On my 94 5.0 Bronco affectionately named "gutless", I am concidering the Edelbrock Performer Package. The combination of intake manifold and cylinder heads seems like the way to go. Has anybody had any experience with that package? Do I need a cam, or is stock cam good enough?

 

There is a better cam than the Edelbrock, it will probably be cheaper too, go to the Windsor family engine section of the forum and ask your question, Conanski will surely chime in and point you in the right way. You could also try the 1989-1997 F-150 section. You also need to find out if you have an SD or a MAF setup. MAF is more desirable.

 

94 would still have been Speed Density. If you want the cam, you can get a "SD friendly" grind. You just have to let your supplier know that when you get to asking about it.

You can honestly wake the 302 up pretty well with the intake/exhaust upgrades as the stock components are some of the biggest restrictions to its breathing. Encho is right Paul, (Conanski) is your guy for cam and head details.

 

The 5.0 truck intake is plenty big to feed anything you'll throw at it in a Bronco (i.e. below 5,000 rpm). The lower is basically a knock-off of Holley's EFI intake.

I thought the 5.0 trucks went to MAF in '94? Is there a MAF sensor mounted on the air box? If so, you can run pretty much any grind you want.

 

This engine DOES have a MAF Sensor.

 

My 94 has mass air, I believe the 5.8 where still SD in 94.
Kenny

 

The 5.0 will make lots more HP with a cam upgrade and heads will help there too, but it won't generate much more TQ so to make it feel like it has more the truck will need more gearing.

 

When I was perusing the edelbrock catalog, I see a chart that lists specific part numbers for Intake manifold, Cylinder heads and Timing gear sets for their "Performer Package" but no mention of Camshaft. I was under the impression the stock cam was sufficient for the package. Cocanski, I'm wondering if you can be more specific on what I can do to liven this thing up. Sometimes it seems to be strong, but other times it bogs like crazy and seems like 0-60 should be measured on a sundial. When I want to go, I want it to go! Want 460 power from 302. Haha.

 

There is an Edelbrock cam for their performance packages but it's not SD EFI or truck friendly.. meant for light cars and very high rpms. The 5.0 is a bit undersized for a heavy truck so to get any kind of "performance" with it gears are manditory.. meaning 3.73-4.10s with 31" tires and more gears the larger you go from there. If your truck doesn't have something like that in the axles then that is where you start and then you upgrade the motor to complement it, and that's not hard since even with the stock heads and intake the motor makes good power from about 2500rpm to 5500rpm... once you put in a cam that has a similar powerband. The stock bumpstick is a good RV grind but it's a bit of a mismatch with a 0-4500rpm powerband and it doesn't open the valves high enough either, so I think the cam I have in my 5.0 right now(Comp Cams 35-349-8) is a better choice, it really pulls hard on the top half of the tach. What all this means is there is no making a 5.0 into a low rpm TQ monster, just forget about what it does below 2000rpm because no matter how you dress it up it's never gonna be that impressive down there. Aftermarket heads will just amplify this too, the motor will feel even less powerful at low rpms even though it probably isn't it's just making more peak HP. Any of that help?

 

Finally, Paul, someone with far more authority on the inner workings of the 5.0 said what I have believed for years! Nice to know my opinion has at least some basis in fact.

 

Thanks for the input and let me add that I have a definate "dead spot" in the midrange. I don't think I need any more power in top end where the gas gauge moves the most or the lower rpms. It just falls on it's face under acceleration when in 3rd (E4OD). Even shifts out of OD on slightest overpass incline at 55mph. Looking for more midrange. I do have stock gears (3:55 I think) and do want to lower the ratio to 3:73.

 

55mph in OD puts this motor completely outside it's useful powerband, that's not midrange power that's low rpm power and as already stated.. there ain't none. Do not pass GO, Do not collect $100, go directly to 4.10 gears.

 

Haha. Will do.

 

Just noticed something upon looking at your posts again. Does your truck have a tach in it? You say the truck falls on it's face in 3rd while accelerating, at what rpm does this happen? Does this happen in 1st and 2nd or is it just 3rd? If you can detect the same thing happening in all gears you may have a weak fuel pump or clogged fuel filter, a pressure gauge on the shrader valve on the fuel rail should show 35-38psi at idle and 40-45psi with vacuum removed from the FPR. If the system doesn't generate 42-45psi and hold it at any engine speed the motor will be down on power.

 

No tach (XL with A/T). Will check fuel pressure. Was thinking about 4:10 gears if I lifted and went to 33"s, but if i stick with 31"s should 3:73s be sufficient? (If fuel press checks out)