Recipe for more power from a 302 EFI
 

I verified 10* slack in my original timing chain with just over 100,000 miles. Time to replace it. I am thinking Comp Cams Magnum double roller timing set. Sound like a good choice?

I figure, what the hell, while I'm in there I can replace the camshaft and really wake up the old 302. There are like a million options. Any suggestions? I know it needs to be "computer friendly," but there are cams that are not considered as such that have very similar, if not identical specs, and they're usually even cheaper!

I'll probably throw some LT headers on it as I have always talked about. I wonder how well my lose 105,000 mile 302 will respond to these changes (cam, headers, tight timing chain). Can anyone throw some estimated torque & hp numbers at me? I've also got a hot ignition on it (high V coil, low resistance cap/rotor/wires).

The cam has to have at least 114 deg LSA and short intake duration or your EFI won't like it. The Comp 31-255-5 qualifies and suits a truck 5.0 nicely. Combined with headers and free flowing exhaust the motor will make around 250hp and quite a bit more TQ.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2510/...96be5206_o.jpg

Wow! Very impressive improvements for just a cam and headers! Thank you so much for the dyno chart, that's exactly what I wanted to see. It looks like the hp peaks at 4,000 rpm. Will my truck still up-shift at 4,000 at WOT even though the operating range for this cam is 1,000 - 5,200?

Also, it's my understanding that the 302 HO and 351W engines use a different firing order that more balanced, and less stressful for main bearings. Is it worth installing a cam that implements this firing order? Such as, Lunati 61000 with the better firing order and 250/256 duration, 466/483 lift (very similar to Comp 31-255-5).

WOT shift rpms are controlled by your tranny and stock it shifts around 4-4500. The Lunati cam is close but has a tighter LSA so no guarantees how well it will idle, if you want to try the HO firing order simply order the Comp 35-255-5.

Oh okay, cool thanks! Also, I was talking to my boss who runs his own little automotive shop about my plans for the truck. I told him I was doing the timing gear and chain set, cam, and headers. He was strongly against the idea unless I built a bottom end to match. He said my truck is way too old and high miles for a performance cam. He said it would not last. I understand his position, and I have heard about never building a top end unless it has a fresh bottom end to match. What do you think? Is my stock 100,000 mile 302 bottom end likely going to tolerate the extra demand of the top end? I mean, it's just going to open the valves further and longer than before. We're not talking about a supercharger or nitrous or anything that big. I've heard these engines are pretty bullet proof.

I might add, If you dotn find the exact cam, for your 302. Try looking in the 351 section... If you find it there, you can use it, just change the fireing order to 351 is all...

Yeap all the SB ford cams will work , the newer roller 302s & all the HOs have the 351 fireing order , and you can change to that no problem .. Lew

Maybe I should consider switching to a roller cam/lifter set up. Is there a lot to gain with rollers? And what about my concern with the bottom end not holding up to the new cam?

I built a 5.0 in my `90 awhile back w/Edelbrock aluminum heads w/1.90 intakes,Crane cam w/ brains for EFI,and long tube headers with dual exhaust.It ran good and passed smog but still lacked in the raw horse power that I craved.If you got a 100,000 mi. you might as well get the engine rebuilt,and put new springs in the heads.It looks like a good truck and I wish that I had it.

drop in a 429 Cobra Jet. LOL

Hahaha now were talking. That wouldn't lack in the raw power were talking about!

I don't see anything wrong with putting this cam in a 100k mile Ford engine.. even a crappy old sbc from the late '80's would survive for quite some time.. it's not a high rpm high lift monster bumpstick or anything. The only part of the motor that will see any additional stress are the valve springs so throw a set of those in there too if you're nervous.

As for converting it to a roller motor.. it's not worth the cost IMO unless your block is roller ready and you can get a factory roller cam, lifters, and dogbone setup for somewhere between dirt cheap and free. If you got to buy all that new it could cost upwards of $600-$800 while a flat tappet cam and lifters will deliver nearly identical performance for $100.

Awesome, thank you for your reply! I'll stick to the flat tappets. And I'll take you word over my Boss' regarding whether or not the engine will take it. I'll go through with it! I'll have to replace the lifters with the cam of course. Can I pull the lifters out of their bores up through the heads and then slide the new ones down in, or do I need to remove the intake to access the lifter valley? Also, I don't really care about how the engine idles. I don't mind a choppy idle if it means I can squeeze a little more power out of the cam swap... Thanks for all your help!!

The intake has to come off to get the lifters out.

A cam that produces a choppy idles is not compatable with your EFI system, it relies on manifold vacuum to determine load so vacuum has got to be steady.

Okay, I see. Thanks my man! Are there any advantages to be had by switching to the 302 HO, 351, 400 firing order? Since the 302 HO and the bigger, heavy duty engines utilize a different firing order than the standard 302, it kind of says something to me. Or, am I being over-analytical (which I have the tendency to be, lol)?