What Makes Ford Intakes Bad?

[Ranchero50]

Ranchero50,

I would like to ask your opinion on a possible engine mod for me. Honestly, I can't see the truck ever going higher than 3500RPM, and that's only when cruising on the freeway. But, for the sake of discussion, let's say that I made the following upgrades:

- Sanderson Shorty headers (shorties for clearance issues), with 2-1/2" dual exhausts
- Edelbrock Performer RPM intake manifold
- Edelbrock Performer (non-RPM) camshaft (I think the 7106 camshaft is for higher RPMs)
- Either 352 block, crank, rods; or 390 (either one 0.030" overbore)

In your opinion (or anyone else; I won't hold anyone to anything), would I notice any difference, and where? If I had to do this in stages, what order would you suggest?

Thanks,

Joseph

390 makes everything else plausible for the reasons others have said. 352 not so much.

[colnago]

All,

Thanks a lot. This last bit has given me a lot of food for thougjt. I know I've been a bit of a PITA recently, so apologies for that. You've really helped to realign my thinking for my rebuild.



Joseph

[Ranchero50]

Since it hasn't been mentioned, more cubes tames the cam and other parts selections.

[colnago]

Since it hasn't been mentioned, more cubes tames the cam and other parts selections.

That's very interesting. I've never heard that before. Is this due to moving more air/mass than with a smaller-displacement engine (all else being equal)?

Joseph

[DuckRyder]

If you pull the cam card for the Performer cam - in the notes it says it makes 410FTLBS with a performer intake and stock heads. At one time the specs for the engines they ran these on were on the website and included what pistons and so forth... be worth poking around to see if you can find them again. It is a very mild cam.

Edit: Yes a larger displacement will make the cam act smaller (actually smaller is probably a bad word choice - it will act differently ) because it is moving more air. One of the cam manufacturers (Pretty sure it is Crower) describes the characteristics of the same cam in different displacement ranges.