Has anyone done any camshaft changes to the 4.6L SOHC engine? The factory setup is a little too underpowered for my taste. If you run at any highway speed into almost any grade hill or headwind the thing constantly shifts in and out of overdrive. It seems if this thing had say, 75-100 hp and the corresponding torque increase, this thing would go a long way toward making me happy. Am I asking too much? I love the truck and would not want to trade it.

I installed the Superchip and have been happy with what it has provided (shifts, etc.), but want more. I have read about supercharges, but no one has really said how it affects the rear wheel power under normal driving conditions. I would suspect that it may not help my problem much since the supercharger really “kicks in” for lack of a better term when you are into the throttle heavily. Tell me if I am wrong.

I have not checked on it yet, but it seems that swapping camshafts would be a bit easier on this engine since they are mounted above the heads rather than in the center of the block. Again let me know of any experiences. What about cost? Seems that camshafts (and the stuff that goes with them) would be less expensive than blowers, is this correct?

I would want to keep it street legal, I have to deal with a smog test every year here in Missouri. Also, my Superchip could be reprogrammed to the new camshafts, correct? Thanks for the advice.


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1998 F-150 Lariat Ext Cab 4X4 ORP 4.6L 3.55 Superchip, K&N, Airbox mod, Foglight mod

 

Until you make any changes on the engine, it would be a good idea to turn OD off when it starts "seeking" a gear.

 

With the smog requirements of OBD-II, camshafts may not be readily available. Check www.cranecams.com for details. FYI all of Ford SVO's camshaft equipment is manufactured by Crane, they know their stuff.

Roots blowers do not "kick in" they provide constant boost at all RPM, centrifugal blowers increase boost as RPM increases. As a result centrifugals are a lot more tractable, but still usually provide more HP at high rpm and use less fuel until you "use" them. If you're after mid-range for towing, a roots type may be the way to go. In either case, you probably want to do some durability upgrades to your tranny

 

Tina:

Been there, done that, have the tee shirt! I cannot see that running this engine at 3,000 to 3,500 RPM in 3rd can contribute to long engine life. Maybe I should just slow down in the meantime.

StrangeRanger:

Thanks for the info and education on blowers. Any idea how much power a roots blower gives through the driving range? I checked Cranes website after posting yesterday, nothing there, will give them a call.

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1998 F-150 Lariat Ext Cab 4X4 ORP 4.6L 3.55 Superchip, K&N, Airbox mod, Foglight mod

 

wschubbe,
Save your money and run the engine at 3000 rpm. The blower will do more to reduce engine life than the rpm. Also, the "gear hunting" is killing the tranny. Just turn OD off and slow down. For more power, I'd recommend starting with a high-flow exhaust to compliment the intake mods you've done.

I've driven the hills of NW Ar and SE Mo several times. Down-shifts only occur on those steep hills with the really sharp turns that you can only negotiate at 40mph in a top-heavy SUV. Oh, I guess that's all of them.

Neal

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1997 4x4 Expedition- 4.6L, true dual exhaust, glass-packs, K&N, SuperChip, airbox mods, Edelbrock shocks, 285/75R16 BFG ATs, Optima "T-Bone" wheels, and Clarion In-dash CD player: http://members.visualcities.com/NoMo

 

I too have noticed nobody has bothered changing cams out like they used to in the old days.

 

Get a Mustang magazine, such as Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords, and look for an ad for Sean Hyland Motorsports. He has cams,heads(including 4 valve cobra heads)and a large number of other parts for 4.6 and 5.4 motors. Be prepared to pay big bucks!!!

 

Big Bucks
So thats why ppl don't do cams anymore

 

I have been fighting with trying to get a a RV cam for both of my 302's. But, unfortunately, the computer would not cooperate.