Short Block 302 versus long block 302

is it rings or valves or both??? ..cant say.not enough info...rebuild what you have...but..then again is it just valle seals.......rings,,,,gasket/intake leak>>> look for a can of dri power oil additive..if you can find it....

Thanks. I did more research and found the difference between long and short blocks. I also found out that the driving issue between the two motors is that the 1988 was hooked up to a C4 transmission and my transmission in the 1977 F150 is a C6. Different bolt patterns. I'm going to rebuild my 1977 302. thanks.

You'll probably get a better job doing it yourself and save a lot of money to boot. Remember, when a motor is labeled "rebuilt" it usually means it is repaired up to the point of failure. I doubt if after pulling it apart you're going to just change a few parts here and there, seals here, maybe some gaskets, etc.

Thanks for the info.

If you buy a short block you still need to have the heads re-built. Which is cheaper I don't know but on a older vehicle like that it will need new valves, guides, seats etc. The other consideration is warranty. Is the long block warranty worth it or is the warranty the machine shop gives on the head work better? Just make sure of what the long block includes - some only fix what they think needs it and leave used parts in, others rebuild the whole thing which is best.

A factory crate motor may be the cheapest and best way to go as you get a factory warranty. The general rule of thumb is it is cheaper to buy a crate motor than rebuilding and it is hard to find a good shop to do the machine work.