Ford Windsor Forums

Hi, still new here and I apolgize if this is one of those common threads, but I'm looking to upgrade to a 4bbl for my 302. It's a 79, so its fairly choked off as it is. Just looking to get a bit more power and maybe score some better highway miles if possible. But I'll be satisfied with more power, even if minimal.

At the moment, it's just a street car, and likely always will be. I'd certainly love to get more power out of it's anemic output (around 140 HP stock), and I know these motors are very capable. But for the time being I'm just wanting to see what intake manifolds people recomend since there are literally dozens of options, and what kind of carb/cfms work best? I really appreciate any input since I'm still new to this whole set up! Thanks.

use no more than a 600 to 650 vac. secondary carb. i personaly like a performer rpm air gap intake, but without headers it wont give full potenial. if possible invest in some headers also. try advanceing the timing abit, that will give you more bottom end.  that should give ya alil more power, , if you want real gains , cam and gears are way to go.

 but all depends on what you gonna do with car , street , street/strip or full race.

 hope that helps a bit.

Just my .02. My experience tells me to mod the exhaust first. This is the easiest area for the manufacturer to slow the vehicle down and also the easiest to remedy. Headers, duel exhaust and a H pipe or X pipe will give a surprising return for the investment not to mention this will better support additional upgrades. You may or may not see a increase in mpg but you will feal a change in engine performance. (2.25 inch diameter pipes support a street 302 pretty well)

Also I've seen that a 4bbl carb can give better fuel economy than a 2bbl.  I have a 67 Standard Cougar, 289, 3 speed standard that requires a 500 cfm 2bbl carb. By replacing it with a 500 cfm 4bbl carb at cruise I'm running off of 250 cfm until I get into the secondaries. This means better metering for all RPM ranges resulting in better power and emisions. This unfortunatley ;~) means an aftermarket manifold. Dog gone it now we have an excuse for upgrading the ignition system and by the time your done you have a very good highway cruiser. I could see this returning upwards of 18 to 22 mpg on the highway, provided you keep your foot out of the vaccume secondaries.

Last thing: before you buy a intake manifold and carb check what kind of clearance you have under the hood. The Edelbrock Air Gap (while it is a very good piece) is a fairly tall intake manifold and may not fit. However the Performer is a stock replacement that does a better job than the stock intake and it's liter.

This is all just a sugestion.

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1stgencat
67 Standard Cougar
Restomod in work

I agree with those fellers!!!

 

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I'm just a old vanner

first generation cat makes good point.  BTW, summit sells under its own brand name what I believe to be an Edelbrock performer -plus manifold for much les s than the edelbrock.  I've got 1/8 inch of hood clearance even after buying that $ 260 Holley low  profile air filter.