How hard is it to remove the cams? We have an SOHC engine so we have one cam on top of either side of the engine right? I dont want to pay to have them taken out/put back in cuz it will probly cost an arm and a leg to do it. IF i can do it at home I would like to.

thanks

oh yeah
what are valve lash caps and how hard are they to put in?

 

Not to be a ***** but if you have to ask what valve lash caps are than you probably shouldn't even consider yanking the cams yourself. Before springing for any more mods you might want to consider buying a manual for your truck. I got one on eBay for $15.00 and it's the best cash I've spent thus far. It comes on a CD and shows you step-by-step how to do just about everything. It would give you a pretty good idea of what kind of job you're looking at and whether or not it's something you're willing to tackle by yourself.

Dan

 

struck you've got a shop manual? ooo!!! ooooo!!! i want, i want. bring it to the track on wednesday please please please. if i may burn myself a copy? oh yea on that cam thing. i think we have twin overhead cams and you should not go in that far. because it's a b#tch and a 1/2. Just think the over-head cams are 10x easier to get to than the single cams. on older blocks the cams where basicly at the heart of the engine about 7" above the crack shaft. good-by 14" push rods... and if you get anyword of cams that offer more lift ill be your slave for a day if you tell me where to get them. im going to head to my ford dealer today to ask about new cams as well... figure someone has to make parts for our rare as heck 330 engine

Mark

 

Yes, it's true...I have a shop manual on CD (although it's for the 2001 model year it should work for you too...I'll burn you a copy and bring it out - least I could do for letting me "melt" your slicks). And we actually do have a single overhead cam (SOHC) motor...although since there are two heads we have two cams (a twin overhead cam design would actually be a DOHC similar to what every four-banger known to man has). From the standpoint of ease of access, the cams on our motors may be easier to get to but you have the added complexity of having to degree two cams instead of one. Looking at the manual, aside from some special Ford tools, the cams don't look like they would be that hard - outside of yanking the entire front of the motor to get to the cam chain. And I believe Crane now has four cam grinds available for our motor and SCPerformance also offers cams (don't bother with Ford - it's a waste of your and the parts man's time). The problem with new cams that you're going to run into is that they're all going to be a trade-off (to some degree) of low-end grunt for high-end horsepower. Some of the cams may give you more peak power but they'll also shift the torque curve higher too. The stock cams (or Crane's Stage I) are probably the best route since it takes a ton of torque to get these pigs moving - high-end horsepower isn't going to do you much good if you can't accelerate fast enough to use it in the 1/4. By the way...on your knees be-yatch! I've got some lug nuts that need a good buffin'!

 

J15BIG-
This isn't a flame, but maybe you should hold off on the cams until you get a little more familiar with mechanics. I don't know your level of mechanical ability, but from the tone of your post I'd suggest having a shop do it.

Good luck either way!

 

thanks guys, your all right. theres no way im doin it myself. but now i dont even know if im goin to do it at all.
struck in az:
with the new cams will I loose torque? Is crane's stageI better than stock?
I do have a chiltons but I will look for that one with the cd on eaby

thanks

EDIT
Just looked at Crane Cams site and when I went to their cams section I didnt see anything for our trucks. Instead of me emailing them. Can someone that already has emailed them tell me what they have available?

 

Im just gonna be a ***** and tell you dont even try and do it yourself ,, you will thank me later!

 

With any cam it's going to be a trade-off. From what I understand the stock cams provide the best balance of torque and horsepower. The Stage I's are pretty similar... Do you want big hp numbers with the loss of acceleration down low? Besides, unless you're going to do some seriously radical engine work why would you put cams in? Even some of the motors being built now are using stock cams. Also, isn't your truck a 2001? Are you ready to completely void that warranty? In my opinion, unless you plan on adding rods, pistons, a bigger blower, headers, head work, etc. you're much better off spending your dosh elsewhere.

Dan

 

thanks for all the input, im keeping the stock cams