Degreeing stock cams? Should I?

[04OWwhipple]

I have my engine apart doing a full short block build. Rods, pistons, etc. Heads are rebuilt but I'm staying with stock cams currently. Now my question is, when I get the short block back and assemble the timing setup is it worth my, and my money on a degree kit, to degree the stock cams? Or should I just line everything up like the factory timing procedure and not worry about it?

Anyone degree'd stock cams on our cars with any noticeable results?

 

[jony51999]

Are you going stock or higher compression? You planning to go E85 or race fuel or just 93?


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[04OWwhipple]

It will be a slight bump in compression. 9.2-9.5:1, likely closer to 9.2:1. I run E85 all the time. whipple 2.9 That I will turn up to the max now that the bottom can handle it.

 

[jony51999]

So I just did pretty much the same thing. My tuner said stage 2’s would have been a minimum of 50rwhp...if your going back and forth about cams vs not, it’s absolutely worth it. For me I needed to put a cap on it and stick within an already blown budget.

All of that said, if you keep stock cams I don’t think anyone will tell you decreeing them is a bad idea or that it won’t net you some gains. How much I cannot say as I don’t have firsthand experience with builds that have stock cams degreed vs not.

I do know that the tensioner on one side (cannot recall which) is not optimized from the factory so the timing has some play in that respect.

Personally I didn’t degree my cams and with a 2.9 non crusher on E85 at 20psi with 3 degrees of timing being pulled due to a bad IAT sensor harness I made 685/643.

I’m going back tomorrow with the harness repaired and a larger MAF so I can let you know how that goes.

If you have the money or are willing to wait I would highly recommend ping cams and degree them.


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[04OWwhipple]

I am kind of in the same situation myself. I've spent more money than I had planned to already and $1700 in cams and valve spring is a lot. I'm using that money on new fuels rails and 1300CC injectors as I feel that should come first. I do have the better tensioner from MMR for the passenger head timing chain as well.

So I plan on probably doing cams eventually but probably not this go around, I can always do them in car later. And I should be able to make 750-800whp on just the 2.9 and then I have a NX wet kit with jets for 50-150 so I should be able to come close to 1000 with stock cams.

I'm interested to see what you make for power. My 2.9 non crusher made 706 at 21ish psi on a factory unopened long block with 100K miles before it let loose.

 

[badcobra]

I made 1005whp with stock '99 cams on a turbo 4v, cams weren't degreed. A lot of effort for minimal gain IMO.

What I would do is a flat top piston for 10.5 compression if you're running corn fuel full time. No reason to run low compression with e85.

 

[cj428mach]

You could alway do 96-98 cams, you gain around 20 degrees of duration and get 12mm cam bolts instead of 10mm.

 

[gt347mustang]

You could alway do 96-98 cams, you gain around 20 degrees of duration and get 12mm cam bolts instead of 10mm.

This x100

Don't put your factory intake side back in. Junk.

Where are you located? I've got all the tools to degree cams.

 

[jony51999]

I am kind of in the same situation myself. I've spent more money than I had planned to already and $1700 in cams and valve spring is a lot. I'm using that money on new fuels rails and 1300CC injectors as I feel that should come first. I do have the better tensioner from MMR for the passenger head timing chain as well.

So I plan on probably doing cams eventually but probably not this go around, I can always do them in car later. And I should be able to make 750-800whp on just the 2.9 and then I have a NX wet kit with jets for 50-150 so I should be able to come close to 1000 with stock cams.

I'm interested to see what you make for power. My 2.9 non crusher made 706 at 21ish psi on a factory unopened long block with 100K miles before it let loose.

710/639 stock cams not degreed and 20.5 psi


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[Soap]

710/639 stock cams not degreed and 20.5 psi

Very nice, car is going to be fun next spring! Lid tune your car?

--Joe

 

[jony51999]

Yes, was there all morning today. Definitely looking forward to not having a ton to do to it over the winter and just waiting for spring.


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[jony51999]

Forgot to add to this thread, the 23psi tune made 737/679


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[whitedevil95]

Forgot to add to this thread, the 23psi tune made 737/679


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Solid Power!

 

[GodStang]

Over the years on average 15-20rwhp has been seen on cam on degreed vs not degreed on twin screw 03-04 cobras. Is 15-20rwhp worth it to you? That is something you will have to decide. As others said 96-98 Intake Cams or even Ford GT cams degreed would be a great alternative that drive near stock, are inexpensive, and give you slight gains.

I made 1005whp with stock '99 cams on a turbo 4v, cams weren't degreed. A lot of effort for minimal gain IMO.

What I would do is a flat top piston for 10.5 compression if you're running corn fuel full time. No reason to run low compression with e85.

but what would you of made if you did degree them? Also cams on a twin screw effect different than cams on a turbo.

You could alway do 96-98 cams, you gain around 20 degrees of duration and get 12mm cam bolts instead of 10mm.

This is what many do and give you stock like characteristics with a bump in power for not a lot of money.

 

[SVT_Troy]

Over the years on average 15-20rwhp has been seen on cam on degreed vs not degreed on twin screw 03-04 cobras. Is 15-20rwhp worth it to you? That is something you will have to decide. As others said 96-98 Intake Cams or even Ford GT cams degreed would be a great alternative that drive near stock, are inexpensive, and give you slight gains.




but what would you of made if you did degree them? Also cams on a twin screw effect different than cams on a turbo.



This is what many do and give you stock like characteristics with a bump in power for not a lot of money.

I did Ford Gt cams degree’d to John Mihovtz specs. He insured that properly degree’d GT cams were better than 98 cobra cams. He said that the specs floating around are inaccurate. I know other smart guys say opposite but I decided to trust John and go with Ford GT cams.


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[GodStang]

I did Ford Gt cams degree’d to John Mihovtz specs. He insured that properly degree’d GT cams were better than 98 cobra cams. He said that the specs floating around are inaccurate. I know other smart guys say opposite but I decided to trust John and go with Ford GT cams.


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Not sure how he can say they are inaccurate since they are in fact hand measured specs from probably the top Modular heads guy. They do differ from what Ford Claims though. On that note they are very close to each other and would come down to which cams you can find and for what price. GT cams use to be a lot easier to find than 96-98 Cams.

 

[SVT_Troy]

Not sure how he can say they are inaccurate since they are in fact hand measured specs from probably the top Modular heads guy. They do differ from what Ford Claims though. On that note they are very close to each other and would come down to which cams you can find and for what price. GT cams use to be a lot easier to find than 96-98 Cams.

In 2014 I found this information posted on a forum. I don't recall when John actually made the claim that the specs floating around online were inaccurate but I do know that he said the GT cams are better than 98 cobra's. How much better? I don't know, I don't think its a lot but he said better. John didn't go into detail explaining himself through pm's with me and i didn't want to annoy him trying to get free lessons.

He recommends 108° & Exhaust 114° with at least .070 clearance at TDC. Again i'm far from a cam expert, I blindly followed his recommendations. My car is running great but no back to back comparisons as I did new heads and an aluminator short block at the same time. My only regret is not bumping up compression.....next time

 

[cj428mach]

Everything I've found for GT cams says they're the same duration as 03-04 cams they just have more lift. Its always better to get more air by lift than duration if possible.

 

[04OWwhipple]

Forgot to add to this thread, the 23psi tune made 737/679


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Those are solid number man! Do you plan on turning it up anymore??

Over the years on average 15-20rwhp has been seen on cam on degreed vs not degreed on twin screw 03-04 cobras. Is 15-20rwhp worth it to you? That is something you will have to decide. As others said 96-98 Intake Cams or even Ford GT cams degreed would be a great alternative that drive near stock, are inexpensive, and give you slight gains.

I shy'd away from Ford GT cams as they are very cheap that I have found and I would still need valve springs with them from what I understand. And at that point I may as well do a set of comp cams. Are the 96-98 cams that much better? And are those easy to come by?

 

[04OWwhipple]

This x100

Don't put your factory intake side back in. Junk.

Where are you located? I've got all the tools to degree cams.

I'm located in Portland, Oregon