cam question

[seabeeranger]

Is there a difference between a stock mustang HO cam and a explorer 5.0 cam? i was reading a forum and they talked about switching out the explorer's with a HO mustangs. was wondering if you guys have any knowledge about it.

 

[Mac]

The three stock Mustang/Explorer cams have these specs:
F4TE Explorer/truck cam: 256/266 advertised duration, .422/.445 lift, 116 LSA.
Cobra GT40 cam: 270/270 duration, .479/.479 lift, 118.25 LSA.
HO roller: 276/266 duration, .445/.445 lift, 115.5 LSA.
Cheapest and easest thing to do is stick with the Explorer cam and just change to the 1.7 ratio rockers.
Dave

 

[baddad457]

Ditto, unless you already have the HO cam and the time and money to swap it in or have the engine on a stand already, there's really not much difference between the two to justify the swap. Just adding 1.7 full roller rockers will likely net you more power (Ford found a 15 hp difference over the stock stamped steel 1.6 rockers) than the cam swap will.

 

[t120r]

If I'm not mistaken, the HO cams have a different firing order ground into them. With a Batch fire injection system it won't make a lick of difference, but if you're using SEFI it will cause problems as the computer is reading the O2 sensor from the opposite bank that is firing the injector. An imbalance sort of.

 

[Mac]

If I'm not mistaken, the HO cams have a different firing order ground into them. With a Batch fire injection system it won't make a lick of difference, but if you're using SEFI it will cause problems as the computer is reading the O2 sensor from the opposite bank that is firing the injector. An imbalance sort of.

Explorers use the HO firing order
Dave of the Nord

 

[seabeeranger]

im getting ready for my v8 swap in my ranger, my first block was from a 88 mustang gt, and it turned out to be cracked. so i picked up a 96 explorer block. its on the engine stand right now, so i could swap the cam out if its worth it. if not then ill leave it the way it is. and im also goin with a carb so not efi to worry about.

 

[Teddyzee]

If it were my truck, and had an HO cam and and Explorer engine, I would swap in the HO cam.

 

[baddad457]

Yea, if you've already got the HO cam in hand, go for it. The F4TE cam is a good un to use with a carb though. All the O.E. rollers use the 351W firing order except for the smallest of them (the "base cam") which came in primarily the Crown Vic, Towncar, Marquis and the 92-03 trucks and vans.

 

[t120r]

I had no idea that the Explorers used the HO firing order. Cool, you learn something new everyday.

 

[baddad457]

I had no idea that the Explorers used the HO firing order. Cool, you learn something new everyday.

FYI: The Explorer/Mountaineer cam was first used in the 94-97 5.0's in pickups and vans.

 

[seabeeranger]

just clicking random pages in the v8 forums and it seems that baddad has answered this question 2 years ago lol

 

[baddad457]

just clicking random pages in the v8 forums and it seems that baddad has answered this question 2 years ago lol

That's because everyone calls it the "Explorer" cam, but it was actually the F4TE truck cam well before.