Ive been playing around lately with my old DD2000, while I know this is not an accurate program I am just getting ideas. I will be ordering a camshaft for my rebuild in the future, problem I am having is when it comes to the camshaft more than anything else.

What I planned on doing is going back factory stock on my 1978 351W engine, just go with a more modern cam, and do some smoothing and port matching on the heads. The factory rating is 145 HP and 200 Trq if I remember correctly. My whole goal would be to shoot for 200 - 250 HP and 250 - 300 Trq. My ideal goal would be 250 - 300 HP and 300 - 350 Trq but I dont think this would be obtainable with reusing the stock 351 CFM 2bbl motorcraft carb and oem heads and just slapping a cam and headers on the engine.

I orignally picked out the comp cams XE250H cam which is an Xtreme Energy hydraulic flat tappet camshaft with a rpm range of 600 - 4800 rpm. I desided on this as the 2.50:1 axle ratio sees the car shifting out of passing gear @ 60 mph @ 4,500 RPM. It has a 110* LSA and 106* CL, with the math I did I am seeing a 35* overlap which I think would give me a nice mild exhaust lope, simmilar to most stock entry level muscle cars of the 60`s.

The questions I have are as follows.

1) What would be a rough estimation of the power I could see with the specifications below?

2) DD2000 is giving me two different results depending on if I use @ 0.050 or seat to seat cam specifications. Which one should I believe more? (DD2000 is saying @ 0.050" = 224 HP @ 4,000 RPM / 363 TRQ @ 2,000 RPM / 76.1% V.E. @ 2,500 RPM ; and @ Seat to Seat = 213 HP @ 3,500 to 4,000 RPM / 376 TRQ @ 2,000 RPM / 76.4% V.E. @ 2,000 RPM)

Specifications

Bore x Stroke : 4.00 x 3.50
Heads : Stock w/ minor polishing and port matching
Compression : 8.50:1
Carbureation : 351 CFM 2bbl Motorcraft
Intake : Stock Dual plane w/ EGR block off plate
Exhaust : Hooker Super Competition Headers 3" collector
Camshaft @ 0.050" : 110* Lobe Seperation ; 106* Lobe Center Line ; 206*/212* duration ; 0.461"/0.474" Lift

I havent desided on the exhaust for the car yet, I was thinking about using a 3" to 2 1/2" header reducer to run 2 1/2" dual exhaust. I planned on having an H-pipe in the factory cross over position for the single exhaust. The part I am not sure on is if I want to keep 2 1/2" all the way out to the rear or if I want to further reduce it to 2 1/4" after the mufflers to try and keep the exhaust hot to help with flow. I am still learning on this performance stuff and I dont want to be bugging the more experienced hot rodders at work asking them constantly. So if anyone could help I would greatly appreciate it. All I am really wanting to do is get some more power out of the car but want to keep it as stock as possible to keep it reliable for daily driving. Plus I dont know how I could use the oem A/C step up solenoid if I went with a aftermarket holley 4bbl carb to gain some more power.

 

Why hobble it with those horrible D8OE heads ? I would build a roller 351, and either use the iron GT40 heads or the E7TE's and clean up the exhaust sides. Plus keep the factory F4TE roller cam. I have this combo in my 96 E150 van (roller 351, GT40 iron heads, 1.7 Cobra roller rockers) it's got plenty of power to move the 96 conversion van with the factory EFI setup. On your truck I'd top it with a Performer RPM or Weiand Stealth and a Holley 570 Street Avenger. It would be a snappy combo backed with your choice of transmission (my 96 has an E4OD) and a 3.55 or 3.73 rear.

 

+1 on ditching the stock smog heads, at least go find some late model E7 heads to get compression up to 9:1. There's no reason at all you couldn't have a 300hp motor with stock like idle and drivability, that XE250 cam is a great choice too for a torquey motor and should make damn close to 400 ft/lbs torque with newer heads and longtube headers.

 

Please please please get rid of the crappy heads..

ATLEAST get E7's. Preferably GT40's.

 

To everyone that was telling me to get rid of the heads, comp cams made that selection for me because I started thinking about what my boss said at work about how comp cams hydraulic flat tappet cams are crap now that the hardening process is not like it was and hes had a few cams go flat out of the box during break in. So I am looking at a roller retrofit kit but I didnt want to modify the stock heads for valve springs incase for some odd reason I desided to go back stock. So I am looking at some Edelbrock heads, to be specific I am looking at the Edelbrock Performer heads part # 60329. These heads from the specifications I have seen are identical to the Performer RPM heads part # 60229 with one difference. THe Performer ones has a head cross over so I can retain the factory intake manifold and hot air choke.

So at this point I am looking at getting a pair of the Edelbrock performer heads # 60329. I will have to deside on which pistons to go with seeing as I am going from a oem chamber size of around 69-70cc down to 60cc but I want to have 9.0:1 compression, should run good off the low grade fuel at 9:1 compression with aluminum heads. The camshaft I am looking at now is an Xtreme energy roller retrofit camshaft # 35-413-8, speifications below

110* LSA, 106* Intake Centerline, 212*/218* Duration @ 0.050", 0.513" Lift, 1,200 to 5,200 RPM operating range.

I orignally picked the first cam because I didnt see the need in having a cam that has a RPM range higher than the engine will spin on its own through the transmission. Now I am thinking 5,000 - 5,200 rpm doesnt matter being the max long as it builds great low RPM torque to move a 4,000 lb vehicle with 2.50:1 axle ratio.

With the heads, the cam above, and 9:1 compression, DD2000 is estimating 297 HP @ 4,500 RPM and 431 TRQ @ 2,000 RPM while keeping the oem stock 2bbl intake and the 351 CFM 2bbl carb. If I get a early 70`s 351W 4bbl intake and get a 441 CFM Autolite 4300 carb it estimates 329 HP @ 4,500 RPM and 438 TRQ @ 2,000 RPM.

Even if these figures are off, I think it would be safe to say I should be making 300 HP with this combo. Question I keep asking myself is, how good are the Autolite 4300`s. Ive seen some comments online bout them being junk but I would like to stick with a ford carb as they tend to be less tempermental when it comes to weather changes. Plus I dont want to get rid of my oem A/C step up solenoid and bracket which mounts on my 2bbl Autolite. I know if I went with a holley I couldnt use this and would have to get an aftermarket bracket and I much rather spend my money on parts that will improve the performance of the engine over making something work.

I thought about getting the edelbrock performer aluminum intake with the 4bbl EGR plate just to make it appear it has all emission equipment still there. But I cant get a definite answer from Edelbrock on if it has a boss that I could atleast drill and tap for mounting the coil in the oem location. I know I would most likely cut up the intake by grinding off all markings indicating its aftermarket to make it appear stock. If I'm going to do this I want to do it right and make it a sleeper. Want to trick all the unknowing into thinking its a oem stock engine when its not.



~update~

I just found this reman 4bbl carb, it appears to be a factory style 4bbl which would be a simple drop in replacement without requiring changes to my exsisting linkages. Only thing is I want to ask those that might know, what CFM`s did they come in? It lists under the application that it fits 1969 - 1971 year models from a 351W on up to a 390.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ur...view/make/ford

Apparently this is a remanufactured Autolite 4300-A as per Uremco`s website, I cant find CFM but I do know this is a spread bore which I will have to obtain a square bore to spread bore carburetor adaptor if I use a Edelbrock Performer intake. If I obtain a OEM intake from the late 60`s early 70`s I wouldnt need one.

 

You're in Houston Texas, you do not need a choke. The exhaust cross over isn't needed in your case. Secondly, the early 351W 4 bbl intake will not work with those Edelbtock heads due to that intake having the extra bolt holes in the coolant ports. Holleys are not tempermental to weather changes, that's an "old wives tale" that is a result of running them in the old days with points ignitions. Run a Holley with your Duraspark ignition and you can set the carb up to the engine, then forget it's even there. Lastly, you said you're looking for stock like performance, if thet's so, then I'd recommmend choosing an EFI style cam with a wide LSA (in the 112-116 LSA range) These cams work great with carbs too, far better than the narrower LSA cams do.

 

So I would basically be required to use the Edelbrock Performer intake manifold with the Performer Heads. I was leaning that way already but wasnt too sure how good an adapter plate would work for use with the 4300A carburetor I am thinking about running.

While lots of people say a choke isnt needed, even my boss said their not needed here, I found from personal experiance if my choke doesnt work the car wont idle on its own till its warmed up. With the choke I am able to pretty much put it in gear and drive with the engine still sitting on the cold mark. I personally would like to retain this driveability for the engine. As far as the trigger, I could always go with an electric choke if need be but Ive never had good luck with them operating correctly.

I dont know if I would say stock like performance, I just dont want to make the car run worse than it does now with the emission cam that it came with. I dont mind some extra overlap for a more noticeable exhaust note at idle but I want to keep the overlap in an area that also wont hurt fuel economy as well. I seen some EFI cams and I will have to look again but I dont think I seen one that said it would work with stock drive train. Closest one I think I saw for a roller retrofit recomended rear end gears 3.23 to 3.70.

 

I know other have differing opinions but....IMHO....
Comp is a mass production (McDonald's type) company which - seems to have experience more cam lobe failures than most and places the blame on the low ZDDP in the oils...then experiences valve spring failure, and it just does a cycle.

With regards to their cams billets, I highly suspect that they are also using Chinese & they do not include Parkerizing their cams unless you want to pay extra for it (Parkerizing is the final step and a crucial step to help break the cam in- a heated acid bath that microscopically etches the metal surface and adds a very thin layer of graphite coating which allows the cam lube to hang onto and penetrate into the cam surface during cam break in).

Considering the cam has such critical importance to the engines performance and life, to me it makes sense to use a cam grinder who will talk with you directly- even modify the cam grind to fit your needs even better and to address the possibility of cam lobe failure with the new oils. When it comes to making an engine breathe, there are so many variables including elevation, humidity, fuel blends/available octane, most cam mfgs will vary a "core grind pattern" to match the external impactors in addition to the internal impactors- which today IMHO makes the different between and engine that runs well, to one that just seems to run a little bit better, smoother and gets better mileage than expected.

With regards to price...the difference is nil- especially considering its cheap insurance to know exactly who is machining such a critical part for your engine. And remember, advertized lift/duration/lobe separation is just that- advertized and not the specific grind including ramp profile that is used on the cam.

I highly recommend Iskenderian (who I personally know to this day physically tests/inspects every single valve spring before it leaves the shop) & Crower & Chet Herbert & Lunati...all are family owned, been grinding cams for decades, and both will even re-grind your oem cam if possible- saving you even more $.

 

I thought you were supposed to stay away from retro fit cams because they are made on a smaller diameter core making them weaker and lower lifts than typical roller cams. I also agree, if you are actually concerned how your motor will run, get a custom cam.

 

The stock F4TE roller found in the 94-97 351W this cam works fantastic with a carb. I've run one in an Explorer level 5.0 (actually the same cam the Explorer motor comes with) with a Ford A321 intake (this is the old Shelby "Cobra" high riase dual plane) topped with a Holley 570 Street Avenger. Cold starts with no choke (This is the first mod I do when I buy any Holley) at 25*F without giving the gas pedal a pump shot to prime the engine. And yes, it would idle all by it's lonesome without having to sit there and baby the pedal. The specs on this cam are thus: 256/266* advertised duration, .422/.445 lift (int/exh) 116.5 LSA. Running it with 1.7 rockers yeilds .445/.473 lift. It has a smooth idle, smooth powerband starting at idle and running to 5500 rpms. A lot of those rpm estimations are way off the mark when it comes to what actually works. Any EFI cam with their wide LSA's work great with a carb, they generate more vacuum, thus making the carb's circuits respond faster to changes. Changing the specs on your 351 to those of the 94-97 roller 351 would really wake up that Cougar, basically giving it another 100 hp and 50 ft'lbs of torque wthout sacrificing the driveability or fuel mileage (actually the mileage would increase due to the higher efficiency of the late engines)

 

I dont know what I was thinking, its been a few years since I orignally looked at cams I was thinking 110* LSA would be slightly hotter than stock. After quite a bit of research recently I am looking at the Crane 2020 cam which is 112* LSA 107* Centerline 208*/216* duration @ 0.050 and 0.530" lift. If I dont go with this cam I am looking at this OEM replacement one that is 114* LSA, 110* Centerline, 210*/215* duration @ 0.050 and 0.533" lift. I think I would like the crane cam one with the 112* LSA more than the 114*. I will chat over this with the engine builder that does our engines at work tomorrow. See what he recomends and get as much recomendations as possible.

as far as the induction goes, I was advised to go with the Edelbrock carb, it wont create as much power as a holley but it would be set it and forget about it. I have to double check but if holley can use the oem kickdown linkage I will go that route vs edelbrock which requires to convert to a cable.

 

Like Baddad, I have my choke disconnected on my quick fuel carb(holley based carb), and for a week or so hereit was between 4-19 degrees I went out cranked it on and idles away. With my edelbrock I had to pump it a couple times to get it to fire. I guess take it for what its worth. On top of this my motor has issues its not running like a top like baddads. I currently have a 347 being built though so it should be fixed shortly lol.

 

I would choose the 114 LSA over the 112. As for Edelbrocks being a "set it and forget it" carb over a Holley, it takes all of 15 minutes to set a Holley. Certainly no longer than an Edelbrock. Once you set a Holley, it stays set, contrary to what you've undoubtably heard. I set the 3 two's on my 331 nine years ago. and ain't touched em since, other than a single jet change after I put spacers under them. Use a wide LSA cam, combined with your car's Duraspark ignition, add a hotter MSD coil to match the Duraspark, and a smallish carb (450-600 cfm) and you'll have "EFI" like performance that's light years above the stock 351W your car came with.

 

Really? The 114 LSA is that much better than a 112 LSA?

I only ask because once I do the build I will have to live with it as I dont plan on pulling the motor out to change a cam or anything. I do know what ever I go with will have to be happy with 9:1 to 9.5:1 compression though.

I agree though that I was looking at a performance coil that uses the duraspark II horse shoe connector so I can just plug and play. The only real thing that is holding me up is the cam. I already know the heads and intake I am going to go with and the carb I am not sure. I am leaning towards a dichromate finish holley 600 CFM. With the Edelbrock performer heads, and the performer intake manifold the engine could use more air than it can now at the moment. I can also play around with spacer plates as well since Ill be going with the low profile manifold. Not like it need a high rise intake since the engine wont turn over 4,500 rpm when driving, that is unless my shift points will change in the transmission and passing gear shifting out at 60 mph at 4,500 rpm will no longer be correct for the built engine, but I doubt it would make that change.

 

Just me but I'd opt for the RPM intake over the Performer. The bottom end power will be identical, but you'll always have more "Oomph" on the topend when you want it. I've used high rise dual planes on many different engines and none suffered any ill efffects on the bottomend. They all pulled from idle to whatever point the cam/heads/valvetrain let them