Hello.

1.) Could anyone tell me the differences between a 5.0 and a 5.0 H.O.?

2.) Is it possible to replace a 5.0 cam with a 5.0 H.O. cam? Do the pistons need to be changed also? What all is involved? Is it worth the time?

Thank you.

 

I was thinking that the main difference was that the HOs were Mass Air fuel injection and the regualr 5.0s were speed density what are the engines out of it is really impossible to tell the differences with out knowing that.
-johnboy

 

the big difference is the firing order. Yes the cams can be swapped and no you don't have to swap the pistons. It is not worth the time if all you are doing is swapping the cam. These motors had better flowing heads(with some exceptions) and a better intake and plenum.

 

The main differnces were the cam, intake, and forged pistons(88-92). All 5.0 blocks after '87 were roller cam ready, though some truck blocks did not have the bosses for the spider drilled and tapped, but this can be done if you're doing a rebuild. As a result you can swap the HO roller cam assembly into any of these late model motors, no other changes necessary as it doesn't produce enough lift to pose a P-V clearance problem. And yes the HO cam is worth the effort if making more HP is your goal and you can get it for next to nothing, because there are lots of aftermarket cams in both flat tappet and roller versions that will produce even more power.

 

If you put a 5.0HO roller cam in you truck it most likely will not idle right. that is if it will idle at all. Its not because of the fact is a roller, nor the firing order. It will have less vacum at a idle and the will not be it the window that the computer will think is possible for your truck engine.
The 5.0 EFI truck engines used a very mild cam, roller or not. I think they were trying to get as much low end torque as they could out of a 302.

 

Thanks for the info. I found some aftermarket cams but I was not sure if there was going to be piston/valve clearance problem, so I did not purchase any of them until I had talked it over with you guys. I would like to get more horsepower out of my 5.0. The 5.0 that I have installed in my 1991 Ranger is out of a 1987 Crown Vic. I was told that these engines have roller cams, but that the cam is the mildest cam Ford installed in the 5.0. I modified a 1992 Ranger with a 5.0 H.O., and compared to the 1991 V-8 Ranger I have now, there is a world of difference. The H.O. 5.0 Ranger would slam your back into the seat. But even with the mods that I've done to my current 5.0, as much torque and horsepower that it has, it just does not have the power that the H.O. 5.0 had. So far, I have installed in the 1991 Ranger a stock 5.0 V-8 (NON H.O.), a 7.5 inch high rise intake (Parker), a Holley 650 double-pumper, a Procomp distrubtor with 50,000 volt coil, and a double timing chain/sprockets. I would like to install a hotter cam and maybe, if it can be done along with the cam, install rocker arms with a 1.7 rocker ratio rather than the stock 1.6 rocker, or one or the other or maybe both, depending on how much piston to valve clearance there is. Suggestions? Thanks.