In a message dated 03/04/2000 8:30:03 AM Pacific Standard Time,
2mbb@concentric.net writes:
<< I've successfully extracted the non-stock engine from my MK1. I'm
seeking ideas about what to do different when I rebuild. My main
complaints about the previous engine are: (1) summer over heating in
stop and go traffic, (2) poor fuel economy (ca. 12 mpg), (3) rough idle.
I've determined that I have a 302 cast in early 1969. The heads are 2V
and the cam is a ford hi-performance hydraulic cam from the same era.
The distributor is a ford dual point, mechanical advance only, from late
1968. I have an Edelbrock Torker 289 manifold--I'm told by Edelbrock
this is most similar to today's Torker II 302. The carburetor is a
Holley 1850 600 CFM. I had the radiator rebuilt last year, and that
seemed to help the over heating problem some, but did not completely
eliminate that problem.
I intend to drive the car on the street and have no plans for racing or
showing the car. Some moderate amount of performance intersts me
(because it's fun!), but I would like the car to be reliable and trouble
free.
I'm thinking that I should change the manifold to a Performer or
Performer RPM and maybe the cam and/or carburetor, but I would like to
hear what you all suggest. Thanks in advance for your feedback.
>>
Going to a Performer for a street driven car would be a good idea. The Torker
is oriented more towards top end performance, the RPM also, but to a lesser
degree. If you run a performer, I would switch to either an Edelbrock 500 cfm
carb or a Holley 465cfm vacumn secondary carb.
Remember, if you have to bore out the block, that you are getting more heat
transfer to the water jackets which won't help your overheating prob. I would
find out if it is already out .030. If so, maybe buying a short block from
Ford would make sense. I think that by the time you go through the process of
machining, it ends up being cheaper to just buy a motor. You can get the
302/roller cam/iron GT40 head motor for about $2000. I run the dual point in
my late model 302 Tiger and, with a switch of drive gear, it works fine.
Swapping to a later Duraspark probably makes sense, but you give up that
"period correct" look.
Gearing also is going to influence the optimum combination. If you run
anything less than a 3.31, I would look for low end power delivery, as
detailed above. With steeper gears, you can get more oriented to top end
delivery: Performer RPM or Torker, keep the 600cfm and get more radical with
the cam. Of course, this isn't going to help fuel economy or heat production!
Mike
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