• Mustang Forums
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-

TFS stage 1 cam advance amount???

  • Thread starter Thread starter BKM48198
  • Start date Start date Mar 16, 2018

BKM48198

15 Year Member
Jun 7, 2008
377
27
49
Ypsilanti, Michigan
Mar 16, 2018
#1
  • Mar 16, 2018
  • #1
I will be installing a TFS stage 1 cam on a 5.0 block with TFS heads, the car has an AOD trans and seemed to lack a bit of low end power with the cam installed dot to dot, should I install it with 2, 4 or 6 degrees advance to gain more low end torque, not a race car..just daily driver-cruiser. I know I should degree the cam and see where it says it is but was just wondering if most people find it better at 4 degrees advanced or where they installed it. Thanks
 

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair
20+ Year Stangneter
Aug 25, 2016
27,915
10,564
203
polk county florida
Mar 17, 2018
#2
  • Mar 17, 2018
  • #2
Give us some info:
Rear gear, lt or shorties, any work done to the trans, intake, what color is the car and are you right or left handed.
 

85_SS_302_Coupe

it sucks (I know) to be on the receiving end
15 Year Member
Nov 11, 2003
6,945
1,598
223
Northern KY
Mar 17, 2018
#3
  • Mar 17, 2018
  • #3
Lots of cams are ground with advance in them already. I'm a dot to dot guy myself. K.I.S.S.
 

BKM48198

15 Year Member
Jun 7, 2008
377
27
49
Ypsilanti, Michigan
Mar 17, 2018
#4
  • Mar 17, 2018
  • #4
85_SS_302_Coupe said:
Lots of cams are ground with advance in them already. I'm a dot to dot guy myself. K.I.S.S.
Click to expand...
Well I have it installed dot to dot now and it lost low end power, I would like to get some of the low end back and very rarely get the engine above 5000rpm where it makes the most HP. I am getting another block ready because I was losing oil pressure after the engine warmed up so I was hoping some other that had this cam might say how they had installed theirs. Most of what I have read shows the TFS stage 1 does NOT have advance already in them and that is why so many say the cam lacks low end power, just not sure if 4 degrees is too much.
 

85_SS_302_Coupe

it sucks (I know) to be on the receiving end
15 Year Member
Nov 11, 2003
6,945
1,598
223
Northern KY
Mar 17, 2018
#5
  • Mar 17, 2018
  • #5
BKM48198 said:
Well I have it installed dot to dot now and it lost low end power, I would like to get some of the low end back and very rarely get the engine above 5000rpm where it makes the most HP. I am getting another block ready because I was losing oil pressure after the engine warmed up so I was hoping some other that had this cam might say how they had installed theirs. Most of what I have read shows the TFS stage 1 does NOT have advance already in them and that is why so many say the cam lacks low end power, just not sure if 4 degrees is too much.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure advance/retard is going to give you what you want if bottom end is more valuable to you than top end. Honestly you may just be better off with the stock cam or another cam that is geared towards torque production (RV cam) instead of top end. What's the rest of the combo?
 
Reactions: General karthief

BKM48198

15 Year Member
Jun 7, 2008
377
27
49
Ypsilanti, Michigan
Mar 17, 2018
#6
  • Mar 17, 2018
  • #6
karthief said:
Give us some info:
Rear gear, lt or shorties, any work done to the trans, intake, what color is the car and are you right or left handed.
Click to expand...
3.73 rear gears, Ford racing shorties and an xpipe flowing into flowmasters, Saturday Night Special torque convertor in the AOD that has had a shift kit installed, the engine is 5.0 with TFS 170 heads with 1.6 rockers , 24 lb injectors and matching MAF, 65mm TB, and I usually flip people off with my right hand.
 

BKM48198

15 Year Member
Jun 7, 2008
377
27
49
Ypsilanti, Michigan
Mar 17, 2018
#7
  • Mar 17, 2018
  • #7
85_SS_302_Coupe said:
I'm not sure advance/retard is going to give you what you want if bottom end is more valuable to you than top end. Honestly you may just be better off with the stock cam or another cam that is geared towards torque production (RV cam) instead of top end. What's the rest of the combo?
Click to expand...
I had stock cam with GT40 heads with 1.7 rockers , explorer intake , shorties-xpipe, 3.73 gears and wanted more power so I went with the TFS cam and heads, it makes great power above 2500 rpm but lost low end. I've read that advancing the cam will bring back some of the low end but drop the top end which I rarely ever get to, I doubt the car will ever see a dragstrip, I bought the car in 1989 as soon as the 90 GT came out with the air bag and it is my daily driver in good weather here in Michigan.
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,249
17,934
224
Massachusetts
Mar 17, 2018
#8
  • Mar 17, 2018
  • #8
The TFS1 cam in general makes its power above 3000 rpm. You really need 3.73s (or 4.10s with AOD) to keep the engine rpms higher to take advantage of when it wants to make power. You didn't lose bottom end power..it just makes more up top.

I've read enough accounts similar to yours to convince me to sell off my TFS1 cam and look for something a bit more streetabke. Im also running the TFS170s heads in my combo I'm going to go with a custom grind, targeting 1500-3500 rpm as where I spend most of my time

Btw, your going to want to degree the camshaft and not just assume dot to dot is straight up
 

BKM48198

15 Year Member
Jun 7, 2008
377
27
49
Ypsilanti, Michigan
Mar 17, 2018
#9
  • Mar 17, 2018
  • #9
Mustang5L5 said:
The TFS1 cam in general makes its power above 3000 rpm. You really need 3.73s (or 4.10s with AOD) to keep the engine rpms higher to take advantage of when it wants to make power. You didn't lose bottom end power..it just makes more up top.

I've read enough accounts similar to yours to convince me to sell off my TFS1 cam and look for something a bit more streetabke. Im also running the TFS170s heads in my combo I'm going to go with a custom grind, targeting 1500-3500 rpm as where I spend most of my time

Btw, your going to want to degree the camshaft and not just assume dot to dot is straight up
Click to expand...
I know I will want to degree it but was wondering what other had as their experience with the cam, I do have 3.73's and drive on the freeway a lot so I don't really want to go up to 4.10's, I have the 170-58cc heads and they did gain power at high rpm but there is also a noticeable difference down low, so it did lose low end power compared to the stock cam - gt40 heads, but made a lot more at high rpms. Most of what I have read says the TFS cam is very close when installing dot to dot but I have also read that 4 degrees advance brings the power in sooner, I will probably install it and check compression at 0,2, 4 and maybe even 6 degrees advance to see where it drops off just to get the most low end possible. I like the sound of the cam and the high rpm power, just want to get all I can down low also, if I just wanted low end I could use the explorer cam I have but it lacks the high rpm power. I just want to get the most out of what I have already without buying another cam. Too many other places my wife wants to spend money now.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
Preparation for Holley Terminator X install – Foxbody 306 (electrical fan, alternator, MSD Ignition, etc)
  • So_Flo
  • Mar 1, 2026
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • 2
Replies
22
Views
2K
1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk- Mar 4, 2026
General karthief
9
Engine Donor '00 Mountaineer meet '91 Fox
  • 91firecracker
  • May 11, 2026
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
  • 2 3
Replies
41
Views
862
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech May 28, 2026
91firecracker
9
K
Resolved Weird sound coming from a freshly rebuilt 5.0L
  • karhoot
  • Jun 24, 2026
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Replies
7
Views
195
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech Jun 27, 2026
Mac131
SN95 Desktop 363 Engine Combination - Looking for input
  • WhiteCobra95
  • Sep 8, 2025
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
Replies
11
Views
1K
1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk- Oct 6, 2025
Habu135
2
Running very very rich
  • 2esoteric
  • Oct 31, 2025
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Replies
4
Views
337
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech Oct 31, 2025
Noobz347
Share:
Bluesky Email Share Link
  • Mustang Forums
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
Menu
Log in

Register

  • Forums
  • What's new
  • Media
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Sponsor
X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?

X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?