Details on Cam Degreeing on a Hyd. Roller

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Dodge72

Dodge72

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I'm making progress! Finally starting to put my 92 360 LA roller together in hopes of making it to a big Mopar show at the end of next month. I'm wanting to do this engine right, so that means checking all the minute things and degreeing a cam for the first time. First time complete build rather than a re gasket/once over.

I've been reading tutorials and watching videos and they keep saying to use a solid lifter if you have hydraulic lifters. They kinda skim over anybody who has a roller engine. Would I be okay to use an old hydraulic roller lifter to degree my cam, or am I having to find a solid roller lifter that isn't $100 for a pair? (yikes!). ALSO... What method is best to degree? Heads on or heads off? I have non adjustable factory rockers if it makes a difference. Yes I have an adjustable pushrod. Thank you! Looking forward to getting this put together.
 
I prefer to degree in the cam with the heads off....I use a magnetic bridge with a dial indicator to find TDC, Then I use this tool....i have the one from CompCams but it looks the same as this proform one...and this one comes with the dial indicator...

Proform Cam Checker Tools 66843

You still need a degree wheel with some attachment for it .....and make a pointer....

20180301_170313_resized.jpg
 
70aarcuda said:
I prefer to degree in the cam with the heads off....I use a magnetic bridge with a dial indicator to find TDC, Then I use this tool....i have the one from CompCams but it looks the same as this proform one...and this one comes with the dial indicator...

Proform Cam Checker Tools 66843

You still need a degree wheel with some attachment for it .....and make a pointer....

View attachment 1715370023
Click to expand...


I've seen that tool in a video, pretty slick. Guess I'll have that option if anything. And I have a dial indicator, magnetic base, and degree wheel already barrowed from a friend. I just need to find a wire hanger for a pointer lol.
 
There's no reason you "have" to use a roller lifter to degree a cam, use an old hydraulic or solid non-roller, take the hydraulic apart and gut it, and do what you have to do to get an indicator hooked up. You could even use JB weld etc
 
67Dart273 said:
There's no reason you "have" to use a roller lifter to degree a cam, use an old hydraulic or solid non-roller, take the hydraulic apart and gut it, and do what you have to do to get an indicator hooked up. You could even use JB weld etc
Click to expand...


This. Just take the guts out of an old hydraulic. If you are going to use a positive stop to find TDC, make damn sure you double check TDC before you do anything else. Bring the piston to .050 before TDC and read the wheel. Then go past TDC to .050 down and read the wheel. The wheel should read about 11 on both sides. If it doesn't, you're not at absolute TDC.

Also, don't assemble the short block. Just put the crank in with bearings on two mains and install the number 1 piston WITHOUT rings. It will make the job much easier.
 
After all these years working on engines I just happen to have solid lifters to degree a cam. However, I see no reason to gut a hydraulic lifter when timing a hydraulic cam, as long as there is no valve spring pressure on the lifters being used. Even if you use a push rod on the lifter, that and the weight of the dial indicator plunger is not enough to collapse the hydraulic lifter.

I would have no fear of using an old hydraulic roller lifter to time my cam under those circumstances.
 
If you're afraid the plunger might collapse on a flat hydraulic lifter (which is highly unlikely) just flip it upside down, or get that ProForm tool.
 
We are talking about a roller cam are we not? I would never run a flat tappet lifter on a roller cam, even to time it, as the lobe ramps are very different. Besides, putting a roller lifter in upside down will present other problems I believe.
 
IQ52 said:
We are talking about a roller cam are we not? I would never run a flat tappet lifter on a roller cam, even to time it, as the lobe ramps are very different. Besides, putting a roller lifter in upside down will present other problems I believe.
Click to expand...

Alighty then. I will just crawl back in my hole now. lol
 
When I degreed the hyd. roller for my 360 I just carefully set up the dial indicator to touch the outer edge of the lifter instead of the plunger... IIRC I also did that with the hyd. flat tappet cam that went in my cousin's 440. Both engines are now running great btw.
 
I used a wooden dowel on an old hydraulic roller and ran it right up through the head to my dial indicator. Worked perfectly well.
 
Dodge72 said:
I'm making progress! Finally starting to put my 92 360 LA roller together in hopes of making it to a big Mopar show at the end of next month. I'm wanting to do this engine right, so that means checking all the minute things and degreeing a cam for the first time. First time complete build rather than a re gasket/once over.

I've been reading tutorials and watching videos and they keep saying to use a solid lifter if you have hydraulic lifters. They kinda skim over anybody who has a roller engine. Would I be okay to use an old hydraulic roller lifter to degree my cam, or am I having to find a solid roller lifter that isn't $100 for a pair? (yikes!). ALSO... What method is best to degree? Heads on or heads off? I have non adjustable factory rockers if it makes a difference. Yes I have an adjustable pushrod. Thank you! Looking forward to getting this put together.
Click to expand...

MopaR&D said:
When I degreed the hyd. roller for my 360 I just carefully set up the dial indicator to touch the outer edge of the lifter instead of the plunger... IIRC I also did that with the hyd. flat tappet cam that went in my cousin's 440. Both engines are now running great btw.
Click to expand...

This is what I was going to mention.
After all you are just measuring travel so it doesn't matter where.
 
I took the innards out of old roller lifter, then put tape on bolt threads to fit into lifter body. The Grade 2 head gave a nice flat surface for the indicator rod. Much easier to set up indicator and super accurate for repeatability. Also adds weight to lifter so it will follow cam. Another trick is to turn engine so lifter is more vertical so it follows cam lobe.
 
3406pk said:
I took the innards out of old roller lifter, then put tape on bolt threads to fit into lifter body. The Grade 2 head gave a nice flat surface for the indicator rod. Much easier to set up indicator and super accurate for repeatability. Also adds weight to lifter so it will follow cam. Another trick is to turn engine so lifter is more vertical so it follows cam lobe.
Click to expand...


I always turn the deck up when degreeing a cam.
 
Thank you for all the suggestions! I'll try to align the dial indicator on the edge of the lifter to get out to read, otherwise I'll find a way to give it a flat surface.
 
Dodge72 said:
Thank you for all the suggestions! I'll try to align the dial indicator on the edge of the lifter to get out to read, otherwise I'll find a way to give it a flat surface.
Click to expand...

I really like the lifter bore indicator tool. Very accurate. I have one for GM, Ford and Mopar. Really worth the money.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I really like the lifter bore indicator tool. Very accurate. I have one for GM, Ford and Mopar. Really worth the money.
Click to expand...

I like the idea of this tool !
If you dont get your dial indicator perfectly perpendicular to the lifter it will give false and sporadic readings.
It will make you freaking crazy !
 
However you all choose to do it.... Just keep everything 'the dial indicator' INLINE' so you get as accurate a reading as possible. Have fun, whether its the edge, center, a flat metal disc over the snap ring, wooden dowl..lol... or whatever.

Just check it twice ;)
 
A quick update : I was able to test the tip of the dial indicator on the lip of the lifter. Getting it parallel to the lifter was a pain and took a few tries... But my centerline was exact to specifications! And I didn't think it would be that simple to determine. Next time I will definitely invest in that tool though, will make things so by in a snap. Now to find the correct length pushrods!
 
may have mentioned this before but if you are running shaft rockers and roller tip rocker arms read the 4 tech articles on the B3 website B 4 ordering pushrods
 
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