Camshaft advice for a newbie

[Sask84gt]

Hey guys, need some advice on camshafts because I really have no clue. Due to a coolant leak I’m going to be replacing my water pump and timing cover. Figured I’d do the timing chain since I have a new one already and possibly the harmonic balancer if my 30+year old one is looking rough. My brother mentioned jokingly that we might as well put a cam in it while we were in there. The more I thought about it the more I liked the idea. I know they say that a cam won’t do squat for power without heads and intake but does it make sense to do it while you’re in there so that it’s there when you do the heads? Can’t really afford them at this moment. Motor is a 91 302 HO from a gt. Converted it to carb and ran an external fuel pump. It’s got a edelbrock performer rpm intake, Holley 600cfm 4 barrel carb, bbk shorty headers, bbk off road h-pipe and full catback flowmaster exhaust. The car is just a weekend street cruiser and I’m not looking to make it 500hp or even 450. I’m good in the 350 to 400 range at max. Won’t ever see the strip. Just want a cam that has nice a loopy idle, low to mid torque( I think) and will bump me up in hp when I decide to get heads. Will be looking at afr 165 or 185 heads when I’m ready. How are the Ford letter Cams? From what I’ve read some people love em and some hate em. I don’t particularly want to spend a crazy amount on some custom cam. Would the E be better than the B cam? Well they work with stock internals? If not what do I need to change to use one?

Thanks

[gr79]

Resist temptation and just do the wp and chain deal for now.
Save up and do homework on major engine mods when engine gets tired.
Cam change is a lot of work just for a lumpy idle and the drawbacks that go with it. Mods never end if not careful.
Its a hoot at first, but that wears off when drivability and durability issues crop up.
Enjoy car as a reliable street cruiser and not a money pit needing constant fiddling with non stock tuning and needing more hd parts.
Cams, heads, lifters, clutches, cooling, mufflers, shifters, tires, carb tuning, fuel economy, rougher running, make a different car to own.
My 2.3T has a cool lumpy lean idle when cold but can only hear it when standing near the tailpipes.
Overall, a better tighter aftermarket shifter assy and chassis stiffening made it more sporty to drive.

[85GTGuy]

Just want a cam that has nice a loopy idle, low to mid torque....

You may have to choose one or the other... a choppy cam is usually at the expense of low end torque and low rpm driveability.

[bwguardian]

I have the Ford Racing E cam in my 85 and love it even after all the years. I left the bottom end alone because it had mostly highway miles and I could still see the cross hatching on the cylinder walls. I went through the stock carburetor and did a few tricks, installed a fresh set of GT40p heads, and topped it off with a Ford Racing high rise dual plane intake manifold. For the exhaust it got Ford Racing stainless shorty headers along with an off road X-pipe with 2 Mustang mufflers. The car also has an 8.8 out back with 3:27 gears. This setup has plenty of low end grunt as well it's able to pull hard past 6k rpm so it's fun to drive on the weekends. I can turn the idle up and the chop somewhat goes away, but sounds good at normal idle settings. There are probably better cam designs out there nowadays, but this bump stick being ground with a 110* lobe separation works good with a carburetor, and I would choose it over the B cam for this setup. It also feels like a fuel injected power plant with the response it has, but I attribute that to the stock 4180c carb primary annular boosters.

I too would suggest you wait on the cam as one needs to pay attention to valve spring pressures both opened and closed in order for it to perform best. In saying that, since you are getting into the valve train you, might as well install better springs, valve stem seals, retainers, locks, etc....see where this is going...

[gr79]

Like many, learned a lot about squeezing more from no more car payment vehicles.
Read many magazines and manuals, internet. Sucess stories and searches for info on failures and why?
Parts, changes, tools, knowledge, for success obtaining desired personal specific levels of get.
Over the years better engineered parts and ideas compete to constantly improve on performance that was fine for its day.
Money, downtime, and obtaining correct parts and shop work play big toward any success.

Major tweaks of personal defaults like attitude and work pace were learned from working, for one, 16 months at Ford Dearborn Engine.
Engine line, FT engine intake prep station 40-48 hrs paid on Friday by FORD. Completing the 90 day probation required to get officially hired.
Into historic UAW Local 600 taking their monthly dues chunk out of paycheck. 5.79/hr. Wish others here could have been there working with me..
Paid holidays, paid vacation time, summer changeover shutdown, fully paid medical, pension= a decent lifestyle.
Seeing the name Ford dam near everywhere on days off was a downside. TV, signs when driving. It is everywhere in Detroit.
Then and now, is like pro level sports but not getting rich for sure but that is the way roads lead sometimes.
A happy gratifying time anyone can imagine being there too. Thinking positive and enjoying the ride. And ENGINES even more.

So, opening up an engine should be no big deal once the procedures, parts, tools, timing etc are ready to go.
For me, it is more than a bit like being back on the line and cannot change that nor ever want to.
Not enough sleep, lots of bills and beers back then.

Work- Easy easy, easy, easy hard, hard, hard easy work. Add confusing, complicated, triage, custom, or clumsy work?
Attention to detail varies widely during the process. Added decisions, delays, glitches, schedules are always there.

'Street able' 350 hp+ from a 302? Territory of Boss 302 level builds. The good stuff.
Would luv to try out a 79 Indy Pacecar 302 built like Jack Roush prepared special for the event pacecars.
"The engine in the actual pace car featured a host of performance parts and was built by renowned engine tuner Jack Roush. A hot engine was necessary because the pace car had to fulfill a requirement of accelerating from a steady speed of 90 MPH midway through the fourth turn to 110 MPH by the time it pulled off the track and into pit road. Naturally the brakes were uprated too, using semi-metallic linings from the Fairmont Police Package."

http://www.foureyedpride.com/content...-500-Pace-Cars

Cams:
Been driving since the muscle car days. A car with a bad azz cam is ear candy always gets humble respect.
Higher or very high compression pistons help make even more power plus can enhance exhaust notes much wilder, louder.
Drove a 1970 Chevelle SS 468/solids/ Holley dominator/4sp/4.56 once. 10 sec car. Took off like a rocket after 4k. No torque for cruising.
A family car that entered the try to go faster world. More and more. Lost config needed an automatic to handle the power.
Car now is going back to stock.
Same car with the stock 396, M22, stock exhaust, hummed beautifully thru neighborhoods and highways alike. Torque.
Upgraded my 2.3 with a later bigger SVO/TBird factory cam, Holley carb, header.
Great combo for dd and cruising. Other than tuning do not desire to mess with it and lose anything. Found the build level that works for me.

Or someday if we have to get a 2011-up Mustang- Fun read: Install and run instructions for a 5.0 RSC Coyote crate engine supercharged 600 hp.
https://d2ww6xbjtntz5c.cloudfront.ne...12-03-2012.pdf

Hope something written here will help in ideas, decisions in the future. Sorry for long posts hey they give me something to do.
Gosh we FEP have to have something to view, read, maybe talk about. Winter slows car stuff down.