1.7 rockers or cam?

[CornerCarvin67]

Okay... I spent the sixty minute minimum doing my due diligence to search for answers on this subject. Now I'm posting a new thread.

It seems as though most people are doing both the cam and the rockers.... but it seems as though it's not really needed. They're doing the same thing roughly aren't they?

Here's my situation... I have an unmolested 92' that I'd like a little more oomph from. It's been so long since I've tinkered in the 5.0 world that I just don't know where the best bang for the buck really is anymore. It's been ten years since my old 87' notch left me.

This latest machine really is stock... 38k miles.... just a cat back system on her.

I think a cam change.... say..... E303.... and an intake would be a nice upgrade. This along with probably a 65mm TB and a set of shorty headers should send her down the road in much better shape. And yes... I do like the sound of an upgraded cam which you won't get with changing the rockers, correct?

Any thoughts... suggestions are welcome. Just let me know if I'm on the right track. No... I have no money for heads.

thanks for your time.

EDIT: Well that figures... I post this and then do more searching only to find a very convincing thread that says by most accounts that changing the cam in an otherwise stock engine (stock heads) is a useless waste of time and money. The sentiment seems to be more towards saving the money until heads are affordable.

So now what.... get some headers and just throw a set of 3.73 gears in it?

Would the 1.7 rockers be worth the effort?

Engine = big air pump. So should I still get a 65mm TB to go with the headers?

lol.. fun stuff.

 

[skunk21]

A good basic set up for short $$ that really works..explorer intake, TB and explorer GT40P heads, 3:73 gears, and a set of FRPP headers + what ever you want for the rest of the system and go out and have fun with the car. The xtra lift from the 1.7's on a stock motor are just not worth it , your efforts are better served else where.

 

[GTOreturns]

Leave the stock headers on till you get above 250RWHP. They are the best for stock motors. REALLY! The intake is the 1st major bottle neck, so yes, that and a 65mm TB will work nicely. And the addition of 1.7 RR's will compliment the intake at higher RPM's where the stock 5.0's are lacking. Yeah after that I would go for a set of gears, it's a great mod for 5.0's. The stock 2.73's really bog down the low end grunt monsters! And a power pipe with bigger MAF will be a great mod with the new intake as well!
Good luck!

 

[midlife89]

All I can say is I miss my stock cam with 1.7rr.Put in a Trick flow stage 1 and lost a lot of bottom end,even tried advancing it,still no improvement.Had no driveability problems,plenty of torque till I changed my cam.Stock cam is great for a mainly street driven car,sure it doesn't sound as good but you can't have it all.I'm in the process of installing a 8 to 10lb vortech summit says it will work fine with the blower,so I'm gonna try it.If not I'gonna put the stock cam back in this winter

 

[rbonella]

A good friend of mine had a bone stock 89GT a few years back for his dd. Budget minded, he added a pro 5.0 shifter, used equal-length MAC headers, MAC 2.5" H-pipe no cats, flowmaster 3chambers, SVO 1.7rr, 73 mass air meter, 65 tb, used cobra intake, k&n panel filter, removed air silencer, bumped timing a bit, added 3:73's, Kenny Brown welded subframe connectors, strut tower brace, and had a ball!
Street manners were wonderful with stock cam. Those simple mods really woke the car up and we got it all done over the weekend, He had the ring and pinion installed by a professional.

 

[mob]

Cam and rockers kind of go hand and hand because one can affect the other, so when buying one you want to consider the other.

Now you gotta start somewhere, but I wouldnt start with a cam. If you really want the lopey sound you can go ahead and just change the cam. But swapping out a cam isnt as simple as say changing an intake. It's not that its difficult its that you have to go through a lot of parts to get to it, and while your in there you mine as well replace most of those parts. So you end up spending more money then you planned on.

I would start with the headers, and the gears, and more simple bolt ons, like pullies, electric fan, and even a 3g alt upgrade would be beneficial.

With the stock intake and heads you really wont be gaining anything. You even said it, your engine is a big air pump, and the two main things that pump air are choking your engine, because the stock intake and heads suck. Change those, then you can start worrying about what cam and rockers you should run.

Until then, stick with the bolt ons, or look for a set of gt40 heads or intake. I'd tell you to go on Corral and look for deals but I want to take them for myself

 

[CornerCarvin67]

Thanks fellas...

I think I'll do the gears. And I really need to put in the sub frame connectors. I think I'll go ahead with the panhard bar right away as well. We'll see...

I'll save the TB and intake swap for next spring when I have a few dollars more.

Pulleys and alt. swap make sense too...


thanks again.

 

[GTOreturns]

Thanks fellas...

I think I'll do the gears. And I really need to put in the sub frame connectors. I think I'll go ahead with the panhard bar right away as well. We'll see...

I'll save the TB and intake swap for next spring when I have a few dollars more.

Pulleys and alt. swap make sense too...


thanks again.

I would hold off on the pully swap till you upgraded to a 3G alt. Other wise you will have charging issues. A H.D. water pump helps out too.