How do I know if my camshaft is cast iron or steel to replace the distributor with the correct one?

 

Order the distributor by the engine's year.

 

I am unsure of the exact year, also when ordering it is giving me cast iron and steel options. When pulling the distributor is the oil pump rod pulled out with it or does it stay?

 

The oil pump rod stays. Some of the cams in 90's F150 use roller lifter and some use hydraulic lifter. The roller cams use the HO or 351 firing order. Distributor gears are different for each application. I believe steel gear is used with roller cam.

 

My truck definitely uses the 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8, I tried the HO order and it ran like crap. So that would mean a non roller and cast iron?

 

What year truck did the engine come from? Are you talking about the '87 in your signature? Get an '87 distributor for it.

 

I do not know what year the truck was that the engine came from, I found out it had a rebuilt 302 and all I could do is look at the casting number.
https://www.f150forum.com/f10/what-year-engine-474045/
When I place the information into the part catalog it gives me cast iron and steel, it does not tell me which one to use only that they both fit.

 

In what part catalog? The casting number is not the engine's build year - it's the DESIGN year for the block. That block could have been use for decades after it was designed, with any number of camshafts or distributors. Look for PNs on the distributor. Check the parts store websites, and RockAuto, and TascaParts, and... Eventually, you should find that more of them list one.

Why are you replacing the distributor?