Considering cams, few questions.

Sonic04GT · Dec 31, 2009

Thinking about doing the Hitech Stage II cams in the future. What should I know before jumping into this?

What is the average labor cost to do this work? Is it recommended to replace the valve springs?

Adjustable cam gears worth it?

Mods in my sig, basically stock.

Thanks,
Chris

Stark77 · Jan 1, 2010

Do yourself a favor and pick up the TrickFlow timing chain set. While you're swapping the cams, replace the timing cover gaskets, Valve Cover Gaskets, install the TF timing set (new cam gears, steel guides/tensioners instead of plastic, better chain). This costs about $400 for those parts. I've gotten all the parts together, including the HS II's, but I'm saving up for the install. I've been quoted at 600 for the labor.

Sonic04GT · Jan 2, 2010

Stark77 said:
Do yourself a favor and pick up the TrickFlow timing chain set. While you're swapping the cams, replace the timing cover gaskets, Valve Cover Gaskets, install the TF timing set (new cam gears, steel guides/tensioners instead of plastic, better chain). This costs about $400 for those parts. I've gotten all the parts together, including the HS II's, but I'm saving up for the install. I've been quoted at 600 for the labor.

Thanks

sonic_03gt · Jan 2, 2010

HaHa your name is almost the same as mine.... Any ways I am in preparation to do the stg2s my self. I am doin mine with out new valve springs as i have seen several others suceed doin so. Also their is a tool that you can get from afms that keeps tention on your chains making to where you can do a cam swap with out even taking your cover off. One other thing I would invest in a good set of longtubes. With those your cam swap will rly wake your car up if its a tr3650 look for in between 295-300 with your mods +LT's

Sonic04GT · Jan 2, 2010

sonic_03gt said:
HaHa your name is almost the same as mine.... Any ways I am in preparation to do the stg2s my self. I am doin mine with out new valve springs as i have seen several others suceed doin so. Also their is a tool that you can get from afms that keeps tention on your chains making to where you can do a cam swap with out even taking your cover off. One other thing I would invest in a good set of longtubes. With those your cam swap will rly wake your car up if its a tr3650 look for in between 295-300 with your mods +LT's

Haha yeah pretty damn close. I'm waiting for my BBK ceramic LTs to arrive

Pretty impressive gains! I'll have to do a little research on that tool.

Thanks for the heads up.

patman0911 · Jan 2, 2010

Yeah, do check out that tool - it's called a timing chain wedge, I believe. It will save you hours of work removing the timing cover & the accessories bolted to it, the timing chains, tensioners, etc., unless you want to change out all that stuff anyway.

9646gt · Jan 3, 2010

anderson ford motorsport sells the tool. Works great. I just used it this weekend. Just be careful. We turned the crank a hair to make sure it was wedged in good like instructions said and went a hair to far breaking a bolt hole on the timing chain guide. Needless to say I have the cover off now waiting on parts. The tool is like 29.95 and worth way more.

Sonic04GT · Jan 5, 2010

So there's really no point in the tool if I purchase the timing chain kit mentioned above right?

Car has 44,000 miles on it and I don't have intentions of a power adder for quite a while. Still a worth while swap?

Mustang 99-04 Timing Chain Kit, 4.6 2V, Includes Chains, Gears, Guides, & Tensioners by Trick Flow at LRS - Same Day Shipping!

Good price?

patman0911 · Jan 5, 2010

I think with only 44k on the clock, there's no real point in replacing the timing set.

Stark77 · Jan 5, 2010

If you plan on driving the car hard, and keeping the car long term then you might as well replace it while you're doing work in that area. Killer price. You will need a timing cover gasket as well, which is cheap. $300 insurance policy on your valve train and pistons.

Sonic04GT · Jan 5, 2010

I'm trying to take it easy on her right now because it's my daily driver and have been driving it back to FL here and there (I'm stationed in Texas). However, I do intend to keep the car as long as possible, so I guess I might as well do it than pay for labor later on.

patman0911 · Jan 6, 2010

$300 (and hours of extra work) sounds like pretty expensive insurance to me against a very unlikely event in the near term and something that may not even be an issue at all for quite a long time. I'd use that $300 on something more tangible that you'd enjoy while you're waiting for your chain guides to wear or put it in savings as insurance for that or, more likely, some other equally unlikely issue that may need to be taken care of unexpectedly.

I'll give you a few bucks for your old timing kit though if you end up swapping all that stuff out

Valve cover and timing cover gaskets are completely reusable, especially with your mileage and age although I might make sure someone in town has them in stock just in case you manage to tear one. I actually ordered new valve cover gasket when I replaced my valve seals last fall but didn't realize they were the wrong ones until after I'd torn into the engine - the original 120K, 13 year old gaskets were still in pretty good shape, as good as they were at 80K when I put cams in, so I just popped 'em back in and returned the new ones - no leaks (once I got the bolts torqued down properly, that is).

sonic_03gt · Jan 7, 2010

Ya i agree 100 percent your looking at alot of work to swap out the timing set/springs and cams compared to just dropping your cams in with afms tool and enjoying your new lopey ride. I mean if you have the extra cash laying around and plenty of time on your hands maybe then consider. But imo with your mileage I would just leave it stock. If your not goin to be running it hard a whole lot in high rpm's I would imagine you have zip to worry about. But this is just my 2 cents and I am just your every day neighborly gear head

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