Installing cams is no small feat with these cars since they have to be degreed properly...usually the engine has to be dropped out of the car too to make it easier to get to everything and due to the fact that the valve covers don't come off very easy with the engine in the car.


Remember too you'll need a new valve train most likely with new cams also, plus, there are much better cams than SHM on the market from Crane , VT, and Crower...

 

Double post

 

Your first DOHC cam install should not be in the car, so do not try it. Installing cams is a long job that requires removing jsut about everything on the engine.

 

if u can follow instructions, have patients, able to learn new swear words while working. If u can do all of this and also turn a wrench ok u can do this job. You just need to take your time and if it is not ur daily driver or can have the car down for 5 days then you can do this job. Do u have any friends that have any knowledge with these motors? Having another hand is always better when doing cams it will make life easier.Just have fun and take your time.

 

I agree on avoiding cams from SHM.
In fact, I avoid ANYTHING from them.

 

I heard the DOHC doesn't respond well to cams for power gains. I've thought about it just for the sweet sound though.

 

I heard the DOHC doesn't respond well to cams for power gains. I've thought about it just for the sweet sound though.

I bought the book on 4.6/5.4l motors and just about every bolt-on in the book with dyno graphs- DOHC motors pick up anywhere from 25rwhp-70rwhp and about 30 lb tq. if u guys want any info on bolt on 2v's or 4v that book has it and i can type the gains up here with the page numbers too!:king:

 

If you go with billet cams, it makes life easier...You go with regrinds, well that's a different ball game due to the smaller base circle, you'll have to address the lash with a measured spacer under the valve tappet body, or lash caps.

You can degree cams with the motor in the car, but you'll need to remove the radiator and expansion tank..you'll also need a solid lifter, positive stop, and your typical degreeing kit from Summit..you will also need the ford cam locks, and a cam positioning tool to give you a datum point...

you will also need access to a machine shop so you can machine off the cam sprockets key-ways...If you have a 96 Cobra, you wont need to machine the cam sprockets, because they don't have the pretruding sprocket key-ways...those years came with a removable key-way pawl...

You will also need to get ARP cam bolts, and and red-loctite and you will need to apply 130 ftlb to the cam bolt.

On a side note, if you have a 01 modular and up, and you want to go with regrinds to save some $$$, find a set of 99 cams..they use the larger diameter cam sprocket bolt...the 01 and up modular use a smaller diameter cam sprocket bolt, and don't like being torque down above 80 ftlb.

I've done a bunch of 2V and 4V cam installs, and I agree it's always nice to remove the motor form the vehicle, but it's really not necessary. I've degree'd two 4Vr's with the motors in the car, and it was just a little tough on the lower back, but over-all it took less time....Good-luck....DA snake boy!!!!

 

I've picked the SHM regrinds because of the cost. SHM seems to have the mod motors figured out as well. The car is a 96 Cobra with 3.73 gears and everything else stock. I am wondering if degreeing the cams is a must do. I don't care if it's off by a couple of hp if it saves me over $1000 in labour. Oh yes the SHM cams come with shims.

If I have to spend $2200 for install and $600 for the cams I might as well save a few more dollars and go FI. However I really want the idle of a late sixties muscle car.

I'm not afraid to do it myself either, I have done every other mod on all my cars for the last 27 years. I've never been into a Mod motor though, but how many can say they put a Ford racing cam in their 85 Tempo...

 

I've installed SHM regrinds, and they worked great, especially their blower grinds, but that was way back, when Scott worked there...I havent purchased anything from SHM since....I run the Crower regrinds, and that was almost five years ago, and had no problems whatsoever in the five years.

I highly suggest having the cams degree'd....even the best cam cutters **** up, and if you dont degree, you wont know until it's too late...also why leave hp on the table ...take everything you can get, especially with our stingy modulars.....DA snake boy!!!!

 

degree numbers ?

I have a set of the the blowers and have yet to see recommended centerlines from anyone specifically on the blowers ( how about it Duane?) and I won't deal with the mfg. anymore either. I read a post by mihovitz about many cams having flat spots on the lobes and or out of spec base circles ? I believe it was on modular fords forums. This supposedly causes valves to never seat and burn valves etc... or could that be the overshimming. Any other ideas from the forum ? JD, What book is the above reference to ? Not the shm book is it ?

 

I have a set of the the blowers and have yet to see recommended centerlines from anyone specifically on the blowers ( how about it Duane?) and I won't deal with the mfg. anymore either. I read a post by mihovitz about many cams having flat spots on the lobes and or out of spec base circles ? I believe it was on modular fords forums. This supposedly causes valves to never seat and burn valves etc... or could that be the overshimming. Any other ideas from the forum ? JD, What book is the above reference to ? Not the shm book is it ?

The SHM regrind blower cams that I set up, the card recomended to be degree'd at a 112 intake centerline....I machine my own spacers, I personally dont like lash caps...

As for lobe center issues, I have seen it first hand....and yes over-shimming can cause the valve not to close. But on the other hand, under-shimming can cause the cam-follower to spit itself out....Regrinds take more care to set-up...BTW Jon is a very cool cat, I learned a ton from him....DA snake boy!!!

 

but how many can say they put a Ford racing cam in their 85 Tempo...

:rofl: ...thats funny...DA snake boy!!!

 

...However I really want the idle of a late sixties muscle car...

What effect does that lope have on the rest of the hp curve? Would you be willing to sacrifice useable hp just to have the idle sound cool? I don't know the answer. But, from what I read, it appears having cams that give a rough idle hurt top end performance. Top end is where these engines shine. If you want a 60s muscle car sound, either get one or record the sound of one on a CD and turn it on whenever you get to a light.

 

What effect does that lope have on the rest of the hp curve? Would you be willing to sacrifice useable hp just to have the idle sound cool? I don't know the answer. But, from what I read, it appears having cams that give a rough idle hurt top end performance. Top end is where these engines shine. If you want a 60s muscle car sound, either get one or record the sound of one on a CD and turn it on whenever you get to a light.

Actually the more lope the better top end.

 

Actually the more lope the better top end.

yeppers....more durations means more rumble at idle...however there is the trade off in torque....however you can get some of the torque back with degreeing, especially if you know the cam spec....IMO, to get the most from a cam swap is to provide flow numbers on the heads, some dyno numbers and mods...This will give the cam cutter a better idea on giving the max potential from a cam swap....good-luck...DA snake boy!!!!

 

I've picked the SHM regrinds because of the cost. SHM seems to have the mod motors figured out as well. The car is a 96 Cobra with 3.73 gears and everything else stock. I am wondering if degreeing the cams is a must do. I don't care if it's off by a couple of hp if it saves me over $1000 in labour. Oh yes the SHM cams come with shims.

If I have to spend $2200 for install and $600 for the cams I might as well save a few more dollars and go FI. However I really want the idle of a late sixties muscle car.

I'm not afraid to do it myself either, I have done every other mod on all my cars for the last 27 years. I've never been into a Mod motor though, but how many can say they put a Ford racing cam in their 85 Tempo...

again like i told up above 4v mod motors never get really loppy they don't need to. They acutally lose a little power to other aftermarket cams. They push so much air that the other lap with the cams decreases power. If you do anything get the road race cam from shm - that cam has the flat torque curve from rite around 4k to 8k in the rpm band.

 

again like i told up above 4v mod motors never get really loppy they don't need to.

you'd change your mind if you heard my motor ......DA snake boy!!!!

 

daune i have heard it -- it is a monster- I had a friend do a loppy idle cam and the thing didn't pull really hard i was not impressed then another friend with the same car did vt stage 3 n/a grinds and the thing scream. Uptop i do believe the loopy idle had a little more to it but the other car was so far out ahead there was no catching up!:king:

DauneV I was the guy abotu a year who asked if i could get a ride in your cobra and you said nope there is only 1 seat. I said i would sit on a bucket! Your car is a monster. Also can u pm on who did you roll cage??

 

daune i have heard it -- it is a monster- I had a friend do a loppy idle cam and the thing didn't pull really hard i was not impressed then another friend with the same car did vt stage 3 n/a grinds and the thing scream. Uptop i do believe the loopy idle had a little more to it but the other car was so far out ahead there was no catching up!:king:

DauneV I was the guy abotu a year who asked if i could get a ride in your cobra and you said nope there is only 1 seat. I said i would sit on a bucket! Your car is a monster. Also can u pm on who did you roll cage??

I remeber you ....One thing I've learned, is you just cant drop a custom cam in a 2v or 4v modular without degreeing....I've read so many threads that people just put them in without degreeing or checking anything...They leave so much hp on the table by not degreeing the cams in.....you have PM....DA snake boy!!!

 

I'd think a gear change from those 3.73s is gonna be in order once you swap cams too. These cars seem to need 4.10s or better w/ the stock sticks in 'em.

 

yeppers....more durations means more rumble at idle...however there is the trade off in torque....however you can get some of the torque back with degreeing, especially if you know the cam spec....IMO, to get the most from a cam swap is to provide flow numbers on the heads, some dyno numbers and mods...This will give the cam cutter a better idea on giving the max potential from a cam swap....good-luck...DA snake boy!!!!

Duane,

Is the lope the same as it was for the pushrod motors of old? I thought the Idle lope was different since there are now 4 cams instead of one. Have they gotten things figured out now so that you can go and add 75+ rwhp by adding cams. Just like doing headers, adding new cams is a major endeavor and I don't think I'll bother until I can do cams that add 75 rwhp. Can you do that and still pass the smog tests? Who makes a great sounding blower cam? I have an '03 Cobra motor with the FRPP whipple kit maiking 532 rwhp at 14 pounds of boost and it idles so smooth it's scary. I'd love to have an idle with a lope like the old days, but I don't want to go through the hassle of changing cams unless it will net me at least 50-75 rwhp and I'd like to go with billet cams because of the ease of install. Can you recommend someone? Crower? I don't have a clue, but I'm hoping you do.

TIA,

Joe

 

I've been told my stang sounds like a carbed 408....My cams were one of the first cams to come out from Crower for the modular (4 years ago)....

As for a 75 hp gain from cams for a modular 4v, especially with only 281 cubes and 9.8 compression, that would be a tall order IMO...but as the years roll on, and the cam grind technology improves, the hp gains will get better...I thinks it's more what you are willing to live with, in regards to the trade off in where your peak torque band is...My cams needed a 4.88 gear, since my stang does jack-**** from 0-2500 rpm...I might step up to 5.11 gears if my next tune makes peak power at 7400 rpm ....

I like the Crower and SHM cams, I've never had an issue with their cams, regrinds or billets...But I did have issues with another cam company. But from what I've been told, they have fixed their cam lobe issues....DA snake boy!!!

 

Back from the dead. I did the install in the car. I did degree them in the car as well. It was not easy but I got it done. Here's a clip of the idle. The cams are comp cams 106200. Now for the bad news. I am taking them out. I hurt the engine and it needs to be replaced. They'll be in the forsale section shortly. They have only 700 km's (~450 miles) on them.

http://www.streetfire.net/video/96-cobra-comp-cams-106200_2033029.htm

 

^^^^ OMFG those sound awesome!