TW head/FTI cam combo together

zenboy99

Founding Member
May 12, 2002
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Madison, WI
Let me first say that this was alot more involved then I thought it would be. Seemed like everything that could go wrong went wrong. The nice thing was that my shortblock was in primo condition even after 163,000 miles. My Dad couldn't believe it, you could see all the cross hatchings.

Two things of note, Pro Magnum rockers hardly fit under stock 94-95 valve covers with Trick Flow heads. My valve covers got more "massages" then Donald Trump. Also the ARP timing cover/water pump bolt kit for small block Fords does not work on our cars, well 10% of the bolts work leaving you to search for the rest. Jegs told me it would work, so maybe they sent me the wrong kit?

After everything that went wrong, I was almost dreading starting it up figuring that there would be no way that it would idle. But it started right up and after awhile settled into a 750rpm idle. I was dumbfounded. The horsepower devil in my head was wishing I would have asked Ed C for a bigger cam. Drove the car home 30 miles from my Dad's without any problems. But this morning it started to die when I let off for stop signs, hope the JMS chip will help that.

I don't want to give my cam specs away, but my lift was more then what Trick Flow recomends wich worried me at first. But Ed informed me its the timing events not the lift that will effect clearance. Clearance was over 0.1" for both intake and exhaust. Also degreed the cam and found out that it was retarted 3/4 of a degree, but couldn't do anything about that. The rockers are pretty loud too, I adjusted them after running the car for 30 minutes, but I'm not sure how loud they're suppose to be?

As soon as the chip comes I'll have dyno numbers, probably at the end of the week. And I"m also going to the strip on April 18th.
 
Your gonna hear some valvetrain noise just make sure its not ticking like an exhuast leak sounds. As far as the problems you ran into installing your setup thats pretty common... it seems as tho we never have all the bolts we need and ive done H/C/I swaps many times. As far as valve cover clearence thats a known issue. Some ppl choose to use the really thick cork gaskets that felpro makes to get the clearence they need or run the fox body valve covers. Hope it all works out for ya!
 
I had problems with a vacum line on my Performer intake plenum hitting the valve cover, I had to grind that sucker down really good to get everything to fit.

After reading up on H/C/I swaps for over a year on here, I thought I had all my bases covered before I started, but I was waaaaaaay wrong.

Took my car out 3 times today at work, some of my dorky scientist co-workers have never been in a fast car. The driveability issues got worse, how could that be? After I drive it around for a few minutes the car won't even idle. I'm really hoping this JMS chip gets some of the bugs out.
 
zenboy99 said:
=The driveability issues got worse, how could that be? After I drive it around for a few minutes the car won't even idle.
The stock calibration is very picky. I'd guess it's seeing a false lean condition due to the cam, and is adapting the fuel trim to add fuel. So the driveability may be declining due to it running excessively rich.

Just a guess, though, without any kind of datalog it's impossible to say for sure. The chip will help.

Dave
 
btracer02 said:
1105 what kind of numbers do you make with your combo?? 1/4 times??
13.5 @ 102mph with NO TUNE, stock MAF and injectors.... poor lil car. I havent gotten it dynoed yet but I heard theres a mustang dyno day coming up at the end of the month I might go to. $40 for members, $50 for non members
 
If your car keeps stalling zen, turn the idle up some so it idles around 900-1000rpm. Keep it like that for a few weeks then adjust it back down. That solved my idle problem for the most part.
 
zenboy99 - Congrats on the swap, hope you get all of the bugs worked out of it.

Got a few questions; did you use new lifters, and if so what brand did you go with? Could you reuse your factory valve cover gaskets and if not what brand did you get? I'm doing a HCI this June and have a set of fox body covers. I don't want cork gaskets. I am going to be using Magnum 1.7 rockers-roller tip only, so I don't think I'll have any clearance issues. I'm going to be using a 3/8" intake spacer as well. THX
 
I went with the FMS lifters, wich I believe are the same as stock. Its suggested that you go with new lifters on a new cam. I have a set of polished Fox covers that I was going to use, but they didn't fit with my AFM powerpipe. The stock Ford valve cover gaskets are the best you can get, rubber on steel. I've seen too many people having problems with the cork stuff. My stock valve cover gaskets had 163,000 miles on them and didn't look too good so I tossed them.

1105, I just got my JMS chip in the mail last night. But I didn't have a 7/32 wrench to get the computer out. I plan on putting it in tonight.
 
Got the chip in last night. The car runs better, not sure if the computer has to relearn the chip. The car doesn't die anymore wich is good, that could be just from the increase in idle. I definitely gained horsepower though, really pulls good right to 6k. I'm going to drive it around at lunch at see how she behaves.