[chatas1]

Just wondering is the skirt length matters? I heard 289's are 3/16" shorter than 289's. I want to build a 331 stroker producing 450 HP. Thanks

 

[Huskinhano]

Absolutely I would use it. The 65-66 blocks from what I have read many years ago in the defunt Super Ford were the strongest production blocks. That's an old wive's tale about the length of the bores being shorter. This topic has been posted many, many times here. No meaningful difference. Again, what I have read on this, is that apparently on the orginal drawings when designed it did spec shorter but when they were produced, it was no longer the case. All basically the same.

 

[frdnut]

Yup..Go for it..

 

[66resto]

Great blocks, wish I hadn't sold mine (sort of). I wanted a HR cam, thought it was a little easier with a roller block(even with its sketchy hp rating). You can run a HR in that block , just have to read up about dog bones and other things my automotive knowledge runs short on. Or you can just run FT as it sits.

 

[64.25]

A 302 roller block is better starting point in my opinion, to use a roller cam in a 289 block you have to use linked lifters (more$$). If you have to rebuild the block anyway I'd by a roller from summit (around $700 shipped i think). John

 

[65since88]

I used a 85 302 block for the reason of having a one piece rear main seal. I hate oil leaks. Roller cams is another good way to protect your investment in your motor and not worrying about a lube going and sending medal though the motor.

 

[Woodchuck]

I would...and if you're concerned with oil leaks have your block machined for a one-piece seal.

 

[67 pony]

how about my 67 289 block?? is it the same?? sorry to hijack, but ive been pondering this same thing myself...

 

[Woodchuck]

Most likely you have a C6 block as well.

 

[64.25]

Instead of spending time and money machining and having to get special lifters why not start with a roller 302 -many of your 289 parts could be reused (oil pan, timing cover, ignition, water pump, pullies....) even the heads if you wanted to save a few bucks. John

 

[Snipe656]

Instead of spending time and money machining and having to get special lifters why not start with a roller 302 -many of your 289 parts could be reused (oil pan, timing cover, ignition, water pump, pullies....) even the heads if you wanted to save a few bucks. John

I agree with this 100% and you can get those 302 roller blocks pretty cheap these days.

A lot of people like to pick up old Explorer 5.0L engines out of junkyards and start from there. After you sell off the "GT40" heads and intakes from the Explorer motor then the investment for the block becomes even less. Those are A50 blocks from Ford if I remember correctly and good for around 550 hp depending on who you want to talk to. I actually have a 326(331 stroker with standard bore) sitting out in my garage in A50 production overrun block. I had built it to be a street turbo motor years ago and planned for around 500 fwhp but got greedy and ended up taking my old "race motor" and putting it in that project. Personally though if I had a 450hp goal and I assume naturally aspirated on street gas then I'd probably do a stroked 351 but that is just me.

 

[Woodchuck]

Instead of spending time and money machining and having to get special lifters why not start with a roller 302 -many of your 289 parts could be reused (oil pan, timing cover, ignition, water pump, pullies....) even the heads if you wanted to save a few bucks. John

I've got one of those "roller 302" blocks in my car and while they are a decent piece with the one-piece seal and the longer lifter bores the early blocks are stronger, especially in the main webbing, so if you're looking at abusing the bottom end with a stroker and maybe even a power adder it may be worth it in the end.

 

[Snipe656]

I've got one of those "roller 302" blocks in my car and while they are a decent piece with the one-piece seal and the longer lifter bores the early blocks are stronger, especially in the main webbing, so if you're looking at abusing the bottom end with a stroker and maybe even a power adder it may be worth it in the end.

I used to race those "roller 302" blocks in a number of Fox body Mustangs with many different combinations. At 450 hp someone should never run into an issue related to the strength of the block. We typically had them dialed in around 550-600 hp and usually still did not kill them. We did refer to them as "bullets" though in that if we broke one at that number then we did not care because just load another and go to town. We did a number of 302, 306, 331, and 347 motors with those blocks and all were in daily driven street cars that saw a ton of weekly track and street racing. Some were NA, some with nitrous, a lot with superchargers and a handful with turbos. The NA ones though I do not recall ever making it into the 4xx HP range but that was a long time ago and things improve with time/technology so perhaps people easily get to that HP range with a 302 based stroker motor today.

The only real issue I recall below 550 HP was we sometimes would break off the balancers in the motors using reground 351C cranks, so cast cranks. But those had superchargers with some extreme belt tension on them and was just asking for trouble not running steel cranks and good balancers. They also still saw a lot of use before that actually happened.

 

[67 pony]

Most likely you have a C6 block as well.

thanks Bartl...im still gathering info to figure out which way to go...

 

[6t9mach1]

Just wondering is the skirt length matters? I heard 289's are 3/16" shorter than 289's. I want to build a 331 stroker producing 450 HP. Thanks

I'm pretty sure the piston skirt length "wives tale" has been disproved. That block will be just fine. With a 450hp goal I'm assuming a roller cam is in the plans? Like others have said, it may be more economical to buy a 302 roller block since they can be found for cheap and your block will require machining anyways. I would recommend you go this route and also to go with a custom camshaft. The benefits outweight the initial cost difference between a custom and an off the shelf cam.

What are your plans for the build?

 

[chatas1]

I'm pretty sure the piston skirt length "wives tale" has been disproved. That block will be just fine. With a 450hp goal I'm assuming a roller cam is in the plans? Like others have said, it may be more economical to buy a 302 roller block since they can be found for cheap and your block will require machining anyways. I would recommend you go this route and also to go with a custom camshaft. The benefits outweight the initial cost difference between a custom and an off the shelf cam.

What are your plans for the build?

The engine will definitely have a roller cam. I keep hearing about the skirt length issue and it never seems to go away! I would build a 408 but I'm restricted because the car is going to be a GT40. It's RCR's kit. It's amazing! The car will take a 351 but the expense for the headers is the price of another engine! The kit comes with the pipes for a 302. The car will weigh approximate 2300 lbs so 450HP should be get for me. At least the first time I get on it!

 

[LSG]

289-302 cylinder length

Chat, count me as one of the guys who steadfastly maintains the cylinder skirts are indeed different. But it isn't anything close to 3/16ths. It is barely noticeable most times. The difference is SO small, thats why you get some folks ( actually lots of folks ) who will swear on a stack of Bibles they are the same. And it may have more to do with block casting numbers than 289-302 differences, since in '68, the same blocks were used first for the 289 till they were done, then the 302. Long story short, your 289 block will be just fine. have no fear. The new pistons for the stroker are shorter skirted anyways. Thousands have already done this without trouble, you should be fine as well. LSG