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Cam kit question???

3K views 29 replies 12 participants last post by  rhauf 
#1 ·
Ok guys this may be a stupid question, but here goes... I have a '92 bronco with the 5.8L (351W) which of course is EFI. I was looking at at cams on summit racing... and they have a Comp cams Xtreme Energy 4X4 cam and lifter kit that i was looking at getting, however it says it is not computer controlled compatible, does this mean I cant run it since I the EFI set up, or can someone enlighten me as to what this means... for you to see what I am talking about here is the part number K35-235-3
 
#2 ·
your year of truck uses whats known as a speed density computer, and it is programmed to run stock settings, add a cam in, it throws everything out of whack. only way to get around it is to install a mass air flow setup if you want to run a heftier cam in that truck.

I have been wanting to do that to my truck as well, but it is expensive. you can however adapt a maf unit out of late model mustangs into your truck for fairly cheap, as long as you have the patience and know how to read a wiring diagram. search for "maf conversion" for more info. heres a start.
http://www.fullsizebronco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=164963
 
#3 ·
Ok thanks man, makes sense... Can't I run a computer controlled compatible cam? Comp cams has a computer controlled compatible cam for the '92 5.8L, unfortunately it doesnt come in a kit, but thats alright??? Or will that cam mess it up too?? If so I do not think the MAF swap will be too bad, because the intake I am going to run us a trick flow set up that is made for the 5.8L but is designed like the ones out of a late model 'stang, here's the part number for that incase you want to check it out TFS-51511004
 
#4 ·
the maf swap is easy. Ive done it on both my 89 F250 351 and my 94 F350 351.

The fuel economy increase alone justifies the cost of the swap.

I'm gonna drop a new cam in my truck soon but i wanna go through the motor and refresh it a bit.
 
#6 ·
sure, the milder cams will still work with the speed density. its when you get over a certain duration it starts wreaking havoc on your computer.
 
#9 ·
The information presented to you is slightly misleading. You can't just put that cam in and go. The speed density(SD) doesn't work that. That's true. However, you don't HAVE to convert to a MAF setup. You will have to tune the stock ECM though. That can be done with a Tweecer or a Quarterhorse or numerous other devices. The reason people switch to a MAF setup is so they can make engine changes and have the computer adapt automatically. SD can't do that because it can only assume how much air the engine is injesting based on the information programmed into the ECM. There is nothing inherently wrong with SD, you just have to know how much you can do to the engine before you make the computer unhappy and have to retune it.
 
#11 ·
By the time you spend the money for a piggy back chip and a tune to handle the cam. You'll be in the cost of the maf swap. I've done both my trucks on the cheap.

My 94 i used a maf from a 99 town car that i had, clipped the harness and wired it in. Paid 80 bucks for a reman A1Cardone ecu from a 93 mustang gt. Added a couple of pins, moved a few more. For about 2 hours of time, the 80 bucks i paid out for the ecu (i had plenty of extra wire and connectors for the harness) i did my maf swap. The truck is silky smooth at idle, starts up easily, has more power and crisp throttle response. Best part is the fuel economy it returns. When the 94 was SD, i was getting about 10-12mpg with the stock 235/85/16 tires. Did the lift kit, went to a 35in mud tire and recalibrated the PSOM for the 35's. In the city getting 14mpg is easy with the air. I've seen 16-17 on the highway crusing 70.
 
#17 ·
The camshaft should be the very LAST thing to change in a small-block Ford.
 
#22 ·
Simply put.....these Broncos already have plenty of cam for a stock SB engine.

Unless you do something about the rediculasly-skinny heads that Ford has been attaching to the post-'74 351W engines, you're just spittin' in the wind by spending the time and money for an upgraded cam installation.
Some folks say that the factory intake is even worse than the heads...and even after you get the incoming flow shaped-up, there's still the mickey mouse factory exhaust to deal with.

In other words, untill the basic breathing restrictions are removed, just throwing a bigger cam at the engine aint going to help much.

DGW
 
#25 ·
You can if you really want to, however you wont notice a big difference and the cam wont be working at its full potential if you cant get the air in and out of the motor. There's also other things to take into consideration, like the lifters and rockers and pushrods.
 
#28 ·
Remember to keep your port velocities high! :thumbup

I'm glad to hear you're doing the research first. My earlier comment was a product of hearing from too many people having problems after haphazardly slapping one or two performance parts on their truck.
 
#29 ·
Yeah doing research first is the best way to go, it goes back to the old saying, measure twice cut once, just a little different application haha.

As far as port velocity, yes I know all about that. Most of my back ground is in small motors... dirt bikes and ATV's and snowmachines. In fact the the reason I dont have more work done to the BKO is Im completely building a Yamaha Banshee right now with a stroker motor, upgraded suspension, powder coated frame... the works. But the biggest thing I have to tell people is not to over carb there motors or porting is an art and porting is more about the shape of the ports rather than just hogging out a bunch of material. All motors have the same basic principle with the velocity. You want to open it up as much as you can to allow more flow, but find a balance between opening it up and restricting it a little bit to keep velocity up, because the motor only has so much natural vaccum. And if you just open the motor up too much, it will not maintain this vaccum.
 
#30 ·
m $0.02 would be that any cam other than the stock cam, when used with you're SD fuel injection, would = a bunch of tuning problems, and perform worse than the stock cam.

if you want more horsepower, get rid of the SD fuel injection... and change you're heads.. without a head change, bigger cams will just lower dynamic compression, and kill torque with no gain in top end (as e7 heads don't breathe at high rpm anyway)
 
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