How do I identify a(n) (aftermarket) cam?

Gautam · 04-11-2001, 05:18 PM

Hi,
Ok, having taken my stang to the mechanics a few times, a couple of mechanics asked (upon hearing the engine idle) if I had an aftermarket camshaft. I had no clue cuz the prev. owner of my stang didn't tell me (long story).

Anywho, is there anyway I can identify if my stang has an aftermarket cam based on it's sound (you can hear a clip of my engine here, which I recorded while standing in front of the engine:
http://www.cubicdesign.com/mustang/gvmustang.mp3 ). I'm gonna be making a few recordings (video & audio) sometimes next month.

Is ther anything for to identify the brand/model of camshaft without having to open things up?

Thanks!
Bye!

------------------
Gautam N. Lad
http://www.cubicdesign.com
http://www.cubicdesign.com/mustang/

86GT · 04-11-2001, 05:48 PM

What exhaust do you have on your car?
From the sound, I think you've got a cam, because it sounds alot like my car with long tubes, mac flow paths. I've got an F cam, and it sounds close to that.. But to ID it you'd have to check valve spring compression to find the lift, but if you wanna know exactly what cam it is, then you'd have to take the engine apart.

82 GT · 04-11-2001, 10:49 PM

That sure sounds like a cam to me!
Sounds good too!

------------------
'82 GT 351W C-4,BBK headers,Carter 625 carb,Comp.Cam,Flowmaster exhaust.
1988 GT...T-5,bone stock

Gautam · 04-12-2001, 07:46 AM

Hi,
That's cool. I wonder what other parts/mods I have on this car. I'm heading down to J&P Performance (I'm sure you guys have heard of them) this summer to find out what they did to my car. I e-mailed them but they said I'd have to bring the car down to find out.

As for my exhaust, well after spending quite a while on the net looking for clues (and listening to exhaust sounds mostly), I've concluded that it's a Mac 3" chrome-tipped Cat-back w/ Flow Path mufflers. Part #TKC693. But like I've said, I didn't get detailed info on these mods.

Anywho, hopefully by end of summer, I will have all my mods/parts identified, just so I know what kind of power I'm expected to make. I might as well take it to the dyno since it's nearby J&P Performance (in Scarborough, ON).

Thanks!
Bye!

------------------
Gautam N. Lad
http://www.cubicdesign.com
http://www.cubicdesign.com/mustang/

NO SLO PK · 04-12-2001, 04:28 PM

Yes, you can identify if it's an aftermarket cam. Connect a vacuum gauge to the vacuum port on the intake. You should see 18" or so of vacuum with a stock cam. You'll have a lot less with a performance cam. An E-cam provides about 12" of vacuum. I had a big cam in my '65 that made about 5". Hope this helps.

Fostang · 04-12-2001, 06:11 PM

I love the sound of car with a cam and that sure sounds like one.

------------------
67'fastback- Edelbrock carb, intake, cam, valve springs. Road lifters, Comp Cam rocker arms, windage tray, cerama coated headers, dual flows with H-pipe, modded c-4, tci stall converter, perma cool electric fan, aluminum water pump, griffen aluminum radiator, accel 8.8 cable, wide cap distriburator, magnetic pick up, manley valves, v-matic hurst shifter, edelbrock performer nitrous, carter electric fuel pump, ignitor coil, solid motor mounts, magna racing suspension, poly urathane bushings, und

Gautam · 04-13-2001, 09:24 AM

Hi,
I have an AutoMeter Boost gauge that the prev. owner game me. Where exactly would I hook this up to get the vacuum readings? Would anyone happen to have any diagrams/instructions on how to hook it up?

All I see on the gauge are two Black & White wires (for night light) and a plastic tube that comes out the back.

Thanks!
Bye!

------------------
Gautam N. Lad
http://www.cubicdesign.com
http://www.cubicdesign.com/mustang/

NO SLO PK · 04-13-2001, 10:43 AM

It's easy. You can connect a vacuum line to the black plastic vacuum tree on the firewall. There should already be a 3/16" port with raised letters that say "T/R" or "B/R" (I don't recall exactly). It's covered with a rubber cap from the factory. Remove the cap and slide a vacuum line over the fitting. Connect the other end of the line to your gauge. Start engine, take reading at idle.

These are the directions for an 86-93. Not sure what year yours is.

------------------
Russ L
'91 LX
Procharger, 3 row intercooler, extrude honed Cobra intake, Mac full Length Headers, 30# inj., 73mm C&L, 75mm tb, E303 cam, 289 rods, ported E7 heads, MSD, T-Rex w/255 lph Walbro, 5 lug conversion, Cobra R wheels, 3.27 gears and Moser Axles.

Gautam · 04-13-2001, 01:39 PM

Hi,
I'm pretty excited, cuz I got it hooked up. It seems it was hooked before, but someone had ripped the gauge out so I had to re-route the plastic tube through the gauge.

Well, After runnin the engine for a while, on idle, I get a reading of about 16". Now it's just a matter of identifying what type of cam this is.

BTW, My stang is a 1989 LX 5.0L.

Thanks for all yer help guys!
Bye!

------------------
Gautam N. Lad
http://www.cubicdesign.com
http://www.cubicdesign.com/mustang/

NO SLO PK · 04-13-2001, 04:21 PM

Hmmm...16" sounds pretty close to stock. The more aggressive the cam, the less vacuum it will make. As said before, my little E-cam makes 12". I dunno, bud.

------------------
Russ L
'91 LX
Procharger, 3 row intercooler, extrude honed Cobra intake, Mac full Length Headers, 30# inj., 73mm C&L, 75mm tb, E303 cam, 289 rods, ported E7 heads, MSD, T-Rex w/255 lph Walbro, 5 lug conversion, Cobra R wheels, 3.27 gears and Moser Axles.

Gautam · 04-13-2001, 06:04 PM

Hi,
Hmm...that kinda sux...I only had it idle for a while before I turned it off. When I turned it on later on, it was about 20, and then came down to about 16 or so when I drove off, so I didn't get an accurate reading. I dunno, I'll run the car more and see how it goes.

Several folks here have said it sounds like a cam, and so did a few mechanics.

Bye!

------------------
Gautam N. Lad
http://www.cubicdesign.com
http://www.cubicdesign.com/mustang/

Fostang · 04-14-2001, 04:12 PM

He could have variable duration lifters. I have them and they tend to do the same thing at idle. ???

------------------
67'fastback- Edelbrock carb, intake, cam, valve springs. Road lifters, Comp Cam rocker arms, windage tray, cerama coated headers, dual flows with H-pipe, modded c-4, tci stall converter, perma cool electric fan, aluminum water pump, griffen aluminum radiator, accel 8.8 cable, wide cap distriburator, magnetic pick up, manley valves, v-matic hurst shifter, edelbrock performer nitrous, carter electric fuel pump, ignitor coil, solid motor mounts, magna racing suspension, poly urathane bushings, und

NO SLO PK · 04-14-2001, 04:21 PM

Honestly, I wouldn't think so in this case. With variable duration lifters the idle should smooth out considerably, and I don't think you would have the racy idle the owner is mentioning about. Plus, I don't believe they make variable duration lifters for roller cams (?)

But I definitely know what you're talking about. I used Rhoads in a 289. What a noisy set of lifters!

------------------
Russ L
'91 LX
Procharger, 3 row intercooler, extrude honed Cobra intake, Mac full Length Headers, 30# inj., 73mm C&L, 75mm tb, E303 cam, 289 rods, ported E7 heads, MSD, T-Rex w/255 lph Walbro, 5 lug conversion, Cobra R wheels, 3.27 gears and Moser Axles.

[This message has been edited by NO SLO PK (edited 04-14-2001).]

Fostang · 04-14-2001, 09:32 PM

I must agree they are extremely noisy. I can't stand them anymore. But I still have the lumpy idle on my car. I don't know what it would be like with normal lifters. Maybe more but it's somewhat still their.

------------------
67'fastback- Edelbrock carb, intake, cam, valve springs. Road lifters, Comp Cam rocker arms, windage tray, cerama coated headers, dual flows with H-pipe, modded c-4, tci stall converter, perma cool electric fan, aluminum water pump, griffen aluminum radiator, accel 8.8 cable, wide cap distriburator, magnetic pick up, manley valves, v-matic hurst shifter, edelbrock performer nitrous, carter electric fuel pump, ignitor coil, solid motor mounts, magna racing suspension, poly urathane bushings, und

04-11-2001, 05:18 PM	#1
Gautam Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Brampton, ON, Canada Posts: 298	How do I identify a(n) (aftermarket) cam? Hi, Ok, having taken my stang to the mechanics a few times, a couple of mechanics asked (upon hearing the engine idle) if I had an aftermarket camshaft. I had no clue cuz the prev. owner of my stang didn't tell me (long story). Anywho, is there anyway I can identify if my stang has an aftermarket cam based on it's sound (you can hear a clip of my engine here, which I recorded while standing in front of the engine: http://www.cubicdesign.com/mustang/gvmustang.mp3 ). I'm gonna be making a few recordings (video & audio) sometimes next month. Is ther anything for to identify the brand/model of camshaft without having to open things up? Thanks! Bye! ------------------ Gautam N. Lad http://www.cubicdesign.com http://www.cubicdesign.com/mustang/

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04-11-2001, 05:48 PM	#2
86GT Sniffed too much n20 Join Date: Oct 1998 Location: Ont, Canada Posts: 1,018	What exhaust do you have on your car? From the sound, I think you've got a cam, because it sounds alot like my car with long tubes, mac flow paths. I've got an F cam, and it sounds close to that.. But to ID it you'd have to check valve spring compression to find the lift, but if you wanna know exactly what cam it is, then you'd have to take the engine apart.

04-11-2001, 10:49 PM	#3
82 GT Import Slayer Join Date: May 1999 Posts: 2,241	That sure sounds like a cam to me! Sounds good too! ------------------ '82 GT 351W C-4,BBK headers,Carter 625 carb,Comp.Cam,Flowmaster exhaust. 1988 GT...T-5,bone stock

04-12-2001, 07:46 AM	#4
Gautam Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Brampton, ON, Canada Posts: 298	Hi, That's cool. I wonder what other parts/mods I have on this car. I'm heading down to J&P Performance (I'm sure you guys have heard of them) this summer to find out what they did to my car. I e-mailed them but they said I'd have to bring the car down to find out. As for my exhaust, well after spending quite a while on the net looking for clues (and listening to exhaust sounds mostly), I've concluded that it's a Mac 3" chrome-tipped Cat-back w/ Flow Path mufflers. Part #TKC693. But like I've said, I didn't get detailed info on these mods. Anywho, hopefully by end of summer, I will have all my mods/parts identified, just so I know what kind of power I'm expected to make. I might as well take it to the dyno since it's nearby J&P Performance (in Scarborough, ON). Thanks! Bye! ------------------ Gautam N. Lad http://www.cubicdesign.com http://www.cubicdesign.com/mustang/

04-12-2001, 04:28 PM	#5
NO SLO PK Registered Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Arcadia, CA, USA Posts: 731	Yes, you can identify if it's an aftermarket cam. Connect a vacuum gauge to the vacuum port on the intake. You should see 18" or so of vacuum with a stock cam. You'll have a lot less with a performance cam. An E-cam provides about 12" of vacuum. I had a big cam in my '65 that made about 5". Hope this helps.

04-12-2001, 06:11 PM	#6
Fostang Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Stockton, Ca Posts: 599	I love the sound of car with a cam and that sure sounds like one. ------------------ 67'fastback- Edelbrock carb, intake, cam, valve springs. Road lifters, Comp Cam rocker arms, windage tray, cerama coated headers, dual flows with H-pipe, modded c-4, tci stall converter, perma cool electric fan, aluminum water pump, griffen aluminum radiator, accel 8.8 cable, wide cap distriburator, magnetic pick up, manley valves, v-matic hurst shifter, edelbrock performer nitrous, carter electric fuel pump, ignitor coil, solid motor mounts, magna racing suspension, poly urathane bushings, und

04-13-2001, 09:24 AM	#7
Gautam Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Brampton, ON, Canada Posts: 298	Hi, I have an AutoMeter Boost gauge that the prev. owner game me. Where exactly would I hook this up to get the vacuum readings? Would anyone happen to have any diagrams/instructions on how to hook it up? All I see on the gauge are two Black & White wires (for night light) and a plastic tube that comes out the back. Thanks! Bye! ------------------ Gautam N. Lad http://www.cubicdesign.com http://www.cubicdesign.com/mustang/

04-13-2001, 10:43 AM	#8
NO SLO PK Registered Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Arcadia, CA, USA Posts: 731	It's easy. You can connect a vacuum line to the black plastic vacuum tree on the firewall. There should already be a 3/16" port with raised letters that say "T/R" or "B/R" (I don't recall exactly). It's covered with a rubber cap from the factory. Remove the cap and slide a vacuum line over the fitting. Connect the other end of the line to your gauge. Start engine, take reading at idle. These are the directions for an 86-93. Not sure what year yours is. ------------------ Russ L '91 LX Procharger, 3 row intercooler, extrude honed Cobra intake, Mac full Length Headers, 30# inj., 73mm C&L, 75mm tb, E303 cam, 289 rods, ported E7 heads, MSD, T-Rex w/255 lph Walbro, 5 lug conversion, Cobra R wheels, 3.27 gears and Moser Axles.

04-13-2001, 01:39 PM	#9
Gautam Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Brampton, ON, Canada Posts: 298	Hi, I'm pretty excited, cuz I got it hooked up. It seems it was hooked before, but someone had ripped the gauge out so I had to re-route the plastic tube through the gauge. Well, After runnin the engine for a while, on idle, I get a reading of about 16". Now it's just a matter of identifying what type of cam this is. BTW, My stang is a 1989 LX 5.0L. Thanks for all yer help guys! Bye! ------------------ Gautam N. Lad http://www.cubicdesign.com http://www.cubicdesign.com/mustang/

04-13-2001, 04:21 PM	#10
NO SLO PK Registered Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Arcadia, CA, USA Posts: 731	Hmmm...16" sounds pretty close to stock. The more aggressive the cam, the less vacuum it will make. As said before, my little E-cam makes 12". I dunno, bud. ------------------ Russ L '91 LX Procharger, 3 row intercooler, extrude honed Cobra intake, Mac full Length Headers, 30# inj., 73mm C&L, 75mm tb, E303 cam, 289 rods, ported E7 heads, MSD, T-Rex w/255 lph Walbro, 5 lug conversion, Cobra R wheels, 3.27 gears and Moser Axles.

04-13-2001, 06:04 PM	#11
Gautam Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Brampton, ON, Canada Posts: 298	Hi, Hmm...that kinda sux...I only had it idle for a while before I turned it off. When I turned it on later on, it was about 20, and then came down to about 16 or so when I drove off, so I didn't get an accurate reading. I dunno, I'll run the car more and see how it goes. Several folks here have said it sounds like a cam, and so did a few mechanics. Bye! ------------------ Gautam N. Lad http://www.cubicdesign.com http://www.cubicdesign.com/mustang/

04-14-2001, 04:12 PM	#12
Fostang Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Stockton, Ca Posts: 599	He could have variable duration lifters. I have them and they tend to do the same thing at idle. ??? ------------------ 67'fastback- Edelbrock carb, intake, cam, valve springs. Road lifters, Comp Cam rocker arms, windage tray, cerama coated headers, dual flows with H-pipe, modded c-4, tci stall converter, perma cool electric fan, aluminum water pump, griffen aluminum radiator, accel 8.8 cable, wide cap distriburator, magnetic pick up, manley valves, v-matic hurst shifter, edelbrock performer nitrous, carter electric fuel pump, ignitor coil, solid motor mounts, magna racing suspension, poly urathane bushings, und

04-14-2001, 04:21 PM	#13
NO SLO PK Registered Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Arcadia, CA, USA Posts: 731	Honestly, I wouldn't think so in this case. With variable duration lifters the idle should smooth out considerably, and I don't think you would have the racy idle the owner is mentioning about. Plus, I don't believe they make variable duration lifters for roller cams (?) But I definitely know what you're talking about. I used Rhoads in a 289. What a noisy set of lifters! ------------------ Russ L '91 LX Procharger, 3 row intercooler, extrude honed Cobra intake, Mac full Length Headers, 30# inj., 73mm C&L, 75mm tb, E303 cam, 289 rods, ported E7 heads, MSD, T-Rex w/255 lph Walbro, 5 lug conversion, Cobra R wheels, 3.27 gears and Moser Axles. [This message has been edited by NO SLO PK (edited 04-14-2001).]

04-14-2001, 09:32 PM	#14
Fostang Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Stockton, Ca Posts: 599	I must agree they are extremely noisy. I can't stand them anymore. But I still have the lumpy idle on my car. I don't know what it would be like with normal lifters. Maybe more but it's somewhat still their. ------------------ 67'fastback- Edelbrock carb, intake, cam, valve springs. Road lifters, Comp Cam rocker arms, windage tray, cerama coated headers, dual flows with H-pipe, modded c-4, tci stall converter, perma cool electric fan, aluminum water pump, griffen aluminum radiator, accel 8.8 cable, wide cap distriburator, magnetic pick up, manley valves, v-matic hurst shifter, edelbrock performer nitrous, carter electric fuel pump, ignitor coil, solid motor mounts, magna racing suspension, poly urathane bushings, und