Please - I need advice on piston to valve clearance ASAP
 

I have some stock shaved heads (.030) and ordered a Trick Flow Stage 1 cam. I have been told that I will have a problem with piston to valve clearance. Is that true? If so, where do I find the tool you use to flycut the pistons in the block?

What is the process to check this without bending a valve or wasting a piston? Note: the block is still in the car.

I am going to wait to pull my cam until I hear some comments on here, so please help me because it's a beautiful day out there and I wanna rip my car apart

THANKS!


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Indiana Stangers Association
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What year car? '86? I don't know the specs on the stage 1. What's the duration and lift? The stock heads have stock valve sizes?

499/512 lift I believe. It's a 90 LX 5.0 with ET7 heads and stock valves.

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Indiana Stangers Association
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You shouldn't have a problem with that combo with stock valve sizes, but defintiely check to be sure. I'm running the F-303 cam (.512 i/e and 288* duration) with Edelbrock 1.90/1.60s and I have lots of clearance on a stock 87+ piston. If you're in serious doubt if it'll clear, then get some clay and check that way.

I figured I could check it with depth mics before installing and get a pretty close figure as to how close they will be. If it's going to be close I'll try the clay.

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Indiana Stangers Association
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What duration and are you using the stock rockers?

I don't think you will have a problem with that cam.

Bolt 1 of them on with out the head gasket turn the motor by hand and see how much you clear by. You can use clay to check clearance.


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James Cox
nochevy@hotmail.com
1991 Mustang LX
12.565 @109.38mph 1.764 60ft

221/225 duration @ .050, .499/.510 lift.
Anyone know the lobe seperation and all the other specs for this cam and the E cam for comparison?

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Indiana Stangers Association
Buy your parts here

The way you check, I've never done it or seen it done but read about it, is to put some playdough on top of the piston, bolt your head down and then crank it through the cycle one time. Pop the head off, and look at the playdough. You could also mathematically figure it out using the cam lift, pushrod and valve length, knowing the rocker ratio.......but thats complicated. Someone else help out here, cause I'm sure my description is bad

put playdough in the valve relieves, put head gasket and head on, turn the motor over and measure the height of the dough. you had the head shaved and with the high lift cam, you are well under the minumum spec (80-120 thous) better safe than sorry!