As is my normal procedure I decided to check the crankshaft endplay before removing the crank and cam. When I inserted the pry bar between the number 2 main cap and the crankshaft and gently pried to move the crank my mind about exploded. “Holy cow, that main cap moved A LOT!“ Sure enough, if I looked real close I could see a crack in the block. I removed the caps, crankshaft, and cam. Upon further inspection the only part of the block main saddle that was actually attached was about an inch long on one side in the area that has the main oil galley passage. That is why I still had oil pressure last fall.

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Once I grasped the reality that the block was junk, I took a small ball-peen hammer and gave the main web a couple of “love taps” and a pie-shaped piece of the block literally popped straight up out of the block! Man did I get lucky! This bad boy wannabe was about half a burnout from having a serious oil pan failure! From what I can surmise the block and spindly crankshaft had flexed enough to let the CP Pistons cock in the bores and rub the rings to an early demise. But hey, I’m not complaining. It could have been a WHOLE LOT worse! Luckily the rotating assembly was saved and the pistons weren’t hurt so a new block was in order.

What to use for a block was the next question. I had read other articles over the years about the weakness of the late 302 roller blocks and how some of them actually break in half when you reach the 450 to 500 hp level but I never figured on having a problem. I do remember however in one of my first articles covering this potential problem and saying “hope for the best.” Oops. The initial plan was to build a bigger engine but time was fleeting and I really wanted to race this year. The hopes for chasing the IHRA Division 5 points had been dashed a couple months earlier when IHRA corn-holed all of the people who had supported them in this area when they decided not to have a Division 5 anymore. Brilliant.

The Moroso main cap girdle in all it’s glory. Simple and highly effective this little gem will hopefully keep the Hemi-eater in one piece!

So, I went a different route. I had another 302 HO block that already had the water jackets filled and only needed bored out to .060” overbore to fill the role. Considering I didn’t want to build another ticking time bomb, I needed a way to add strength to the block.

That’s where my friends at Moroso come in. Man I swear, if I need it Moroso more often than not has it. Moroso has recently come out with a Main Cap Girdle for small block Fords (part # 22928) made out of ½” chrome moly steel that simply bolts to the main caps with the included fasteners, and as usual for Moroso it actually fits! The included locating washers actually tie the girdle into the main caps making a cohesive unit with the new bolts and make for a much more rigid bottom end. I think, and hope, this will end the bottom end problem.

This is the Comp Cams Ultimate Timing set. The six black bolts are the retention for the two pieces of the sprocket. Simply loosen the bolts, turn the outer gear to specs. and you have changed cam timing! Nice!

After fitting in new Durabond Teflon coated cam bearings and file fitting new rings I installed the same Comp Cams hydraulic roller stick I used last season and installed the stock Ford crank, I-beam rods, and CP Pistons from before. The only gear train change was a switch to Comp Cams new Ultimate Adjustable timing chain set (part # 8138). This is a really tricky piece of hardware that allows very easy and accurate adjustability of cam timing. Basically, the cam gear is a 2-piece unit that rotates within itself using a provided adjustment tool and all you do is line up the marks for whatever advance or retard position you desire. One neat feature is you don’t have to back of the rockers to allow movement because the inner part is attached to the cam and the outer will rotate with the crank when you loosen the holdown fasteners. Once you're set, simply tighten the ARP bolts and away you go!