Camshaft Recommendations for 5.0L V8?

[97Sandbox]

There's also folks out there who tune for lots of Ranger V8 swap builds and offer mail-in PCM tuning or can sell you a tuned PCM based on the specs you tell them (cam, injectors, intake mods, exhaust mods, fuel type). You probably won't get the full benefit of dyno tuning, but you will get expert service for less than the cost of an SCT.

Ironic that there's more support for Explorer engines going into Broncos and Rangers than for building Explorers, but at least we still get to benefit!

 

[Blown]

Was everything stock other than camshaft in this example?

I would say the upper rpm power numbers are a bit high with the restrictive stock exhaust manifolds and muffler. I ran another comparison, this time the stock X with the cam VS a Stock X with the cam, small headers, and better flowing cats, muffler(s), and pipe(s). This is a great illustration of how restrictive the stock exhaust can be.

 

[410Fortune]

That’s showing like 350 hp lol heck yes
I need a tune and some 24# injectors

 

[97Sandbox]

What donor vehicles would 24# injectors come from? Mustang Cobra?

I'm guessing '94/'95 Cobra (5.0) would be return and work with '96-'97 Ex while '99-'01 (4.6 DOHC) Cobra would be returnless and work for '99-'01 Ex? Not sure if the 'stangs went returnless at the same time as the Explorers.

 

[fastpakr]

There's also folks out there who tune for lots of Ranger V8 swap builds and offer mail-in PCM tuning or can sell you a tuned PCM based on the specs you tell them (cam, injectors, intake mods, exhaust mods, fuel type). You probably won't get the full benefit of dyno tuning, but you will get expert service for less than the cost of an SCT.

Ironic that there's more support for Explorer engines going into Broncos and Rangers than for building Explorers, but at least we still get to benefit!

Who do you recommend for this? I've got a cam and headers in mine and would eventually like to swap to a manual transmission. I could mail in my spare PCM for that work if it's a better alternative than buying an SCT and having it tuned that way.

 

[97Sandbox]

Who do you recommend for this? I've got a cam and headers in mine and would eventually like to swap to a manual transmission. I could mail in my spare PCM for that work if it's a better alternative than buying an SCT and having it tuned that way.

Sending PM.

 

[TribeZ]

Who do you recommend for this? I've got a cam and headers in mine and would eventually like to swap to a manual transmission. I could mail in my spare PCM for that work if it's a better alternative than buying an SCT and having it tuned that way.

I have an sct tuner and bout the pro racing software and am able to build my own tunes for my X. It comes with a booklet on tuning for mostly fords and specifically the sct tuner. It has let me push the rpm limit to match my cam, mine is slightly less aggressive than the ones posted here but hauls ass still.

I am wondering if I would also benefit from some injector upgrades, seems pretty simple to do especially if I have the upper intake off for any reason. Still want to get that thing painted. I had a second upper intake and I broke an egr tube on it. :/

 

[Mesozoic]

I'm running a Summit E303 Plus cam in my Mounty and am very happy with it, but I have aftermarket heads, intake and exhaust, all with significant porting. There is no way the engine would run without extensive tuning. CoreTuning can supply a comprehensive definition for use in Binary Editor to adjust and datalog.

There is one cam that I came across that outperforms the E303 Plus in my application and that is the Crane 369601. It has slightly higher torque and volumetric efficiency, but achieves that with slightly higher duration and lift. My understanding is that Crane is no longer in business.

 

[DanielB23]

Yep
Comp cams xr-264
Perfect for a mild explorer 302 w some breathing mods
Very streetable makes noticeable power up higher rpm vs stock explorer cam
Basically imo it was created for the Earl bronco dudes who discovered the explorer gt40 302 would go into their trucks with it’s *****in 4r70w automatic efi and short dress high output

You will neee headers to make any power from one of these

Hey man, do you think you can drop the link for this camshaft again? I found "Xtreme Energy Computer Controlled 212/218 Hydraulic Roller Cam for Ford 5.0L" on their website. But if I remember correctly you shared a link awhile back and the title specifically said XE264HR. I don't know if the camshaft I'm looking at right now is the right one. I could just be overthinking though. I received my Torque Monster Headers finally, now I just need a camshaft and probably upgrade my exhaust.

 

[410Fortune]

You will not only need the camshaft but also valve stem seals and new springs as well as new pushrods.

I posted a link on page one of this thread, take you right to the install of this cam and which pushrods you will need

I drive a 03 sport trac 5.0 5 speed 4wd daily
It has this cam and obx headers, true dual exhaust intake spacer and a modified airbox
The pcm was tuned to remove the egr, the auto trans and the downstream 02 sensors.
I would love to get some tuning done but I’m already moved onto the next project she is good right where she is at. We have put about 15k miles on this setup so far… love it

It is a wonderful combination

 

[DanielB23]

You will not only need the camshaft but also valve stem seals and new springs as well as new pushrods.

I posted a link on page one of this thread, take you right to the install of this cam and which pushrods you will need

I drive a 03 sport trac 5.0 5 speed 4wd daily
It has this cam and obx headers, true dual exhaust intake spacer and a modified airbox
The pcm was tuned to remove the egr, the auto trans and the downstream 02 sensors.
I would love to get some tuning done but I’m already moved onto the next project she is good right where she is at. We have put about 15k miles on this setup so far… love it

It is a wonderful combination

Awesome dude thank you! That 03 sport sounds like a beast, jealous of your setup Lol. Was the dual exhaust install difficult? Also, I'm guessing those O2 sensors were throwing a check engine code after installing the headers and exhaust?

Just got my block, heads, and crank back from the machine shop today and once this camshaft comes in I can start piecing it all back together

 

[410Fortune]

No codes the pcm was modifed before install

My 5.0 bronco ii has a stock pcm and no cats, once every year or so I get a catalyst efficiency code … I’m like “good computer, doing its job! The cats are mia”
Clear the code and drive another year

I have built a few different exhaust systems for these trucks I have done many 5.0 swaps.

The dual exhaust was super easy to install as I did not have to build it hahaha I only had to modify my truck with new hangers and install all new exhaust gaskets. I got lucky, I bought a sport trac that was already 5.0 and stick and had headers and exhaust and a modded pcm. Then I took it all apart, crushed it, and built my own trac…blew up my Jasper 306 on the test drive… threw together a different 5.0 and dropped it in… now we have about 20k miles on her

You can see the sport trac build in my signature,
Sport trac got this camshaft springs pushrods, same as the 07 ranger

You can also see a wicked 5.0 setup with this cam and headers and custom dual exhaust I built from scratch
Again that is the 07 ranger build in my signature

 

[410Fortune]

Camshaft install starts around post 84
Page 5 for me
This thread here

410Custom's builds a 2007 Ranger V8 - custom truck build - Project "Ranger Premier"

AINT THAT THE TRUTH!!! Holy crap on the cam swappage...I've had that happen with oil filters...buy the good one, get home open box its a fram SOB people suck Get that Ranger fixed up with a good 5.0 and she will reward you

www.explorerforum.com

 

[JoshT]

Reading through this almost make me wnt to find a dyno to stick my Ranger V8 swap on after it gets tuned.

I don't know much about cams, but I think mine is bigger than what's mentioned here. It's a custom gound cam recommended and provided by the same guys that ported the heads. Intake, throttle body, and heads ported w/ upgraded valve spring. OBX headers, will probably order a set of TMs for when/if these eventually go south. Fresh rebuild on bottom end, bored 0.030 over and compression bumped to about 9.75:1. Will be getting header back dual exhaust and upgraded fuel injectors prior to tuning.

Dyno will probably never happen, but the discussion does make me curious.