TRW Camshaft Identification

I am in the process of installing a 1977 Ford 351W engine in my '51 Victoria. I bought a TRW engine kit about 20 years ago, ***embled the engine about 10 years ago, and am just now getting ready to put fire to it. In my records I have info on two cams, both TRW. They are: TP177 and TM643. I'd like to know a description of each. As I remember, one was a stock cam and one was an RV cam. My records also show that the TP177 is installed in the engine. I had originally intended to install the RV cam in it. Am I correct? Thanks for any info.

tommy b

 

I've looked through one catalog and can't find either specific cam but TRW shows the prefixes as: TM-stock type, TP-performance type and CK-performance kit.

 

My book doesn't list those exact part numbers, but the TM series is a stock replacement, and the TP is the performance version. My book is dated 1978.

 

TP177 HYD .448-I .472-E 204 214 @.050 280 290 @.006 Overlap 61@.006 LC107/117
TM643 HYD .416-I .416-E 195 195 @.050 270 270 @.006 Overlap 55@.006 LC103/112

So the TP177 must be your RV cam, if you need the specs for the timing events for some reason let me know and I'll send them to you.

 

Thanks, guys, for the quick responses. Now my only problem is that the paperwork that came with the RV cam says, "Special instructions for installing off-road high performance and racing camshafts: When using this camshaft in 351-W engines, the 289-302 firing order (1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8) MUST be used!!!". I suppose that I can find out if this applies to the RV cam by rotating the crank from TDC and see which piston is next to come up to the top, the #5 or #3 (351 firing order). That should tell me which firing order to use, right?

tommy b

 

The cranks are the same, it's the cam that's different.

 

I also have a 351 with a cam for a 302 and for the last few years I have been talking to people who know motors and some have said it would make no difference while others said it would but I talked to a local racer (Ohio George Montgomery) and his son about it and they told me to get a cam with a 351 firing order. How I took what they said is a 302 HO uses a cam with the 351 firing order to make more power and putting a cam with a 302 firing order in a 351 is going backwards. I did not get a cam card with my motor but I ordered a rv cam to be installed but do not really know what cam was actually put in but if it is a actual 302 rv cam you will not like yours as on my 351 it has to be over 2500 rpms to really feel it start to make power. I think some companies are subs***uting 302 cams with 351 engine kits to save a couple dollars but over this winter the 302 cam is coming out and one with a 351 firing order is going in,another engine builder told me that there has to be a difference between a 302 and 351 cam because of the difference in the stroke between the two motors. I am not happy with the cam with the 302 firing order in my 351 so you might want to look into it before firing it up.

 

Tommy, the TP177 EP-1 cam uses the 289-302 firing order but the TM643 does not.

 

Thanks, guys for all the help. JYJeff, that's some really helpful info on the two cams. I'll surely keep it in mind.Right now, though, I just want to get it running-considering that I've been working on it for the last 24 years. I'll try to post a couple of pics.


tommy b

 

Report back on how it runs with the 302 firing order cam,the cam I have is supposed to be a rv grind but when its cold I hear a slight lope in the idle so I am not certain its a rv but could be a hotter 302 cam and my motor never idled smooth like one would think with a rv cam.

 

The firing order change was to reduce the load in the 1/5 journal. Not for a power increase,

 

Most early firing orders fired the back 2 cylinder left side one after the other while newer motors fire the front two left side. The factory useally has a reason for change.

 

Early 351's had a knock which was traced to accessory belt loads and hitting the front main twice in a row, (1-5) They solved that by changing the firing so the sequential fire throws are 3-7 and 2-6, closer to the center of the crank. This also reduces the chance of an inductive firing of 8 when the 7 plug fires (like the 5-7 Chevy. The 351 order is the same as LS1 just numbered differently.

Supposedly they used the 351 cam in the 302 HO and that's how it got the 351 firing order.

 

Anyone know specs/info on tp214 cam?