Need a custom Cam Sync! Any machine guys want to help? Advice? Please? CNP Ignition and MS3.

[ba123]

Yeah, so if it were only that tube, then no prob. I could take the whole thing off and be ok, but it’s also the coolant route to the #5 and I’d have to totally reroute that and that’s more work than machining a part unless someone has other ideas?

Here in red is where the coolant flow would have to go.


(Pic of manifold from underneath)

If you look back at that first pic I posted, that line where the fitting is, is directly above and that’s what I’m talking about.

 

[DirtDonk]

Well, so much for that bright idea! Now to Plan B.
Or plan nine from Outer space maybe.

 

[nvrstuk]

Yeah, I'm sitting here waiting to see who comes up with the fix...

 

[ba123]

Worked on the design a little more... I think this could work:

 

[ba123]

Found some bolts that should work well and added the recessed holes for them.

The hard parts are gonna be making sure it all works and I didn't do this for nothing, so open to tips. That MSD sensor and pickup, I assume will be pretty straightforward?

Other than that, the tough part will be mating this to the bottom housing:

I will have to drill and tap holes for the bolts in the top of this as well as take some material off the top so the cam sensor can be as low as possible, but maybe that's a pain and would be better to not have to do that and take more off the manifold. I'll look at that again.

 

[jamesroney]

Found some bolts that should work well and added the recessed holes for them.
View attachment 893490
The hard parts are gonna be making sure it all works and I didn't do this for nothing, so open to tips. That MSD sensor and pickup, I assume will be pretty straightforward?

Other than that, the tough part will be mating this to the bottom housing:
View attachment 893491
I will have to drill and tap holes for the bolts in the top of this as well as take some material off the top so the cam sensor can be as low as possible, but maybe that's a pain and would be better to not have to do that and take more off the manifold. I'll look at that again.

When you get done fooling around, take a hard look at the timing cover, and the notion of putting a reluctor wheel in place of the fuel pump eccentric. Your fancy aftermarket cam sensor should fit nicely in the fuel pump orifice. Also, the notion of a “crank trigger only” solution and firing bank by bank with waste spark is really looking good if you are going EDIS with coil packs.

Not that I don’t like what you’re doing, I just enjoy throwing fuel on the burning fire. (And I hate what you are doing…) but wow, this is fun to watch!

 

[ba123]

No, I totally thought about that and Msd makes a pickup that can go there, but the 5.0l block doesn’t have a spot for it, does it?

Yeah, I just looked, nothing. Anyone seen this done anywhere on a 5.0 block and front cover?

 

[ba123]

If I had to, I could prob get a front cover that had the hole and figure something out but seems like more work and more cost and seems harder to adjust. Prob nice when good and done, but this should be too unless I ever have to remove it. I did find an article on using the fuel cover plate on an engine, but totally different engine and on that one, the sensor is able to go right up to the camshaft and not even close on a 302/5.0.

If there were no water pump there, I could go face on to the gear and I think that would be ideal, but no place to do that.

 

[bax]

You aint cut that Yet?

 

[jamesroney]

If I had to, I could prob get a front cover that had the hole and figure something out but seems like more work and more cost and seems harder to adjust. Prob nice when good and done, but this should be too unless I ever have to remove it. I did find an article on using the fuel cover plate on an engine, but totally different engine and on that one, the sensor is able to go right up to the camshaft and not even close on a 302/5.0.

If there were no water pump there, I could go face on to the gear and I think that would be ideal, but no place to do that.

You need to post MORE pics. The picture in your Avatar is showing a blue painted cast iron block with Aluminum heads and and your super cool and awesome BXR intake. But later you post a pic of an all-aluminum Small Block Ford 8.2 deck with the same intake, and some strange timing cover. But then I heard there was a belt drive distributor, but that would have to run off the distributor hole. So I got a little lost. But since every small block Ford 8.2 deck built from 1962 to 1985 came with a mechanical fuel pump provision...I figured you were running that timing cover.

I did think about using the timing gear as the reluctor input, but it's not timed. It's just a pulse. Does the Cam Sync reluctor put out a double bump for #1? Are you already using a crank trigger? Sorry for all the questions, but I do like the intake, and I want to see it run!

 

[ba123]

All the pics I've posted (other than the BBK intake) are of the same engine as my avatar, my 1990 Mustang 5.0, except the one from another guy's mustang 5.0 that did a similar mod to what I need to do.

One difference in my avatar is that the end caps are not on the manifold and nor are the valve covers.

That pic above, that's aluminum with the red lines on it, are the underside of my BXR intake flipped over where I marked to show the coolant flow.

I don't mind the questions at all, so don't hold back. A cam sync just needs one pulse per revolution if I understand correctly, and yes, you need a crank trigger to go with it if so, versus a cam angle sensor which gives reading throughout the turn and you do not. You need more room for a cas/cps than I have, sadly. MSD sells "Dual Sync Distributors" that can do both or also be a distributor and there are a lot of conversion kits for existing distributors, but I have to go cam sync & crank timer.

Could also just use a crank trigger and go wasted spark (fires on both compression and exhaust stroke) but I'd rather not since I enjoy all this extra work and that isn't idea. I'll post another pic or two shortly but tell me what you want to see.

 

[ba123]

Maybe the “funky timing cover” you’re referring to is the bracket for ky a/c and power steering. That’s the stock 5.0 setup.

 

[bax]

Wasted spark is not a bad thing. Much like the old dual point distributors. Fires on intake and exhaust. If the computer can do it I would give it a try.

 

[ba123]

Yes, but I'm already in here and not in any hurry since waiting for the bronco from paint and will be a few more months prob, who knows. And I don't like regrets...hope I don't end up paying more than I expect but I think it'll be worth it. Feeling nostalgic mentioning dual point distributors. Lemme break out some sandpaper and we are good to go! Good ol quick tuneup!

I would rather go wasted spark than have the belt driven distributor...oh, yeah, forgot to answer James' question on that one. James, this one is not my engine. This is how the BXR was designed to run. A modified stock 5.0 dizzy that is run off an added belt. It's ugly and unreliable. This one looks a little different cause he doesn't have an ac compressor and you can't really see his serpentine belt, but they are both there. One serpentine and one extra belt that just runs the dizzy.


Here's a better one with ac:

 

[jamesroney]

Maybe the “funky timing cover” you’re referring to is the bracket for ky a/c and power steering. That’s the stock 5.0 setup.

Now I see it. That looks like 87-93 Mustang Fox 5.0, with the A/C delete. 4 bolt 50 oz damper. That timing cover will have the timing pointer on the passenger side, and the lower radiator hose on the driver's side. Reverse rotation water pump. If you run the Fox serpentine crank pulley, your fan won't fit. Lot's of people have tried this and failed. But that explains why your timing cover doesn't have a fuel pump provision.

But the funky timing cover was on the Aluminum block reference pic in post #1.

 

[ba123]

Fan does fit with this setup. I used it when I put this same stock 1990 5.0 in my Bronco in 1998. Worked like a charm. Stock radiator, had the tanks flipped and rebuilt by a local shop...you aren't too far away from me, btw. And that's not AC delete, I just removed it a couple days ago trying to get in there better. I'll need a new compressor though when I go Vintage Air--their compressor won't mount to this setup and don't think I want to change all this for that.

Really wish I'd taken more pics of my Bronco BEFORE I started all the extra work, but here is a shot of my engine when I started the teardown too many years ago. You can see my fan:

 

[jamesroney]

@ba123
Oh wow! A timing belt running a remote TFI distributor in front of the serpentine drive. Yeah, I'm 100% with you. That's just ugly.

You might want to get a tape measure and start looking at clearance in your Bronco. The Fox serpentine is too long, and the Coyote / LS / front elbow induction is really tight against the radiator.

There is a reason why everybody runs Explorer front dress. It sits 1 inch farther back, and allows the use of a real fan. The SN95 stuff can fit, but it's really tight. Fox stuff just doesn't fit well.

 

[jamesroney]

Fan does fit with this setup. I used it when I put this same stock 1990 5.0 in my Bronco in 1998. Worked like a charm. Stock radiator, had the tanks flipped and rebuilt by a local shop...you aren't too far away from me, btw. And that's not AC delete, I just removed it a couple days ago trying to get in there better. I'll need a new compressor though when I go Vintage Air--their compressor won't mount to this setup and don't think I want to change all this for that.

Really wish I'd taken more pics of my Bronco BEFORE I started all the extra work, but here is a shot of my engine when I started the teardown too many years ago. You can see my fan:
View attachment 893518

I'm pretty sure that is the EXACT set up that was the impetus for the Wild Horses radiator to fan guard. @DirtDonk will know for sure. But if you are happy, I'm happy.

 

[ba123]

Haha, I did have a fan guard on there. Ouch. I see red just thinking about that.

 

[Tiko433]

This has been really interesting to read, another reason why I love the site always something cool to check out. When I first saw that intake I questioned if you have enough room where your brake system would go . I have a TrickFlow intake, I think it’s the Street Heat. I had vacuum brake system with traditional angled bracket. I had to notch it. Recently I installed a Hydroboost , I thought for sure a hydroboost would surely have no interference. I still had to shift it and move it over a bit. Sorry I don’t have a front view to show clearance.