Hello, Does anyone know how much more power a 331 or 347 will make over a 302? I am debating this because I can get a set of used World Product heads w/ 200cc runners that have been ported and polished for $500.00 that have just had a valve job, but I am wondering if they will be a bit much for a 302. Also I have been thinking about AFR 185,or TFS heads but they are a little costly. But I am not sure wether a stroker engine is worth the money because I have had some friends say they wished they would have just stayed with the 302 and put more money into it. I am just wanting to hear what you guys have to say. Thanks in advance Steve.
i run the roush 200 heads on a 347. unported and the car does just fine.. however it is a dynoed crate motor. who know what motor is going to better it all depends if they have all the same stuff. you could go off the qoute "there is no subitution for cubic inches" but then again its how the motors build. i have seen tests on most of the heads and it seems the AFR heads are better. but head are only as good as the whole package.
I have to add my .02, again. Last year, I decided to build a 393 for my bracket car. 11:1 compression, Vic Jr heads 266 @ .050" cam .672" lift. Worked well, to the tune of some 6.60's in the 1/8 @ 104. It lasted most of the season, then let go with 3 races left. Factory rod with ARP 220,000 lb bolts broke and took out most of the short block. This season, I just built a 14:1 stock-stroke windsor .030 same cam, same heads. Runs exactly the same as the 393 did, and even shows signs of running more MPH at the finish line. 60' times are actually faster with the 357 than they were with the 393. In my opinion, if you're looking for every last horsepower you can get, go with the 347 or 355, but for an everyday street car, you can just go with a stock stroke 302 and it will be fine. Besides, the 302 will last longer--the larger versions (347-355) use "short" rods (around a 1.4 rod/stroke ratio) which severly loads the block and wears down the rings in short order. Yes, they last ok, but not like a 302 will when driven in the same manner. You can always add a blower, turbo, or nitrous to the 302 and make it really run, but it's all about how much power you are looking for. I would say a 331 would make about 20 HP more than a 302, and a 347 around 40 more. That is on a mild motor, build the stroker around good heads, good cam/compression, and you could easily achieve the 500 HP mark, though the 302 blocks aren't designed to take that much power, at least not for long.
Its really up to you. You can get alot out of a 302 with some work and a good set of heads. If you do go with a stroker kit, I would recommend the 331 if you are building a daily driver.
totally depends on the application... if its a everyday driver, i myself would consider a stroker, but if its play time only, i would build a high compression 302. but that means race fuel no 92 octane, in our other Mav we had a 306 with a set of pop ups and it let go so we built a 331 flat tops with all the same heads ect. and it is actually a little bit slower,,,, just my opinion (and you what they say about them, they are like 5.0 mustangs everybodys got one) LOL
If it is a street car then stroker, race car then stock stroke high compression. either way get the best heads you can afford. stroker is better for a street car because you don't need as much cam to make good power. with a bigger cam you lose some driveability with having to use 92 or higher octane and then you will also have an engine that dosn't make power until high in the rpms. for a race car the big cam isn't a problem and high compression and race will be fine because you aren't driving to the grocery store. either way put as much money as possible into some good heads.
