94bamaGT

I am considering for my next uprgrade, the roller rocket install as opposed to changing the cam...... I am going to run the rest of the life out of the 102000 mile engine before cracking it open and it seems to be much cheaper to get more lift from the factory cam this way. I can and have done basic mechanical jobs, but never had any experience with the valvetrain. Any tech forums out there for a newbie ? Tools required, things to look for , etc. ? Any help would be greatly appreciated

P Zero

You could put those rollers on your motor but you wont see that much of a performance gain. Youre better off, changing the cam. Changing a cam isnt that difficult, but it is rather involved. First, get yourself a haynes or chiltons manula as it will have some crucial info that youll need, costs around 15 bux. In a nut shell, to change a cam, youll need to remove the radiator, water pump, intake manifold, valve covers, and some of the front accessories. Im not positive on which ones as mine is setup backwards to yours (my alternator is on the passenger side). More than likely youll need to remove, the alternator and power steering pump, basically to get the brackets off of the water pump, youll also need to remove the crank pulley and the harmonic balancer (youll need a puller to get the balancer off). After that its pretty straight forward, remove the timing cover, unbolt the cam gear and remove both timing gears with the chain. Theres a retainer for the cam remove the 2 bolts. Then get a long bolt that you can screw into the center of the cam as a handle. Remove the lifter retaining bracket from the lifter valley, loosen your rocker arms, remove all of your pushrods and lifters. Now when removing the lifters and pushrods get a piece of cardboard and label it 1-8, and place the pushrods and lifters into the appropriatly numberd slots, its pretty important that they go back in the same place during reassembly. After that grab that long bolt in the cam and pull it out of the front of the block. Be carful, when you initially pull it the cam is going to wanna drop, you dont want it to do this because itll damage the cam bearings. Then grab your new cam, lube it up with the break in fluid crap they give you and stick it back in the block, and then reassemble. Heres the install process, cam, lifters, pushrods, tighten the rockers, install the cam retainer, timing gears, timing cover, water pump, the accessories, etc. etc.
-P.

gspfunk

On stock heads, changing the cam won't gain that much. Changing out the lifters [I'm retarded...I meant roller rockers[sm=smiley29.gif]] would be less involved and the gains should be similar.

myshifter

steel billet roller cores dont care what lifter they are using no need to keep track, same thing with pushrods, they also dont need break in lube.

2 kwik

you'll gain about .030 lift with the 1.7's

gspfunk

If memory serves, stock is .444

1.7's = ~.472
1.72's = ~.477

SD_LX_5.0

I have 1.7 crane rollers( "same" ones as the cobra) Its kinda made my idle not as smooth (can only tell cus my aftermarket exhaust).
As for power im not sure because I put them on when I ported my heads and intakes so I wasnt able to test them alone.

In my opinion I wouldnt waste my money on them because: 1 you have a stock motor, 2 a cam would be much cheeper($230ish vs. $150ish), and 3 to enjoy the "last" of your motor an exhaust would be something you would be much happier listening to if you dont already have it.

94bamaGT

Should have let you guys know what I have I suppose, was BONE Stock and original 94GT w/94k miles. I have : removed CATS, Mac H pipe and flowmasters, Ford Racing iginition coil, 9mm MSD wires, cap and button, MAC CAI, 73MM MAF calibrated to 19lb injectors, underdrive pulleys, installed 3.55 gear, going back on this week with new injectors ( 4 nozzle sprays as opposed to factory single sprays that came off) 95 COBRA manifold that I gasket matched upper and lower and polished the inside, and 70mm Prof Products throttle body, 1 inch HELIX throttle body spacer,also got billet fuel rails for looks, 160 degree thermostat.

I will DEFINATELY be getting some air, stock computer, going to bump my timing, hopefully won't be running too lean..........

Thats why Im looking for the next big bang for the buck, which I have heard is rockers, since I will be breathing so much better up top, I'm told, help get more of the in the combustion chanber.

Any suggestions for the best $200 to be next spent for performance ?

I'm wide open, chip burnt for my above mods, roller rockers, whatever.

You guys tell me ...............................

hellas85stang

i used stock 302 heads and edelbrock performer cam and intake made a crap load of difference made 201 hp at wheels on a 70 f100 truck...9.1 comp....headers added about 40-50 hp aat fly..very noticable..to say a cam swap and heads that are stock are not worth it is bull...its not if you have a race or performance cam..but performer cam is a good step over stock..

TBird232ci

Lift is not what makes power. Duration is.