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The Ford 4.6L/5.4L Modular 3V Ford Mustang engine has become increasingly popular, so now the question is - how can we further improve the performance of it? COMP Cams® has built upon Ford’s technology with three new series of camshafts created specifically for these engines: NSR (No Springs Required), VSR (Valve Springs Required), and SPR (Springs and Phaser Mods Required). Each series of cams is available for both naturally aspirated and supercharged engines and is carefully matched with COMP Cams® components, including high performance valve springs, retainers and COMP’s latest offering for these engines – the Cam Phaser Limiter Plates. Don’t settle for stock; make your Ford Mustang stand out from the crowd.

XFI™ NSR (NO SPRINGS REQUIRED) FORD 4.6L/5.4L MODULAR 3V CAMS
The COMP Cams® XFI™ NSR (No Springs Required) Cam Sets for Ford 4.6L/5.4L Modular 3 Valve Engines are the first truly “drop-in installation” camshafts ever created for this popular application – striking the perfect balance of performance versus installation difficulty. Offered for both naturally aspirated and supercharger-equipped engines, these cam sets require no additional computer re-tuning; however testing has shown that mild tuning can result in power gains even greater than the normal 25 rear wheel horsepower. These camshafts are fully compatible with the factory variable cam timing (VCT) system and are designed to operate in the stock rpm range. The stage one cam set is designed to maximize mid-range power and torque, while stage two maximizes top end horsepower.

XFI™ NSR Ford 4.6L/5.4L Modular 3V Cams

Application/Camshaft

Part Number
Stage 1 - Great upgrade for stock engine. Solid power gains above 4700 rpm, compatible with stock springs. Works with with tuners, no computer re-tuning required.
Stage 2 - Solid power gains above 4900 rpm, compatible with stock springs.Works with uners, no computer re-tuning required. Best with 3.73 gears & 2500 stall. Great idle.
   
Blower Grind, Stage 1 - Excellent mid-range cam for bolt-on blowers with stock boost levels. Great power gains above 4700 rpm, compatible with stock springs. Best with stock gears.
Blower Grind, Stage 2 - Mid to upper range cam for bolt-on blowers running higher boost psi. Major power gains above 4900 rpm, compatible with stock springs. Best with 3.73+ gears & 2500 stall. Great idle.

XFI™ VSR (VALVE SPRINGS REQUIRED) FORD 4.6L/5.4L MODULAR 3V CAMS
For those hardcore enthusiasts looking to achieve substantial horsepower and torque increases and who aren’t intimidated by having to upgrade their valve springs, COMP Cams® offers a full line-up of XFI™ VSR (Valve Springs Required) Cam Sets for Ford 4.6L/5.4L Modular 3 Valve Engines that offer as much as 40 hp increases over stock levels. Available for both naturally aspirated and supercharged engines, these cam sets are also available in two stages. Designed to work with the Ford variable cam timing (VCT) system, these camshaft sets are direct replacements that bolt in without engine modification except the valve spring upgrade. By working with the VCT, which is programmed to retard the camshaft timing at peak power, COMP Cams® XFI™ VSR Cam Sets for Ford 4.6L/5.4L Modular 3 Valve Engines optimize both mid-range and high rpm performance.

XFI™ VSR Ford 4.6L/5.4L Modular 3V Cams

Application/Camshaft

Part Number
Stage 1 - Excellent upgrade over stock. Solid power gains above 4400 rpm, requires spring upgrade. Tuner recommended. Stock gears & converter OK.
Stage 2 - Serious street cam, noticeable idle. Solid power gains above 4600 rpm, requires spring upgrade. Works with tuners, tuning recommended. Best with 3.90 gears & 3000 stall.
   
Blower Grind, Stage 1 - Powerful mid-rpm range cam for bolt-on blowers at stock boost levels. Solid power gains above 4400 rpm, requires spring upgrade. Stock gears & converter OK.
Blower Grind, Stage 2 - Mid to upper range cam for bolt-on blowers with high boost. Noticeable idle, solid power gains above 4900 rpm, requires spring upgrade. Best with
3000+ stall.

XFI™ SPR (SPRING & PHASER MODS REQUIRED) FORD 4.6L/5.4L MODULAR 3V CAMS
The COMP Cams® XFI™ SPR (Springs and Phaser Mods Required) Camshafts are the best way to achieve the most horsepower and torque increases possible with the popular Ford 4.6L/5.4L Modular 3 Valve engines. This last group of cam sets is available for both naturally aspirated and supercharged engines, and each version is offered in three performance levels. Designed to work with a modified Ford variable cam timing (VCT) system, these camshafts are direct replacement components. Working with the required COMP Cams® Cam Phaser Limiter Kit (Part #5449; patent pending), these XFI™ SPR Cams optimize both low and high rpm performance. As noted by the COMP Cams® engineering staff during extensive dyno testing, these camshafts provided the biggest power and torque improvements of any cam series they’ve ever tested in the Ford Modular 3 Valve engine.

XFI™ SPR Ford 4.6L/5.4L Modular 3V Cams

Application/Camshaft

Part Number
Stage 1 - Powerful cam with great idle, excellent upgrade over stock. Good torque down low with powerful mid-range. Solid power gains above 4500 rpm, requires spring & phaser upgrade. Custom tuning required. Stock gears & converter OK.
Stage 2 - Powerful cam with very rough idle, biggest cam to use with stock heads. Good mid-range torque with incredible top end hp gains. Solid power above 4700 rpm, spring & phaser upgrade required. 3.90 or better gears & 3000+ stall.
Stage 3 - Max effort street/strip cam with very rough idle, needs ported heads. Good mid-range with incredible power up to 7000+ rpm. Solid power gains above 4900 rpm, requires spring & phaser upgrade. Custom tuning required. 4.10+ gears & 3200+ stall.
   
Blower Grind, Stage 1 - Powerful cam with great idle, excellent upgrade over stock. Good torque down low with powerful mid-range. Solid power gains above 4500 rpm, requires spring & phaser upgrade. Custom tuning required. OK with stock gears.
Blower Grind, Stage 2 - Big power gains in mid to upper-rpm range for bolt-on blowers with high boost. Rough idle, solid power gains above 4900 rpm, requires spring & phaser upgrade. Custom tuning required. Best with 3.90+ gears & 3000+ stall.
Blower Grind, Stage 3 - Max effort blower cam with very rough idle, needs ported heads. Great mid-range power with incredible gains up to 7000+ rpm. Solid power gains above 4900 rpm, requires spring & phaser upgrade. Custom tuning required. 4.10+ gears & 3200+ stall.
Ford 3 Valve
Dyno Results
Ford 3 Valve Cams &
Component Brochure (.pdf)
Tech Bulletin:
3 Valve Cam Phasers (.pdf)
Ford 4.6L/5.4L Modular 3V Engine Cam Phaser Q & A


What are cam phasers?

Ford’s cam phasers are specially designed, computer-controlled cam gears for all 2005 and newer Ford Modular 3 Valve engines that have the ability to adjust camshaft position while the engine is running. Since the modular engine uses two camshafts, two cam phasers are used.

How do they work?
Engine oil is pressure fed to the cam phasers through a series of passageways in the cylinder heads and camshafts. The engine computer controls a pair of solenoids that adjusts this oil flow into and out of the cam phaser’s control chambers, giving the ability to retard the cams up to 60 crank degrees.

Why did Ford put them in the engine?
When the cams are retarded 20-40 degrees during part throttle engine operation, it takes less power to turn the engine over. This helps to increase the engine’s fuel efficiency. Another power benefit is that the cam phasers allow the camshafts to always be in the best position for maximum power, regardless of what the engine’s rpm is. The engine makes more torque and horsepower and extends the high rpm powerband by an extra 800-1000 rpm.

Why should I modify the cam phasers with a COMP Cams® Limiter Kit?
If there is a downside to the stock cam phasers designed by Ford, it is that they have such a wide range of movement. Since the cams can theoretically be retarded by up to 60 degrees, there is very little piston to valve clearance in the engine. This minimal piston to valve clearance limits us to fairly small cam profiles with very little overlap.

What does the COMP Cams® Phaser Limiter Kit do?
These limiter plates replace the factory back-plate on the cam phaser. They have posts which extend into the cam gear’s control chambers, limiting their movement to no more than 20 degrees. This gives more piston to valve clearance and lets you install bigger, more powerful camshafts with safe piston to valve clearances. While keeping up to 20 degrees of movement available, all the wide-open throttle benefits of the cam phasing are retained, since the normal retard the cams see at wide-open throttle is only around 9 degrees.

Do I have to reprogram my engine’s computer after installing the Cam Phaser Limiter Kit?
Yes, you MUST reprogram your engine’s computer for the engine to operate properly after installing the cam phaser limiters. The guidelines for reprogramming are simple – just make sure that the maximum retard amount entered for any of the cam phaser tables and DTC strategies in your tuning software does not exceed 20 degrees.

Cam Phaser Limiter Kit

Part Number
Cam Phaser Limiter Kit – includes two limiter plates and installation tools


#127500 SPR Cams & Phaser Limiters
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Chassis Dyno