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Camshaft question for an '86 (via power steering problem and mission creep)

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    Camshaft question for an '86 (via power steering problem and mission creep)

    Hi everyone!

    So...I'm at sea and preparing for my next project. As usual, rather than just fix the thing that's broken I'm preparing for a major overhaul.

    Right before I left, I got the early Christmas present of low power steering fluid coupled with the "rocks under the hood" rattle. No squeal/whine, oddly enough.
    Filling the fluid and driving a bunch of zigzag/figure 8s in the parking lot quieted it back down.

    I haven't lost any more fluid and I can't find any leaks. The rattle returns sometimes and a little lock-to-lock steering silences it. I figure I've got a leaky return hose sucking air in.

    I've also got a brake leak, rear circuit, no visible fluid loss. I redid the lines (including rubber line) last year, so it's either a wheel cylinder seeping or in the master cylinder. Hopefully wheel cylinder, I have a box of them and I was planning to do the shoes/drums this spring.

    So, here are the questions:
    1. Did the '86 (car built 06/86) engines have the plastic timing chain parts? That would accelerate my desire to replace the timing set; the power steering then being an incidental part of the job.
    2. Is the "box of rocks" likely to be a rapid failure, or will getting the air out/replacing any air leaks be fine for a while?
    3. I can look and find out, but I'm at sea and the car is in Maine; is the '86 a roller block?
    3a. What's a good cam grind for a mild '86 SD car that is mostly used for commuting/light towing? I don't want to tank my fuel mileage, but moving the torque down range a bit would be handy. I don't rev a lot.
    3b. Would 3.55s and the stock cam be better than 2.73s or 3.55s and an upgraded cam? I have enough power for most stuff, I just feel like the first couple seconds in traffic with a trailer full of firewood takes a lot more throttle than I like, which is unpleasant in stop-and-go traffic.

    The reasons for asking are that any work I do in the winter requires paying/doing favors for friends with heated garages, but I'm perfectly comfortable doing a power steering hose in the yard if it's warm enough out. I'd like to save my emergency favors for the brake work. And lastly, I'm debating putting a cam/lifters/etc in the engine while I've got the timing chain off; so I'd need to pick the right parts and make sure I've got an SD friendly grind.

    #2
    Plastic was *mostly* gone by 86.

    Power steering pumps like liquid fluid not air. If it’s quiet once you address the air, I’d leave it. Sometimes remans are loud out of the box.

    You are pretty much stuck with the stock cam unless you want to start down the HOish and/or Explorer spec conversion. Do your 3.55’s. See if you more. If so, we can go from there.
    1990 Country Squire - weekend cruiser, next project
    1988 Crown Vic LTD Wagon - waiting in the wings

    GMN Box Panther History
    Box Panther Horsepower and Torque Ratings
    Box Panther Production Numbers

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      #3
      Thanks!
      I'm okay with living with the cam, I think the 3.55s will do what I want. I just didn't want to get all the way in the engine, and after it's all back together, "shoulda done that too...". The F150 has a new cam, but I set that one up with an HO order (maybe it was, stock? I can't remember, it was a jillion years ago) and a different computer and that sorta stuff. If I had it to do over again, I'd have kept the EGR and gone with a Megasquirt. I just don't use it enough now to matter, but back in the day it was my workhorse.

      Since I've probably got metal timing gears, and they're definitely not making bad noises, I'll wait for warm weather to tear into that. Got a new water pump while I'm going in, and hoses and belts.

      So I can save bartering for a garage until spring, and just use the one day I've already got to do my rear brakes and my roommate's Scion front wheel bearings. In the opposite order, since my roommate is the one who had to provide beer/heat money/beg for me to have access to the friend's garage to fix her car.

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