Installation Time
(approx) a Day
Difficulty Level:
Mechanical expertise or professional installation required.
FREE 1 to 3-Day Delivery on Orders $119+ Details
$798.95 (pair)
FREE Shipping Market Price $918.99 You Save 13% ($120.04) Up to 10% off for Military & First Responders! See DetailsSaved - View your saved items
We're sorry. We couldn't save this product at this time.
or use
Hey, guys. Today we're taking a look at the Comp Cams Stage 4 Xtreme Energy Camshafts for the '96 to '04 GT Mustang. These are gonna be a good option for those of you out there that have already modded your 4.6-liter and that are looking for camshafts to tie together your mods, get the most out of your naturally aspirated build and obtain the coveted lopey idle. These cams are designed to be used with upgraded valve springs and they work best with upgrades like an intake manifold, full exhaust, and of course, a tune. Comp Cams also recommends 355 or 373 rear gears with these cams and a 2,000 plus stall converter for auto cars. They cost about $600 and the install will be a full three out of three wrenches in the difficulty meter.Before we get into any of the specifics here, I will say that if you're planning a forced induction or a nitrous build, Comp Cams does make cams specifically for those builds. If your GT isn't heavily modified yet Comp also makes cams that will be better for your building than these ones. These are Stage 4 cams, which means that they are pretty aggressive when it comes to specs. Gonna want to make sure that you're picking the correct cams for your build and that you have the right supporting mods to pair with these. A lot of technical things come into play when you're looking at cams and specs. So, if you add these without the correct supporting mods, you're gonna end up with a car that doesn't run right that can be difficult to drive on the street and that doesn't make the power that it should.Breaking these cams down some, Comp calls them their hot streak cam and says that you can expect a great mid-range power and torque increases from these cams. They have an RPM range of 2,000 to 6,000 once again for those naturally aspirated builds. Like I mentioned earlier, due to the nature of these cams, Comp specifically calls out needing a 355 or 373 or steeper rear gear and a 2,000 plus stall converter if you have an auto car. Of course, custom tuning and valve springs will be required too. And valve spring retainers will be needed due to the increased pressure that the valve springs are gonna create.Just for a reference, if you want to compare the Stage 4 cams to the Stage 5 cams, the Stage 4 cams leave you with a little bit more room and some more choices. The Stage 5 cams require a 373 rear gear or steeper and they function best from 2,200 to 6,200. So, you get some more top end RPM with the Stage 5 cams, but you do lose some of the low RPM power band which can have an effect on the streetability. You're also looking at having to go with that 373 or steeper rear gear and a higher stall converter too. Hopefully, that's helpful to those of you out there that are trying to decide between the Stage 4 and the Stage 5 cams. They are different and you want to make sure that you understand what the cams will need in order to perform well and where they're gonna give you your performance before picking up a set.Looking at the specs, you want to consider specs like the lift and duration of the camshaft since that'll tell you how your valves will be opening and closing. Comp tells us that the specs for these cams are as follows: a duration of 274 and 278, a valve lift of 0.5, lobe lift of 0.274 and a lobe separation of 114 degrees. So, you have a bigger lift than the stock cams, which allow more air into the cylinders and more duration too which means more power. And because you are changing so much with your lift and duration, Comp does say that you'll need to upgrade to their Beehive valve springs in order to support the added lift. It's not a good idea to skip upgrading your springs and retainers too since they do go hand-in-hand. If you don't upgrade the springs and retainers you run the risk of doing the cam upgrade and then having issues with your valve springs down the road, and worst-case, dropping a valve and losing your engine. You also have to always consider piston to valve clearance when you're shopping for cams, so the correct valve springs and a new set of retainers are always a good idea to upgrade to avoid issues there. As far as horsepower numbers go, those are always going to be hard to nail down. You have to consider the difference in build, fuel, and tunes. These are things that are gonna create different power numbers for different people, so it's really hard to say. The other thing that comes into play here with these cams besides power gains is that wonderful sound. Everyone loves that big lopey idle and these cams certainly deliver that. Comp Cams calls out a rough idle as one of the features here, so you won't be disappointed there. Once again, I'll call the install a full three out of three wrenches in the difficulty meter. You will need some knowledge to complete the install yourself or you could always take the car to a shop. If you guys are interested in checking these cams out more for yourself you can always do so right here at americanmuscle.com.
Features, Description, Reviews, Q&A, Specs & Installation
Technical Note: Comp Cams are designed for modified cars that include upgraded valve springs for clearance related issues. It is recommended to use COMP Cams® 26113 Valve Springs for proper fitment, see drop down option above. Combine the valve springs with a new set of valve spring steel retainers to handle the higher pressures developed by the springs.
Fitment:
Comp Cams 102300
CA Residents: WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm - www.P65Warnings.ca.gov
Installation Info
Installation Time
(approx) a Day
Difficulty Level:
Mechanical expertise or professional installation required.
What's in the Box
Part Number: | 102300 | Grind Number: | XE274H |
Lifter Type: | None - OHC | Engine Type: | FORD 4.6 and 5.4 SOHC MODULAR 2-V (1992-Present) |
RPM Range: | 2000 to 6000 | Valve Timing : | 0.05 |
Lobe-Center Angle | 114 | Intake Center Line: | 110 |
Intake | Exhaust | |
Valve Lash: | Hyd. | Hyd. |
Duration: | 274 | 278 |
Duration @ .050" Lift: | 236 | 240 |
Valve Lift: | 0.5 | 0.5 |
Lobe Lift: | 0.274 | 0.274 |
Valve Timing @ 0.05" Lift: | Open | Close |
Intake: | 7 BTDC | 48 ABDC |
Exhaust: | 57 BBDC | 2 ATDC |
10 More Questions
Fits 1996-2004 4.6L Two Valve Mustangs Only