Degree a camshaft.

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Snake

Snake

Mopar Nut
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Well the cam is in,trying to find someone around here that knows how to degree a cam and to come to my place is like pulling a crack ***** teeth out.There is only 1 guy who will do it,but want me to bring the engine in,a well know machine shop,they have a great engine builder for sure,but i had a little problems with him,saying i need new parts,turn out another shop did some work for me,never needed the parts,they said he was trying to hose me.So what do i do,just leave it,in the past i have done 2 bumpsticks and never degree it and they ran like a champ,not building a race motor.My fear if i take it to them they will say you need to rebuild it.I do not have the funds to do this now.I know i could but the degree wheel but do not have the experience do that.
 
Not that hard, all you need is a dial indicator, a piece of cut coat hanger for a pointer, and the degree wheel. I'm pretty sure there is instructions here somewhere or the Chrysler Racing Manual. You also verify true TDC so you can mark your timing correctly.
 
I recommend buying the kit from Comp. I got one used on Ebay several years ago. I already had everything to do it, but the kit comes in a nice blow molded case with everything in one spot. Even if you only use it once, it pays for itself. Then if you don't think you'll ever use it again, you can sell it.......but once I buy a tool, it stays with me.
 
i bought the jegs kit, dismal failure , read lack of knowledge the first time, today i degreed my cam for a second time , call me redneck but the whole process seemed like a waste of time. i'm sure many will disagree, but in my mind on a mild street build, dot to dot and run it
 
rigger3006 said:
i bought the jegs kit, dismal failure , read lack of knowledge the first time, today i degreed my cam for a second time , call me redneck but the whole process seemed like a waste of time. i'm sure many will disagree, but in my mind on a mild street build, dot to dot and run it
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And for most people, that works.......but not for me anymore. not since I found one that was nine degrees out.
 
make sure you use a good timing gear set, it's cloyes for me. the marks on the Chinoid sets are sometimes in the wrong spot, nothing worse than a cockeyed line worker.
 
I'm not a big "poster" on here, or any other forum, to many voices and "opinions" can make for a foggy answer to a question! With that said, just like Rusty, I will not even consider installing a camshaft without putting a degree wheel on it! Once you install one that is few degrees off and causes all kinds of problems, you will soon discover the need to do so! Invest in a degree wheel setup and teach yourself to do it, someday you will be thankful you did!
 
I have installed countless cams without degreeing them and every engine ran just fine . The problems with cams that are significantly off are usually with non name brand ones . Lunati, Comp, and Howards are very close if not spot on.
 
I ment a retarded linesmen as in gear set.
 
ok the plan is to load the 360 onto a trailer next week and take it to the machine shop,i do not plan on using a degree wheel ever,I get to frustrated with things anymore, due from having a stroke sorry guys i know its a piss pore excuse,but is what it is.
 
RustyRatRod said:
And for most people, that works.......but not for me anymore. not since I found one that was nine degrees out.
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And finding true TDC. I've seen TDC marks farther out than 9 degrees. Wonder why your "tune" isn't as sharp as someone else's?
 
66fs said:
And finding true TDC. I've seen TDC marks farther out than 9 degrees. Wonder why your "tune" isn't as sharp as someone else's?
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....and I firmly believe this also explains how some engines "mysteriously" ran better than others from the factory in the muscle car era. I can remember several cars when I was growing up that just flat out hauled more *** than others. Same car. Same engine and transmission. Same gear. I don't think the factory ever degreed cams in. Some were simply closer than others.
 
Yes, and that is why I ALWAYS tell folks to let the engine decide where it wants to be timed, or tuned. I hate it when some people say "set the total timing at 34* and lock it in".
 
finding TDC is job one when we rely on a donut attached to our crankshaft with a rubber band to tell us...put a pushrod in the sparkplug hole with the piston coming up. turn the crank until you feel it hit and mark it (gently if the pushrod is wedged in there) , turn crank the other way until you feel it hit again and mark it. Bisect the 2 marks and you should have your TDC.
 
318willrun said:
Yes, and that is why I ALWAYS tell folks to let the engine decide where it wants to be timed, or tuned. I hate it when some people say "set the total timing at 34* and lock it in".
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Not really a problem if you "KNOW" TDC is TDC. But your extra step might get you more power. I myself usually go a few steps forward and backwards to make sure I have optimum tune.
 
66fs said:
Not really a problem if you "KNOW" TDC is TDC. But your extra step might get you more power. I myself usually go a few steps forward and backwards to make sure I have optimum tune.
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Exactly. 34-36* is a decent starting point. But I, like you, will go up about 3* and see how it responds. If it likes it, I'll go up another couple till it's totally happy. When I'm at the drag strip, I will do tests like this and see how the car responds.
 
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there are 3 things that affect cam timing-the slot machined in the crank, the slot machined in the cam, and the dots on the sprockets. 85% of the cams I have degreed in are +1*, right on, or -1*. if a cam is of some it is not the end of the world, a little advanced is more low end power and less top end. a little retarded is less low end and more top end.
 
I chased an overheating problem for YEARS til I installed new stealth heads and degreed the cam. 5 degrees retarded when installed dot to dot. Re installed 4 degrees advanced TDC and the overheating disappeared and she runs great.
 
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