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I recently bought a '86 5.0 EFI 2wd auto unit. After digging into the missing issue it turns out it has a bad cam. Not sure if the lifter killed the cam or the other way around. The engine is super clean and I'm guessing was rebuilt <20K miles ago (I'm the 3rd guy that got it in a non-running condition so I have no history). I'm going to drop the oil again and if it's not full of metal I might just throw a cam at it and see how long it lasts. I know it's not ideal but long term plans don't include this drive train.
Without getting away from the stock ECM and EFI (which is working perfectly) what are my options, if any, for a better cam? Is it worth the $$ to upgrade it to a roller setup? Basically I want to slap this back together and get 2 years of fair weather use out of it but it sure would be nice to make more than the rated 180 hp.
My other scenario... I just picked up a 351w out of a '96 F250 which is basically complete including intakes, fuel rail, etc. Is there a way to make it run with the 302 EFI ECM and whatnot in the '86? Seems like a complete long shot but figured I'd ask.
It's difficult to get the original ECM to accept more radical camshafts or even a different displacement engine. Try to get a cam close to stock, it can be slightly different but not too much. You can also run into the problem of the valvetrain not being adjustable on these engines. So if the cam is different mechanically, you have no good way to adjust the valve lash, the rocker arms have bolts that are tightened down and that's it. In some cases you can put a little shim under the rocker pedestal to compensate for a lifter that is too tight on the valve lash.
Just a suggestion. When you pull your truck's intake, look for the two 5/16" tapped holes down the center of lifter valley. Most 1986 blocks are "roller ready". Salvage a roller cam, lifters, dog bones and spider from a eighties or nineties passenger car with a 5.0L. These cams are nearly identical to the flat tappet cam your truck came with.
Roller cams are seldom worn out and roller lifters can be reused without regard to position or breaking in.
I have the roller cam from a 1988 Crown Vic in my 1986 5.0L.
Thanks. That's pretty much what I figured. I'm not ready to go to a different ECM so I'll grab a stock or close to stock unit. We'll see if WIX lives up to their reputation and saved the rest of the motor by catching all the metal.
My other option is I have a low mile 302 of a mid-late 80s mustang GT but it's been sitting in a shed for 30 years.. I'll check it out but I'm assuming it's rusted internally due to the Ohio humidity and will probably take more effort to re-fresh. Also, again, not sure if that motor would play well with the stock ECM. Thanks again!
Just a suggestion. When you pull your truck's intake, look for the two 5/16" tapped holes down the center of lifter valley. Most 1986 blocks are "roller ready". Salvage a roller cam, lifters, dog bones and spider from a eighties or nineties passenger car with a 5.0L. These cams are nearly identical to the flat tappet cam your truck came with.
Roller cams are seldom worn out and roller lifters can be reused without regard to position or breaking in.
I have the roller cam from a 1988 Crown Vic in my 1986 5.0L.
Good to know. I did notice it had holes down the center of the valley directly above the cam. I'll look to see if those are tapped.
No luck on the roller option. The bosses are there but not driller or tapped which isn't something I'm willing to do on an assembled motor.
The 302 HO motor is a '94 which is way newer than I thought. It still rotates and the 3 plugs I could get too showed no signs of rust which surprises the heck out of me. It's rated at 215 HP so that is appealing...
Is something like this too much? I'm comparing a summit "Classic" cam to a Melling stock replacement and the summit has more duration and lift. I don't really have enough experience with cams to have a reference point.
Intake Duration at 050 inch Lift:
204 Exhaust Duration at 050 inch Lift:
214 Duration at 050 inch Lift:
204 int./214 exh. Advertised Intake Duration:
280 Advertised Exhaust Duration:
289 Advertised Duration:
280 int./289 exh. Intake Valve Lift with Factory Rocker Arm Ratio:
0.449 in. Exhaust Valve Lift with Factory Rocker Arm Ratio:
0.473 in. Valve Lift with Factory Rocker Arm Ratio:
0.449 int./0.473 exh.
This is the specs from the Melling.
Advertise Exh Duration: 270
Advertised Intake Duration: 258
Exhaust Duration @ .50 inch lift: 192
Exhaust Valve Lift: 0.395 in
Intake Duration @ .50 inch lift: 183
Intake Valve Lift: 0.38 in
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