The Best Cams Roller 351C

Many Ford Mustangs had 351C engines during the '70s.

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Changing camshafts is a common modification when increasing an engine's horsepower, especially on the Ford 351 Cleveland engine. Manufactured from 1969 to 1982, the 351 Cleveland was one of Ford's top-performing engines of the 1970s, before emissions regulations took out much of the engine's punch. Camshaft modification is a good way to improve the performance in a 351 Cleveland. A number of roller cams that improve 351 Cleveland performance are available, depending on your particular camshaft needs.

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Camshafts operate the engine's valves by opening and closing them, allowing exhaust to escape and fuel to enter the combustion chamber. Camshafts are machined to perform in sync with the engine as part of the overall engine timing. Of the primary camshaft types -- flat tappet and roller -- roller cams provide better performance because the camshaft lobes are larger and rounder. This causes less friction, resulting in a smoother operation than flat tappet cams.

Ford 351 Cleveland

Although a top-performing Ford engine, the 351 Cleveland was not without issues. According to "Mustang Monthly," one of these issues was the valve train arrangement. The arrangement has larger valves and improves port placement, but causes the cam lobes to wear. Writing in "Mustang Monthly," Jeff said that "of all the Ford small-blocks, you're more likely to flatten a Cleveland cam due to the extreme valve geometry." Roller cams allow the 352 Cleveland to breathe easier, with less friction.

Roller Cam Specifics

To determine the best cam for the Ford 351 Cleveland, you must first determine the engine's function. Is it for road use, or high performance? Lift and duration are key performance specifics. Lift is how far the camshaft opens the valves, while duration determines how long they stay open. It is recommended that you choose a camshaft designed for the engine's normal RPM (revolutions-per-minute) range. According to the Jegs High Performance website, "Street cars will tend to spend more time at low RPM than High RPM, so an idle-5,500 or 1,500-6,500 would be best. Likewise, a high RPM race car that spends most of its time in the upper ranges will typically like cams that state 2,500-7,000 RPM or 3,500-8,000 RPM as two examples."

Best Roller Cams

The best Roller cams specifically designed for the 351 Cleveland range in both price and specifications. Mustang Monthly suggests the Competition Cam's Magnum series, used in their 352 Cleveland conversion project. The magazine says that the Competition Cam's grind "has good vacuum, excellent power, and the cool operation of roller lifters." Another respected name in camshafts is Iskenderian Racing Cams. The websites of both manufacturers offer RPM ranges and lift/duration specs for your particular needs. Competition Cams also has a personalized camshaft recommendation tool on its site. Once you determine the specs, Competition Cams suggests the best camshaft for your 351 Cleveland.

References"Mustang Monthly"; 351 Cleveland Roller-Cam Conversion; Jeff Ford; August, 2000Boss 351 Registry: 351 Cleveland History"Chevy Hi-Performance"; A Look At What Makes Roller Cams So Powerful and Popular; Jeff Smith; February, 2009Jegs High Performance: Understanding Camshaft FundamentalsResourcesOctane Media: Flat Tappet Cams vs. Roller CamsCompetition Cams: Personalized Cam RecommendationCompetition Cams: Ford 351C/M, 400, 70-82' CamshaftsIskenderian Racing Cams: Ford Cleveland 351-400 & 351M-400M, BOSS-351 CamshaftsPhoto Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty ImagesRead Next:

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