I did my own in my old 96GT. It's a bit of a project but not too bad if you have basic hand tools. Mine had press-on gears so I just removed the old cams and and installed the new Comp 262's in the same position. If you go with a bigger cam then recommendation is to have them degreed to avoid piston to valve contact. I didn't have any issues. You will also need a tune to get the full effect. I gained just over 35HP with cams and tune.
You need to send the cams off to be properly degreed. (or do it yourself). Modular head service is the best as most big places that offer the service usually outsource it to them. IF you're going to attempt it yourself, buy new bolts as they are torque to yield IIRC.
The cam install process is not hard but you need to have some technical savvy to attempt. The key is to have the cams degreed properly for the car to run right.
And yes, the stock cam gears are compatible. Odds are if you degree them you will need an adjustable crank gear for proper alignment.
We purchased the degree wheel kit from Comp Cams - pretty much has everything in it that we need. We had to buy new bolts because the stock bolts were too small. Would you recommend buying a new timing chain also? Oh and as for the tune - I will having a tune done as soon as I have everything on. I was kind of disappointed that I went with the mildest cam but then again I didn't want anything too aggressive since it's just a daily driver. I want to get a 75mm throttle body also but I don't know how much of a difference it would really make on the little old GT.Holy smokes, Squeak! Haven't seen you around these parts in ages! Good to see you around.
As to the OP, the cams absolutely need to be degreed in. I used to be of the opinion that it wasn't that important, but after I put my cams in and they were off by SIX degrees, I realized just how important it was. Mine were 6 degrees retarded, which wouldn't have hurt anything other than power, but if they happened to have been 6 degrees advanced and I installed them straight up (i.e. without degreeing), I'd likely be pulling everything back apart to fix the broken valves....
With enough time and patience, and the right tools, I think most anyone that is somewhat mechanically inclined can degree in cams. It's not a very technically challenging task, just one that takes some attention to detail. However, I'd echo Squeak's comments that it may not be the best idea for someone to try on their first time even having the valve covers off. I'd opt to pay someone else to do it in that case.
The TFS adjustable crank gears are by far the easiest and best way to degree the cams in. Don't use the adjustable cam gears.
I believe that a tune is required to get the most out of a set of cams. No major changes are needed for a mild cam, but there are some small things I'd adjust if it were my car. Idle quality, part throttle responsiveness, fuel mileage, and overall power output will suffer if the tune isn't tweaked a bit.
We purchased the degree wheel kit from Comp Cams - pretty much has everything in it that we need. We had to buy new bolts because the stock bolts were too small. Would you recommend buying a new timing chain also? Oh and as for the tune - I will having a tune done as soon as I have everything on. I was kind of disappointed that I went with the mildest cam but then again I didn't want anything too aggressive since it's just a daily driver. I want to get a 75mm throttle body also but I don't know how much of a difference it would really make on the little old GT.
It will be my boyfriend's first time installing an aftermarket cam - he is a mechanic at Ford so he knows what he is doing all the way up to degreeing, but we have the video and instructions so hopefully all turns out well.
I'm assuming this is on an '01 GT that is in your name and sig?
If so, with those mods, I'd say 275 on the tires, give or take. Add the TB / plenum, and it'd guess around 290. Under drive pulleys would probably get another 5 or so. A 100% full bolt on car with cams is typically 290-300 depending on the dyno.
All that being said, don't be disappointed if the dyno doesn't show those exact numbers. Dynos can be stingy, the weather can hurt it a bit, the operator can manipulate them a bit, or other things can make it seem low. Track results are the only real indicator of actual power being made. And that setup with a good driver and/or good tires should run 12s in the 1/4, which is a very quick naturally aspirated street car.
Well looks like I will be putting 275 on the tires instead of the 305 in the rear - but 290 is still good! Luckily I already bought my SCT tuner. You are from NC correct? Have you ever been to Pro Dyno?
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