What cam for 5.0

[Lars]

I have mine installed 4 degrees advanced using the timing chain set and am very happy with it.

Lars, I'm happy to hear that you are happy with the new cam!!

408!!??

Yeah, I thought about you when I installed the crank gear for the timing set because you mentioned before that yours is advanced. But hmmmm... you have a 347. Six years of trying to make my engine run right with the last cam had me running skeerd about anything that might even have a remote chance of messing with driveability. Drove it to work again this AM. Makes me smile every time I start it.

Did you read about the engine Jack Covert ordered? I want.

[crawlin68]

Did you read about the engine Jack Covert ordered? I want.

YES I DID!!!

[Lars]

One more tidbit for anyone stumbling on this thread is that the Comp cam I just installed did NOT cause any valve-piston interference. Engine is stock Explorer 5.0 with stock psitons and never-removed gt-40p heads. I don't know what the clearance is, but apparently its adequate since no nasty sounds or other misbehaviors have emanated from my engine. I should have measured it but I got lazy and didn't feel like pulling valve springs to do so.

[House]

I'd say the cam is a good choice for an Explorer 5.0, but possibly not for a stock Mustang 5.0 since it has lower compression and more constricted intake & heads.

What cam would you guys use on a bone stock Mustang motor then???
I'm going to start the process soon I hope...

[Lars]

What cam would you guys use on a bone stock Mustang motor then???
I'm going to start the process soon I hope...

If you intend to keep it bone stock, I'd stick with the stock cam. It'll run great. Not worth messing with the cam unless you are prepared to change heads and intake.

[House]

I don't want it to "die against a curb" as Patrick stated earlier.
I can't kill my old 2 BBL 302 at idle with my brakes, and I would like it to stay that way with the new injected motor!

[highlander]

Patrick's didn't have a HO cam it was a crown vic motor, but he was also very pleased with the cam he has now with a basically stock motor.

[Delta 4 Wheel]

I never had a stock cam in mine. I pulled the Exploder cam out and replaced it with a E303. I, like Lars, spent too much time on the stang boards. The information that this cam would work good was...


I would venture to say if you have the motor out, just stab the cam Lars and Pat did, set it straight up and run it. You will never regret it. I have known Broncos with stock cams that have had torque issues. I would think the stock 5.0 cam is more duration and less lift which is opposite than what you want.

[Lars]

Having driven a couple of Broncos with stone stock Mustang 5.0's, I'd have to say that they weren't bad. In fact driving Todd Zuercher's with an auto and a stock Mustang 5.0 crate engine (he got one new back when you still could) was one of the things that made me realize I had cam issues. It wasn't a torque monster, but there was no way it would have died at a curb. Not to say you shouldn't put in a different cam, but considering the stock E7 heads don't flow past .50 inches of lift, I doubt there would be a huge benefit.

For the record, part of what makes me leery of different cams is the ECU compatibility issue. I've also driven EFI'd Broncos that supposedly "ran great". Depends on who's driving, I guess. I came into the EFI thing with the belief that the Ford ECU could compensate for all sorts of engine changes. I learned the hard way that it isn't necessarily so. To be fair, the cam that Patrick has runs *much* better in my engine than the one it replaced, and Comp Cams bills it as being compatible with a stock ECU. Since I already had a Tweecer and am running other mods, I can't comment on that.

[House]

Well I may just give it a shot as is then...

[buknbronco]

Ok I even after reading this thread, which there is a lot of good information, I am still a little stupid when it comes to Cams. Right now I have a little bit of loap and want to have it when I do the efi swap. Im injecting the 302 I have in my bronco. So what cam would you guys suggest for my situation. My dad seems to think I have a 290 duration right now, and I am happy witht the power, but would like the other bennifits from an efi. Or should I attempt to reprogram the cpu?
Thanks
Wes

[highlander]

Ok I even after reading this thread, which there is a lot of good information, I am still a little stupid when it comes to Cams. Right now I have a little bit of loap and want to have it when I do the efi swap. Im injecting the 302 I have in my bronco. So what cam would you guys suggest for my situation. My dad seems to think I have a 290 duration right now, and I am happy witht the power, but would like the other bennifits from an efi.
Thanks
Wes

The best advice I can give is when you are comparing cams only look at the duration at .05" lift, advertised durations vary to much between brands. I would look for something under 220° duration int and exh and at least .530 lift and not more than .550. I don't know about lope but after all my research I think 212-218° is a good range. I would suggest talking to the cam companies about what it is you want. A high rpm cam that puts out high HP numbers will feel real sluggish during normal driving and wheeling. I have a 220°,220° and 5.40 lift int and exh and mine has a nice lope, but I would like more low end torque and drivability.

[blwngsket]

OK, I've looked at allot of cams and specs. I found this on ebay for $229.88,
cam ohttp://www.compcams.com/Technical/Search/CamDetails.asp?PartNumber=35-514-8nly
It looks really close to the cams in this thread, what do you think? Price looks good.
Lift :544/555 Dur. 266/274
Will this have clearance issue's?
Tony

[Lars]

Not to be negative, but that's a lot of lift. Most stock heads don't flow enough past .50" of lift to bother pushing them open that far. Also, that's more than I paid for my Comp cam from Summit by a couple of bucks.

[blwngsket]

Thanks. I knew it was a lot of lift, close, but bigger. This was the first that I have really looked for prices anywhere, just reading the responses to this thread (and a conversation with Carl). What's a couple o bucks? How far off is this price?
Tony