im putting a stock 351w in my 59 ford f100 4x4 ,and was wanting to put a new cam and intake manifold on it and have no idea what combo i need to make the best low end power. need to know the best bang for the buck dont want to spend to much $.

Thanks everyone

 

Cam? A Comp 268H would be a good choice. Intake ? Look for a used Edelbrock Performer or Performer RPM, or Weiand Stealth or Action plus.

 

Well.. with the stock heads there ain't really anything but "low end power" so I'm gonna suggest the Comp 35-234-3(XE256H) and something like the eddy performer.

 

Cam profile will also depend on what heads (rocker style) you've got now. Comp doesn't recomend the XE's with pressed in studs.

 

the engine is out of a 1985 ford f150. 80000 miles on it 140 comp x 8. not sure what heads.

i wouldnt have to mess with the heads any like springs if i change cam right?

thanks guys

 

It should have pedestal rockers so pressed in studs won't be an issue. The stock springs will work with mild Rv type cams, but new springs would be best. The valve seals would also need changing by now anyway.

 

so the cams you guys are suggesting are they rv cams?

 

Yes. RV style cam will have no more than a 210-220* duration @.050 lift (or 270* advertised) and nothing over about .510 lift at the valve. These can best be termed as a step or two above the stock cams, but not something that's going to be too wild with a lopey idle. Right at the very end of production with the 302/351W, Ford finally gave both what could be called a mild RV cam in the F4TE grind. (256/266 advertised duration, .422/.445 lift and a 116* LSA) It's just a step below the HO 5.0 roller cam.

 

ok. so is it even worth the money to go with a rv cam, will it make enough of a difference in power? if i did a new cam and intake what kind of horsepower would i be looking at? stock 351 around 240? would i be close to 300?

 

The stock Ford cam is the single biggest bottleneck in the whole powertrain, every single 302 and 351 ever built is capable of close to 300hp if only it had enough cam to let it breath through the relatively restrictive stock heads(compared to the competition).. and a free flowing exhaust of course. The actual HP potential depends upon the heads but the late model versions(78+ and not counting the GT40 variants) flow enough for about 275hp, and you can get that with a cam that produces 0.450-0.500" lift at the valve and 250-260ish advertised duration.. which is the definition of an RV cam.. a relatively high lift and short duration... compared to the stock cams anyway which have similar durations but typically only manage 0.380-0.420" lift.

 

If this were mine and it was stock, and stock compression, and stock heads I would run the basic edelbrock performer intake and might even say go for the 500 CFM two barrel holley. This will probably get you as good numbers as you can get for the mill with pistons and heads....

If you know you have aftermarket pistions that get the CR on that thing back over 9, then a .480 lift cam will work great with stock heads.... with the same intake and carb...

I would recommend a roller cam, which will require retrofit lifters.... it will be kinda expensive compared to hydraulic flat tappet.... but I just dont have confidence in them anymore....

Either way, you will probably also need to switch push tubes as well....

Either way I agree with Conanski... the stock cams in these motors stink.... and swapping to a little more aggressive cam will make that engine run a lot stronger.

 

For horsepower... if you just do the intake and carb, using an edelbrock performer... which is the most basic intake (because its ports are as close to the stock heads as possible) makes it work best with those heads. I would say you are looking at less than 240... If you swap the cam out you will make 250 or better hp, where you will really see it is torque.... expect at least 30+ more ftlbs throughout the curve... which is what you feel when you are driving around...

 

The stock flat tappet cams are bad, but the exhaust ports are even worse on nearly all SBF production heads, with a very few exceptions.

 

Baddad is right.... On a 351w the stock heads do alot more damage to numbers than on a 302....

 

Thanks alot everyone