Cam update ?

My 302 has less than 10,000 miles on it. Can I upgrade to a better cam without rebuilding it ? The car runs well no smoke and great oil pressure, I want to add the new cam and my 289 hipo heads while I have it out for the t5 swap...

 

Yes new lifters,push rods,springs and roller rockers...
Another question is do I have to degree the cam for a street car ? I don't have a degree wheel...

 

One thing you should do is check piston to valve clearance any time you change cams. Have you picked a cam yet?

 

comp 268H cam is my choice...

 

That's a nice cam.

 

More than likely you'll be fine without degreeing it, but sometimes the specs could be off a few degrees.

 

what about new...cam bearings?

 

Nobody I know of has ever replaced bearings with a cam swap, generally on a SBF they are still OK even when the engine is worn out(of course they should be replaced during a rebuild)...

 

Before buying that cam, first you need to determine what pistons you have in the motor. Zero deck flat tops + 289 Hi-Po heads = around 10 to 1 compression, that's too much to run with that cam. Are those genuine 289 Hi-Po heads ? If they are, I'd sell em to a collector and use the money for better aftermarket heads.

 

How is 10:1 "too much compression" for a 268H??

Cars made in the '60s, up to 1970 had 10:1 compression from the factory with milder cams than that.

 

The 268H is geared towards 8-9 to one comp ratios.

 

Perhaps, but 10:1 would be even better, provided there's not a detonation problem. It's not like it's gonna make less power.

 

But it may end up needing be fed nothing but 93 octane fuel, and he may not want that.

 

I'm really not sure if there hipo or not, when I looked on a site for ford heads the number came up hipo... Seeing that I bought them from a member that should know and didn't say they were hipo. I will guess they are just 289 heads with 3/8 screw in studs... My block is a std bore stock motor with original pistons... I also have a set of E5 heads off a early fox mustang if there a better choice...

The 302 is a 1974 with under 9 to 1 compression as it sits now...

 

My 351w has 289 heads on it and at (according to a calculator) 11.25:1 compression it runs great on 90 octane non ethanol fuel, I do however run a higher octane but it's by choice, not because of detonation problems.