Roller Cam Upgrade question

[HiddenCityIronworks]

Hey All!

I have come into possession a really straight 1995 Mustang GT convertible that had the motor plucked from it by a guy who only bought it for the motor and mothing else. The car has only 82,000 original miles on it and was an automatic. Short story long: The car was bought from an estate sale, then towed several hundred miles to Tennessee WITH the drive shaft in place, and thus, the transmission was smoked. I bought the car cheap.

What I have to go into the car: 1 moderately used 1990 ford F150 302 EFI automatic 2WD. I have all the intake and EFI stuff from the original 95 GT, just not the motor. I understand the truck motor to be a flat tappet setup, as I have harvested them in other projects in the past.

Now on to the questions::

1. is the AOD in the truck the same as what was in the mustang originally? Gear ratios, ETC?
2. Can I just bolt the stock intake ono the truck motor? Or is the flat tappet cam profile not really good.

IF I have to swap out the cam to a roller and upgrade the block (I am ware this is a pretty straight forward ordeal), do I have to do anything to the heads/valve springs? Or is it just the cam, lifters, and the block gridle/dog bone kit?

Thanks for any guidance!

 

[RAU03MACH]

the springs on the heads Maby
my opinion is to get the 94-95 gt heads to be safe side
it will be set up with all you need to get it rolling
the block would need all the hardware for roller b303 cam would be nice to add

 

[RAU03MACH]

welcome
there might be others that have some other thoughts
but its good to get more info than just a part info
were all hear to help

 

[HiddenCityIronworks]

I was also pretty sure the firing order is going to be the same on the 90 F150 302 and the 95 Mustang 302. Is that correct?

 

[RAU03MACH]

ya there are 2 fire orders if you stay efi b303 cam is nice

 

[duh09]

The truck motor may be a different firing order compared to the Mustang’s HO firing order. I’m not positive but I would also think the transmission would be a E4OD behind a 302 in those trucks, not a AOD, but I’m pretty rusty on my truck knowledge and what years were which.

We recently slapped a HO motor out of a Town Car into a truck, so the reverse of what you’re doing. We got around the different firing order by just moving around the fuel injector connectors to match the new firing order with the old firing orders connectors and ran the HO plug wire sequence.

Would a non-HO motor work in that car? Sure. Would it be worth the effort? Debatable. If you just want to get the car running and driving, go for it. If you’re wanting it to be any performance minded, I’d look for the right stuff.

 

[HiddenCityIronworks]

The truck motor may be a different firing order compared to the Mustang’s HO firing order. I’m not positive but I would also think the transmission would be a E4OD behind a 302 in those trucks, not a AOD, but I’m pretty rusty on my truck knowledge and what years were which.

We recently slapped a HO motor out of a Town Car into a truck, so the reverse of what you’re doing. We got around the different firing order by just moving around the fuel injector connectors to match the new firing order with the old firing orders connectors and ran the HO plug wire sequence.

Would a non-HO motor work in that car? Sure. Would it be worth the effort? Debatable. If you just want to get the car running and driving, go for it. If you’re wanting it to be any performance minded, I’d look for the right stuff.

I had the truck stuff sitting around with the hopes of getting this car running again, it's starting to look like neither the transmission or the motor will work in this car. Without modification that is. I thought the crankshafts were the same, so all I really had to do was get a decent stock roller cam and the block cradle, lifters and pushrods. What it's sounding like is that's just not as straight-forward as I thought. Dangit.

 

[RAU03MACH]

if you can get the 94-95 5.0 block and the heads it will come together easy

 

[HiddenCityIronworks]

if you can get the 94-95 5.0 block and the heads it will come together easy

One thing I just discovered is the crankshaft is the same configuration regardless of firing order for the 90s 302s, so maybe I can use the bottom end of that truck motor. One thing that's important to mention is that I have to put this car together with the stuff I have for it, but I want to build it in a way that its not junk either. If it weren't a convertible automatic, I might try to build it with power in mind. also, I am flat broke, so there's that... lol

 

[tvsn95]

The one thing you will need to do if you use a roller cam is the block needs the 2 mounting holes drilled and tapped for the valley spider . it holds the dog bones /lifter guide in place. seems like they are 1/4"20.

 

[95opal]

The one thing you will need to do if you use a roller cam is the block needs the 2 mounting holes drilled and tapped for the valley spider . it holds the dog bones /lifter guide in place. seems like they are 1/4"20.

Or use link bar lifters and skip the drilling and tapping.

 

[tvsn95]

hey Opal
Not the cheapest way but a really good idea
FWIW we should not recomend a B303 or ANY of the old letter cams. they kinda work but ,,,Really.
I had an F303 that would not rev past 5700. yeah more spring might have helped ,,, but just NO.

 

[joemomma]

You can find E7 Mustang stock heads for next to nothing on most boards - heck somebody here probably has a set sitting on a shelf collecting dust. Best to find something local though, as they're heavy and shipping but be spendy.

Agree on the comment regarding the Ford "letter" cams - there are much better cams available these days (look in to Anderson) for the same/similar money.

 

[07GtS197]

The trucks all have e7 heads and roller capable blocks with flat tappet cams and a non ho firing order. If you have it laying around and have the time and money to tinker with it, go for it. You’ll need a transmission, cam and intake manifold.

 

[RAU03MACH]

i still stand behind letter cams to this day

 

[07GtS197]

There’s nothing wrong with them, they’re just dated compared to modern grinds. They sure do sound good though.

 

[95opal]

i still stand behind letter cams to this day

B cam of fury

 

[RAU03MACH]

any of the letter cams

 

[weendoggy]

My first engine in the Cobra had a B cam, gt40 heads and pedestal shimmed rockers. Ran just fine. Even on a stock ECU w/24# injectors.