5.0 HO

[1bad67cat]

I have a 98 Mounty. It has the 5.0 in it. Is it considered the HO? Looking to put an aftermarket cam in it, but, both Lunati, and Crane don't have the 5.0 for 98 listed.

 

[imp]

I have a 98 Mounty. It has the 5.0 in it. Is it considered the HO? Looking to put an aftermarket cam in it, but, both Lunati, and Crane don't have the 5.0 for 98 listed.

Now that is definitely a good question! Check the firing order. If it's 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8, it is not an HO. I've heard both ways, heard that the Ex/Mountie heads flowed better, exhaust manifolds were different, AND, go look for the Distributor! The basic block, though, with it's mounting holes in block & heads, is likely all compatible with any 5.0/302 set up. My nephew last summer put a brand-new Motorsports 5.0 HO in his '65 Galaxie, which had had a 289, and used the 289 eng. mounts!

Be aware the 5.0 HOs in Mustangs had roller camshafts but PLAIN rocker arms. Only the '93 Cobra had roller rocker-arms to boot. Also, HOs required HO-specific Distributor driven-gears made of steel. Put a non-HO distributor in to work with an HO camshaft, bye-bye distributor gear, which was cast iron.

 

[Centaurus5.0]

The 5.0L engines that came in the Mustangs are considered "HO's" while the 5.0L engines that came in the Explorers are considered "Dirty HO's". But for all intents and purposes, they are indeed both ho's.

Hope that clears things up.

 

[SoHK_alumni]

Easy answer to the "what cam fits?" question is yes it'll take an HO Cam.

In truth, the HO's got forged rotating internals and a cam that moves the power band up the rpm range.

The Expo/Mounty's got cast internals, a cam that keeps the power lower in the rpm range and generally, the best heads, spfi and coil pack ignition ever put on the SBF from the factory.

Of course, Ford then choked off the whole package with some of the worst exhaust manifolds ever to find their way onto the SBF.

 

[SupaSwope]

I'm more curious what cam your gonna put in and if you'll need new lifters Rods.

 

[1bad67cat]

prob won't need new pushrods. going to just try to keep it simple. going for a new cam and lifters, and this motor is getting yanked out, and dropped into my 1990 35th Anny SC 5 spd.

 

[CDW6212R]

The Explorer 302 is essentially a Cobra 302 without the Cobra cam or roller rockers. The rest is virtually identical to a 302 Cobra. the intake and heads make the same power as Cobra parts, because they are all GT40 parts.

All 302 roller engines require the hardened steel distributor gear, and all use the same pushrods, have the same compression, firing order, and use a 50oz balancer.

There were only three Ford 302 roller cams, the HO cam, the Cobra cam, and the truck cam. Obviously the Explorer has the truck cam, which is the same cam as the Lightning 351 cam, same part.

You don't need to replace the lifters if the engine is in good condition. BTW, the Explorer oil filter block adapter is a metric part. If you want to screw an FL1A onto the block, you have to swap that block adapter, which takes an Allen tool, large, about 7/16" or so.

Select the cam based on what that 90 Mustang needs, the HO cam is great for most anything until you modify the head/intake/exhaust flow quite a bit.

 

[1bad67cat]

I was going to get the Edelbrock Air gap intake, and the Holley sniper set up for it. Being my bird is a SC V6, I don't want to have to mess with all the wiring to keep the coil packs, and all the other mess. So, I'll end up getting a dizzy, and prob the msd 6AL.

 

[imp]

I was going to get the Edelbrock Air gap intake, and the Holley sniper set up for it. Being my bird is a SC V6, I don't want to have to mess with all the wiring to keep the coil packs, and all the other mess. So, I'll end up getting a dizzy, and prob the msd 6AL.

@1bad67cat
Back in school this was known as a "retrograde reversion". imp

 

[vroomzoomboom]

to clear a few things up
302's had 2 firing orders. the earlier one (mid 80's and down) and later ones (basically when the roller motors came in). i think it was around 85 is when they switched to the firing order that is used now. this is considered the "HO" firing order which explorers are using. it is also known as the 351w firing order.
depending on the cam, you can use the gear that comes with the motorcraft syncro. my motor that i have now has a comp cams CCA-35-556-8 nitro cam in it. i have the stock syncro in it now, but when you order your cam you should be calling the manufacturer to see what distributor gear you should use.
you will NEED to change your valve springs. the stock ones more then likely wont handle a lot more then stock lift. as well as you wont want to buzz the motor more then 5500-5800 rpm or you will get valve float.