Guys,

I am looking at not doing the EFI on my truck and using a carb setup. I have a 91 5.0L. I purchased a lettered cam from Ford Racing. Since the distributor that came with the engine used a computer to run it, I will need to get an aftermarket distributor like the ones advertised that are similar to the GM HEI models. In researching these, I have noticed that they tell you to contact your cam manufacturer to get the correct drive gear. Steel and cast do not match up well and can cause damage from what I read. I think my lettered cam is cast so I would go with a cast drive gear. It is also a roller cam and I also saw that many of the distributors are not compatible with roller cams. Has anyone else run into these challenges? And if so, what did you do to overcome them?

 

I think I'd call whoever made the cam and ask them. To be sure someone over there would know. Always better to get it right the first time and avoid the BS of redoing everything when it shucks out.

 

Roller cams are steel and require the steel gear on the distributor. Flat tappet cams are cast and therefore need the iron gear. The only reason a distributor would not be compatible with roller cams is because it would have the wrong gear. Change the gear and you'll be good to go.

If you need to buy a distributor, one from a 1985 5.0 Mustang 5 speed car would work, as it was the last year for the carb, not computerized, and the first for roller cams. It would be set up for Duraspark II ignition, which would work good for your application. Inexpensive and dependable, and you'd have a much more correct looking engine than if you had one of those gigantic HEI dizzy's on the front of your Ford. If you need a wiring diagram to hook it up, they're all over the internet.

 

A cheap and easy alternative..... go toa parts store and order up a replacement distributor for an 85 Mustang GT with a manual trans.
This was the first year of the roller cam and the last year of carbs and DURASPARK IGNITON so it is very easy to set up with a MSDtype box or a FORD Duraspark box

 

Thanks for the advice gents and Happy Thanksgiving to all!

 

So will it matter if I use a M/T distributor with my A/T setup? Don't want to appear ignorant, but I'm not sure if the module on the A/T style distributors hook into a computer or just the silver control boxes that mount on the fender.

 

No, that part won't matter. With Duraspark II ignition, the box only controls the spark, no other engine management features are involved. The reason I mentioned the '85 5.0 manual trans distributor is that was the only one that had the roller cam and the Duraspark dist. The auto trans version that year had a first gen fuel injection setup, and had a computer controlled dist. Stick with the 5 speed dist. and you'll be good to go. As mentioned, a reman unit is available fairly inexpensively from your local, good quality auto parts store. You can get the control box, too, while you're there.