a pump designed for the lower pressure.

 

[mikestang63]

wow,, gear drive.

Sounds like he has everything covered.

 

[a91what]

Yeah we have heard that before. But have proven it to be incorrect. Please try again.

 

[Deleted member 215073]

What are you missing? Fuel injection. But that's just me.

If you must convert to a carb, you really should do it properly.

Is the car going to be a track only car? If not, use a regular belt driven water pump.

By HEI distributor, do you mean GM style HEI? If so why? The stock Ford ignition is just fine.

 

[Mustang5L5]

wow,, gear drive.

Sounds like he has everything covered.

I helped a buddy install one of these years ago.

Sounded great for all of 3 minutes. Every time he drove the car around, it's all you heard. No exhaust, just the loud whirring. You could hear it coming down the road. That was ~20 years ago. I didn't even know they still made em.

 

[mikestang63]

I helped a buddy install one of these years ago.

Sounded great for all of 3 minutes. Every time he drove the car around, it's all you heard. No exhaust, just the loud whirring. You could hear it coming down the road. That was ~20 years ago. I didn't even know they still made em.

I had a Pete Jackson setup about 30+ years ago on a SBF. Sounded like a damn train.

 

[Mustang5L5]

That's what it was. A Pete Jackson gear drive

 

[2000xp8]

Sounds like the car is currently EFI, leave it that way.
I'm with these guys on the gear drive. You will spend the rest of the cars life explaining what that noise is (not in a good way)
You pick a cam to go with heads, not the other way around (the heads are the basis for all Naturally aspirated power).
3.08 gears? I'd lose them in exchange for at least 3.55's.
I have no faith in electric water pumps on a fox in a street car.

I know it seems everyone is being a little tough on you, but if you only want to do this once, it's for your own good.

 

[General karthief]

No where did you state you purpose with the car.
On the street:
No electric water pumps
No gear drives
No carbs unless it sticks through the hood on a tunnel ram or blower and has more than one (just kidding, maybe)

Oh, and no pictures of animals unless they eat red meat, although a running horse is acceptable

 

[Noobz347]

Ensure that all Summit Racing stickers are firmly affixed.

 

[General karthief]

Ensure that all Summit Racing stickers are firmly affixed.

Yea, those things will put out an eye if not secured