1996 351W EFI rebuild/perf upgrade

[SIZE=2]ADVICE/EXPERIENCES/OPINIONS from anyone who has done a project like this would be MUCH APPRECIATED!!!! Doing my own research has its own benefits, but first-hand "success/horror stories" will help tremendously!

I've got a '96 F-150 with a 351W (F4TE casted - roller cam); **EFI**, mass air; 2WD, E4OD trans, 3.55 limited slip rearend...well, I've got the block torn down and getting ready to send it off to clean it up/ check vital measurements @ the machine shop. In the past, I have done minor upgrades such as roller rockers and a pair of Ford Racing hi-flow shorty headers and true-dual H-pipe Flowmasters w/ high-flow cats. Now I'm ready to really beef this bad boy up. Despite the LONG list of necessary parts, I have fully decided on only a few parts:

Edelbrock Performer heads (EDL-60399)
I'm at a stumbling point right now because it seems like my compression ratio is gonna be around 12-13:1....trouble finding the right pistons

Upper and lower intake (EDL-3881

The major part I'm investigating right now is a good cam. Before I get into talking about that, I'm hoping to get some personal experience stories from someone. ***What I'm looking for in a cam is torque at the low-mid range more so than horsepower at the top end (although I want plenty of both) I also want a cam that "really talks" at idle and under acceleration. Not too rough of an idle, but a noticeable thump. Lots of people refer to it as an "RV Cam". I've been looking at two in particular:

Ford Racing's M-6250-X303; 286/286 advertised duration; 224/224 @0.050";
.542 lift

****I have more to list, but due to lack of time at the moment, I'm posting this without EVERYTHING I want to say...nonetheless, I needed to get atleast something written. so this thread is to be continued!!!****

any advice/opinions/experience would be much appreciated!![/SIZE]

First off that is way too high of compression for the steet in a truck if you going to be towing anything. You want to keep the compression under 9.5:1 in a truck. Kb pistons make a few hypereutectic steep dish piston to keep compression under that. also try for a .040" quench to keep down detonation, so you may have to deck the block a little.

If your going to after market head look for cc sizes above 62cc. Also look for a smaller intake runner for max torque. 180cc is good.
rhs and dart has heads in this area.
if its too late and you have the edelbrocks get a pistons that will yeild the correct compression with your head cc.

The factory heads aren't too bad for torque and will be perfectly fine with mild porting and 2.02 1.6 valves installed with a 3 angle valve job. easier on the wallet too unless your going all out race engine.

for a camshaft call comp they will reccomend what you need. You still need something thats going to work with the computer fairly well but you will require tunning with all the other things your putting on it.


for tuning look into one of these The TwEECer -- EEC-IV user programmable module

You are miscalculating your CR. With a .030 overbore and flat top pistons you would only have about 10:1 with those heads..
Going to a 64cc head would drop you to about 9.5:1.
Or if you really want to stick to those heads and stay around 9.5:1, use a 15cc dish like these:KEITH BLACK PISTONS FORD 5.956 SBF 351W DISH 15cc 909:eBay Motors (item 330336665857 end time Nov-06-09 17:43:57 PST).
If you have a bigger overbore that would change.
BTW- I believe Edelbrock makes a 64cc head.

Originally Posted by 83broncodude

for a camshaft call comp they will reccomend what you need.

That's good advice. They will probably reccommend something like this:
COMP Cams 35-351-8 - COMP Cams Xtreme Energy Camshafts - Overview - SummitRacing.com, but let them tell you.