390 Cam choice ?
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From: Racine WI
390 Cam choice ?
What would be a good cakm for a 390 in a F-250 4x4 with stock compession ratio? i was thinking about 230-240 duration @ 50 thou lift, I want it to have good power from about 1500- 5000 grand, idle is not a concern
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: SW Michigan
390 Cam choice ?
Otto, if you really don't care about a choppy idle, how about Crane 344621, hydralic with 234* in and 238* out @ 050 and .554 and .563 lift with 112 LDA. Or if you can spend some real money, Crane hydralic roller 349541 with 238* and 246* @ 050 with .632 and .655 lift and 112 LDA. DF
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From: yes
390 Cam choice ?
with stock compression I would either run short @.050 or a real wide lobe seperation because long lift will bleed off already low precious compression. I'd run 220@.05 one cam that comes to mind is a Lunati cam with 223@.050 and .514 lift the stock heads I've read (never tested on a flowbench) dont really improve flow above .510 lift anyway, so anything above that lift will add more harmonics and stress to the valvetrain that isn't needed. the other lunati is 230@.050 and .554 lift and it might work good too. I'd like one around 223 @.05 and .533 lift on both sides for a mild rebuild
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
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From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
390 Cam choice ?
Otto, Will you be racing the truck? What is the primary use that you plan for?
John
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In the cool still quiet of night you can hear chevies rusting away.
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Joined: Jul 2001
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From: Oztralia
390 Cam choice ?
My flow bench work showed me that:
- the small port heads flow just as well as the big port heads, beacuse at the important spot near the valve they are the same size.
- 0.45 valve lift is where they max out, infact the intakes flow better with a valve in than with no valve. The exhaust percentage is LO ~%60, so the need for split pattern cams.
- this does not suggest that higer lft cams are a waste, because it is area under the "lift curve" that counts.
- to gain duration, lift is a natural by-product if you are trying to minimise valve train stress.
- 1500-5000 I would suggest a custom cam that worked (VERY) well for me. TQ20in/TQ30ex (erson codes) on 108 lobe sep and installed 2 degrees advanced. = to 214/226 @ 50. this cam pulled from 1000 and was happy @ 6500. 10.25:1 Compression
- wider separations make cams "gooey", but do make longer durations more street usable. race cams which are after max power are in the 104-108 range.
- 230+ @ 50 is for effective power over 2500
All above is just my personal experience
In OZ and seeking 427block /428crank
- the small port heads flow just as well as the big port heads, beacuse at the important spot near the valve they are the same size.
- 0.45 valve lift is where they max out, infact the intakes flow better with a valve in than with no valve. The exhaust percentage is LO ~%60, so the need for split pattern cams.
- this does not suggest that higer lft cams are a waste, because it is area under the "lift curve" that counts.
- to gain duration, lift is a natural by-product if you are trying to minimise valve train stress.
- 1500-5000 I would suggest a custom cam that worked (VERY) well for me. TQ20in/TQ30ex (erson codes) on 108 lobe sep and installed 2 degrees advanced. = to 214/226 @ 50. this cam pulled from 1000 and was happy @ 6500. 10.25:1 Compression
- wider separations make cams "gooey", but do make longer durations more street usable. race cams which are after max power are in the 104-108 range.
- 230+ @ 50 is for effective power over 2500
All above is just my personal experience
In OZ and seeking 427block /428crank
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From: Racine WI
390 Cam choice ?
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 19-Sep-01 AT 08:58 PM (EST)[/font][p]off road and street driving, I doubt I'll race in a 4x4 but maybe at stoplights need low power 1500-6000, i was looking at a lunati cam a bracket master II that was 230/230 duration @ 50 thousandths , probably not a bad choice that was the only lunati cam in summit, so i went to lunati's website and the list a "street master" grind that has a 235/235 duration @ 50 thousandths which also looks apealing
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Posting Guru
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From: Racine WI
390 Cam choice ?
ah I'm trying not to overcam this motor, the cam I put in there is gonna be one of the most important choices I make, I dont want to end up having to change cams because its unreliable and stuff, maybe I should just undercam it
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Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,624
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From: Missouri
390 Cam choice ?
Whatever you do use a dual pattern cam. FE heads don't breathe very well on the exaust side therefore a little extra duration on the exaust side will do a lot. I would recommend the crane 343801 cam. It will make just as much power as the lunati and more on the bottom end. Make sure you buy the recommended springs and retainers and locks. The spring kit costs 100 bucks and the locks only cost a couple bucks. New springs will be necessary for any cam mentioned here. The cam has a 224/234 duration @ .050 and a .549/.570 lift with your stock non adjustable rocker arms. Also this cam is ground on a 114* lobe center which increases bottom end torque and make it idle a little better.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2001
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From: Vancouver
390 Cam choice ?
I put a Comp 255DEH in my 9:1 390. It is 203/216@.050 and lift of .460/.495. It makes usable power at very low rpm yet offers a big increase starting at about 2500. A side effect of the tight 110* lobe sep is that ( as FE said above ) because some cylinder pressure is lost, the motor runs well on 87 gas at 8 degrees.
Eric
Eric
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Joined: Apr 2000
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From: Ozarks
390 Cam choice ?
Eric, how much total timing (not counting the vacuum advance) are you running at 9:1 with the DEH255? I was thinking about this cam too (either just installing it in my 360 or biting the bullet and doing a rebuild to 390). Any ideas what the compression might be on my engine - I was told by the PO that it was a 360 from a '69 Galaxie. I'm guessing 9:1 and it likes 89 octane.
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2001
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From: Vancouver
390 Cam choice ?
I don't know, Charles. I've got the stock '66 352 distributor, so whatever that provides...
If you have a '69 'big car' FE, doesn't it have to be a 390? The only FE used in those (according to my 'Motor' manual) was a 2V 390 with 9.5 cr.
Before the cam change 91 was required. I'm hoping (or rationalizing!) that the lower fuel cost offsets any increase in consumption.
Eric
If you have a '69 'big car' FE, doesn't it have to be a 390? The only FE used in those (according to my 'Motor' manual) was a 2V 390 with 9.5 cr.
Before the cam change 91 was required. I'm hoping (or rationalizing!) that the lower fuel cost offsets any increase in consumption.
Eric
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
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From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
390 Cam choice ?
Charles, Did Ford put 360s in cars? Grab a 10-12" piece of 14-2 house wire, pull the white wire out and run it down one of the cylinders, and measure the stroke. I'll bet a shiney new quarter that if it came from a car it's a 390. Turn the engine with a ratchet on a pulley.
Let us know what length mark you make on the wire jacket.
John
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66F100s Rule
In the cool still quiet of night you can hear chevies rusting away.
Let us know what length mark you make on the wire jacket.
John
jowilker
[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker|Club FTE since 01 01] My FTE Page
[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker/NCFTE.html|NC Truck Owners] NC Ford Truck owners group
66F100s Rule
In the cool still quiet of night you can hear chevies rusting away.
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 962
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From: Collierville, TN
390 Cam choice ?
He says he was "told" it was a 360 from a 69 Galaxie. It might be a 360, but it sure wasn't from a Galaxie. The 360 was unique to light trucks and was never (according to Ford) installed in cars. If the motor is from a 69 Galaxie, it's a 390.
karlsd a/k/a "ksd"
69 F100 Explorer 360/C6
karlsd a/k/a "ksd"
69 F100 Explorer 360/C6
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2000
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From: Ozarks
390 Cam choice ?
I'm in Crete right now, visiting my mom... but when I get back to the US next week I will definitely measure the stroke and let you all know. Air cleaner has an original 360 decal but that doesn't prove what's under it, of course. John if it's a 390 will you settle for a regular used quarter?
New User
Joined: Oct 2001
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390 Cam choice ?
What kind of converter are you running? Do you want it to idle at all? Will you be running the engine at high Rpm's often? whats the stock compression ratio, how much Piston to valve clearance do you have, how about power brakes? 
There are so many questions to be answered before a cam could properly be advised
I like to put in the matching valve springs, locks, and lifters and run the engine real hard, remember, a fast break in equals a fast engine
There are so many questions to be answered before a cam could properly be advised
I like to put in the matching valve springs, locks, and lifters and run the engine real hard, remember, a fast break in equals a fast engine