ARP or NOT ARP??!!

[78futura]

Hello I am juat putting the pan on my 302 which I spent 6k at the machine shop. And I am concerned I do not have ARP bolts on the bottom end on rod and mains.
The rod bolts do not say anything and are 6 sided, The main bolts also 6 sided say F 8 on the ends. looks scratched up like they are old.
I paid for all this so I hope they are right. Does anyone know what a 78 302 stock main bolt looks like? Compared to an ARP??
Help please want to drop in next weekend and would like it to run before winter!!

[Lubner]

Sounds like you have stock fasteners on the mains. ARP bolts will be engraved on heads.

[78futura]

Going to check my reciept again, he ordered the wrong pistions and I had to pay an extra 500 for that as they were for a 76 and had to put conmetic head gaskets on cause the pistions stuck out of the block!!!... :I got 10k into this engine.. lesson learned always buy a crate engine. Could have almost bought the boss 351 460 small block..
Come monday I am going to f#%King lose it.. Actually this is the last engine I ever do. Its too much trouble ordering parts getting the wrong ones over and over again. If its not a 5.0 roller block no one knows jack **** about it. Try getting a starter for a 164 tooth. Been a month there. Try getting a torque convertor wrong again summit you SOBS!!

[78futura]

Anyone have pics of the head of a stock 302 main bolt or a arp bolt? There are none online all show the sides of the bolt.
I just feel sick...Had the engine out next year will be two years. This will probably require a trip back to the machine shop, and another 1k cause somehow it will be my fault and probably take 4 months to get back, maybe next year.

[78futura]

Ok I found the reciept and it only shows the rod bolts as ARP. I am sure I asked for all arp bottom end. For the extra couple hundred it would have been worth it. SO good news I didnt pay for it. maybe he figured only the rod bolts need it.

[ashley roachclip]

I have a machine shop i have used for 30 years.
Always the same quality of work and parts .
I tell them what i want , they write it into the work order .
Never had a problem .
500 for pistons is exorbatant .

Arp hardware is etched with their name , they are proud of the product they produce .

Dont dispare , find a good machine shop, that actually builds race engines.
All brand wars aside , it takes the same detail for them all to last and perform .

[Zap's 85 GT]

I wouldn't sweat the main bolts not being ARP. The stock ones are already grade eight and plenty strong. People often purchase ARP head bolts simply because they fit nicer around the tighter confines of aftermarket aluminum heads, but that's not a concern with the mains.

As long as the rod bolts have been replaced, I'd say you are ok with the build.

[78futura]

I wouldn't sweat the main bolts not being ARP. The stock ones are already grade eight and plenty strong. People often purchase ARP head bolts simply because they fit nicer around the tighter confines of aftermarket aluminum heads, but that's not a concern with the mains.

As long as the rod bolts have been replaced, I'd say you are ok with the build.

I checked the reciept i never paid for them anyways. I will slap her together. It is balanced, torque plate .30 over etc. He builds engines by himself for over 20 some years so I know he knows what he is doing. They are forged pistons 10:2:1.
Going into my grandma looking 78 futura. Got the hood emblem factory hubcaps 8 track. Anything else would be wrong... might surprise somebody..

[Mustang-junky]

10K in a stock block 302 based motor? Personally I wouldn't do more than a simple .030 over piston in a 302. Not worth putting cash into factory 302 block. Stroker kit in a 351w block sure. Aftermarket block, sure. 10K could have got you most of a Coyote swap. You just learned a really really expensive lesson

Jess

[78futura]

10K in a stock block 302 based motor? Personally I wouldn't do more than a simple .030 over piston in a 302. Not worth putting cash into factory 302 block. Stroker kit in a 351w block sure. Aftermarket block, sure. 10K could have got you most of a Coyote swap. You just learned a really really expensive lesson

Jess

10k CAD 6 k machine shops 3k on intake heads not including the carb I already had. An easy 10k.

10k usd for a 460 575hp crate engine.

I just figured thats what **** costs.

Most big block builds go into the 20k.
Should went junkyard efi engine cam and heads. Lesson learned never build up any shortblock machine work costs too much. If it burns oil who gives a **** turbo.
After 400-500hp then my 500hp c4 rebuild would not handle it it just goes on and on..pay to play.

[Mustang-junky]

10k CAD 6 k machine shops 3k on intake heads not including the carb I already had. An easy 10k.

10k usd for a 460 575hp crate engine.

I just figured thats what **** costs.

Most big block builds go into the 20k.
Should went junkyard efi engine cam and heads. Lesson learned never build up any shortblock machine work costs too much. If it burns oil who gives a **** turbo.
After 400-500hp then my 500hp c4 rebuild would not handle it it just goes on and on..pay to play.

Must be a Canadian thing. I have about $10k in my 545 build. Forged bottom end, solid roller cam, CNC ported Edelbrock heads, ect. All machine work has cost about $1500 for each of the last two motors I've done.

Jess

[78futura]

Must be a Canadian thing. I have about $10k in my 545 build. Forged bottom end, solid roller cam, CNC ported Edelbrock heads, ect. All machine work has cost about $1500 for each of the last two motors I've done.

Jess

Wow thats cheap! That would get you block cleaned with new bearings clearanced checked and bored. No balance etc.
It sucks building stuff in Canada everything takes years to build. Oh then you need almost any part 2 weeks to 3 months wait. In USA 2 or 3 days from summit.
I might get my engine running this year.
Took a month to get a mini starter. 3 weeks for a flexplate wrong size came 164 tooth is hard to get. Wrong torque convertor got a mustang 2 one, every engine build machine shop takes 6 to 8 months as had to wait 3 months for pistons.
Plus the cost is unreal as every part os 30% more for our crap dollar and then maybe 10% more for extra shipping. As in this day in age nothing is made in Canada everything in USA and China. I laugh at the prices of complete cars down in the states the guys usually talk about which rims and floormats to mod their mustangs while up here we do 10 year restos and replace the frames from being rotted out.
For instance my brother built a FFR cobra cost him 73k. Everything was done by him used a stock 5.0 shortblock. Paint was the only thing not done cost 10k. Took him 6 years to build working every weekend and sometimes during the week.
The same build in USA is usually about 30k. As the car comes more complete as a kit and parts are everywhere.
Latest struggle is a gear vendors overdrive...
He speced the tire size and gear ratio. They sent him the wrong stuff he did not know that..
So he drove it 60 miles and the overdrive is hooped as it went into overdrive at the wrong speed causing not enough oil. The guys there said it is his problem and needs to give them another 1k for repair. That is one terrible company and I would recondmend anyone not to buy anything from gear vendors as it is overpriced junk and they have zero customer support.

[mikestang63]

i wouldnt use stock rod and main bolts in that application
for that money and HP I can't imagine why they would not use ARP
I hope the machine shop measured the stretch on those stock bolts