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Topic: camshaft question (Read 2678 times) previous topic - next topic

camshaft question

Hi; guys i was wondering if i can install a non roller cam, in my so motor? and if it will work with the fuel infection?..im used to old school cars lol..
thanks.

camshaft question

Reply #1 –
If you really wanna pull the valve covers and adjust valves I guess you could. I'd just ditch the efi if I wanted to go that far though. Pulling the upper intake everything you have to adjust stuff would ruin it for me.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

camshaft question

Reply #2 –
With correct lifters and push rods there is no difference from roller, a flat tappet hydraulic cam should never need adjusted...

As far as working with "fuel infection" same rules apply when replacing roller, if it won't idle at least 17" vacuum it'll require mass air... That creates issues as generally there are no performance ECM for the std firing order so cam will require 351/HO firing order and you'd need a Stang 'puter and other HO goodies...

camshaft question

Reply #3 –
So will a standard hydraulic cam work with my fuel infection?

camshaft question

Reply #5 –
Hi; no i just found a KILLER deal on a non roller cam kit. cam/lifters/push rods/rockers all for 125.00, thats why i was wanting to know if the fuel injection will still work, i have a cam lobe going flat on my cam.

camshaft question

Reply #6 –
It's all but unheard of for a roller cam to go flat...


What rockers? Only bolt down are going to fit these heads... Also specs on cam?? Anything much over stock and it'll never idle correctly...

camshaft question

Reply #7 –
If you swap to a flat tappet cam from a roller you will also need different length push rods and you will need to swap the gear on the distributor. Roller cams are steel and need a steel gear, flat tappets are cast iron cams and need a cast gear. They ARE NOT interchangeable.Comp Cams makes a poly gear that will work with both steel or cast cams.
Brian R.
88 2.3t Ranger
83 TC  gt40p motor,Vortech,TFS1 cam,long tubes,MS PnP,T5,8.8,17x9 Cobra 17s

camshaft question

Reply #8 –
Yea i thought so also, but had a lifter tick and replaced with a diff set of lifters and still have tick, rockers and push rods are fairly new, so im figuring a bad cam lobe. the cam the guy has is a small cam like a 268 i believe.

camshaft question

Reply #9 –
That is a bad assumption.  Pull the valve covers and measure the lift on each rocker.  Even if you have to buy a dial indicator with a magnetic base from Harbor Freight that is a cheap investment and will tell you what is going on.  You may have valve springs going down or something else so you need to find the cause and just not throw money at it with parts.

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

camshaft question

Reply #10 –
All factory ford roller cams are steel and will not go "flat" like a flat tappet cam. Unless a lifter breaks and the roller turns sideways there isnt much that will damage a roller cam. Look elsewhere for your problem.

Pull all the push rods out and roll them on a table to see if any are bent.Look for broken springs.And check the headers/manifolds for leaks.I have seen guys swear up and down they had valvetrain noises when all it turned out to be was a exhaust leak at the head.
Brian R.
88 2.3t Ranger
83 TC  gt40p motor,Vortech,TFS1 cam,long tubes,MS PnP,T5,8.8,17x9 Cobra 17s

camshaft question

Reply #11 –
Hmm good idea about springs. they do have 260,000 miles on them lol. shouldnt be any bent pushrods or rocker arms bad, they only have about 5k on them, plus i dont rev my motor, dont think ive had it past 4,000 rpm lol,  odometer shows 260,000 miles tho. need to finish my other motor up and install it.