Thread: Chevy 302

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Originally Posted by erik erikson

If he was a bracket racer he would be replacing his rings,bearings,valve springs,touching up the seats and valves and checking everything over each and every winter.
With 7 years of racing I will bet he has "collapsed skirts" on more than one piston.
This is a little something I like to call "preventive maintenance".
If I had a dollar for every guy that walks into the shop each and every year wanting to know why his car keeps going a little slower every weekend I would be set.
I simply ask when was the last time you replaced your valve springs?
If they have to stop and think about it I know it has been to long.
I have several signs in the shop one sign says "If you want to play you have to pay".

Eric, you would probably know. What was the maintenance like on those 1st Generation Z28 302's. Was a high maintenance and the trans am rule changes, plus the difficulty of getting the engine to perform in the lower street driven rev range the major reason that Chevrolet only ran the 302 for 3 years ? Becase even by Chevrolets standards those 302's used to really howl right up to 7500 rpm, and would beat the (expletive) out of the valve springs. The springs and pistons were considered to be throw away items after every long distance road race.

Way back when I use to race 302, which was a 327 with 283 steel crank, monday after racing was tear down night. It was cheaper to replace gaskets than a block or crank.

this motor doesnt have 400 miles on it erik, the old 301 lasted 8 years before spinning a bearing which is funny because it still had the front sump v-8 nova oil pan. this motor has the rear sump moroso pan, and i had the pan off last winter and it looked very nice. my dad gave me the car 2 years ago, he had the old motor i have the new one.

Originally Posted by BradC

Way back when I use to race 302, which was a 327 with 283 steel crank, monday after racing was tear down night. It was cheaper to replace gaskets than a block or crank.

Good preventative maintenance Brad, what did you find ? Were you measuring components like pistons and bores and checking spring pressures and camsahft lobe wear.
Would just like to know as I have a genuine 302 DZ preffix motor in a first generation camaro with the M22 gearbox. Anything else on the car to look out for ?

Mine wasn't a genuine 302, but loved the high rpm's. Most of the time there wasn't anything to replace but sometimes a cracked valve spring or missing retainer. I replaced the bearings every month, recross hatch the walls every 6 month and replaced the rings. Made the block last 2 years of hard racing with no major problems. Remember back in 72 parts were alot cheaper, gasket set $25, bearings $20, and ring set $35. My race car was a 67 nova 2dr post car, M21 trans, 12 bolt rear 4:88 gears.

Burt,

Go Big...Go very big! 406 or bigger(maybe 434 or 440 in a nice aftermarket block!!) Put 302 badges on it and don't tell anyone what you've done!

I won't tell a soul...

George

PS did you buy the second nova yet?

I'm trying, I'm trying!!!!!!!

.......Faster Daddy Faster!!!!!

Aaaargh!!!!!!!!!!!!

id say stick with the 302, why have more cubes if you can do it with less! btw erick, the skirts on the 8 year old pistons were fine the pistons are reuseable!

But some of us are addicted to the scream of a high winding chevy......

you got that right

Yes,,,and some of us don't care for power down low (torque). But I don't criticize those who do. Different strokes for different folks,it makes the world go around

you want torque go build a big block otherwise shut yer piehole

Originally Posted by southerner

But some of us are addicted to the scream of a high winding chevy......

If you want hi-rev's then you should hear my old GSXR Suzuki 1050.
Or if you want to hear something wild you should hear one of my customer's alu. rod 565.
8,400 on a Big block Chevy.
Now that's what I am talking about.