[redroush]

i recently blew out a sparkplug a month after buying my car. Its a 02 4.6 SOHC, stock internals with some bolt ons. Turns out the thing was already helicoiled, so looks like its time for new heads. Im looking towards the trick flow set, but its a little pricey. Back home i did all my own work, but that was in florida. I dont have the time nor the facility to do the work myself (in So-cal)

So as long as im in the motor and spending the money, i might as well get a little more out of it as opposed to a stock top end rebuild. I know ford racing makes "performance increase" heads for about 400 a piece, and i would like to get a little more aggressive cam. Any recommendations for a setup thats about 1500 or less? Normally i would say screw taking it to somebody, but i kind of got backed into a corner on this one.

edit: if its worth spending a little over that for significant gain, im all ears. I just have to take the 1300 in labor into budget consideration

i hate not having a garage, or tools for that matter

[hardhitter]

You could spend the money that you would be spending on labor and get yourself some nice tools.. that's what I do. You still save a bunch of money and then you'll be able to work on everything yourself.

[redroush]

thought about that. Im stationed 2000k miles from home and have nowhere to keep tools even if i got them here or bought a new set. Not to mention the car is down now and i need it back up like yesterday. I have basic hand tools, but no place to work let alone time to tear down and rebuild a top end.

[I8ACMRO]

You already have PI heads stock. Contact MHS for a nice set of ported heads for a good price, or just get some new PI heads, and get some HiTech Stage 2 cams or similar cams.

[redroush]

Originally Posted by I8ACMRO You already have PI heads stock. Contact MHS for a nice set of ported heads for a good price, or just get some new PI heads, and get some HiTech Stage 2 cams or similar cams.

if i do that should i worry about different springs?

[I8ACMRO]

Originally Posted by redroush if i do that should i worry about different springs?

Depending on which ones, yes. You can get away w/ stock springs on most stage 2 cams, but you can't take it over like 6000 rpms. However, most people don't, depending on their cam setup. I live in CA, so I'm looking at either HiTech Stage 2's or Comp Cams XE-262AH. I know the Comps have an operating range of 1400-5400 which is perfect for me because I never shift higher then 5500 rpms at the track. I don't know about the HiTech's operating range, but I still would shift at 5500, maybe 5750 rpms.

[ajm]

Originally Posted by I8ACMRO You already have PI heads stock. Contact MHS for a nice set of ported heads for a good price, or just get some new PI heads, and get some HiTech Stage 2 cams or similar cams.

He said "Not to mention the car is down now and i need it back up like yesterday", considering that id steer clear of MHS. Nice guy, nice products & cheap prices but if you want some heads in a timely manner thats prolly not that place you wanna shop at.

Originally Posted by I8ACMRO Depending on which ones, yes. You can get away w/ stock springs on most stage 2 cams, but you can't take it over like 6000 rpms. However, most people don't, depending on their cam setup. I live in CA, so I'm looking at either HiTech Stage 2's or Comp Cams XE-262AH. I know the Comps have an operating range of 1400-5400 which is perfect for me because I never shift higher then 5500 rpms at the track. I don't know about the HiTech's operating range, but I still would shift at 5500, maybe 5750 rpms.

Yes and no. One of the main reasons (mechanical aspect) for needing springs with bigger cams is coil bind due to the lift so you may or may not need them when it comes to that. The next thing (performance aspect) would be that the factory springs will crap out and begin to float before you can take advantage of the cam, making the cams pointless to some extent. What good is a set of cams that will allow your car to make power up to X rpm but springs that limit you to XX rpm below that? Cams w/o springs = dumb. Especially when you can pick up a set of springs for really cheap.

Originally Posted by redroush if i do that should i worry about different springs?

Read above.

Also before buying any cams sit down and try to figure out any future goals for the car etc and buy your cam based off of that. Not what someone comes in and says is best and such bc no cams are "the best".

[I8ACMRO]

^man it seems like you like to pick on me in this thread.....

[ajm]

[I8ACMRO]

Ok well here's one for you ajm (sorry to thread jack real quick OP), if I were to do the Comp 262's would you put new springs in, given that the operating range on those cams is 1400-5400?

[superbeef1000]

i have the comp 262 in mine rite now they work great and they are in with the stock springs hahaha just to toss that out there i know the question was for some one else

[ajm]

Originally Posted by I8ACMRO Ok well here's one for you ajm (sorry to thread jack real quick OP), if I were to do the Comp 262's would you put new springs in, given that the operating range on those cams is 1400-5400?

Since youre in there you may as well. That way if you ever upgrade etc its already done, plus you have the sense of security. On the other hand if you dont feel like it or dont have the cash its prolly not going to hurt you any being that theyre such mild "stage 1" cams. No worries about coil bind bc the amount of lift, and not too much worries about the factory springs starting to float and power dropping off bc youll *prolly* start to get power drop off from the cam around 5500 as well given the operating range.

[I8ACMRO]

Originally Posted by ajm Since youre in there you may as well. That way if you ever upgrade etc its already done, plus you have the sense of security. On the other hand if you dont feel like it or dont have the cash its prolly not going to hurt you any being that theyre such mild "stage 1" cams. No worries about coil bind bc the amount of lift, and not too much worries about the factory springs starting to float and power dropping off bc youll *prolly* start to get power drop off from the cam around 5500 as well given the operating range.

That's what I was thinking. Given that I have stock heads now, and plan to upgrade to MHS ported heads, or TFS heads (ported or as-cast) down the road so new spring would be in then, that why I didn't think it would be necessary to do springs just yet. Also, I'm still in the air about going FI and doing blower cams, or going 11:1 CR and running some NA/Nitrous cams on a 125-150 shot.

[ajm]

Id just throw them in w/o springs then. Just my opinion anyways.

[moosenuk17]

HI AJM!!, i didnt read the thread but before you figure out what heads and cam you want you need to figure out ur direction..(FI/NA) and how much you want it to push

[redroush]

seriously debating selling the motorcycle and throwing on the trickflows.





[QUOTE=ajm;2958303]He said "Not to mention the car is down now and i need it back up like yesterday", considering that id steer clear of MHS. Nice guy, nice products & cheap prices but if you want some heads in a timely manner thats prolly not that place you wanna shop at.




when you say timely manner, what are we talkin with MHS as far as a timeline goes?

[I8ACMRO]

[quote=redroush;2959408]seriously debating selling the motorcycle and throwing on the trickflows.

Originally Posted by ajm He said "Not to mention the car is down now and i need it back up like yesterday", considering that id steer clear of MHS. Nice guy, nice products & cheap prices but if you want some heads in a timely manner thats prolly not that place you wanna shop at. when you say timely manner, what are we talkin with MHS as far as a timeline goes?

The guy does great work, but it takes quite a bit longer to get them then he initially will tell you. For example, he'll tell you 2 weeks to ship, and then it turns into 4 weeks.

[redroush]

trickflow kit it is. thanks for the help though

[UnixHH]

i ran the stock springs with my cams for a while (like 3-4 years). but your gona be pissed off when you float a valve and spit a follower out from underneath the cam like i did lol.

[stal94gt]

they make a large bore timesert and they work good. it may fix your problem