Notices
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks 1987 - 1996 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350 and larger pickups - including the 1997 heavy-duty F250/F350+ trucks

Roller cam swap. Help!!!!

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Apr 30, 2017 | 12:55 AM
  #1  
zmorby91's Avatar
zmorby91
Thread Starter
|
5th Wheeling
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Roller cam swap. Help!!!!

I've search this forum and didn't come across what I need. Could be I'm not search the right keywords


I have a 91 Ford F-150 5.0 has a bad motor. I've sourced a good running 5.0 from an 89 f150. To install

I keep seeing everyone say upgrading to a roller cam is a great upgrade


For you guys experiences with this what all do I need to do to upgrade to a roller cam.
 
Reply
Old Apr 30, 2017 | 09:28 AM
  #2  
Conanski's Avatar
Conanski
FTE Legend
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Community Builder
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 31,930
Likes: 1,499
From: Ottawa, Ontario
You need the full roller cam assembly which in this case includes the spider and dogbones that goes in the lifter valley and attaches to the two raised bosses, and you need roller lifters and pushrods(lifters are longer so pushrods are shorter than the flat tappet versions), and of course the roller cam. That '89 block should have the raised bosses in the lifter valley but they may or may not be drilled and tapped, if not that has to be done before cam bearings are installed. And you can't use just any bolts to hold down the spider you need the correct length bolts to prevent damaging the cam bearings that are directly below, so be sure to keep these bolts from the donor motor.
All these parts you could salvage from an junkyard roller motor, the best candidate would be a '94+ truck motor as that has the best truck cam which is totally safe to use as long as it doesn't show excessive wear, wouldn't be a bad idea to buy new lifters though as they will suffer the most wear and they're not terribly expensive. Second best candidate is a 5.0 car motor, look for them in the 89-91 town car, t-bird or crown vic, the cam in these cars is junk so it's really just the spider assembly you would grab here. Third best candidate is the 5.0HO from a Mustang, Lincoln MK7, or T-Bird XR7, you could use this cam but the powerband will be pushed up in rpms a bit so the truck will need more gearing ideally.

Also note you could also pull most of these parts from a '94+ 5.8 motor, that is the same cam as found in the 5.0 truck of this vintage but the pushrods will be too long so you will have to source a set for a 5.0 roller motor.
 
Reply
Old Apr 30, 2017 | 01:09 PM
  #3  
zmorby91's Avatar
zmorby91
Thread Starter
|
5th Wheeling
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Wow thanks for all that info I've saved it all and I'm gonna hit up Craigslist and the junk yards
 
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Shwan_89HD
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
3
Oct 4, 2013 05:29 PM
josh tipton
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
13
Jan 31, 2012 09:43 AM
coreyp
Small Block V8 (221, 260, 289, 5.0/302, 5.8/351W)
5
Feb 19, 2011 10:51 AM
dapozer
Small Block V8 (221, 260, 289, 5.0/302, 5.8/351W)
1
Oct 10, 2004 09:36 PM
Brettddglas
Small Block V8 (221, 260, 289, 5.0/302, 5.8/351W)
6
Jun 23, 2004 08:31 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:01 AM.

story-0
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love

Slideshow: 10 ugly Ford trucks that we still kinda love.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-03 09:51:16


VIEW MORE
story-1
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: the best gifts for dads & grads

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-03 15:43:58


VIEW MORE
story-2
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath

Slideshow: Called the Fortress, the 850-horsepower pickup combines Raptor underpinnings with military-inspired features, survival equipment, and a starting price of $285,000.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-03 11:38:36


VIEW MORE
story-3
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer

Slideshow: 10 most expensive Ford trucks ever sold on Bring a Trailer.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:24:34


VIEW MORE
story-4
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)

Here's everything that has changed for the latest model year.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-27 16:17:28


VIEW MORE
story-5
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

Slideshow: Top 10 Ford truck tragedies.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-18 19:34:33


VIEW MORE
story-6
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make

And it might be even better than that.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-18 19:26:42


VIEW MORE
story-7
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!

Slideshow: Does lowering an F-150 Lobo RUIN the ride quality?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-05-18 19:20:37


VIEW MORE
story-8
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home

Slideshow: Ford's bizarre fishing-themed Explorer concept has resurfaced after spending decades largely forgotten.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:07:46


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!

Slideshow: The 10 best Ford truck engines we miss the most.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 13:09:47


VIEW MORE