okay so I just did an engine swap in my 72’ maverick with a 302 engine, but get this the block that was sold to me was off an 81 mustang. It was rebuilt and the heads and pistons were all new. The camshaft is a mild cam and other than that everything is stock on the mavs 302. After hooking it up the flywheel makes a rubbing sound and I checked for marks but saw none. My guess is the starter. The starter and the flywheel were reused from the original engine. My question is if the flywheel is ok to be used for the engine or I should find the flywheel for the 81 block, would it have any effect??
From what I have read, 82 and newer blocks are 50 oz. imbalance, and 81 "should" be 28 oz. I would hunt down the part number on the block to find out what year it actually is. When it was running and making the rubbing sounds, was it shaking or having a real heavy vibration? Is the flywheel you used from a 302?(It sounded like you swapped a 302 for another 302, is that right?) Is there a block plate behind the flywheel? Did the "81" engine come with a flywheel? By the way, is your car an automatic? Was the "81" engine from an automatic or stick-shift car? Sorry for all the questions, but it helps to be clear.
If the converter isn't seated properly, it'll make more than just a rubbing sound... Are you sure it's a 302 & not a 255?? That was the only V8 available in Mustang for both '80 & '81... I don't know the balance for 255 is but I suspect 50 oz... Still it should not make a noise, just have vibration as already mentioned...
I looked up the flywheel for a 80s mustang and the weight was 50 oz with 167 teeth while the 72 flywheel was a 28oz with 154 teeth. After looking at it the rubbing looked on the starter like it wasntdisengaging fully. But I took it off and got a brand new one and it was fine until hitting a mid rpm range. Where it sounds like a ticking or small rubbing. The guy who built the engine for me said the flywheel weights wouldn’t matter but not so sure.
You have your tooth count wrong, the orig Maverick will be 157, the other common C4 is 164 but that was used on larger vehicles/trucks with pan fill C4... Unless you have a pan fill C4 with two position starter mount, they won't interchange... Flywheel weights WILL make a huge difference, at least in ballance...
I would start by getting a part # off the block; I think it is near the starter. If the "builder" says it is a 302 and he put new pistons in it, I will assume (ugh) it is a 302.....but if he thinks the imbalance doesnt matter, I am wondering if this is the first Ford he ever assembled. 3 years ago I had a mess of mis-matched parts.....research was my best friend.....and dont assume anything! find out what you have, and then we can talk about how it should be put together. Maybe you got a simple rub, maybe not. I have never witnessed how an engine acts with the wrong balance flywheel, but if not correct, I think it will ruin itself. It really does matter.
Thanks. So far it hasn’t been bad. Just a screech when I’m giving it a little throttle and then it goes away.
You sure it's not a fan belt slippage? That's what it's sounding like now. Also, that plastic fuel filter almost caught my car on fire; deformed at the plastic nipples from heat, sprayed fuel all over the engine compartment. Stalled the car and left me stranded -- Luck I was not on the highway. They look pretty -- but accident waiting to happen..
Thanks for the tip. That filter is definitely an eye sore. It just happened to come with the carb. I know it’s not a fan belt slipping because I’ve had that issue. This screech is more of a metal on metal sound and it’s directly below the firewall. I’ve climbed under and heard it as well
I had a similar issue once before when I put a starter from a 90s 5.0 on my 302, it sounded like the teeth on the starter would skip and then catch the flywheel (did it with 2 starters) finally I put the original style starter back on and the noise went away
Nice engine compartment! While you are considering replacing that fuel filter you might want to replace the entire fuel line. I assume that rubber fuel hose runs all the way from the fuel pump to the carburetor? Not a good system. I have metal fuel line that runs from the fuel pump to my high flow Summit Racing fuel filter that plumbs to my metal dual feed fuel line. In this area use of a maximum 6" total rubber fuel line is a safety standard at most drag strips. I use short sections of rubber fuel hose at both sides of the filter to provide an original 60s-70s look and a 90 degree elbow at the fuel pump. The metal flared tubing can be purchased at your local auto parts store and can be bent to any form you need. The fuel line mounting bracket attached to the water pump is a Scott Drake Mustang piece.
Did you use the block plate between the block and bellhousing ? This is a must have. It's what indexes the starter to the flexplate.
