The engine I built for my red Mustang (1983 Mustang GT 5.0) is a 306 cubic inch using the original motor block. By the time I rebuilt it, it had over 100K miles on it. So I felt a complete rebuild was in order. Your individual situation may vary, but this is how I rebuilt mine. Now I realize that there are as many ways to build a 5.0 Ford motor as there are 5.0 Ford motors. So if this doesn’t sound like the perfect way to build one, feel free to build your’s however you want. After all it’s a free country, RIGHT…
Block:
Original 1983 Ford 5.0 block was cleaned, decked just enough to flatten them. Bored .030″ and honed WITHOUT torque plates. New cam bearings by Vandervell were installed.
Rotating assembly:
Was purchased as a balanced kit from PAW (Performance Automotive Wholesale). This motor was rebuilt MANY years ago, so some of these items/companies may no longer be available. But the information is still viable, you just might need to find a new source for the actual parts. I paid the extra money to have it balanced and recommend that you do as well. If you plan on racing your car it’s cheap insurance and makes for a much smoother running engine.
Kit included a recut factory crank, rebuilt rods, TRW L2482 pistons and pins +.030″, moly top ring, cast second, standard tension oil rings and Clevite rod and main bearings.
Stock harmonic dampener was reinstalled after it was inspected to be sure the rubber ring was still in good shape. If your’s has been oil soaked for years or the rubber is starting to come out of the groove,then by all means replace it. If it comes apart it will take your radiator with it when it goes. $$$
I used a double roller timing set to keep the cam timing properly set and slightly reduce friction. I can’t recall the brand of chain, but any name brand set should work fine for this application.
Oiling System:
Consists of a Milodon HV (high volume) Oil pump with the stock pickup tube installed. I did use the Milodon heavy duty oil pump driveshaft and advise you to do the same. If it breaks,by-by motor. A stock Mustang oil pan finishs off the bottom of the motor.
Cam:
Cam specs are .448″-204 deg @.050″ Intake , .472″-214 deg @.050″ Exhaust with a 114 lobe center.
Which looking back is a VERY mild cam, I was planning on adding a wilder profile bumpstick, but just never got around to it.
The car ran a 12.801 @ 104.44 in the quarter with it, so I guess it wasn’t that awful. Hydraulic flat tappet lifters and single valve springs w/dampers were included in the kit.
Heads:
Heads were Ford cast iron D8OE casting from a 70′s era 351W motor. They came with 1.84″ vs 1.78″ intake valves and 1.54″ vs 1.46″ exhaust valves on the original 5.0 heads.
Heads were milled .045″ to raise the compression some. NO I don’t know what the actual chamber sizes were… Steel shim head gaskets by Fel Pro kept it all together.
Stock sled type rockers and stands were used to actuate the valves, the original cast aluminum “Powered by Ford” valve covers buttoned up the top end.
Intake Manifold:
Edelbrock Torquer II single plane intake manifold was used with a 1″ open hole carb spacer to increase plenum volume.
Carburetor:
Holley 650 double pumper carb topped off the manifold and supplied plenty of air for future power increases as needed. No need to go to anything any larger here. I know I’ll probably get a few naysayers who run their 306′s with a 750 /780 on it. But it’s just NOT necessary, witness my green car has run a 9.12 @152.44 with a 750 carb on it. Totally overkill on an 11/12 second car…
Headers:
Hedman headers suppiled the 1 1/2″ primary, 2 1/2″ collector headers that are best described as “Mid-Length” headers. Longer than “Shorties” but not quite long-tubes either. At the track I sometimes ran 2 1/2″ x 7″ collector extensions that are in the motor picture, instead of the full mufflers (turbo mufflers) and 2 1/4″ exhaust system. Car picked up by .15-.2 second without the mufflers on.
The Rest:
5 qts. Castrol 20w50 Oil, Fram HP1 oil filter, stock Ford Duraspark electronic ignition and recurved distributor (all advance in by 2,500 rpm), Accel plug wires, and Autolite spark plugs.
If I forgot anything else let me know…