Lightning and 95 R Blocks

[Sendero]

Originally Posted by Wicked

Wow, thanks for explaining that.

Originally Posted by Italian LX

Captain obvious strikes again.

I put that there to make sure my definitions were correct, not to get heckled by you two.

If there is "no way" Ford put a flat tappet in the R's, bring some tech. I am trying to learn something here.

[Wicked]

Originally Posted by Sendero

I put that there to make sure my definitions were correct, not to get heckled by you two.

Sorry, its just the way you said it, as if none of us knew the difference.
Next time use a ???.

Originally Posted by Sendero

If there is "no way" Ford put a flat tappet in the R's, bring some tech. I am trying to learn something here.

I say there is "no way" as in "You've got to be kidding me!" I don't know for sure. Kinda sad if it was a flat tappet, but maybe that would explain why it only made 305 hp. If you didn't already know, roller cams allow larger lift without the huge duration due to the decreased firction of the roller. A roller cam motor therefore yields much better streetability at the same power level as a much bigger(duration) flat tappet cam. The cam lobe ramp angles can only be so steep before a flat tappet digs into the cam lobe and you start to sheer off the cam lobe completely.

Did you have the cam specs for the 95 R cam? I'm sure you could tell that the duration was large compared to an equivalently lifted roller cam.

[Wicked]

Originally Posted by Sendero

Here we go:



Thanks to Richard for the heads up on SVTPerformance.com. They had the specs readily available.

Are those cam numbers for the R or the Lightning?

[Sendero]

http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts...tKeyField=1248

Its huge on the exhaust, moderate on the intake. (Compared to 4V cams which is all I know) Lift is a little low from what I understand. I guess SVT went with these cams to pass emissions.

I love the definition:

High torque below 4000 rpm. Good for low RPM applications such as towing, boats, etc. Used in 1995 351W Cobra “R.”

[Wicked]

Originally Posted by Sendero

http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts...tKeyField=1248

Its huge on the exhaust, moderate on the intake. (Compared to 4V cams which is all I know) Lift is a little low from what I understand. I guess SVT went with these cams to pass emissions.

I love the definition:

Okay, for instance...
An E303 5.0 roller cam is 220/220 at .050 with .498 lift on both int and exh. The total duration is only 280/280 as well.
I believe stock 5.0 cam was about 204/204 at 0.050 and .444/.444. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[Craig K.]

What I was meaning is that anyone who bought an R to race, would take the Ford cam and lifters out and throw them in the garbage, wether it was a flat tappit or roller.

The Ford roller lifter with the spider may be good for street driving and mild racing, but a real "race car" would use a cross bar roller lifter that is designed to rev and hold 8000 plus rpm for several hours at a time.

[QWKSNKE]

Craig hit the nail on the head. Anybody that is going to race it is going to a different style cam than what the factory would.

It no big deal about the flat tappet. Its just because none on the 351's produced by Ford were roller so why would they do it on a 250 unit production run. It wouldn't have benefited the cost of tooling to do it. Of course it seems that a lot of racers go to a solid lift cam anyways, so that may be another reason Ford didn't do it.

[QWKSNKE]

also, somebody mentioned streetability of a roller cam. Ford didn't really give a rip about streetability and larger roller cams because you had to have some type of racing license to buy the car. Somebody like me could not walk in, plop down 40k, and drive off the lot with it. You had to be a sanctioned race driver. I am pretty sure they did not do that with any other 'R' produced.

[Craig K.]

Originally Posted by QWKSNKE

I am pretty sure they did not do that with any other 'R' produced.

I thought that was the case for all the Cobra R's (93, 95, 00)?

[QWKSNKE]

I don't think so. They may have with the 00 model but i don't remember hearing anything about it like I did when the 95's came out