Is there anyone on here that actually knows what they are talking about?

[fordman54935]

I posted this same question on this Forum but the responses turned into two childish morons having a pissing match with each other....I'm almost fed up with the morons on this website.....So can some true engine guru's please give me a hand? I know there are people here that actually know what they are talking about.




Would I be better off with a stock cam?

I ran a best of 14.77@95 last summer with the mods on my 88 GT as listed below. When i bought my car, I knew it had a Comp cam in it. The specs are:215/220 degress duration @0.50" lift, 0.533"/0.533" max lift. My car has speed density but the computer was tuned for that cam. My car still has stock heads, and we all know that an hotter cam with stock heads doesn't do a whole lot. My question is, would i be better off to switch back to a stock cam (or other speed-density friendly cam) and revert back to the stock computer? Do you think I'm actually down on power because of this? I've seen so many other 5.0's hit high 13's without nearly as many bolt ons, which is my short-term goal for next year. Can i get there without dropping the cash for heads? Flame away guys....I'm all ears

 

[Kdubslugga]

I would think you should a lot closer to 13's, im by no means an engine guru, but what was or is your 60 ft times, and the do you have stock intake and TB??

 

[GroverDill]

k bye

 

[SLiM JiM 156]

I didnt read the other thread because I barley come on here anymore but are you still running the stock springs and pushrods?? You should be in the 13's with those mods if you can drive. When was the last time you just gave your car a tune up?? 95mph is good enough mph for low 14's with traction.

 

[AlbinoCobra]

Well, considering that you already have an aftermarket cam, even if it did slow you down due to the mismatching of cam/heads/computer, in the long term, if you are planning on getting aftermarkete heads, it will give you much more power and save you more time.

 

[maverick0716]

That cam is one of Comp Cams "stock replacement" cams I believe. I don't think you would notice a gain for better or for worse if you went back to the stock cam.

 

[88hatchblack]

I'm no engine guru; but my 88 GT only had a AC delete, exhaust, and mass air conversion and ran 14.28 @ 97.8mph w/ 2.05 60ft. On crappy street tires, and 90k+ miles on the motor. You should be in the 13's easy. Check the plugs and see if it's running rich or lean. I bet it might be lean with that cam . Do you have an adjustable fuel pressure regulator? Mess with the FP and see what happens...

 

[fordman54935]

Thanks for the responses, guys. I have the stock intake and TB, and my 60' times varied from 2.28 seconds (worst 60') to 2.17 seconds (best 60'). I would like to run Thumper heads with a Tmoss ported lower with a 65 MM TB with my existing cam, but I really dont have the cash to do all that AND switch to mass air. My goal is to run in the 13's, i'm just trying to figure out how to get there the least expensive (and easiest) way. I honestly have no idea how much my car wieghs, its never been on the scales.

Let me know what you guys think is my best plan of attack

I've heard conflicting info about running Speed Density with the combo I have listed above....tell me what you think!

 

[fordman54935]

Thanks for the responses, guys. I have the stock intake and TB, and my 60' times varied from 2.28 seconds (worst 60') to 2.17 seconds (best 60'). I would like to run Thumper heads with a Tmoss ported lower with a 65 MM TB with my existing cam, but I really dont have the cash to do all that AND switch to mass air. My goal is to run in the 13's, i'm just trying to figure out how to get there the least expensive (and easiest) way. I honestly have no idea how much my car wieghs, its never been on the scales. Also, I believe the valvesprings are stock, but I don't know that for sure.

Let me know what you guys think is my best plan of attack

I've heard conflicting info about running Speed Density with the combo I have listed above....tell me what you think!

 

[ninety15.0]

I agree with the others that you should be a little quicker as is, but there are too many variables to pin it down on one thing thats wrong. I would not switch back to the stock cam...the specs on the cam arent that outrageous at all... and if you are going to go with thumper heads and the tmoss intake then you're already lookin at mid 13's right there especially with your mods. if i were you i would do the mass air conversion and you may actually see a decent improvement just from that. i have heard that speed density cars dont take well to H/C/I mods. maybe a little suspension work and some drag radials to keep those 4.10's under control and you will see 13's for sure....good luck man

 

[willys1]

Thats the combo Im gonna have.I have a t-moss already,Im getting Thumpers this winter,and a custom cam.I just want a sh@t load of bottom end torque

 

[fordman54935]

Thanks again guys, i'm getting a lot of good information this time around. I don't really know if i'm ready to do(or have the cash for) heads and the mass air conversion, but what I do have is all winter to figure it out lol. How would this combination work:

Mass air conversion
Tmoss intake
65 MM TB
keep existing cam

Also, do you think my stock 55,000 mile valve springs are okay with that cam?

 

[strtracer442]

TB and sticky tires or slicks. Youve increased the heads ability to pass more air, but youre not feeding it any more.

 

[JB66]

Just a quick question to enlighten me, if you don't mind. Do stock HO's come with 1.73 rockers?

 

[SLiM JiM 156]

stock 5.0's come with 1.6 rockers. 1.73 are upgraded. I think the problem is coming somewhere in your valvetrain..

 

[sn9550]

I wouldn't worry about switching to mass air right now.That cam "should" work with sd but each car is different. From your signature you don't have that many power mods. Your et isn't all that great but, for your mods, Your mph is pretty good. I'd work on heads, intake, and throttle body for now. Your on the right path.

 

[87'GTstang]

You basically have the engine "sucking" for more air but the problem is that the stock heads and upper plenum are not going to allow that. Tuning a SD ECU is a good way to make use of what you got but even then the computer is guessing as to how much air your engine is taking in because it have no way to measure it - cue the MAF conversion. Anyway you look at it after that, you have to ditch the stock plenum (the stock upper intake isn't all that bad) and you need to keep up with your cam's demands with a better breathing set of cylinder heads. Anyway you look at it, it's your classic H/C/I combo, you really can't do one without doing the other two to maximize your effectiveness.

 

[RIXX93GT]

Put a short belt on it, get some drag radials and work on getting that 60 ft time down below 1.85 and you should be close to 13's with what you have I think.

 

[DMAN302]

I'd would look to see if your doing the one wheel peel, which will affect your launch. Next the cam seems to be alright with your car in terms of idle, and MPH seems decent so I think your ok to keep it in. Get a fuel pressure gauge to see if your getting good pressure 38-40# and pull the codes to see if anything is holding you up there. With a good tune and codes pulled, you could next do a compression test to give you an idea of shortblock condition. Last but possible, pull your intake pipe, just to confirm at WOT that your butterfly is open all the way, sounds silly but stranger things have happened...just go over the whole car, one or two small things can affect overall performance. Oh ya and get an aftermarket tach on there, you may be undershifting or overshifting, my factory tach reads 5500 when my autometer is sitting a 4700.

 

[tmoss]

Thanks again guys, i'm getting a lot of good information this time around. I don't really know if i'm ready to do(or have the cash for) heads and the mass air conversion, but what I do have is all winter to figure it out lol. How would this combination work:

Mass air conversion
Tmoss intake
65 MM TB
keep existing cam

Also, do you think my stock 55,000 mile valve springs are okay with that cam?

If the springs used with a .533" lift cam are stock springs, then yes you need to replace them. NO NEED to go to MAF as yet, SD will handle that cam. You did not give me the lobe seperation of the lobes, but I used your 215/220 numbers in my spreadsheet and that cam with 112-114* lobe centers will give negative overlap @.050" lift which will be good for maintaining vacuum - a critical facotr for SD. My stock 88 SD cam has 112.5 lobe centers. Heads/intake are what you really need to wake up the power of that cam - which I would NOT change.