Rebuild vs Replace on a Ford 302

[Preacherman]

Might I suggest a supercharger when its done? More power equal more better.

 

[TerryMiller]

I bought a 1978 Skylark that had a miss.
Yep one cylinder was down on that 231 V6 probably a burned valve.
$120 bucks for the car.
I had the wife drive it after I spent 300 on the AC system.
She logged 75,000 miles on it and it began knocking pretty bad.
Got my money out of that one.

Friend had a 260" olds engine that had a rod knocking.
He delivered Pizza in Moore Ok. with that car and asked me to gather up some 350 Olds stuff to build him an engine.
He said he would stick it in when this 260" died.

A little over 2 years later he drove it to the house and said it needs that 350" NOW!
We pulled the 260 and set it on the ground with the cherry picker.
The Picker lowered too fast and the engine came down pretty quick and hit the balancer on the dirt ground and broke the front of the crank because the balancer was now at an odd angle.

Took the engine apart to investigate and found the #1 rod gournal was the knocking one and was about the thickness of a sharpie marker So it beat it's self from 2.125 diameter to under 1/2".

Oil was super dark black and thick.
Buddy said he was afraid to change it or the filter for the 2 years it was knocking ..said he just kept adding oil as it needed it.

WOW!
I would not believed it if it was not seen with my own eyes.

When I worked as an LPG truck driver many years ago, a guy came into the gas station from which I worked. His car's engine was knocking something terrible. He asked us what we had in the way of the heaviest of oil. We told him of some irrigation engine oil that was around 50 or 60 weight. He asked if there was anything in the way of a lubricant that was heavier. I answered and said, "Yeah, we have 90W and 140W transmission oil."

He bought a five-gallon can of the 140W and had us change his oil with it. When we started it up, that engine was very quiet, surprisingly.

I told him that if he didn't go somewhere and trade that car off, he was crazy.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

If money is not a concern, Ford performance has a variety of 302's and 351's that should bolt in. They even have a 351 stroker motor punched out to 427 Cid that should bolt to the transmission easily, with a warranty. However more power you may reduce the life of the transmission. 225 hp versus 400 +, like the idea of 2x the power.

 

[PBramble]

If money is not a concern, Ford performance has a variety of 302's and 351's that should bolt in. They even have a 351 stroker motor punched out to 427 Cid that should bolt to the transmission easily, with a warranty. However more power you may reduce the life of the transmission. 225 hp versus 400 +, like the idea of 2x the power.

Or if time is not of a concern as well, you could wait 8 months to get more suggestions.

 

[Uncle Meat]

Is it a tick or a knock?

Tick is probably valve train, cracked exhaust manifold or leak.
Knock says rod / piston - bottom end.

Time for careful inspection.
Use a stethoscope or put your ear to a long screwdriver and start probing and listening.

Blackstone oil analysis might help by telling you what metals are wearing.

250k is kinda high but I've seen these motors with more.