degreeing a cam

[trudysduster]

When I put this XE268 cam in, I will have had the heads off. can you degree the cam with heads off or do I need to do it with the heads on. WOW. this is going to be a trip. never degreed a cam before. have no idea what the hell I am doing but I am going to do it. I hope this thing runs when I am done. Junior is gonna be real pissed if it doesn't. LOL Decided to bring momma's 69 Valiant in next and restore it before we do Tylers engine. That will give me a couple more months to get my nerve up.LOL

 

[IQ52]

I find it a little easier to do with the heads off, depending on the tools you have available. Not hard either way. Look at the many cam timing directions available on the internet. You'll figure it out.

 

[Rapid Robert]

(1) confirm TDC on the timing tab is dead on (2) JB weld the cup on a junk hyd lifter solid (3) rig your dial indicator inline vertical maintaining the OE pushrod centerline (4) find the # of degrees after TDC the #1 intake lobe reaches peak lift (there's an easy procedure to get to exact top of the lobe peak cuz it ain't exactly a point). Then If that point is 102 deg after TDC then that is your ICL (IE if it is 104 that means peak lift is occuring later so the cam is retarded (compared to 102). As said read thru the material multiple times till you grasp it

 

[trudysduster]

yeah, I figure with the heads off I can see the # 1 piston and where it is at.

 

[moper]

Yes - it's easier IMO with the heads off (that's when I do it too...). Make sure the piston stop is on the pin axis of the piston - the top or bottom edge can cause errors. You can also just pull a lifter apart and use it sans the lash adjuster guts.