302 Cam

[conanski]

so this cam would be just fine for a truck app then? Comp Cams 35-349-8

I'd should be telling you all about how this cam works in a 5.0 right about now, but I suffered a temporary setback. It appears the stock 5.0 pushrods are simply too weak for the upgraded double springs that Comp recommends for this roller cam. I literally watched these things buckle as I cranked the motor over by hand, so now I have ordered the matching Comp pushrods from Summit and have to wait even longer to get my truck back on the road. The motor is in the truck and all hooked up so it won't take long to get going once I have parts in hand.

 

[flareside_thunder]

Well, that sucks Paul but that's a ood reason to always rotate the engine assembly by hand before using battery power...what all have you done to your engine and how bad did you break the bank on this one?What kind of power are you expecting, so on and so forth.....I'm curious.

 

[conanski]

I haven't done much with this motor at all, it's got this roller cam in it now, the heads have upgraded springs and it'll have better pushrods too. Besides that I port matched the lower intake to the heads, and that's it. The heads are completely untouched and the block was rebuilt before I got it so it's actually a 307 now with 40 over pistons with valve eyebrows. I don't expect any miracles from this motor, just what your average free breathing 5.0 makes.. maybe 275hp at the crank and roughly 300ft lb TQ.

The 5.8 motor is where I have seriously dented the pocket book, Tyhoon intake, Dart heads, 24lb injectors, roller rockers, and the Tweecer so far, and I still need a throttle body, valve covers, and a new fuel rail(I can't put the old steel thing back on there with all these shiny parts, thinking maybe the chrome Mustang rail). And of course some decent headers... maybe even a stainless set, and other small parts like intake plumbing and maybe some cables and brackets. This thing should make 350+hp and righteous TQ, when the rest of the powertrian starts breaking I know I have succeeded.

 

[flareside_thunder]

If I don't put my BBK TB back on my truck I may sell mine...so the 5-0 has valve reliefs?I did find a cam for 5-0's made for if you've got 1.7 rr's......35-320-8.....

 

[conanski]

An old friend of mine is right in the middle of putting a new top end on the 5.0 in his stang, he has the Cobra intake, Edelbrock Performer heads, and the Comp 35-351-8 cam. He picked that cam because he also has a Powerdyne supercharger for the car, but he's gonna run it NA for a while just to see what it does. The blower on the stock motor was a pretty stout combo.. it ran 108-109mph in the 1/4 mile, which calculates to about 350hp at the motor. It's an '89 LX notchback.. the lightest version made, and it was a fun car to drive before, these upgrades should make it a handfull.

 

[F 150Cobra]

I'd should be telling you all about how this cam works in a 5.0 right about now, but I suffered a temporary setback. It appears the stock 5.0 pushrods are simply too weak for the upgraded double springs that Comp recommends for this roller cam. I literally watched these things buckle as I cranked the motor over by hand, so now I have ordered the matching Comp pushrods from Summit and have to wait even longer to get my truck back on the road. The motor is in the truck and all hooked up so it won't take long to get going once I have parts in hand.

ohh crap that sucks ... ok then so new pushrods also then... letme know how it turns out.. thanks

i dont want a FAST truck i want a normal truck with an good breathing 5.0 thats alll if that cam is too much recomend me another Cam.. but PM me i dont wanna hijack this thread lol...

 

[conanski]

ohh crap that sucks ... ok then so new pushrods also then... letme know how it turns out.. thanks

i dont want a FAST truck i want a normal truck with an good breathing 5.0 thats alll if that cam is too much recomend me another Cam.. but PM me i dont wanna hijack this thread lol...

I'll certainly post up some observations as soon as I get this thing rolling. I'm thinking this cam should be a good compromise, it should perform much like a HO cam with 1.7 rockers. I bet if I had just used the stock springs the stock pushrods would have been fine. But I have heard lots of stories of motors that don't measure up after a cam upgrade and it's often traced back to weak valve springs that allow valve float, so I figured I'd avoid that and do it right. It never crossed my mind that the pushrods wouldn't be up to the task, I had no problems with the 5.8 when I upgraded the springs.. though that was a flat tappet cam with single springs, so the load is much lighter. Lesson learned.

 

[F 150Cobra]

soo conanski anything about the project?? i was cheking the F303 cam for my 302 is it a good cam ? its basicly the same lift as the one yoy have but more duration.. whats the difference between more duration and less duration??

 

[F 150Cobra]

im going with the E cam no need for new pushrods... E cam it is

 

[conanski]

Bogie... hope you haven't ordered one of those dirty alphabet cams.. you'll hate it.. it'll be absolutely gutless below 3000rpm.

I had to pull the motor out of my truck again, the Comp pushrods were no good either. I ripped the heads off and put the stock springs back on and then put it all back together.. again!!! It's now back in the truck once more and all hooked up, I just have a few pieces left to add. It's amazing how quickly it goes together when nothing has to be fabricated and all the bolts are new.

 

[F 150Cobra]

Bogie... hope you haven't ordered one of those dirty alphabet cams.. you'll hate it.. it'll be absolutely gutless below 3000rpm.

I had to pull the motor out of my truck again, the Comp pushrods were no good either. I ripped the heads off and put the stock springs back on and then put it all back together.. again!!! It's now back in the truck once more and all hooked up, I just have a few pieces left to add. It's amazing how quickly it goes together when nothing has to be fabricated and all the bolts are new.

lol nope i didnt order the E cam yet.. or just letme know how your cam turned out.. maybe ill chek that one self..

 

[andym]

Jeez Paul... do you have a job?

 

[flareside_thunder]

I'd think the stock springs could handle the load anyways....if you're anything like me paul you're probably getting frustrated about the amount of time labor and money you've put into your ride so far....Let us know how the cam works...one day when I'm not so broke and have less bills i may get it if the jury has a good decision on it.

 

[conanski]

Jeez Paul... do you have a job?

Yes I do.. but if I ever get laid off I know what busines I can start.. I could swap motors in these trucks in my sleep now.

 

[conanski]

I'd think the stock springs could handle the load anyways....

Yep.. that's my thought too. There are loads of guys out there that have swapped all sorts of crazy cams in mustangs over the years without changing anything else, and they aren't blowing up left and right.
After looking at my Dart heads over the weekend I think I may have needed different retainers to use these springs, I think the stock retainers are putting to much preload on the springs and compounding my problem.

 

[F 150Cobra]

Yep.. that's my thought too. There are loads of guys out there that have swapped all sorts of crazy cams in mustangs over the years without changing anything else, and they aren't blowing up left and right.

now that yoiu say it i remember i had a couple of friends that swapped big cams in thier mustangs.. without changing anything... and had no problem..

what cam are you installing again conanski?

 

[conanski]

what cam are you installing again conanski?

It's the Comp XE264(35-349-8). It should work pretty good. I don't think the powerband will benefit from a cam with significantly more duration that this. In a car yes, but these trucks are 1500-2000lbs heavier than a Stang, and that significantly softens the apparent TQ of the motor.. all else being equal. After my holidays I'm going on the search for some gears for this thing, I'd like to find an 8.8 and D44 pumpkin with 4.10's so the swap can be accomplished relatively easy.

 

[F 150Cobra]

ohh ok ok .. letme know how it performs.. and take a few idle- driving normal and WOT.. so i can make my final desicion.. thanks!!

 

[conanski]

It lives!! I got it fired up last night but didn't have time to do much else. I still need to top up the coolant and adjust the distributor.. I have it a tooth off, but it runs and doesn't make any unusual noises. Almost there.

 

[F 150Cobra]

woohoo ... how does she sound? let us know soon..