Need cam and lifter Help!!

83mustanggttop · 06-02-2006, 09:59 AM

Hey...I'm new to mustangs...as a matter of fact i'm new to fords...anyways I'm going to pick up a 83 mustang gt w/ t-tops on monday, probably wouldn't even considered it but for 350 bucks..whats to lose...Aparently the guy who has it swaped out the original engine and put 302 out of a 1978 F-150 in it probably stock everything..from what i understand he transferred the intake manifold (elderbrock performer) and exhaust manifold and distributer from the old engine to this one..

Ok...the guy says the engine isn't pumping oil on one cylinder...the rocker is barely moving. Could be a lifter???
but seeing to how i don't know a whole lot about what's wrong with it cuz i haven't even heard it run i want to replace most of the vavletrain. but I DON'T WANT TO REPLACE THE HEADS.
I've been reading up on these forums and alot is said about E-cams??
are you talking about the crane energizer cams?
summit sells a competition cams K-kit.(high energy hydraulic cam,lifters,valve springs,steel retainers,valve locks, valve stem seals,high energy timing chain set, assembly lube, and instructions for $329.95. 1500-5500 rpm, 218/218 duration@.050"int./exh., with ,.456" of lift both ways..
would this cam work?????
i really love the way the cars sound with some cam lope, is there a cam that will do that for me in this stock head, auto gt.
I just want something that sounds good (plan on doing shorty's, x-pipe, and flows) and will lite up the tires. and something to drive to work so i can park my jacked up s10

~The Jester~ · 06-02-2006, 02:05 PM

If you have one rocker that basically isn't moving, that's not a lifter. Sorry dude, that's a wiped cam.

FRPP (Ford Racing Performance Parts) builds aftermarket performance cams. Us Ford guys refer to them as "alphabet cams" because of the part numbers. They all start with B303, E303, F303, X303, Z303, etc etc. So rather than go through the whole part number BS, we just call it an "E" cam, or an "F" cam, "X" cam. You get the idea.

hit http://www.fordracingparts.com/home/home.asp and do some homework, you'll be up to speed in no time.

FWIW, if it was me, there is NOTHING in that valvetrain that would remain stock. It would ALL get replaced, including the timing chain. What you posted put me in mind of one of my favorite sayings. "NEVER assume the a-hole that worked on it before you knew what he was doing!" So why in the hell would I take an 83 GT motor out, and put IN a 78 TRUCK motor???

All kinds of red flags there bro. Can't go wrong for the money, but I'd plan on building a motor so I KNOW what I had!!!

Rev · 06-02-2006, 04:29 PM

Jester is right. A lobe on the cam is worn flat. You will need a new cam and lifters at a minimum. That cam you mentioned from Summit is a HE268. Its a good street cam with a mild lope and good low end torque. I used that cam for 25-30,000 miles before I upgraded to an Extreme Energy 268 cam along with an Air Gap manifold.

I personally also agree with Jester that you should build an engine from scratch if you can afford to. I do still have that HE268 cam along with the matching lifters and 1.6 Magnum roller tip rockers. They show almost no wear and I would sell them cheap if you decided to go that route.

Rev

83mustanggttop · 06-02-2006, 04:50 PM

ok guys thanx..but i'm still alittle in the dark..
i;m definately going to change the cam lifters, springs, and timing gears and chain.
How big of a cam will the 78 302 accept? How much lift?
I wanna go pretty cheap till i see what it's going to run.

Rev · 06-02-2006, 05:13 PM

I'm assuming that your car is standard shift with a 2.73-3.08 rear axle. Don't go crazy on the cam duration or lift. With a mild engine stay around 260 duration and less than .500 valve lift. Actually to get much from the cam you have to have good heads, induction, and exhaust to make much power. The cam won't do a whole lot by itself.

Rev

Coupe50h · 06-02-2006, 10:32 PM

unless i missed something, An alphabet cam is a roller cam, it cant be used in a 78 non h.o block? I guess a conversion could be done, but why do all that work to find you have a trashed block, I would spend a few hundred on a stock explorer block and build on that, that way you know you have a roller cammed screamer

H.O. hydraulic roller blocks - 85-95 stangs 96-99 exploders.

And if converted to a hyd roller, the distributor gear needs to be a forged steel gear, or else you'll chew up the dist gear.

06-02-2006, 09:59 AM	#1
83mustanggttop Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3	Need cam and lifter Help!! Hey...I'm new to mustangs...as a matter of fact i'm new to fords...anyways I'm going to pick up a 83 mustang gt w/ t-tops on monday, probably wouldn't even considered it but for 350 bucks..whats to lose...Aparently the guy who has it swaped out the original engine and put 302 out of a 1978 F-150 in it probably stock everything..from what i understand he transferred the intake manifold (elderbrock performer) and exhaust manifold and distributer from the old engine to this one.. Ok...the guy says the engine isn't pumping oil on one cylinder...the rocker is barely moving. Could be a lifter??? but seeing to how i don't know a whole lot about what's wrong with it cuz i haven't even heard it run i want to replace most of the vavletrain. but I DON'T WANT TO REPLACE THE HEADS. I've been reading up on these forums and alot is said about E-cams?? are you talking about the crane energizer cams? summit sells a competition cams K-kit.(high energy hydraulic cam,lifters,valve springs,steel retainers,valve locks, valve stem seals,high energy timing chain set, assembly lube, and instructions for $329.95. 1500-5500 rpm, 218/218 duration@.050"int./exh., with ,.456" of lift both ways.. would this cam work????? i really love the way the cars sound with some cam lope, is there a cam that will do that for me in this stock head, auto gt. I just want something that sounds good (plan on doing shorty's, x-pipe, and flows) and will lite up the tires. and something to drive to work so i can park my jacked up s10

06-02-2006, 02:05 PM	#2
~The Jester~ Rat Killer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Cold ass Ohio Posts: 1,143	Re: Need cam and lifter Help!! If you have one rocker that basically isn't moving, that's not a lifter. Sorry dude, that's a wiped cam. FRPP (Ford Racing Performance Parts) builds aftermarket performance cams. Us Ford guys refer to them as "alphabet cams" because of the part numbers. They all start with B303, E303, F303, X303, Z303, etc etc. So rather than go through the whole part number BS, we just call it an "E" cam, or an "F" cam, "X" cam. You get the idea. hit http://www.fordracingparts.com/home/home.asp and do some homework, you'll be up to speed in no time. FWIW, if it was me, there is NOTHING in that valvetrain that would remain stock. It would ALL get replaced, including the timing chain. What you posted put me in mind of one of my favorite sayings. "NEVER assume the a-hole that worked on it before you knew what he was doing!" So why in the hell would I take an 83 GT motor out, and put IN a 78 TRUCK motor??? All kinds of red flags there bro. Can't go wrong for the money, but I'd plan on building a motor so I KNOW what I had!!! __________________ d-Con Racing "Nothing fancy, just 347 inches of RAT POISON!" MICE need not apply.....

06-02-2006, 04:29 PM	#3
Rev Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1998 Location: Houston, Tx. Posts: 3,887	Re: Need cam and lifter Help!! Jester is right. A lobe on the cam is worn flat. You will need a new cam and lifters at a minimum. That cam you mentioned from Summit is a HE268. Its a good street cam with a mild lope and good low end torque. I used that cam for 25-30,000 miles before I upgraded to an Extreme Energy 268 cam along with an Air Gap manifold. I personally also agree with Jester that you should build an engine from scratch if you can afford to. I do still have that HE268 cam along with the matching lifters and 1.6 Magnum roller tip rockers. They show almost no wear and I would sell them cheap if you decided to go that route. Rev __________________ '66 Coupe, 306, 350-375 HP, C-4, 13.07 e.t., 104.8 mph, 1/4 mi. O.B.C. #2 '66 coupe

06-02-2006, 04:50 PM	#4
83mustanggttop Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3	Re: Need cam and lifter Help!! ok guys thanx..but i'm still alittle in the dark.. i;m definately going to change the cam lifters, springs, and timing gears and chain. How big of a cam will the 78 302 accept? How much lift? I wanna go pretty cheap till i see what it's going to run.

06-02-2006, 05:13 PM	#5
Rev Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1998 Location: Houston, Tx. Posts: 3,887	Re: Need cam and lifter Help!! I'm assuming that your car is standard shift with a 2.73-3.08 rear axle. Don't go crazy on the cam duration or lift. With a mild engine stay around 260 duration and less than .500 valve lift. Actually to get much from the cam you have to have good heads, induction, and exhaust to make much power. The cam won't do a whole lot by itself. Rev __________________ '66 Coupe, 306, 350-375 HP, C-4, 13.07 e.t., 104.8 mph, 1/4 mi. O.B.C. #2 '66 coupe

06-02-2006, 10:32 PM	#6
Coupe50h Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: SanAntonio, Tx Posts: 957	Re: Need cam and lifter Help!! unless i missed something, An alphabet cam is a roller cam, it cant be used in a 78 non h.o block? I guess a conversion could be done, but why do all that work to find you have a trashed block, I would spend a few hundred on a stock explorer block and build on that, that way you know you have a roller cammed screamer H.O. hydraulic roller blocks - 85-95 stangs 96-99 exploders. And if converted to a hyd roller, the distributor gear needs to be a forged steel gear, or else you'll chew up the dist gear. __________________ X-Texas highway patrol ssp 1990 coupe - exploder Gt-40 iron heads, Explorer intake, 19 lber's. E-cam. crane 1.7 rollers. 190fp. 75mm maf. 65mm tb, tubular subframe connectors, mac cai, Asp crank pulley, T-5, king cobra clutch, flowtech 1-5/8 unequals, mac X-pipe Frpp driveshaft, lakewood Lca's. race weight 3,160 12.69 @ 107.35, 1.71 60' 26x8.5 drag's 3.90 gear 13.20 @ 106.91 - 235/60/15 firestones 2.3 60' 3.27 gear