E-303 Camshaft | Page 3 | Ford Explorer Forums

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E-303 Camshaft

I'll take photo albums of pics! :D Seriously, I can't wait to tear into my motor again. Plus, I need to take my radiator out anyways so I can get my fan shroud deal back in.

Anyway, yeah.. I'll hook you up with everything. That way you can learn what not to do. Those 30 extra horses are gonna be sweet.
 



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E303 is a good cam, but there is better out there without being a "big" cam. Comp Cams makes a dual-pattern cam about the same size as the E303 that has the same low-midrange with a better top end.
 






Okay James.. whats the story with your X? I was just reading threads from over a year ago when you were saying you had your Comp Cam in your garage and you were waiting for Spring to istall it and a charger. Whats the deal man?

I found a local Mustang guy here in Chico who is more than willing to help me with this project. I want to do it right the first time so I want to get everything on paper right now.

James or Drew:
I'm going to go with the 1.62 roller rockers. Is it really necessary to change anything else (springs, rods, etc)? I only have about 4-5k on my 5.0. Drew, do you have a parts list of the things that went into your cam swap? I'd rather use exactly what you did cause it obviously worked.

What is our stock fuel pump size? And what about Roller Rocker size? Should I go with 24# or 30# injectors?

Thanks! :D
 






pm'd you
 






Originally posted by section525
Okay James.. whats the story with your X? I was just reading threads from over a year ago when you were saying you had your Comp Cam in your garage and you were waiting for Spring to istall it and a charger. Whats the deal man?
the responsibilities of homeownership and the fact that my wife is in college full time and not working put a "damper" on my plans. :( i will probably have the cam up for sale soon, as my engine plans have changed. i just want something mild/streetable now, and my cam is too big (plus its boost/nitrous specific).

go ahead and get new valvesprings. they are cheap, and you might as well do them too while you're in there. stock pushrods will proly be fine with a small cam. you will not have enough hp to need new injectors. stock 19's will work fine.
 






Drew says 24# James says 19#
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Okay, I was lookin through summit and this is what I got for prices:

Cam e-303 $166
Springs $100
1.6 Roller Rockers $269

Damn rockers are pricey. Am I going to be able to find better deals elsewhere? That was all FMS stuff BTW.
 






you will not need 24's at all. 19's are good up to about 330 hp. on the motor if you're normally aspirated (no nitrous, no blower). call up troll/blk mk8 and get them to burn you a chip for that cam if you like. for the record... about 330 on the motor (no boost, no nitrous) is when you need to go up in injector size. i would suggest getting a manualy adjustable FPR so you can fine tune.
 






but won't you want more after you do this? i know i did, and still do...
 






Have you guys had any experience with Erson Roller Rockers? Any good? I found some dude who wants $270 for the e-303 and erson 1.6s. I could probably get them for $230-$240.
 






Man section that has to be one of the nicest and more powerful off road X's i have yet to see. Great job.
 






Section, I like the NAMBLA sticker. Laughing my ass off.


:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
 






Shhhh. This is a respectable forum and we're all friends now. Also, incase anyone thinks that I have ever tried to state that the AWD transfer case is superior in offroad use, I haven't. Nor as my X graced the covers of any off-road magazines. (Incase any thought it has :rolleyes: ).

Once again, the AWD tcase is not the best for off-roading. Thank you. :D
 






Okay.. can someone tell me why I'm changing rockers? I was told I have stamped 1.6s stock. Whats the benefit of putting in new rockers?
 






Are they roller rockers?
 






james, what is part number for that cam you are speaking of....also, with that setup, if i were to spray a 75-100 shot on the explorer, would new injectors be needed
 






With the cam and the nitro most definately you will need bigger injectors. Being that you would be pushing close to 400 hp with the cam and stuff for it and then another 100 hp worth nitrous. Let alone that for forced induction you most likely got to add more fuel more so to compensat than if you just had it naturally aspirated. Hey James do you just got the cam or do you have the roller rockers, springs, and such? If so i would be willing to take them off of your hands for a decent asking price if you want.
 






Regarding roller rockers...
Much of the friction in the valve train is at the rockers. The stamped rocker rotates against a "half moon" metal retainer. This is a little simplistic but... There is probably .5 sq inch of friction surface per rocker * 16 = 8 sq inches of metal to metal friction surface. Take two pieces of steel 2.83 inches square (8 sq inches), put a few drops of oil between them, apply about 200 PSI and rub. This is where all the friction occurs.

Roller rockers remove this friction.

Comp Cams, I think, does offer a "poor mans" version of roller rockers. It is a roller bearing retainer that fits the stock stamped rocker arm. Not as good as full roller rockers, but probably an improvement. Last I saw they were about $125.

Good roller rockers should be available starting at the $200 range from Jegs or Summit (Crane Cams). Also consider used. The roller rocker does not take a lot of abuse when it comes down to it, they are re-usable. You might find a good set of used rockers at www.coral.net

Many HP ratings on cams also include roller rockers. Check the fine print.

You can get away with stock valvetrain components, but you will be defating some of your work. I think roller rockers and springs are worth the cost. Check with the cam manufacturer, they will list a recomended rocker and spring setup,also if new srings are required (I think new springs might be required for the E-303 cam).

Unless your putting in Nitros or blower the 19# injectors are OK. 24# would be an upgrade that would also require a new fuel pump and fuel regulator.


I have not checked this out yet, but roller rockers may also require new - taller - valve covers. You might be able to stack gaskets to get the clearance. If you go to 1.7 ratio rockers (not recomended) you WILL need taller valve covers. The stock Explorer valve covers are the lowest ones I have seen. Then if the taller valve covers bump into the intake manifold you could add a phoenelic spacer to lift the manifold and keep the intake air cooler.

To install youself you might have most the tools you need in your tool box right now. HOWEVER, you MUST use a Cam Degree tool to set the cam timing properly. You might be able to beg,borrow or rent one.

Erson is now owned by MrGasket. They make a good product. Make sure it is a roller cam setup.

You can get by with the stock fuel pressure regulator. An adjustable one would be a nice upgrade.

In the future you will also want to consider a larger throttle body. Yes the explorer TB was from the GT or cobra mustang at 65mm. From experience I will say that larger is better at the top end ( I wish my 5.0 with ported heads had a larger TB) Remember you are making that engine breath better. Breathing through a straw won't help.

I don't mean to increase the costs beyond reason, but there is usually more involved than just swapping in a new cam with all other components stock. Will it work, probably. But you may not get the performance you expect. If you are trying to control cost, and who isn't, You can phase items in. I would suggest you do the entire valve train now and get the other goodies like throttle body, MAF, and chip programming as add-ons when you can afford them.

P.S. Just one more item... You will need a new set of manifold, head bolts and gaskets, no way around it. MrGasket, or Felpro gaskets and ARP bolts make good kits. Expect to pay another $150 - $200 for these replacement parts.
 






Are e303 cams marked with a part number or something? The reason I ask is I found one that is brand new in the box, and the guy will only do pickup so the buyer can visually inspect it. Which I thought was weird since its brand new in the box and whatnot. ANyway, he lives a few minutes from the GFs mom and I was going to just have her pick it up. But she doesn't know how to pop the hood let alone what a cam shaft looks like.

I'm looking at my stock cam here and it does have a few markings on it but just the date and a few 2 digit numbers. How can I (more importantly, her) be sure its an e303? Thanks!
 






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