well im looking for some more power out of my 5.2 318. i did a v6 to v8 swap and put a 94 5.2 in my dakota. i have a set of flowtech shorty headers for it and im going to buy a cold air intake for it. But now, i would like to put bigger cams in it. Anyone have any ideas or any information on anything i will have to change or replace in order to put bigger cams in it? Also, how much will they help out in power? Another thing i would like to add is an electric cooling fan instead of the stock clutch fan. Thanks!

 

the 318 has one cam and you have to remove all of the accessories and their drives to get to it, as they all mount to the timing cover itself.

 

Is it worth it in the end with power gain?

 

Not really. Now if you ever have to have your A/C compressor serviced or replace your water pump, that's the time to do the cam swap since you have to pretty much remove the front of the engine to do it without cussing up a storm. In my mind, changing the water pump, cam, and intake's belly pan all together is a perfect choreograph.

 

What would be a good upgrade for perforce in your eyes? Nothing that I seriously have to tear the motor apart, just nice bolt on accessories

 

"Welcome to Pandora's box"

Um, well, let's start with what I've done with my truck, maybe others will chime in as well.

1. Clutch Fan delete/Lincoln fan install

2. Harland 1.7 rockers

3. 4.10 gears

4. 180 thermostat

5. SCT from hemifever

6. 16 pass transmission cooler w/ 10" fan

7. manual control of the radiator and trans cooler fans

8. MSD ignition [drag race only]

9. methanol injection [drag race only]

10. HID Fogs [to help mr. Blind, here]

basically, go see my thread in the general dak forum above this one.