5.0 block dilemma

[apollard]

If he's got stock Ford components, the firing order would be different. However, Comp and many others make std firing order roller cams. Also, the base circle of the cam can affect pushrod legnth, so not sure that will help much.

You might could pull a pushrod and shine a light down the pushrod hole. Not sure how much you might see, but if you see the dogbones or a link bar you know you have a roller cam.

 

[66gt350]

I have a couple ideas you could chase down before taking the top of the engine off. I am not sure if they are correct but if so could save you some time. I know the firing order is different on my roller cam engine. It runs a 351 order not the 302 firing order. The other thing I think could be different is pushrod length. Roller lifters are higher than flat tappet lifters and should result in shorter pushrods. Pull a valve cover and measure a pushrod then do a little internet searching. IIRC my pushrods were 6.8" long. I hope these give you a couple ideas to chase down before pulliing the intake.

The firing order won't tell you much, the HO cam (and the Ford Motorsport cams, such as the B303, E303, F303, X303...etc) has the 351 firing order, where the non HO cams had the 302 firing order.

I was able to get the distributor to rise up out of the block just high enough to see the top of the distributor gear and it appears to be a cast gear.

I just went back and read your first post, and looking at the top of the dizzy gear won't be an indication of type, since both should be a machined surface. If you were able to pull out the dizzy far enough to see the lower part where the roll pin goes, then you could get an idea of cast or steel. Cast gears will be rough in this area, where as the steel gear will be machined smooth.


Really, the only way to know for sure is to yank the intake and see the type of lifters.

 

[coupster]

I don't remember the firing order off the top of my head... but I may try peeking in the pushrod hole to see what I can see...Thanks guys....any other ideas...keep'em coming, I'm listening.

 

[coupster]

OK, apollard, you are right, if this motor has been rebuilt, there really is now way to be sure what I have w/o opening it up, they could have rebuilt it in any configuration....(dang!)

66GT350...as to your statement regarding seeing the dist. gear from top...I attached a pic from internet with what I am seeing...I think I AM seeing the roll pin area and that appears cast. Also to add to that...the remanufactured dist. had a bunch of centering "blue" lines drawn on the shaft as if someone had replaced a gear on this distributor. I assume that was done in the remanufacturing process by autozone, BUT possibly it could have been swapped by the engine rebuilder when the points distributor was stabbed in there (and the rebuilder was knowledgeable enough to know to swap to a steel gear for the roller cam). So I really have no idea what kind of gear, and cam are in this motor. I will need to investigate further when I get home. IF I am seeing enough of this dist. gear to call it a cast iron gear, then I have to verify that my cam is a non-roller. IF this gear has been replaced and is steel gear, I still have to verify that the cam is a roller. So I am kinda stuck either way....yuk.

Thanks guys....and keep it coming

 

[66gt350]

Ok...I had a major brain fart there. I had the gear the other way in my mind. I guess that what I get for trying to think!!! Time for some more :Katcof

 

[coupster]

Well, good, I am seeing this the right way...so Maybe I do have a cast gear...I will post pics if I can get home before it gets too dark. I better get off this computer now and wrap it up. Thanks again guys...

 

[coupster]

YEAH BABY! I had success pulling a pushrod on #7. Peeking down the hole w/ lifter & rod out of the way I could clearly see the tip of a dogbone above the lifter! TA-DA! It's a roller cam and what I believe to be a cast Iron gear on my distributor! EEK! So my suspicions were right...they are incompatible! This would munch the cam in very short order! I could change gears, and then put a pertronix on this distributor, but I am now going to recommend a steel gear duraspark distributor like I originally planned. Steel gear & roller cam= good. Electronic ignition good. I think the difference in cost to retrofit the current dist. would be only slightly less than going duraspark. I guess I will still have to pull distributor, R&R pump shaft & pan, replace coil, dist, and install associated wiring and then I will be good.

Thanks to all for helping to solve the dilemma...will update as more happens.