1982 5.0L 302 and 1972 three speed tranny flywheel trouble

[mitchmc_13]

I blew the engine on my 72 ford truck recently. It came with a three speed manual tranny, and a 5.0 L engine. I have decided to go with a newer engine as i could not find an older one that was in good enough shape to be worth rebuilding. So i went and picked up a 5.0 L 302 out of a 1982 mercury capri at the local autowrecker. It apparently ran good and had good compression across all cylinders before they took it out of the car. This engine matched up with the original tranny in the truck perfectly, but the flywheel on the newer engine is only 11 inches and the old one was much bigger, so that poses the problem of the starter matching up with the flywheel to make it turn, which it doesnt. So i am wondering if the bell housing off of a mustang or capri from 1982 would match up with the tranny that i have...because if it did, i could use the bell housing and starter off of an 82 mustang and everything would match up. I am really hoping to keep the original tranny with this project. Any feedback would be appreciated!!

[customcrewcab]

well i think the balance on 82 motor is 50oz and 72 302 is 28oz. so you can't just swap flywheels and i don't think you can use the bellhousing. i would just use what you got and get a smaller clutch or look for a bigger flywheel thats 28oz. : just make sure its the right balance or it is shake bad and prob blow up very quickly.

[customcrewcab]

i would pm averagef250. he knows alot about transmissions

[averagef250]

That's a good idea! Crappy thing is he doesn't know either.

If I was in your shoes I'd check into aftermarket flywheels if it really came down to it. Either that or you might be able to get a machine shop to rebalance your old flywheel to be correct for the newer engine. 22oz is a ton of metal though.

[FORDification]

Some tidbits of info I've saved from other online sources...cannot verify their validity or accuracy:

If your car was an automatic you will need to get a flywheel which matches the balance factor of your motor. All 289's use a 28 oz. balance factor. Early 302's up to late 1970's also used a 28 oz. factor, but after that point Ford switched to a 50 oz. balance factor. If you mix and match the flywheels (or harmonic balancers) your engine will vibrate itself to death! So be sure you only install the flywheel with the correct balance factor. A good machine shop can convert the more common late-model 50oz. flywheel to a 28oz. balance factor for around $50. The 50oz. flywheels are also drilled for the larger 10.5" diaphagm clutch, which the 28oz. Flywheels must use the early style 10" three-finger clutches.

The difference in flywheel diameter isn't between 302's and 5.0's. It's determined by application. Ford's larger vehicles generally use the large wheel, while smaller vehicles (like Fairmonts, Mustangs, and the like) use the smaller wheel. There are exceptions:

- All 351 engines use the large wheel regardless of vehicle.
- All vehicles equipped with an overdrive-type automatic use a large wheel.
- Mustang IIs (1975-1978) with a 302 use a unique 'extra small' wheel

When it comes to balance issues, it's much simpler:

302 prior to mid-1981: 28.2 oz-in balance scheme
302 mid-1981 & newer: 50 oz-in balance scheme.

Windsor-Fox makes a flywheel specifically for late 302s in early Mustangs, as well as the matching harmonic balancer.

However, to answer your original question: AFAIK the bellhousing should bolt up just fine...the bellhousing bolt pattern is the same.

[mitchmc_13]

ok thanks!!! i knew all of the balancing issues with the 351's and 302's and with the 302's from different years. all i really needed to know is if this combination would work or not. My buddy has an extra tranny off of a 83' mustang and is willing to let me test fit the bell housing and the starter,but my feeling is that it will work.

[Hawkrod]

Unfortunately the bellhousing for the late Mustang may not fit. Ford and Borg Warner went and changed the input shaft length on the trans and the later Mustangs have a pull type cable throw out bearing which can be converted to a truck push type but the length will still likely be wrong. What you need to find is a 65-67 Mustang, Falcon, or Fairlane small diameter bellhousing as it will work with the later small flywheel. Most people are actually trying to go the other way as they have the late model trans and bellhousing and are looking for a flywheel to fit the small bellhousing! Hawkrod

[sideoilerfe]

Or,


Sell the 302 you just bought and get a 300 6. More low end torque and more reliability. You'd just need FE towers, 6 cylinder gas pedal assembly and possibly a radiator.

[mitchmc_13]

So i recently picked up everything i thought i needed for the swap and it all bolted up perfectly. the bellhousing bolted rite up to the block and the tranny bolted rite up to the bellhousing. the old starter that was originally on the truck worked perfectly as well, so it will be used. I am dropping everything in today....so now we'll see how the engine actually runs.