pi intake and cam swap
- Thread starter 98gtmustang64
- Start date
I'll break it down as best as I can:
Cams - You'll need the new cams (make sure they are cams with the bolt on cam gear as opposed to the ones with the pressed on gear), new cam bolts from the dealer, assembly lube, RTV cement, c-clamp, and a vice grip.
Intake - PI intake gaskets, RTV cement (for sealing the coolant port on the NPI heads), new coolant tube and nipple for the 99+ stang (runs in the engine valley), new EGR gasket, and a new water pump o-ring.
The swap is really easy if you have someone to help. I swapped the cams without removing the front engine cover with the help of my brother. I told him to hold the cam gear up with the chain in place while I removed each cam, with a warning that if he dropped the gear or let the chain skip a link I was going to hit him in the nuts with my torque wrench.
Couple of tips: use RTV cement to hold the valve cover gaskets in place prior to installing again, they are a real pain otherwise. Be sure you install the cam on the correct side.... i know it sounds simple but it can screw up your engine big time if you don't do it right. Hold up the NPI cam next to the PI cam to be sure the lobes all line up. When I started my car after the swap my fuel injectors sprayed fuel everywhere under the hood, Im lucky it didnt start on fire. I should have installed new o-rings on my injectors before completing the swap, I would highly recommend it to you as well.
Cams - You'll need the new cams (make sure they are cams with the bolt on cam gear as opposed to the ones with the pressed on gear), new cam bolts from the dealer, assembly lube, RTV cement, c-clamp, and a vice grip.
Intake - PI intake gaskets, RTV cement (for sealing the coolant port on the NPI heads), new coolant tube and nipple for the 99+ stang (runs in the engine valley), new EGR gasket, and a new water pump o-ring.
The swap is really easy if you have someone to help. I swapped the cams without removing the front engine cover with the help of my brother. I told him to hold the cam gear up with the chain in place while I removed each cam, with a warning that if he dropped the gear or let the chain skip a link I was going to hit him in the nuts with my torque wrench.
Couple of tips: use RTV cement to hold the valve cover gaskets in place prior to installing again, they are a real pain otherwise. Be sure you install the cam on the correct side.... i know it sounds simple but it can screw up your engine big time if you don't do it right. Hold up the NPI cam next to the PI cam to be sure the lobes all line up. When I started my car after the swap my fuel injectors sprayed fuel everywhere under the hood, Im lucky it didnt start on fire. I should have installed new o-rings on my injectors before completing the swap, I would highly recommend it to you as well.
KBExperience
Active Member
sneaky98gt
10 Year Member
Also need a newer style alternator bracket.
Plan on having another person help do both swaps. I can't imagine placing the intake on the heads by yourself, or holding up the cam sprockets and putting the cams into them by yourself.
Here's a helpful little tip for the intake that I wrote up when I did mine. http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/772069-some-useful-pi-intake-swap-information.html
Plan on having another person help do both swaps. I can't imagine placing the intake on the heads by yourself, or holding up the cam sprockets and putting the cams into them by yourself.
Here's a helpful little tip for the intake that I wrote up when I did mine. http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/772069-some-useful-pi-intake-swap-information.html
Do you already have the aluminum crossover? If so, you can swap the aluminum crossover from the NPI intake to the PI intake. That way you don't have to tap the extra sensor and you can use the stock alternator bracket. I used my existing NPI coolant crossover and it worked perfectly.
Be sure you get the PI intake with the aluminum crossover... otherwise you are sitting on a time bomb because eventually the plastic crossover will fail.
IIRC the Windsor cams have the press on gears... get the romeo's that way you don't have to remove the front cover and timing chains
IIRC the Windsor cams have the press on gears... get the romeo's that way you don't have to remove the front cover and timing chains
Doesn't matter. If you use NPI gaskets you need to use RTV around each intake port so there are no leaks, if you use the PI gasket you need to use RTV just in the coolant passages....
FWIW, I prefer using PI gaskets because then you don't have to mess with each intake port and instead only need to place a small dab in each of the coolant passages. It's much less work this way.
FWIW, I prefer using PI gaskets because then you don't have to mess with each intake port and instead only need to place a small dab in each of the coolant passages. It's much less work this way.
Just a thought, but if you are swapping intakes, why stop with a pi when the gastket RTV fix will apparently work with any of the pi style aftermarket intakes. Personally I would think the extra performance potential from either the Edelbrock or the Trick Flow would be well worth the extra cost considering all the work you are planning. Just my .02
He has stock NPI heads and is just installing the PI cams. The cost is minimal and the gains are definitely worth the money.
I doubt one would see any gain in going with an aftermarket PI intake like the edelbrock or the trick flow on stock NPI heads. If he planned on porting the stock NPI's and getting some more aggressive cams (stage 2-3) then I think you could justify purchasing an aftermarket intake.
I doubt one would see any gain in going with an aftermarket PI intake like the edelbrock or the trick flow on stock NPI heads. If he planned on porting the stock NPI's and getting some more aggressive cams (stage 2-3) then I think you could justify purchasing an aftermarket intake.
Find a reliable helper... My younger brother helped me by holding the gear with the holes using a C-Clamp inserted through the gear holes... on the other side I used a vice grips to grab the gear (make sure you don't pinch the chain) and had him hold it up while I swapped the cams. Be sure you don't drop the cam spacer down into the front cover... that would suck balls...
You can do it my way and shouldn't have an issue.... be very careful, however... If you happen to drop the cam spacer, a bolt, anything really down in between the engine and front cover you'll need to take everything apart and you'll be pi**ed...
I seriously told my brother I would stomp on his nuts if he let go
Mr. Rustypwnz
Advanced Member
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