A friend of mine has an 89 5.0 with GT40 heads and headers and is wanting a mild cam that does not require any major tuning (although yes I know it is recommend with them all). I don't know much about how well the 5.0's respond with stock tuning to cam sizes so I'll ask here. Whats a decent mild cam. It's a 5 speed that will be a daily driver so mild is key here.

 

Ford's B303, good streetable cam, makes decent power

 

IMO, there are better choices out there than Ford's "alphabet" cams, though the "E" cam is supposed to be pretty mild as well and carries a CARB E.O.# (5-speed) if that is a factor. Perhaps look into a custom "stealth" cam with a mild idle but plenty of power "under the curve"? Or maybe switch to 1.7 ratio roller rockers?

 

Two questions? Does you buddy have an adj vavletrain (or is it just the net lash setup) and is he only looking to slap a cam in and forego new springs?

 

The comp xe274hr is a good one. Plenty of power, and a nice lumpy idle

 

I was going to suggest a comp cam, but under the notes section for the grind, Comp reccomended converting to an adjustable vavetrain and installing new springs for all thier hydraulic roller cams.

IMO not a bad thing, but it may be more involved than Slims friend might want.

 

I would suggest a F303. I love that cam. I have run the F303 in my stock bottem end 302 91 Lx and Loved it. I changed heads and and I bought a Luniti 51014 cam and HATE IT! Everyone told me it was better and it may be as for power but I hate driveing the car now. If the RPM's are not high it will jump and kick and the F303 didn't do that. It drove great and it had a great lopey idle.

 

I'm wanting to say that the springs are already upgraded. He was told that the heads are GT40's and it will zing to 7K with "no problems" aside from that all he's really looking for is a cam to slap in and go without having to do too much more to it especially with the tuning. He'd just slap a carb on it rather than mess with that no matter how much I talk to him about FI. It had a 351 with the whole GT40 setup until he (former owner) bought a trick flow setup then saved the heads, (dunno about intake looks like a stocker to me though) slapped them on a 302 put it in the car then traded the car to him. It will spin to 7K now but it doesn't feel like its doing much better there than it is at 6k. Hope this helps the choices some I know GM stuff like the back of my hand but never built a Ford nor has he so we're just winging it. He's got a 69 Nova with a 496/PG/4.88's/150 shot in it so it's not going to be the toy it's going to be a 100 mile a day daily driver for him that he just wants to have a little more than what it's got. I'll tell him to pop valve covers and snap a pic so I can see/show what it's really got.

 

If he has got GT40's they should be good up to a 560 lift or so. A F303 with 1.7 RR's you are looking at a 544 lift. I have a F303 and 1.7 RR's on a stock bottem end 89 model motor 302. I have it in a 95 GT. It has a set of Edelbrock Performer heads and a Cobra Intake. The motor ran 7.70's (N/A) and 6.80's (175 shot) in a 88 Coupe. 1/8 mile The F303 drove great and had great power.

 

Yeah, hydraulic roller stuff is just so dern heavy, it has trouble controlling valve float at some point past 6k without going to something a bit more exotic in terms of valvetrain setup (beehive springs, lightweight valves, special lifters, ect). I'd say to be on the safe side, I'd go with everybody else's reccomendation and look into one of the alphabet cams. They're old school, but that's the good thing about them, they came along when the bolt 5.0 craze was in full swing.

 

a custom cam is best, but also dont forget the anderson cams the n41 is sweet

 

I have the trickflow stage 1 in my notch with there heads to and love it.

 

I have the GT40P Heads with an E Cam and love the lope!!!