Car Craft Magazine Homepage Car Craft
Facebook Click here to find out more!

Overhead Cam 4.6L Ford Engine Rebuild - Build A Panther More Power (Finally)

A rebuild for the 4.6

By Ohn Mcgann, Photography by
Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Ford Towncar
Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Ford Towncar

At the risk of losing credibility with our readers (assuming I had any to begin with!), I must admit to never having built an engine before. I’ve done general maintenance, bodywork, welding, complete paintjobs, and even rebuilt a couple of automatic transmissions, but I’ve never taken an engine apart and put it back together—until now. People I’ve revealed this to usually have the same reaction: Couldn’t you have chosen an easier engine to build than the 4.6? My response is always the same (and I hope I don’t sound smug when I say it): Building this engine wasn’t that hard.

I mention this potentially embarrassing truth not as a means of publicly patting myself on the back but rather to inspire our readers. If I can put together an overhead cam 4.6L Ford engine, so can you. To my relief, it started and ran once I got it back in the car. It runs even better now with at least 4,000 miles of daily driving and almost 30 full power pulls on Westech’s chassis dyno. No oil loss, no scary sounds, and best of all, it makes nearly 70 more horsepower and 50 more lb-ft of torque than before, thanks to Trick Flow Specialties Top End Kit for 2V Modular Ford engines.

Don’t be fooled by this car’s two extra doors; this same build will work for any SOHC 4.6 or 5.4L Ford engine currently running in millions of cars and trucks—SN-95 Mustangs, Thunderbirds and Cougars, Town Cars, hell, even F-150 and Econoline van owners can do this job and reap the benefits of Trick Flow’s 4.6 Twisted Wedge Top End Kit.

  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Racers Edge Tuning
    As a baseline, I have a glovebox of 10-second, eighth-mile timeslips (about 15.60 quarter-mile) and figures of 208 hp and 254 lb-ft on the rollers at Racers’ Edge Tuning in Downey, California.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Racers Edge Tuning
    As a baseline, I have a glovebox of 10-second, eighth-mile timeslips (about 15.60 quarter-
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cylinder Removal
    Trick Flow includes an instruction book, which illustrates the job being done on a Mustang with the engine still in the car.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cylinder Removal
    Trick Flow includes an instruction book, which illustrates the job being done on a Mustang
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cylinder Removal
    In my Ford service manual, step one in the section on removing the cylinder heads was “remove the engine.” Tech tip: unbolt the A/C compressor and oil filter adapter, but leave them in the chassis.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cylinder Removal
    In my Ford service manual, step one in the section on removing the cylinder heads was “rem
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Engine
    Remove the fan and coolant reservoir and unbolt the exhaust, torque converter and transmission, and motor mounts from the frame. The engine lifts straight up and out. Removing the hood was necessary so the oil pan would clear the core support and front header panel.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Engine
    Remove the fan and coolant reservoir and unbolt the exhaust, torque converter and transmis
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Teardown
    Teardown is straightforward. Begin by prying the heater hose from the back of the water pump. The water pump needs a little coaxing with a soft-faced hammer to separate it from the engine block. Pry it off the rest of the way. It is sealed with an O-ring rather than a gasket, and I cleaned and reused it rather than buying a new one.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Teardown
    Teardown is straightforward. Begin by prying the heater hose from the back of the water pu
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Timing Cover
    The timing cover is retained with two different sized bolts, some of which have long studs that the wiring harness clips to. Mark the location of the studs before removing them and prying off the timing cover. Several of the gaskets on these engines can be reused (the oil pan gasket and valve cover gaskets, for instance); the rubber timing cover gaskets cannot be reused. Take them off and throw them out.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Timing Cover
    The timing cover is retained with two different sized bolts, some of which have long studs
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Overhead Cam Arrangement
    Though the overhead cam arrangement looks complicated, it really isn’t. The roller cam followers pivot on hydraulic lash adjusters, and valvespring pressure holds the roller against the cam lobes. The lash adjusters take up the small amount of clearance that develops between the cam and valve stem as the engine heats up and expands.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Overhead Cam Arrangement
    Though the overhead cam arrangement looks complicated, it really isn’t. The roller cam fol
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cam Followers
    This is important: Remove the cam followers before taking the timing chains or tensioners off. With the followers out, all the valves will be closed no matter what position the cams are in. Removing the timing chains or tensioners while some of the valves are open will cause the cams to spin, and because this is an interference engine, the valves will hit the piston if the cam timing is off, possibly bending the valve. You’ll need a special tool to remove the roller followers (foreground). Trick Flow includes one in its top-end kit; this one is from OTC.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cam Followers
    This is important: Remove the cam followers before taking the timing chains or tensioners
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Tool Levers
    The tool levers against the cam to push down on the valvespring, unloading the follower and allowing you to remove it. Before compressing the valves to a particular cylinder, I checked the piston location by looking down the spark plug hole. If the piston was near the top, I turned the crank to move it farther down. Though it is unlikely you’d be able to bend a valve using this valvespring tool, why risk it? Even though I was not going to be reusing any of this stuff, there was no reason to damage perfectly good parts. Supposedly, turning the crank until the keyway points in the 10:30 position puts all the pistons in a safe position. I did this but still turned the crank slightly as needed while I removed the followers.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Tool Levers
    The tool levers against the cam to push down on the valvespring, unloading the follower an
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cam Tensioner And Guide
    Check out the damage to my cam tensioner and guide. The driver-side tensioner arm was worn completely through to the point where the tensioner’s hydraulic piston was making contact with the timing chain.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cam Tensioner And Guide
    Check out the damage to my cam tensioner and guide. The driver-side tensioner arm was worn
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cam Tensioner And Guide
    The slack-side chain guide was broken, too.
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cam Timing System
    Now it’s safe to remove the cam timing system. Save yourself a lot of hassle and remove the cam gears first while the chains and tensioners are still attached. You’ll see why later in this article. Then unbolt the tensioners, tensioner arms, and guides, and slide off the crank gear.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cam Timing System
    Now it’s safe to remove the cam timing system. Save yourself a lot of hassle and remove th
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cylinder Head Bolts Removal
    Remove the cylinder head bolts and throw them away. They are torque-to-yield fasteners and are meant to only be used once. Pry the heads off the dowels with a screwdriver and set them aside. Random piece of trivia: Fully assembled SOHC heads weigh about 45 pounds each.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cylinder Head Bolts Removal
    Remove the cylinder head bolts and throw them away. They are torque-to-yield fasteners and
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cylinder Head
    While flow-testing the stock heads, several people advised me to inspect the entire engine because the heads “smelled burnt.” I completely disassembled the engine, only to find everything in excellent condition. I’m guessing the combination of a high-temperature thermostat and hundreds of hours of idling during my car’s service life with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department left the engine smelling like oil coking. However, there was no sludge, the bearings and cylinders were in excellent condition, and all the clearances were within spec. Though I had only meant for this to be a cylinder head replacement, I now had a complete engine to rebuild.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cylinder Head
    While flow-testing the stock heads, several people advised me to inspect the entire engine
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Hot Tanked Engine
    Because the engine looked so good inside, and because I didn’t have a ton of money to spend on machine work, I decided to reuse as many of the original parts as I could. Hi-Tek Engine rebuilding in Gardena, California, hot-tanked the engine for me and added new freeze plugs. I cleaned the deck with 220-grit sandpaper on the longest piece of wood I found lying around and scrubbed the cylinders by hand with a red Scotch-Brite pad. Then I washed the block with detergent, chasing all the oil passages with rifle brushes, blew it dry, and painted it with semigloss black high-temperature paint.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Hot Tanked Engine
    Because the engine looked so good inside, and because I didn’t have a ton of money to spen
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Crankshaft Cleaning
    I filed all the sharp edges off the crankshaft and cleaned it with car-wash soap one rainy day in December.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Crankshaft Cleaning
    I filed all the sharp edges off the crankshaft and cleaned it with car-wash soap one rainy
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Connecting Rod Piston Ring Cleaning
    I used a degreaser solvent to clean the connecting rods, pistons, and rings, working one cylinder at a time. Be sure to keep all these components together and mark which cylinder they belong to so you don’t mix and match components that have worn together a certain way over the course of 160,000 miles.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Connecting Rod Piston Ring Cleaning
    I used a degreaser solvent to clean the connecting rods, pistons, and rings, working one c
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Floating Wristpins
    The modular V8 uses floating wristpins that are easier to disassemble and reassemble because they don’t need to be pressed on and off. The pins are held in place by wire retainer rings. Use a pick to pry them out of the groove in the pin boss, but be sure to cover the retainer as you do this, as these things will fly for light years if you let them. I lost one this way, and unfortunately new ones cost $9 each and are only sold in packs of four from the Ford dealer.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Floating Wristpins
    The modular V8 uses floating wristpins that are easier to disassemble and reassemble becau
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Carbon Buildup
    The pistons had a lot of carbon buildup and several of the oil control rings were stuck. I had to let them soak in degreaser for about an hour before trying to scrape all that stuff off, but I was able to get them almost looking like new.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Carbon Buildup
    The pistons had a lot of carbon buildup and several of the oil control rings were stuck. I
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Engine Rings
    I reused the rings rather than buying new ones so I wouldn’t have to hone the engine. Besides, my engine had good ring seal before I took it apart, and the rings themselves looked good after a thorough cleaning.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Engine Rings
    I reused the rings rather than buying new ones so I wouldn’t have to hone the engine. Besi
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Piston And Rods
    Reassembling the pistons and rods is easy because Ford casts each part with identifying marks indicating which side faces the rear of the block; a dimple on the piston and ears is cast into the face of the rods. The cracked caps only fit one way as well, so it is easy to get everything aligned correctly. The connecting rod bolts are also one-time-use fasteners. I bought new ones from South Bay Ford.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Piston And Rods
    Reassembling the pistons and rods is easy because Ford casts each part with identifying ma
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Ring Gaps
    Even after 160,000 miles, the ring gaps were within spec—0.015 for the top rings, between 0.019 and 0.020 for the second rings, and 0.030 for the oil rings. I also checked the deck with a straightedge. It was less than 0.0015 on both banks.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Ring Gaps
    Even after 160,000 miles, the ring gaps were within spec—0.015 for the top rings, between
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Main Bearings
    Iron-block modular engines were built at the Romeo and Windsor plants, and like previous Ford offerings, there are slight design differences between the two blocks—the main bearings being one of these. I had mistakenly ordered the bearing set for a Windsor block (mine is from Romeo), and all the bearings fit except the rear one. Windsor engines apparently have the tang located off-center of the bearing surface for the rear bearing. All the others are centered.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Main Bearings
    Iron-block modular engines were built at the Romeo and Windsor plants, and like previous F
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Thurst Bearing
    The thrust bearing is different, too. Romeo engines use a shim in the block and a flanged bearing on the rear main cap, seen on the right. Windsor engines use non-flanged upper and lower bearing shells and three shims on the thrust surface of the crank.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Thurst Bearing
    The thrust bearing is different, too. Romeo engines use a shim in the block and a flanged
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Thrust Bearing Arrangement
    Here is the correct thrust bearing arrangement for a Romeo block. The upper bearing shell is the same as the other four main bearing upper shells, and the thrust washer goes on the outside of the block, facing the transmission. Apply a dab of assembly lube to hold it here as you drop the crank in.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Thrust Bearing Arrangement
    Here is the correct thrust bearing arrangement for a Romeo block. The upper bearing shell
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Main Caps
    The main caps are numbered from the factory, eliminating any chance of mismatching. This picture also illustrates another difference between Romeo and Windsor blocks: Romeo blocks have jacking screws in the sides of the cap that press against the block skirt, providing extra support for the cap. The jack screws are reverse threaded and are cut to fit an 8mm Allen key. Tap the cap in place with the wooden end of a hammer handle and turn the jack screws counterclockwise to tighten them to the block. The side bolts thread into the jack screws through the outside of the block and are torqued in the correct sequence. Instead of jack screws, Windsor blocks have dowel pins that fit between the ends of the cap and the engine block.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Main Caps
    The main caps are numbered from the factory, eliminating any chance of mismatching. This p
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Torque To Yield Main Bolts
    I replaced the torque-to-yield main bolts with ARP studs. The main bearing clearance was well within spec at 0.0012, and the crank spun freely with all the caps torqued to ARP’s specifications. The longer stud retains the oil pump pickup tube, and in this photo you can also see two of the main-cap side bolts.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Torque To Yield Main Bolts
    I replaced the torque-to-yield main bolts with ARP studs. The main bearing clearance was w
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Piston And Connecting Rod Install
    The pistons and connecting rods are installed as on any other engine. The rod bearing clearance was 0.0015, and the engine turned over with about 18 ft-lb of force on my beam-style torque wrench with all the pistons installed.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Piston And Connecting Rod Install
    The pistons and connecting rods are installed as on any other engine. The rod bearing clea
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Trick Flow Top End Kit
    Trick Flow’s top-end kit comes complete with the heads and cams, of course, but also with new timing chains, cam followers, lash adjusters, head gaskets, intake gaskets, and cylinder head bolts.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Trick Flow Top End Kit
    Trick Flow’s top-end kit comes complete with the heads and cams, of course, but also with
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Trick Flow Heads Install
    Like the stock cylinder heads, Trick Flow’s heads can be installed on either bank of the engine. However, you need to designate one for the driver side and one for the passenger side. The locations of the oil gallery plugs are different from bank to bank. Though the gallery plugs are shipped with thread sealant, I’d recommend adding a small dab of Teflon paste to each as you install them. I had a couple of leakers once the engine started.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Trick Flow Heads Install
    Like the stock cylinder heads, Trick Flow’s heads can be installed on either bank of the e
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cam Journal Lube
    Using the supplied assembly lube, coat the cam journals and install the cams. Soak the new lash adjusters in oil for about 30 minutes and install them in their respective locations.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cam Journal Lube
    Using the supplied assembly lube, coat the cam journals and install the cams. Soak the new
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild MLS Head Gaskets
    These engines use MLS head gaskets, and they are clearly marked for the left or right side of the engine, making them virtually idiot-proof. Trick Flow’s install manual includes the proper torque sequence.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild MLS Head Gaskets
    These engines use MLS head gaskets, and they are clearly marked for the left or right side
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Stock Oil Pump
    I cleaned and reused the stock oil pump. Installation of the timing gear begins with setting the crank to the safe position using OTC’s crank holding tool.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Stock Oil Pump
    I cleaned and reused the stock oil pump. Installation of the timing gear begins with setti
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Comp Cam Adjustable Cam Gear
    Because I had heard about the modular engine’s potential for mismatched cam timing, I requested a set of Comp’s adjustable cam gears. They offer a total of 24 degrees of adjustment—12 degrees advanced and 12 retarded.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Comp Cam Adjustable Cam Gear
    Because I had heard about the modular engine’s potential for mismatched cam timing, I requ
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Stock Timing Gear Spacer
    To install them, I needed the spacer behind the stock timing gears.
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Stock Cam Gear Removal
    To remove the stock cam gears, I needed OTC’s cam-holding tool, which consists of a button (PN 51155) that fits a hex in the rear of the cam, and the holding tool (PN 511532), which engages the flats inside the button, locking it in place.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Stock Cam Gear Removal
    To remove the stock cam gears, I needed OTC’s cam-holding tool, which consists of a button
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Bolt Removal
    I needed an impact wrench to get these bolts off, as they were really tight. That’s why I mentioned earlier in the article to remove the cam gears while the heads are still on the engine. It would be a lot easier to remove them with the timing chains and guides still installed, and you wouldn’t need to buy the cam holding tools, either.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Bolt Removal
    I needed an impact wrench to get these bolts off, as they were really tight. That’s why I
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Comp Cam Gear Key
    The stock timing gears have a tooth that engages the keyway on the cams, but the Comp cam gears do not. Instead, they come with a key that must be installed with the spacers before the gears go on the cams.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Comp Cam Gear Key
    The stock timing gears have a tooth that engages the keyway on the cams, but the Comp cam
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Timing Chains
    The timing chains come with colored links to indicate cam alignment during installation. One colored link is installed at zero degrees on the Comp gears or on a tooth indicated by a dot on the stock gears. The second colored link lines up with a corresponding dot on the crank gear.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Timing Chains
    The timing chains come with colored links to indicate cam alignment during installation. O
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Fully Installed Cam Gear System
    It really is that easy. Fully installed, the system should look like this. Note that the right-side cam tensioner was a really tight fit. I needed to pry against the tensioner arm with a long screwdriver to get the tensioner in place behind the tensioner arm.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Fully Installed Cam Gear System
    It really is that easy. Fully installed, the system should look like this. Note that the r
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cam Timing Check
    I rechecked the cam timing to find that Trick Flow’s specs of a 113-degree installed centerline were spot on. After that, I tightened the timing gear’s adjuster screws with Loctite to the recommended torque value. You’ll need an inch-pound torque wrench for this.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cam Timing Check
    I rechecked the cam timing to find that Trick Flow’s specs of a 113-degree installed cente
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cylinder Check
    Before finishing assembly of the engine, I checked all the cylinders with OTC leakdown tester. Six of them were within 2 or 3 psi of the accepted 15 percent leakdown rate for a newly assembled engine. Two cylinders had higher readings, one of them being more than 30 percent. Turning the engine over several times by hand fixed this, but not before I removed that bank’s head to verify that the piston rings had indeed been indexed correctly. After that, all the cylinders indicated less than 15 percent leakdown.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cylinder Check
    Before finishing assembly of the engine, I checked all the cylinders with OTC leakdown tes
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Engine Timing Cover Reassembly
    I assembled the remainder of the engine using timing cover, valve cover, and oil pan gaskets from Rock Auto. They also supplied the front crank seal. I used OTC’s universal harmonic balancer installation tool to slide the damper on the crank. The intake manifold and 19-pound fuel injectors are stock.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Engine Timing Cover Reassembly
    I assembled the remainder of the engine using timing cover, valve cover, and oil pan gaske
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Fel Pro Rear Main Seal
    I encountered an interesting problem with Fel-Pro’s rear main seal, the brown one in this picture. Compared with the black Motorcraft seal I bought from South Bay Ford, the Fel-Pro seal has an extra lip that faces the transmission, and it prevented the seal from fitting over my Ford- recommended OTC rear seal installation tool, so I had to buy and install the Motorcraft seal instead. We recommend installing the crank seals with some sort of installer tool, rather than tapping them on with a drift. This ensures the seal is installed correctly and at the right depth in the seal retainer to prevent leaks.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Fel Pro Rear Main Seal
    I encountered an interesting problem with Fel-Pro’s rear main seal, the brown one in this
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cylinder Head Flange
    With the engine nearly ready to drop into the car, I ran into my next snag. The right side exhaust manifold would not fit. The ear of the flange made contact with a casting boss that is much thicker on Trick Flow’s heads than on the stock ones. I’ve checked with the guys at Trick Flow, and it’s likely they didn’t have Crown Victorias in mind when they designed these cylinder heads.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cylinder Head Flange
    With the engine nearly ready to drop into the car, I ran into my next snag. The right side
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cylinder Head Flange
    Mustang exhaust manifolds aren’t routed as closely to the engine block. Either way, we’d argue that if you’re installing Trick Flow heads on your 4.6, you should also be buying a set of headers. Otherwise, you’ll never be able to take full advantage of these heads’ superior airflow characteristics over the stock heads.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Cylinder Head Flange
    Mustang exhaust manifolds aren’t routed as closely to the engine block. Either way, we’d a
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Manifold
    I would have had to do a lot of grinding to make the manifold fit, and I simply didn’t have time for that. Stainless Works saved me big time with its awesome and newly developed long-tube headers for ’03 to ’07 Crown Victorias and Grand Marquis (and probably Town Cars, too!). They fit everywhere with a ton of room to spare.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Manifold
    I would have had to do a lot of grinding to make the manifold fit, and I simply didn’t hav
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Engine Drop
    I tried to drop the engine into the car with the headers bolted on, but they were too long to clear the firewall, even with the engine angled down like the Titanic slipping into the Atlantic. No worries, they fed up from the bottom of the car with no problems. Once in place, there was plenty of room around the tubes to install the starter motor and oil filter adapter and route the wiring harness.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Engine Drop
    I tried to drop the engine into the car with the headers bolted on, but they were too long

Mod Motor Cam Timing

I’ve come across a lot of rumors floating around online about mod motor cams being installed as many as 4 degrees advanced or retarded from the factory. Wanting to verify this, I checked my engine’s cam timing before removing the cylinder heads. We won’t document the entire process here, as we’ve done about half a million cam-degreeing articles in the past 58 years. The mod motor’s overhead cam arrangement only adds a slight twist to the process in this boilerplate article.

  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Trick Flow Cam Degree Supplement Kit
    Though you can probably get by without it, we recommend buying Trick Flow’s cam degree supplement kit. It includes a height-adjustable dummy lifter and a base to mount the dial indicator. The remaining components I used are from Proform Parts’ 13-inch Universal Degree wheel kit. Pick a cylinder (it doesn’t matter which one) and use the spring compressor tool to remove the lash adjuster, replacing it with the dummy lifter from the kit. This dummy lifter contains a set screw you can turn with the supplied Allen key to raise or lower the height of the tip, changing the gap between the roller and the cam lobe. I set the clearance to 0.020 inch because, according to Trick Flow’s specs, collapsed lash adjusters (engine off, no hydraulic preload) should have between 0.015- and 0.025-inch clearance between the roller and the cam’s base circle.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Trick Flow Cam Degree Supplement Kit
    Though you can probably get by without it, we recommend buying Trick Flow’s cam degree sup
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Lash Adjuster Repaclement
    Though you can probably get by without it, we recommend buying Trick Flow’s cam degree supplement kit. It includes a height-adjustable dummy lifter and a base to mount the dial indicator. The remaining components I used are from Proform Parts’ 13-inch Universal Degree wheel kit. Pick a cylinder (it doesn’t matter which one) and use the spring compressor tool to remove the lash adjuster, replacing it with the dummy lifter from the kit. This dummy lifter contains a set screw you can turn with the supplied Allen key to raise or lower the height of the tip, changing the gap between the roller and the cam lobe. I set the clearance to 0.020 inch because, according to Trick Flow’s specs, collapsed lash adjusters (engine off, no hydraulic preload) should have between 0.015- and 0.025-inch clearance between the roller and the cam’s base circle.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Lash Adjuster Repaclement
    Though you can probably get by without it, we recommend buying Trick Flow’s cam degree sup
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Motor Cam Timing
    The rest of the process is the same as with a pushrod engine. Find the exact TDC of the cylinder you’re measuring and record the No. 1 intake valve opening and closing degrees. Add the two numbers and divide that sum by 2 to determine the cam’s installed centerline. The stock cams are supposed to be installed on a 114-degree intake valve centerline. My cams were within 1 degree of spec and within 2 degrees of each other.
    Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Motor Cam Timing
    The rest of the process is the same as with a pushrod engine. Find the exact TDC of the cy

Cylinder Head Flow Chart

Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Flow Bench Testing

I brought the stock heads and the new Trick Flow heads to Westech for flow bench testing. The difference is dramatic. There is a lot of potential in these Trick Flow castings.

Stock:

Valve Opening Intake CFM Exhaust CFM
0.050 27 22
0.100 51 50
0.200 96 86
0.300 133 111
0.400 156 124
0.500 171 131
0.600 177 135

Trick Flow:

Valve Opening Intake CFM Exhaust CFM
0.050 26 23
0.100 54 50
0.200 124 93
0.300 173 129
0.400 210 155
0.500 232 165
0.600 239 170

*Cylinder heads tested at Westech Performance’s SuperFlow 300 flow bench with a 3.580 bore adapter. Stock 4.6 bore is 3.552 inches.

On the Dyno

The engine fired on the second crank and ran surprisingly well. After fixing the previously mentioned oil leaks from the gallery plugs in the cylinder heads (and fixing an unrelated wiring nightmare under the dash), my car felt really strong running on Blue Oval Chips’ programming for the Mercury Marauder MAF installed in our June ’11 issue. However, Trick Flow recommends reprogramming the ECM after installing its Top End Kit, so I spent the better part of a day on Westech’s chassis dyno, as Ernie Mena fine-tuned the air/fuel ratio and timing. Tuning Ford ECMs requires some sort of handheld programmer that goes between the tuning shop’s laptop and the ECM. Ernie used the SCT X3 Power Flash programmer I bought from Blue Oval Chips. As a result, my car is now making 70 more horsepower and nearly 50 more lb-ft of torque. The torque band is much flatter than stock, as well, making about 300 lb-ft from 3,500 rpm all the way to 5,000 rpm. The car feels much more powerful and a lot more fun to drive. We’ll have some dragstrip numbers to back up these horsepower figures soon.

  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Dyno Graph
  • Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Dyno Test

Where’d That Power Come From?

Stock versus Trick Flow Heads

Stock NPI (92-99) Heads Stock PI (99-Present)Heads TFS Twisted Wedge
Intake Runner 146 cc 159 cc 185 cc
Intake Valve Diameter 1.752 inches 1.752 inches 1.840 inches
Exhaust Runner 93 cc
Exhaust Valve Diameter 1.339 inches 1.417 inches 1.450 inches
Combustion Chamber 52 cc 44 cc 38 cc
Compression ratio (stock pistons, rods cylinder bore, and deck height) 9.3:1(with 10.5cc piston dish) 9.4:1(with 15.8cc piston dish) 10.1:1(with 15.8cc piston dish)
Cam Specs 204/208 duration at 0.050 lift/0.480 valve lift 200/208 duration, 0.505/0.531 valve lift, 115 LSA 228/230 duration, 0.550 valve lift, 112 LSA

Overhead Cam Ford Engine Rebuild Heads

The secret to our 4.6’s newly found power is a collaboration of a better combustion chamber design, bigger ports, slightly larger valves, and Trick Flow’s canted valve arrangement. Changing the angle of the intake valve provides a better path into the cylinders. It also eliminates piston-to-valve clearance problems very common to SOHC 4.6 engines—you can’t advance the cam too far or run intake lift numbers more than about 0.525 inch without notching the pistons. With its valve arrangement, Trick Flow says lift of up to 0.600 inch is safe. Every engine builder we’ve checked with says Trick Flow’s heads—with CNC-shaped chambers and as-cast intake and exhaust runners—will outflow any ported factory cylinder head, and our gains of 70 hp to the rear wheels is right inline with what other Trick Flow customers are seeing. While we’re still breathing through the car’s stock intake and tailpipes, we know there is more potential in these heads, especially at higher engine speeds. We’re looking at intake combinations and possibly a power-adder to see how much more we can wring out of these things. Note in the chart above that the best naturally aspirated combination may be an early non-power- improved block and Trick Flow’s 38cc chamber heads. If you want more compression, bolt these heads on a four-valve block, which comes with flat-top pistons and will net a compression ratio of nearly 12:1. For guys who love boost, Trick Flow also sells a version of these cylinder heads with 44cc combustion chambers. END

Parts List

Description PN Source Price
Clean block and install freeze plugs N/A Hi-Tek $50.00
Trick Flow 2V Modular Top End Kit TFS-K519-390-375 Summit Racing 2,899.95
ARP main bearing cam studs 156-5401 ARP 106.95
King main bearings KGB-MB5353SI Summit Racing 50.95
King connecting rod bearings KGB-CR868SI Summit Racing 39.95
Cloyes timing chain tensioner, right 9-5433 Rock Auto 33.79
Cloyes timing chain tensioner, left 9-5432 Rock Auto 32.79
Fel-Pro timing cover gasket set TCS45869-1 Rock Auto 16.64
Fel-Pro oil filter adapter gasket 230 70801 Rock Auto 7.59
Fel-Pro front crank seal 230 TCS46114 Rock Auto 9.31
Cloyes tensioner arm, right 95340 Rock Auto 17.51
Cloyes tensioner arm, left 95341 Rock Auto 18.81
Cloyes timing chain guide, right 95428 Rock Auto 18.81
Cloyes timing chain guide, left 95429 Rock Auto 19.17
Fel-Pro Oil pan gasket OS30725R Rock Auto 22.79
Fel-Pro valve cover gaskets VS50564R Rock Auto 29.79
Comp adjustable cam gear set 10246SET Comp 248.95
Connecting rod bolts (4.95 each) F3LY-6214-A South Bay Ford 79.20
Rear main seal F4AZ-6701-A South Bay Ford 25.57
Piston pin retainers(sold in sets of 4) F6AZ-6140-AA South Bay Ford 37.84
Stainless Works headers and catalytic converters CRVIC03HDRCAT Stainless Works 1,590.00
Spark plugs NGK3403 B&C Auto Parts 27.60
TOTAL $5,383.96

Tool List

Description PN Source Price
Ford V8 cam holding tool OTC-6498 Summit Racing $119.95
Cam degree supplement kit TFS-90100 Summit Racing 39.95
Ford rear crank seal installer tool OTC-7786 Summit Racing 109.95
Harmonic balancer installer OTC-6505 Summit Racing 119.95
Cylinder leakdown tester OTC-5609 Summit Racing 99.95
Piston ring installer and compressor tool CMB-17-0000 Summit Racing 34.85
Proform Parts universal degree wheel kit PRO-66787 Summit Racing 89.95
TOTAL $614.55

SOURCES
Rock Auto
6680 Odana Road
Madison
WI  53719
866-762-5288
www.rockauto.com
Racers' Edge Tuning
8107 Phlox Street
Downey
CA  90241
562-622-2508
www.racersedgetuning.net
King Engine Bearings
327 Little Falls road, Suite 5
Cedar Grove
NJ  07009
800-772-3670
www.kingbearings.com
Cloyes Gear And Products Inc.
Ft. Smith
AR
479-645-1662
www.cloyes.com
Federal-Mogul Corporation
26555 Northwestern Hwy.
Southfield
MI  48033
248-354-7700
www.federal-mogul.com
Blue Oval Chips
Danville
IN
317-718-7231
www.blueovalchips.com
Westech Performance Group
11098 Venture Drive
Unit C
Mira Loma
CA  91752
951-685-4767
www.westechperformance.com
SPX Service Solutions
Romeoville
IL
www.servicesolutions.spx.com
Hi-Tek Engine Rebuilding
Gardena
CA
310-327-2411
ARP
1863 Eastman Avenue
Ventura
CA  93003
800-826-3045
www.arp-bolts.com
Summit Racing Equipment
PO Box 909
Akron
OH  44398
800-230-3030
330-630-0240
www.summitracing.com
Comp Cams
3406 Democrat Road
Memphis
TN  38118
800-999-0853
www.compcams.com
Stainless Works
9899 E. Washington St.
Chargrin Falls
OH  44023
800-878-6935
www.stainlessworks.net
South Bay Ford
Hawthorne
CA
888-358-9380
www.southbayford.com
B&C Auto Parts
Gardena
CA
310-380-7474
By Ohn Mcgann
Enjoyed this Post? Subscribe to our RSS Feed, or use your favorite social media to recommend us to friends and colleagues!

*Please enter your username

*Please enter your password

*Please enter your comments
Comments:
Not Registered?Signup Here
(1024 character limit)
dfelt4820
I just slammed a 32v 4.6 from a mark VIII into mine...waiting on tuning to dial it in. It's a beast though.
notoriousfpg
Lets see if I got this right, big heavy full length steel frame AmericanV8 rear wheel drive car that actually has modern suspension. I have no clue why old school muscle car guy knock it. This sounds like a good formula to me for the ultimate sleeper. Which I must lay down a challenge. Who will be the first to lift the front wheels on one of these mammoths!!
Car Craft