Camshaft Swapout?
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Freshman User
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Camshaft Swapout?
Thinking about some winter time in house preformance upgrades and the cam came across the desk. The question i pose is can i install a new cam without changing the cam bearings or should i do it? Shes a 351M with a lil over 100,000 on her. Yes, i know the 351's were dogs and i plan soon to perhaps get the 400 crank and pistons. I just want to put a lil more pep in her step. Shes a great off-roadin truck as is but i just want something to keep me occupied during the cold months. I plan on doing this with the engine still in the truck and i sadly do not own a cam bearing pull tool 
but i have the fan, radiator and spacer removed from the engine and truck. The engine still resides in the truck. I also have the Timing cover off and the engine covered to keep the dust from crawling inside. I have bought the entire kit to redo the timing chain and sprokets for the truck aswell. What do you guys think i should do? Open for suggestions.
but i have the fan, radiator and spacer removed from the engine and truck. The engine still resides in the truck. I also have the Timing cover off and the engine covered to keep the dust from crawling inside. I have bought the entire kit to redo the timing chain and sprokets for the truck aswell. What do you guys think i should do? Open for suggestions.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Coal Country, ND
I'd say if your doing a 400 swap soon just wait untill then and have a machine shop put new cam bearings in when they go through everything else.
FWIW......I swapped a cam into my 400 when it had about 60k on it with no ill effects, but if your doing a major teardown in the near future just be patient.
FWIW......I swapped a cam into my 400 when it had about 60k on it with no ill effects, but if your doing a major teardown in the near future just be patient.
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,232
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From: NE Texas
Any gain from a cam change will be minimal. If you should go for a cam, don't go too crazy. I personally wouldn't go past 212@.050. Anything more than that and all you are doing is shifting the same amount of torque to a higher RPM range. These are not high RPM engines.
If it were me, I would agree with unrulee and wait 'til the build. Even then, go easy on the cam. Too much will take away from the low end power which is where these engines work best.
If it were mine, even with 400 inches, I wouldn't go much past a Comp 252H and certainly not past a 260H. These cams, the High Energy series, work well in low compression engines to build cylinder pressure. For that reason, putting one in anything less than a fresh engine can start it pumping oil.
Good luck,
If it were me, I would agree with unrulee and wait 'til the build. Even then, go easy on the cam. Too much will take away from the low end power which is where these engines work best.
If it were mine, even with 400 inches, I wouldn't go much past a Comp 252H and certainly not past a 260H. These cams, the High Energy series, work well in low compression engines to build cylinder pressure. For that reason, putting one in anything less than a fresh engine can start it pumping oil.
Good luck,
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: America
if you are going to make it a 400 i'm sure you will go with a piston to get around 9.5:1 anyway. if you search on the site you can see where the they, (danlee, hellenjoe etc) desktop dyno with the different cams and you will where too much cam will start to hurt torque at low rpm.
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Well, like i said. I will get this cam within the future but not anytime soon. Im determined to keep the 351M in her. I like to keep the same engines in my vehicles just beef them up a bit. But i did buy this cam on summit today (The Comp 252H ) cam and just waiting now to get her in. So with the crank and pistons in the future ( Say about 3 Yrs ) should i swap the bearings or just place he new pup in there and change them out when i do a complete tear down?
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2007
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i know waht you mean, if you want some action on winter, get also some headers, you can keep em afetr swaping to a 400, you should get a comp cam etreme enegry xe252h, but you will need aftermarket matching springs, aslo get a 4bbl car and an intake (all can be usuable on a 400 later).... if you wanna see a difference in your 351m without canging much, get bigger jets on your carb, get some headers and advance your timmming acording, thatb should do the bigger cheap difference....good luck
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,232
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From: NE Texas
small tube, full length headers would do more for this engine than any cam change could even dream about doing.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2004
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Well, like i said. I will get this cam within the future but not anytime soon. Im determined to keep the 351M in her. I like to keep the same engines in my vehicles just beef them up a bit. But i did buy this cam on summit today (The Comp 252H ) cam and just waiting now to get her in. So with the crank and pistons in the future ( Say about 3 Yrs ) should i swap the bearings or just place he new pup in there and change them out when i do a complete tear down?
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