Mustang Monthly Homepage Mustang Monthly
Get Adobe Flash player

351 Cleveland Roller-Cam Conversion

Friction And Poor Geometry Make A Roller Cam A Good Idea In Your Cleveland- Powered Mustang
From the May, 2009 issue of Mustang Monthly
By Jeff Ford
Photography by Jeff Ford
P79516 Image Large
John Douglas and Bob Myhrer... 
   
  read full caption
P79516 Image Large
John Douglas and Bob Myhrer gaze at the air temp meter in order to ascertain what the engine might do. It did well.
P79517 Image Large
Everything you will need to... 
   
  read full caption
P79517 Image Large
Everything you will need to install a roller cam in your Cleveland is available from Competition Cams.
P79518 Image Large
Although Competition has a... 
   
  read full caption
P79518 Image Large
Although Competition has a full line of standard roller grinds for the Cleveland, we called and set up this grind for those who want to build exactly what we have (see Cleveland Rocks sidebar).
P79519 Image Large
In order to correctly install... 
   
  read full caption
P79519 Image Large
In order to correctly install the cam, we suggest you remove the engine from the engine bay. The intake, heads, oil pan, water pump, fuel pump, and balancer will have to be removed in order to facilitate the install.
P79520 Image Large
When you disassemble the engine,... 
   
  read full caption
P79520 Image Large
When you disassemble the engine, make sure you lay out the components that you are removing in the order in which they are in the engine. Do this with your old cam and lifters as well. Though they may not be the latest, you might be able to sell them to a fellow Cleveland owner.
P79521 Image Large
Be sure to read, follow, and... 
   
  read full caption
P79521 Image Large
Be sure to read, follow, and understand all the safety instructions. Wait, that’s Norm Abrams’ line! Make sure you read the cam card and the instruction sheet for your cam.
P79522 Image Large
Allan West at Regional Performance... 
   
  read full caption
P79522 Image Large
Allan West at Regional Performance Machine recommends washing the parts with carb/choke cleaner to remove the Cosmoline. This parts washer is a clean box and never sees anything but clean parts that need to be washed down. Details such as this make a shop such as Regional a comfortable place that provides excellent work.
P79523 Image Large
The cam is lubed and set into... 
   
  read full caption
P79523 Image Large
The cam is lubed and set into the block. West rotates the cam in the bearings to make sure there is no binding or problems.
P79526 Image Large
Next, West checks each lifter... 
   
  read full caption
P79526 Image Large
Next, West checks each lifter for correct operation and sets two in the No. 1 lifter bores. The multi-index timing chain is installed and a degree wheel is used to make sure the cam is correctly degreed in. This step is outlined in the instructions and is essential. It could make the difference between your Cleveland being a stallion or a mule.
P79527 Image Large
Powerhouse Products offers... 
   
  read full caption
P79527 Image Large
Powerhouse Products offers a cam degree kit (PN POW101580), which includes everything you’ll need to degree your cam right down to a fixture such as this that allows you to stop the piston in the hole wherever you want.
P79528 Image Large
The cylinder heads are disassembled... 
   
  read full caption
P79528 Image Large
The cylinder heads are disassembled and the valves are laid out in order. The single valvespring will be discarded in favor of the dual valvesprings provided by Competition Cams.
P79529 Image Large
West checks all the valves... 
   
  read full caption
P79529 Image Large
West checks all the valves for their installed height. The height can vary on different valves and should be checked with a digital or dial micrometer. For instance, a valve may sit deeper in a seat and cause the spring pressure to be different.
P79530 Image Large
Since the springs should be... 
   
  read full caption
P79530 Image Large
Since the springs should be at the same installed height across the board, shims must be used on some valves.
P79531 Image Large
Not set up for PC seals?... 
   
  read full caption
P79531 Image Large
Not set up for PC seals? This tool—available from Competition Cams—makes short work of the guide.
P79532 Image Large
West uses oil on the stem... 
   
  read full caption
P79532 Image Large
West uses oil on the stem to install the valves. Though he uses a super-slippery product, standard 40-weight motor oil will suffice.
P79533 Image Large
West uses these sleeves when... 
   
  read full caption
P79533 Image Large
West uses these sleeves when installing the PC oil seals. They insure against gouging the seal and creating an oil-consumption problem.
P79534 Image Large
The covers are used to keep... 
   
  read full caption
P79534 Image Large
The covers are used to keep the valve from damaging the seals. These caps are available from Competition Cams. West uses a socket to tap the seal into place.
P79535 Image Large
The valvesprings are placed... 
   
  read full caption
P79535 Image Large
The valvesprings are placed in the head at this point. West uses a really trick air-operated spring compressor for the task. You can rent a standard one from the local parts store.
P79536 Image Large
West uses a vacuum pump to... 
   
  read full caption
P79536 Image Large
West uses a vacuum pump to check for leaks in the system. All the valves held vacuum, assuring us that the heads will seal and make good power.
P79537 Image Large
Those Xs behind the lifters... 
   
  read full caption
P79537 Image Large
Those Xs behind the lifters in the corners of the valley are a problem with installing the roller cam conversion in the Cleveland. They interfere with the clean operation of the spider. On our engine, three out of four of these had to be ground down to make sure we had smooth function.
P79538 Image Large
Obviously, the one thing you... 
   
  read full caption
P79538 Image Large
Obviously, the one thing you don’t want are metal shavings in the lifter valley. Clean out the valley with a shop towel soaked in carb/choke cleaner. Then cover every orifice on the block with duct tape. You’ll need a “nurse” using a shop vac to remove the shavings as you grind away the Xs that interfere.
P79539 Image Large
Use some Play-Doh in the valve... 
   
  read full caption
P79539 Image Large
Use some Play-Doh in the valve reliefs to make sure the valves don’t kiss the piston at the top of the cam’s travel. Even with a 600-plus lift cam, we have no problems.
P79540 Image Large
When doing this, don’t... 
   
  read full caption
P79540 Image Large
When doing this, don’t install the gasket. If the valve does not strike without a gasket, then it won’t with one. At this point, we installed our ROL head gaskets.
P79541 Image Large
We like the ROL gaskets for... 
   
  read full caption
P79541 Image Large
We like the ROL gaskets for good sealing and hard use. Make sure the gaskets that say “front” are facing in that direction.
P79542 Image Large
Next, you need to make sure... 
   
  read full caption
P79542 Image Large
Next, you need to make sure the plunger is not at the limit of its travel when at rest. There should be plenty of room for the lifter to pump up, but the rocker should be tight to the pushrod. In short, there should be room for motion but not free-play in the pushrod. If that’s the case, then you’re OK on your pushrods. If there is free-play, then you will need to contact Competition Cams for longer pushrods.
P79543 Image Large
P79544 Image Large
P79545 Image Large
P79546 Image Large

The Cleveland was Ford’s best midsized performance engine for many years. Until the advent of aftermarket heads for the Windsor, if you wanted to go fast in a Ford with a 351-displacement engine, the Cleveland was the only game in town. Derivatives of the mighty 351 4V have been seen at tracks across the nation and indeed the world. The Yates engines that power the Ford NASCAR efforts today are derived from this stout design. In fact, Australia used the Cleveland engine in its production cycle into the early ’80s.

Of course, as with any race-bred animal or cast-iron wonder, the Cleveland does have some quirks. The valvetrain arrangement is one of these oddities. Though the canted valves make for better port placement and larger valves, they create a strain on cam lobes. Of all the Ford small-blocks, you’re more likely to flatten a Cleveland cam due to the extreme valve geometry. Enter the roller cam. The roller cam can give the Cleveland more powerful breathing and less dramatic friction that comes about with a flat-tappet cam due to the odd valve angles.

Competition Cams has an excellent custom roller grind that we used on our Lazarus Project Mach 1’s 351 Cleveland 4V. This grind has good vacuum, excellent power, and the cool operation of roller lifters. Overall, the cam is a most powerful grind from 2,800 to 5,000 rpm and will surprise you when you read the dyno numbers. We tapped Bob Little and Allan West at Regional Performance Machine in Haines City, Florida, for our cam install. Our dyno work and some additional headwork was performed by Gil Alfaro and John Douglas at A&S machine in Riverview, Florida.

A&S Machine
Riverview
FL  38118
ROL Gaskets
8041 Broadstone Rd
Perrysburg
OH  43551
(800) 810-4067
Competition Cams
Memphis
TN
800/999-0853

compcams.com
Regional Performance Machine
Hwy. 27 N.
Haines City
FL  33844
Powerhouse Products
3402 Democrat Rd. Dept. GMHTP
Memphis
TN  38118

1973 Ford Mustang Convertible 351 Cleveland - The Stepsister
Once Neglected, Bill Johnson's '73 Convertible Is Now A Beauty... more
351 Cleveland Small Block MCE Engines Upgrade
MCE Engines Shows How To Find Hidden Power And Durability With The Right Parts And Technique... more
Build A Cleveland Powerhouse
Speed-O-Motive's 408 Cleveland stroker kit puts the hammer down for brute horsepower and torque... more
1971 Ford Mustang Boss 351 - Mustang Monthly
Paul Woodlief's '71 Boss 351 May Be The Highest-Optioned Boss Ever Built... more
1971 Ford Boss 351 Mustang - The Boss Is Back
Few people can claim they went from driving a bus to driving a Boss in one step, but that's exactly the fortune that befell high school senior Alan Goodman in 1971.... more
1971 Ford Mustang Boss 351 - Reborn Boss
Steve Collins Resurrected This Boss 351 From A Low-Mileage But Neglected Past... more
1970 Ford Mustang Boss 351 - Quality Is Job...
Exclusive 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 351, featuring a 330 horse 351 4V engine, Hurst-shifted four-speed transmission, and More!... more
1971 Ford Mustang Boss 351 - Since New...
Check out what happened on the fatefuly day when Dan Ingearetson picked up his Grabber Yellow 1971 Ford Mustang Boss 351 SportsRoof.... more
1971 Mustang Boss 351 - Stay Of Execution
Rob Sweet Saved This Former Junkyard Dog From A Slow, Painful Death... more
1971 Ford Mustang BOSS 351 - Unmolested Muscle
Don Prochot was fortunate to find a rare '71 Boss 351 with only 15,000 original miles... more