cam degee confirmation based on photo

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360moparjunkie

360moparjunkie

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Please see pic. Is my cam 2* retarded? Thats what it looks like to me based on crank gear. Cam gear only goes on one way due to keyway. Can u tell by photo or is it all in the original set up when degreed.
Originally requested cam be degreed 2* advance. Assistance appreciated.
 

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Your crank gear has multiple settings,each keyway is marked with a symbol and the instructions will tell you what each position is suppose to install the cam at. IE: TDC, advance by certain degrees or retarded. But without using a degree wheel & dial indicator, you will not know for certain.
 
Unfortunately I have no degree wheel. Looking at marks it appers as though 2* retarded is where its at.
Engine builder did compliment new billet gears by saying zero was exacly on mark when setting up cam w degree wheel. Previous parts I supplied were 7* off I was told.
 
Just by your pic, it looks like your cam is 1 degree retarded. 2 crank degrees=1 camshaft degree. Start fresh do it all over and see if you come out the same.

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Is it possible that cam is degreed 2* advanced and r2 positioning on the crank gear is being used to achieve this?
 
How the crap do we know?

Get a degree wheel and a dial indicator like everybody else and learn to do it yourself. You will have learned something invaluable to your hobby.
 
Ok. I was hoping for more given the marks on the crank gear. Engine builder was asked to set up 2° advanced. Seeing r2 crank gear location used got me wondering. Therefore I made the post.
 
Until you read and LEARN how to degree a cam yourself, you will not understand. Basically those marks are meaningless. Because of poor tolerances in machine work in the camshaft, sprockets and crank, that 2* retarded could mean anything and there's no way in the world to know where it is just by looking at a picture. You MUST use a degree wheel and dial indicator as outlined in the above posted instructions in order to know where the cam is in the engine. Degree kits are not very expensive. You can get a good one for under 100 dollars. It will be the best money you ever spent and the best learning experience you ever had.
 
Originally requested cam be degreed 2* advance.
Click to expand...

From this statement, would it be safe to assume you had a shop put it together?

If so, didn't they give you a list of what they did?
 
Dunno man, R2 would seem to me that the cam is Retarded 1 degrees....make sense? It looks under magnification that you are 1 retarded. Is there an 4A? If the mechanic said 0 WAS straight up on the crank gear, just look at directions on gear vendors sheet. The multiple keyways shape always line up with cam gear dot, you are correct, its just what ever symbol they used for 2 advanced.

If its a Cloyes, use the 4A slot and the 4A gear tip (3 to left) as pointer to align with dot on cam. 2 crank degrees is 1 cam degree so you are looking at 4 degrees crank to get 2 cam.
2A - it will advance cam by 1 degree
4A - it will advance cam by 2 degree
6A - it will advance cam by 3 degree
8A - it will advance cam by 4 degree
 
pishta said:
Dunno man, R2 would seem to me that the cam is Retarded 2 degrees....make sense? Is there an A2? If the mechanic said 0 WAS straight up on the crank gear, just look at directions on gear vendors sheet. The multiple keyways shape always line up with cam gear dot, you are correct, its just what ever symbol they used for 2 advanced.
Click to expand...

But for that to be absolute, the cam and gears would have to be dead on, often times they aren't.

I have read where some folks have installed a cam straight up and it didn't even come close to being in spec because of what Rob described above.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Until you read and LEARN how to degree a cam yourself, you will not understand. Basically those marks are meaningless. Because of poor tolerances in machine work in the camshaft, sprockets and crank, that 2* retarded could mean anything and there's no way in the world to know where it is just by looking at a picture. You MUST use a degree wheel and dial indicator as outlined in the above posted instructions in order to know where the cam is in the engine. Degree kits are not very expensive. You can get a good one for under 100 dollars. It will be the best money you ever spent and the best learning experience you ever had.
Click to expand...

Wow rusty, you should be a degree wheel salesman...I am sold that you are correct. I have simply paid a shop to do the work and now find myself not completely trusting their work. (They messed up on a prev motor & skipped my oil dripper and hole in cam thrust bolt on this one)
This is great advise as I've spent hours just trying to understand how this all works! Thank you.
 
pishta said:
Dunno man, R2 would seem to me that the cam is Retarded 2 degrees....make sense? Is there an A2? If the mechanic said 0 WAS straight up on the crank gear, just look at directions on gear vendors sheet. The multiple keyways shape always line up with cam gear dot, you are correct, its just what ever symbol they used for 2 advanced.

If its a Cloyes, use the 4A slot and the 4A gear tip (3 to left) as pointer to align with dot on cam. 2 crank degrees is 1 cam degree so you are looking at 4 degrees crank to get 2 cam.
2A - it will advance cam by 1 degree
4A - it will advance cam by 2 degree
6A - it will advance cam by 3 degree
8A - it will advance cam by 4 degree
Click to expand...

Thank you...Yes head engine shop mechanic stated this gear set up was spot on for being zero when degree wheel was installed. I think maybe he went the wrong way. Rusty stated well to learn how on my own...Great advise.
Yes again on multiple settings...a2-a8 and r2-r8.
Ultimately want whats best for my set up. Might start new thread w cam card and combo posted.
 
Bad Sport said:
From this statement, would it be safe to assume you had a shop put it together?

If so, didn't they give you a list of what they did?
Click to expand...

True bad sport paid $ to balance, degree and assemble long block. I thought special push rods had to be measured and ordered w my rhs heads and prw rocker arm kit. They said stock push rods fit.
List of work yes. Never rec my balance records I requested. No clearances
 
No way to know where it's installed without verifying.

Drop a string through the center of cam and crank bolt, line up mark is on crank with that line turning normal crank direction. If cam dot at 6 o'clock position is to the left of your line, it's advanced, right it's retarded IN RELATION TO THE GEARSET ONLY.

If that cam was ground with 4* advance and you put it in with 2* retard, it's at 2 advanced. With stacking tolerances, you may have to put it at a retard point in relation to the gear set to arrive at your desired/actual installed centerline point.

Unfortunately, your original question can not be answered as to where the cam is actually installed.

Just about everything you need to degree a cam can be had for ~$45 from HF and a degree wheel from amazon, summit.
 
crackedback said:
No way to know where it's installed without verifying.

Drop a string through the center of cam and crank bolt, line up mark is on crank with that line turning normal crank direction. If cam dot at 6 o'clock position is to the left of your line, it's advanced, right it's retarded IN RELATION TO THE GEARSET ONLY.

If that cam was ground with 4* advance and you put it in with 2* retard, it's at 2 advanced. With stacking tolerances, you may have to put it at a retard point in relation to the gear set to arrive at your desired/actual installed centerline point.

Unfortunately, your original question can not be answered as to where the cam is actually installed.

Just about everything you need to degree a cam can be had for ~$45 from HF and a degree wheel from amazon, summit.
Click to expand...

rrr again !
 
From looking at the picture:

The cam is at room temperature....

Room temperature is about 72° F.


So your cam is 72° F......
 
RustyRatRod said:
How the crap do we know?

Get a degree wheel and a dial indicator like everybody else and learn to do it yourself. You will have learned something invaluable to your hobby.
Click to expand...

Ouch........harsh, but cold hard facts.........I agree.

I'm glad the OP didn't flinch and took your advice.
 
dont ever trust those dots. cam could be made wrong, cam gears could be made wrong and the crankshaft could be made wrong. its just plain luck if the cam ends up in the correct position by lining up dots.
 
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