Ford Windsor Engine - 302

302

Note that there was also a 302 cubic inch 335 Series engine "302 Cleveland" produced by Ford Australia for the Australian market

In 1968 the small block Ford was stroked to 3.0 in (76.2 mm), giving a total displacement of 302 CI (4,942 cc). The connecting rods were shortened to allow the use of the same pistons as the 289. It replaced the 289 early in the 1968 model year.

The most common form of this engine used a two-barrel carburetor, initially with 9.5:1 compression. It had hydraulic lifters and valves of 1.773 in (45 mm) (intake) and 1.442 in (36.6 mm) (exhaust), and was rated (SAE gross) at 220 hp (164 kW) at 4,600 rpm and 300 lb·ft (407 N·m) at 2,600 rpm. Optional was a four-barrel version rated at 250 hp (186 kW) at 4,800 rpm.

For 1968 only, a special high-performance version of the 302 was offered for the Shelby GT350. Its main features included an angled, high-rise aluminum or iron intake manifold, a larger Holley four-barrel carburetor, and bigger valves of 1.875 in (47.6 mm) intake and 1.6 in (41 mm) exhaust. It had a longer-duration camshaft, still with hydraulic lifters. The block was a high-strength, higher nickel content design made in Mexico. "Hecho en Mexico" casting marks are present in the lifter valley, and its main strength was the appearance of much larger and stronger two-bolt main bearing caps on the engine's bottom end. The heads had special close tolerance pushrod holes to guide the pushrods without rail rocker arms or stamped steel guide plates. The combustion chambers also featured a smaller quench design for a higher compression ratio and enhanced flow characteristics. Additionally, high flow cast exhaust manifolds similar to those on the 289 Hi-Po K-code engine further improved output. Heavy-duty connecting rods with high strength bolts and a nodular iron crankshaft were also included in this package. Rated power (SAE gross) was estimated at 315 hp (235 kW) at 6,000 rpm and 333 lb·ft (451 N·m) at 3,800 rpm. The package, which cost $692 (USD) including some other equipment, was not popular and did not return for 1969. This engine was not a factory engine. Rather, like all Shelby Mustang engines, it was modified by Shelby American in their capacity as a vehicle upfitter. This special engine is well documented in the Ford factory engine repair manual for 1968 Mustangs and Fairlanes. This engine block is considered the strongest production 302 block other than the Boss 302 and the Trans Am 302. The heavy duty Mexican 302 block was produced for several more years, and even showed up on Ford trucks and vans throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Emission regulations saw a progressive reduction in compression ratio for the 302 two-barrel, to 9.0:1 in 1972, reducing SAE gross horsepower to 210 hp (157 kW). In that year U.S. automakers began to quote horsepower in SAE net ratings; the 302 two-barrel carried a net rating of 140 hp (104 kW). By 1975 its power would drop as low as 122 hp (91 kW). Not until fuel injection began to appear in the 1980s would net power ratings rise above 210 hp (157 kW).

Throttle body fuel injection first appeared for the 302 on the Lincoln Continental in 1980, and was made standard on all applications in 1983 except manual transmission equipped Mustangs and Mercury Capris, equipped first with two-barrel (1982), then later 4-barrel carburetor (1983–85) The block was fitted with revised, taller lifter bosses to accept roller lifters, and a steel camshaft in 1985, and electronic sequential fuel injection was introduced in 1986. While sequential injection was used on the Mustang since 1986, many other vehicles, including trucks continued to use a batch fire fuel injection system. The speed-density based EFI systems used a large, two-piece, cast aluminum manifold. It was fitted on all engines through 1988, after which year it was replaced by a mass-air type measuring system, with the same manifold. The MAF system continued, with minor revisions, until the retirement of the engine in 2001. Ford offered a performance head that was a stock part on 1993 - 1995 Mustang Cobra models and pre- 1997-1/2 Ford Explorers and Mercury Mountaineers equipped with the 5.0 L engine called the GT-40 head (casting id F3ZE-AA). In mid 1997, the Explorer and Mountaineer 5.0 L heads were revised and renamed GT40P. The GT40P heads, unlike the GT40 heads, had a very well developed port shape/design which yielded ~200 cfm on the intake side and ~140 cfm on the exhaust side without increasing the size of the ports at all from standard E7TE castings, and without increasing the exhaust valve size. They also had smaller 59 - 61 cc combustion chambers for added compression, and the combustion chamber shape was revised to put the spark plug tip near the center of the chamber for a more even burn. These GT40P heads are considered by many enthusiasts to be extremely efficient.

The 302 was also offered for marine applications in both standard and reverse rotation setups.

In the 1980s the 302 became more commonly known as the 5.0 Liter, although with its metric displacement (4,942 cc), people dispute whether it rounds to 4.9 L or 5.0L. It is speculated that Ford used the "5.0" moniker to distinguish the 302 from their 300 cu. in. inline Six, which was known as the 4.9. Despite its advertised displacement, Car and Driver referred to the 302 as a 4.9 liter engine.

The 302 remained a mainstay of various Ford cars and trucks through the late 90's, although it was progressively replaced by the 4.6 L Ford Modular engine starting in the early 1990s. The last 302 engine was produced for installation in a production vehicle was at Cleveland Engine Plant #1 in December 2000, as part of a build ahead to supply Ford of Australia, who installed their last such engine in a new vehicle in August 2002. The 302 is still available as a complete crate motor, from Ford Racing and Performance Parts.