Changing a cam will not make more torque, it will only move the peak torque higher into the RPM range.

As far as the stock cam vs. somethiing like the Crane Compucam 2020, 2030, or 2031, why bother? If you want a little more lift user higher ratio rockers. Ported heads will make a cam seem bigger. Putting on ported heads and a bigger cam would be overdoing it.

Truck intake vs. Explorer, I'm not entirely sure what the difference is, but bigger is not better on an intake. An intake should match the characteristics of the heads. If you look at the state of the art intake for Clevelands, you'll find ports that are smaller than the ports on the Cleveland. The designers emplore the users not to port, port match or otherwise alter the design. They say that the smaller ports flow more than the previous design of intake. This is the reason behind the smaller valves on the exhaust of the GT-40p heads. They shaped the port carefully and sized it for the application. Result; smaller valve! 1.46" outflows the 1.54" port design and especially works at low RPMs.

The K&N filter is for fools. It results in higher silicon in the oil (dirt). Please don't use them. Use a good Wix or NAPA filter.

Would you like to see a picture of GT-40p heads. I'll post them on my gallery if you like. How about some Australian Cleveland heads? How about some 65 289 heads? Nice chambers on those heads. Or some y-block heads? ECZ-G, ECZ-C, ECZ-B? Sorry but the Chevy heads are bolted to the 400 ci small block for my 55 Chevy. I ported those myself. I'll be porting most of the heads I bolt onto my engines. Except for the 223 head.

I've got a 292 in the build-up process, and a 223 for my F100 that I'm putting back together. I've got a 312 in the queue for the truck later.

I have a Windsor block that I hope to someday get to. I want to make that a Clevor with a roller cam and a cheapo stroker cam.

I'm working with my buddy to build up a stroker Cleveland for his 90 mustang. I have several SEFI setups for Ford small blocks. I bought an 85 Lincoln for parts; 5.0 roller, AOD and a 9" with disk brakes.

My wife own a 29 Model A roadster, a 1955 Ford Vicky, and a 1956 Ford Fairlane. I do the work. I also own a 1979 MGB. It's a two seater, one for the driver and the other for the mechanic. I fix my friends vehicles for them; Corvette, Honda, Courier pickup, two Chevy Blazers.

Go ahead and have the last word, but I do my research and I do my own thinking.

 

OK, I have to admit it is entertaining to watch you guys go back and forth! SO how bout this: you tell me what combo you would go with if this was your truck and you were operating on a budget. Go through and list what you would do first, second, etc... Or list what you would put on for heads, intake, cam, headers, computer, air filter, pulleys, high octane gas, whatever! Like I said, I'm new to Fords and budget is a concern, so what would you do if you were me

Thanks again, and play nice

 

I'd love to know how you think a mild cam will not make more torque...

I do agree that it moves the power band up but it will make more power under the peak also. I can easily get you some dyno charts comparing a 190/191 vs a 212/218 on the dyno.

Lift does not equal duration. More lift will make more power, but more duration will make even more power. Why would ported heads and a larger cam be "overdoing it"?

A K&N = sand in your oil as it flows better. It traps less particles due to being made of cotton and using oil as a trapping medium.

With the Cleveland heads, yes smaller runners typically make more power...as I have read most people opt for the 2bbl heads instead of the 4bbl heads. Velocity = power. Well the P heads have a redesigned combustion chamber (hence why the spark plug is moved)...the smaller exhaust valve creates more velocity making more power.

I've used GT-40P's in the past so what are you trying to show me in a pic of them? You can take you stock ported heads and make more power sure...but you are still dealing with a production head never intended for power.

What's this rambling on about cars you work on? Is it trying to prove something to me? I've worked on many of vehicles of friends in the past... '69 Cheyenne w/ 454BBC, '72 Cadillac, '78 Regal Turbo, '81 Z28, as well as my toys owned and driven currently. I know people that own: a 298 Hi-Po Mustang, 67-69 Chevy trucks, a few older late 70's 351M powered Broncos, etc.

Lemme put it this way, you build you vehicle how you want and I'll do mine my way. If you want to use production somg heads and stock cams be my guest...more power is to be made with better castings and cams. Maybe you are looking for a little bit of power...I am not going to waste my time porting stock E7TE heads and running a stock cam. When I plan to rip something down and rebuild it, if it involves anything performance to be done I will do it all at one to match parts up correctly.

 

Well everyone you ask will give you a different answer.

How much power are you looking for?

What is your budget?

 

Hit Man X wrote: Feel free to flame me if you wish but I am sick of people replying to posts when they have no first hand knowledge themselves of parts. I mean you actually used them, not you heard it from someone, you buddy's friend's cousin's uncle crap.

What's this rambling on about cars you work on? Is it trying to prove something to me?

You were trying to imply that I don't have the experience to back up what I say. So I cite the cars I'm working on right now. Not something from my distant past! There isn't the time to recount my past experience.

The original poster wanted some sound advice about what fundamental things he could do to optimize his engine. You offer whiz-bang gimimics; pulleys, cams and filters, parts that will degrade performance. I give him state-of-the-art factory parts, cheap, backed by billions of dollars of R&D, compatible with his current equipment. Parts that actually make more torque, not "free up" power.

Sheesh!

 

I'll have to jump in and say that the stock ignition system should be one of the first things to go. Aftermarket ignitions are decades ahead of the now-antiquated Duraspark systems. The proof is overwhelming, I won't get into that. Aftermarket cams are normally flaunted for their screaming top end personalities, but many profiles are available that produce much more Torque at the same or lower engine speed. The secrets to these cams is not entirely about lift and duration, or even lobe seperation angle. Competition Cams has performed better conducted research on cam lobe profiles, and have found ways to radically increase lift and duration coupled with a tighter LSA to produce radical Torque gains while actually increasing engine vacuum. In My experience, going from a stock '77 302 cam to a Comp Xtreme Energy 250 flat tappet (210/218 @ .050" with .477/.493 lift on a 110 LSA) made me go from 17" of vacuum at idle to over 21", and it idles smoother and slower than the stock cam does! Imagine pulling 21" of vacuum at a cool 590 RPM (and I put the same carburetor back on, with the same ignition timing). Awesome power gains can come from more technologically advanced cams. Oh, just to make this even more counter-intiutive, I also put on a pair of big-port aftermarket Windsor Jr. heads! Big ports-low velocity-low Torque, right? More like increased Torque, increased vacuum, and more Torque than I have sense, with the ability to revv above 5 grand. Big ports in heads can be low-RPM suicide, unless you buy heads that somebody has spent years designing in order to maximize port velocity. Ford makes the finest engines in the land, no doubt, but aftermarket companies can focus on one component of that system, and stand on the shoulders of Ford's engineers to build a more refined, more advanced product.

Not all manufacturer's make quality, or even good parts, but many of them do. TK

 

Hey guys,

I just want to add my real life experience.

94 mustang 5.0
Trickfow heads (no porting)
Cobra intake (no porting)
1.7 rockers
65mm t-body
77mm maf
k&n filter
motorsport shorty headers
2.5" exhaust w/ cats and dynomax mufflers
all california smog equipment
stock cam
stock computer
stock ignition

The motor had minor idle surge sometimes. It ran hard and made alot of power. It ran so hard I couldn't stop to get a dyno run! It would have been better with a cam and computer but but it shows how much you can do without these items.

If you are going to do one mod, get the heads. There easier to do when the motor is out and everything else can be added later easily(except the cam)

Greg

 

If you do ANYTHING to that motor while its out, please slap a good set of heads on it cause the stock 302 heads are pretty much paper weights even with port work done.A set of aftermarket heads will outflow the stock ported heads and Ive seen tests done to prove it.But while the engine is out, you should put in a better cam, it will be a LOT easier!