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camshaft choice

Printed From: The Ford Torino Page
Category: Powertrain Specific Forum
Forum Name: FE Block Forum
Forum Description: 332, 352, 360, 361, 390, 406, 410, 427 and 428 engines
URL: https://forum.grantorinosport.org/forum_posts.asp?TID=823
Printed Date: 28-March-2024 at 9:40PM
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.06 - https://www.webwizforums.com


Topic: camshaft choice
Posted By: torino390
Subject: camshaft choice
Date Posted: 19-November-2006 at 9:46AM
hi
can anyone suggest a solid lifter cam for a 390. the car has C6 with standard stall, 3.20 axle, and is running standard ported heads, hooker super competition headers, edelbrock carb/performer intake, 3 inch dual/flowmaster 40 exhaust.  re-building the engine over the winter months with approx 10:1 flat top cast pistons.  the car is mostly (about 99%) street driven.
after a good all round cam up to 6000 rpm max, don't mind a rough-ish idle.
any first hand experience would be great, but any ideas welcome.
thanks, Nick. 



Replies:
Posted By: capt john
Date Posted: 18-November-2008 at 4:03PM
I can tell you this much,After running both solid and hydrolic lifters in bigblocks and after running a full roller valve train inc. cam,lifters,and roller rockers(good ones)in my 351w in my Bronco(VERY ALTERED and blown) I am sold on roller cams, have you given this alternative some thought? The motor that I will build for my 68 faseback either a 390 or a 427 will be a full roller motor, Lift and duration will depend on what yoy want to do with the car.

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death to tuners!


Posted By: starsky76
Date Posted: 24-November-2008 at 3:27PM
Sollid lifter isn't a good choice.You have to constantly adjust the valves and their noisy.I had a 67 stang 390 fastback with a hyd cam about a .560 lift and it ran great.Even better now is to go roller cam and lifters.A little more money,but worth it.You can run more lift and duration without any negatives.On my 76 resto 427W I went full roller cam,valvetrain from comp cams.Their tech line is great in helping choose the right cam for your car.I would call them for cam choice.


Posted By: torino390
Date Posted: 24-November-2008 at 10:59PM

ya know, since that original post, which was some time ago now, i've had nothing but cam trouble. i originally fitted a comp 270S which was great for a while, until it rounded a lobe off #5 inlet... not happy. i was on a pretty tight budget at the time, so i went with the same cam again and just did the basics.  this cam lasted about an hour...  same problem, same lobe.  really not happy now...  before i tore the engine down, i asked a few questions, did a few checks, and found that the follower on the lobe in question wasn't turning when the engine was running. this got me scratching my head a bit. got the engine out a few months back, stripped it down to the block. removed all oil gallery plugs and got my torch out. found some metal pieces, only small, but must have come from when i originally did the mod to the oil gallerys when fitting a solid cam. they were quite jagged little pieces that had found their way to that follower and were preventing it from spinning. i guess there is a lesson to be learned here, unfortunately for me it's been quite an expensive one. i guess the moral of the story is cleanliness - clean it, then clean it again, and again...  after all of this fun, the car has been off the road for a while. not too big a deal as the winter and salted roads are here so i don't miss it for now. i'm just trying to get the dosh together to build it right this time. 4.250 stroker kit, and all roller. should have gone this route from the start, but i wanted to drive the thing! so, fingers crossed, come the spring, i should have a reliable, somewhat tourqey, 450 - 475hp motor. it's just a shame all this didn't happen earlier - sterling has gone pear-shaped against the dollar lately. oh well, never mind, we'll get there i'm sure. wish me luck!



Posted By: starsky76
Date Posted: 25-November-2008 at 4:28PM
Holy cow I didn't even notice your post was 2 years ago!Yeas any debris will cause havoc,I've had my share of troubles with other cars before,so I feel for you.Part of the game.Well at least you have a new combo going,so keep us posted when you finish.



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