Cam, Rockers, or what? (more power/bang for the buck)

[MG-70]

Should I get a hotter cam?
________________________________________
As some of you who have followed my recent posts may know, I’m thinking of ordering a stock-spec remanufactured long block (rhinoengines.com), having Tmoss work my lower intake manifold (I really liked the idea of the original look!) or getting a Performer or TFS, and adding the accessories on my current motor.

Current accessories include K&N, 9mm wires, MSD 6A, MSD Blaster coil, King Cobra clutch, FRPP stainless shorties, Bassani stainless X w/cats, and Bassani stainless cat-back, and I plan to keep it simple, naturally aspirated, but would like a little more power if it doesn’t cost and arm and a leg in terms of cost of parts and daily drivability.

Should I consider a hotter cam than the original and if so what do you recommend?

Is a larger MAF sensor a better investment or is it something that should be installed in conjunction with the cam? If so, what size, brand, etc., do you recommend?

I don’t mind a little rougher or higher idle, as even with 148K miles, it’s very smooth and even a bit quiet with the baffles on the Bassanis (will keep ‘em on as at highway speeds the thing gets noisy).

What do you think?

TIA





Blksnk955.0’s reply from when I had posted this in "talk"

with stock e7 heads your going to be better off with a good set of roller rockers on the stock cam. Maybe some 1.7rr but you can debate that. The cam is good enough really.

the maf will be good enough as well as 290-300rwhp is about that limit and you will not be there.

bang for the buck and power gained with the stock e7 head combo the Tmoss intake is going to be hard to beat.

If your set on wanting a cam I would sug. the steeda 19...its going to be about the best bet (and even then some people have had issues with this cam) with the stock eec.

BTW-dont know if realize this but you put this in TALK and you may find more help in TECH.

 

[final5-0]

When I see these what should I do? kind of threads .......

I usually wanna know three things from the poster ....

1 is car a dd or weekend toy
2 long term goals or expectations
3 street or street/strip application

Budget ... to me at least ... is not really much of a consideration
because
if one is committed to their plan ... over time ... money can be found

I am way more interested in the effectiveness of money spent than the total amount. Seems like you may be thinking along the same lines

Looks like you already said your Stang is a dd so that helps

I'll stick to na combos as you seem to be going that way

You usually see two basic types of combos on these boards.

1 GT40 type of combo built around oem iron heads and intake
2 After market combo built around aluminum heads and aftermarket intake

The GT40 combo will usually make about 90% of the power of the aftermarket combos ... give or take a bit.

There are some that equal the power output but .............
those are the exception to the rule

Several years ago I looked at all the various combos and went in the direction you are now talking about with self ported E7's/oem original intake. It was fun and I wanted to see how far I could go with just a few bux laid out.

I stress the part about few bux

I bailed about half way through the project cause I had gotten the most power from the least bux spent and knew if I went with a different cam (as you are now considering) what would work great with the oem stuff would be all wrong if I later stepped up things to cross over the 300rwhp bench mark.

Another way of saying my thoughts about that that combo ........
At that point ... I'd be throwing good money towards bad results.
IMHO ... Not effective use of my money

Now I said all that to show or have you consider this

Say you go this route and make 260-280 to the wheels ......

Is it gonna be enough

Here is the part of playing with these Stangs

If a typical oem iron headed combo will yield 90% power of an aftermarket combo ... what about the price spent for each one.

You will quickly see the aftermarket combo will pull way more than 10% more money from your pocket

Here is the bottom line .................

If you don't think you'll be happy with the oem stuff .............

DON'T WASTE ANY MONEY WITH THAT STUFF

Go straight to aftermarket stuff or consider forced options

Straight from one who done it
and
I hope it makes some kinda sense to you

After all ... this combo stuff ain't Rocket Science

Peeps in the past have built all different kinds of em ............
All you gotta do is dig em up
and
learn from their failures or successes

If you stay with your now talked about plans ... it would seem to me you would want a cam that is kinda small in sjze and will help crutch up the not so effective exhaust of oem iron heads.

A tune should always be at least considered as you can only go so far until it may be needed.
Some can get by without one ... some can't

Good Luck with all your decisions and I got a little bit of info on my old combo on my site if you think it might help you.

Grady

 

[tjh566]

Just wanted to say, Grady, Ive been reading these forums for awhile now and your posts a very detailed, easy to read and very helpful, This forum is full of good guys Ive learned alot from just sitting back and reading all the posts

 

[final5-0]

Just wanted to say, Grady, Ive been reading these forums for awhile now and your posts a very detailed, easy to read and very helpful, This forum is full of good guys Ive learned alot from just sitting back and reading all the posts

Well ...... Thank you sir

Let me add a bit more to that

I too have benefitted from other peeps knowledge on this site

We really have got a wide range of peeps on 94-95 :SNSign:
and
as far as I'm concerned ... this be the place to be
if
you wanna learn
or
at least ......................... consider it

Grady

 

[AznStanger3v]

grady, i have never seen anyone use so many smilies.... ever

 

[final5-0]

grady, i have never seen anyone use so many smilies.... ever

I don't know

Seems as I type stuff ... there is a place ... every now and then

one of those little guys should be given a spot to call his very own

His place in 94-95 :SNSign: immortality ...... don't you see

Grady

 

[93GTWannabe]

Just wanted to say, Grady, Ive been reading these forums for awhile now and your posts a very detailed, easy to read and very helpful, This forum is full of good guys Ive learned alot from just sitting back and reading all the posts

I agree... this has been my most visited site the last week and a half or so, there are always so many people in the '94-95 Forums, I KNOW i'll get an answer... I'm working on my own little combo, (http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=657329) which i'm sure most of you have seen, and even posted in...this place is great, I've got a note pad with scribbles and idea's and then the thigns others have said, All i gotta do now is go through it and make sens of it all... when MY motor is completed, i'll have to thank the guys here, as they've helped my lil pre-build checklist and checkbook out alot...

 

[MG-70]

Once again, thanks for the excellent feedback! This is making me reconsider the whole project. My primary consideration, other than money (better spent elsewhere), is having a “dd” that’s fun to drive, reliable, and easy to diagnose and fix using what tools and (little?) 5.0 knowhow I have. One thing I really like about this car is that no matter what critics say, it is reliable as heck and fun to drive (in addition to being easy and cheap to maintain). At the moment, I feel very comfortable with this engine and have no idea what it would take to keep and maintain a heavy-modded street engine (how much different would it be? Once in place, are checks, diagnosis, etc., the same as for the “94 GT” or is it going to be guesswork every time?).

Not knowing what the horsepower was back in ’98 when I bought it (with 45kmi.), at that time I was happy with it. Don’t know what power the mods I’ve done have added, but right now the engine is tired and I need to do something about it, between now and the end of the year; preferably now due to my schedule.

I haven’t priced the project piecemeal, short block + valve train + intakes (+ possibly hood, etc.), but maybe that’s what I need to do. Reliability, durability, and cost are all factors. If anyone knows of a good combination that will fulfill those requirements PLEASE email me or post here. I’ve never run the car on a track, which is not to say I haven’t pushed it; I maintain it well but I like to drive and know its limits. I have no dreams of beating a Viper on a straightaway or a 911 around the curves, and realize this is no M3 (I probably wouldn’t be able to work on any of those).

I’ll be searching separate engine parts over the next few days, any info is appreciated. It will still need to be naturally-aspirated, fuel-injected, and preferably fit under the original hood.

As always, thanks for the feedback!


MG-70