2000StreetRod
Moderator Emeritus
- Joined
- May 26, 2009
- Messages
- 10,597
- Reaction score
- 334
- City, State
- Greenville, SC
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 00 Sport FI, 03 Ltd V8
Just so I understand you. So I cannot simply remove the cam with potentially bad threads and replace it with a brand new part from ford because every head is specially machined to match the specific cam?
I suspect that at the factory cam journals are measured and the heads are bored to match with specified clearances. It's a similar process to the way the factory measures and categorizes pistons and then matches them to cylinder bores. I'm not aware of any forum member replacing just a camshaft. I just remembered that Super Six Motorsports sells custom high lift reground cams so maybe its not as much an issue as I thought. The safe way to remove and install the camshaft is after removing the cam followers which requires a special valve compressor tool.
I purchased an inexpensive one ($150?) that has "shoes" for the SOHC V6 & V8 and the DOHC V8. Removing the cam followers eliminates the valve spring pressure on the cam lobes. The camshaft bearing caps are easily broken when tightening if the followers are in place. If a bearing cap is broken then another head must be purchased because there are no bearing inserts.
Why would i need a used head, because it comes with a matching cam?
Yes.