Check My Cam Degreeing

Dodge72 said
I would first double check your dial indicator to your lifter (or pushrod) alignment.

Doing it w heads off. I have it parallel, as you mentioned, it's a bit tricky.

nm9stheham said
That method is used to measure installed centerline of the intake lobe (ICL). I am guessing that the 108 and 112 numbers you refer to are LSA (lobe separation angle) numbers. Those are are 2 different things. So are you looking for ICL, or LSA? Sounds like LSA, which is a different measurement.

Make sure you are measuring at the lifter body, not the pushrod or lifter cup; the possibility of the hydraulic lifter being 'soft' when there is is no oil pressure is a good source of error.

Yes, I'm looking for ICL, to install it.
I am measuring at the lifter body.

krazykuda said
When degreeing a cam, I prefer to use the .050" lift numbers as if you try to use the 'advertised' numbers or .001", .002" etc it can be inaccurate as when the lifter begins to lift, it is moving slower and it may be at the same lift for a few degrees...

I take measurements at .001", .010", .050", .100", .150", .200", .250", .300", .350", .400" and then try to get a number at max lift, but that also is difficult as the cam is slowing down and changing directions and you may have max lift for a few degrees - sometimes 4° - 10° before it starts to move down... I record the 'range' of degrees when it reaches max lift and then compare the calculated center line for that lobe to that number using the lift ranges from: 050", .100", .150", .200", .250", .300", .350"... I also compare the calculated center line from each of those lifts to see if they come out the same to tell how accurate my numbers are....

I understand the .001 vs. .050. I like your thoroughness.

yellow rose said
I never do what the Chrysler book says. I don't like touching the dial indicator that much and there no reason to do that.

If you know what the lobe lift is, just subtract .050 from that and check the degree wheel at that lift on both sides of the nose.

Let's say you have a lobe lift of .350. I'm assuming you have found absolute TDC and have the degree wheel correctly set to zero at TDC.

Roll the crank over until the lifter is on the base circle and zero the indicator. Keep turning the crank until the lifter reaches .300 lift (.350 lobe lift minus .050 is .300) and read the degree wheel. Keep turning the crank until you go past max lift and down the closing side until the indicator reads .300 lift again. Read the degree wheel.

Now you can do the math. You will have found the exact intake centerline. Which isn't always at max lobe lift. Which is why the Chrysler method of zeroing the indicator at max lift is a crap shoot at best.

I checked TDC (heads off) by putting a flat washer on the piston and bringing it up against a stop CW, reading the wheel and reversing, doing the same thing CCW. Split the difference. Hope that makes sense in writing!
Your method does sound much better than Chryslers.

I had a good friend and race partner years ago who did all of this stuff. (He was killed in a car accident by a young girl who bent over to pick up a spilled soda, and she came across and hit him.) I thought I was paying closer attention, but actually doing it is more involved than you think. I did learn rear gear set up from him. I have about 30 runs w slicks on a set of gears I did. Still works!

I have tool and die work in my past, so it's a matter of learning procedure, I'm pretty good with close measuring.

Thanks everyone, I hope to work on this today.