what exactly is the point?

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spudsterier

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of the cam center line?
and what is the point of using the degree wheel?

can you just bolt in a cam and go if your just using it for cruising purposes?
 
spudsterier said:
of the cam center line?
and what is the point of using the degree wheel?

can you just bolt in a cam and go if your just using it for cruising purposes?
Click to expand...

There have been many camshafts put in over the years by just lining up the marks and slipping on the gears. However, when you are putting together a motor, it pays to have all available technology on your side to best optimize your specific application. A degree wheel will insure that your cam is perfectly installed and with this knowledge you can then alter the centerline with offset keys or bushings (depending on your motor) to taylor it to the specifics of your engine build. Degreeing a cam is a pretty straightforward operation, but you will need a couple of tools that the average enthusiast may not have. You can rent or borrow a dial indicator for next to nothing, and make a bump stop TDC locator, or buy one cheap enough. Unless you just don't have the time to degree in the cam (usually about 20 minutes) you can install it by lining up the marks, but I always prefer to use the degree wheel so I know it's right, and then I know my starting point should I decide to change something else along the line. Good luck, Geof
 
I bought a rebuilt 340 a few years ago. I dropped it in a Dart and it wouldn't pull past 4,000 RPM. Put it back on the trailer, pulled it apart and they had incorrectly installed the cam. It was so bad, I couldn't believe it even ran. I degreed it correctly and she will scream to 6,500 all day now.8)

If your going to install it, take the extra few minutes to do it right the first time.
 
I started degreeing them a few yrs. because I figure if I'm spending all the money to try to improve performance why skip something that simple. A couple yrs. ago I had 3 timing chain sets available when I rebuilt my 360 and I remembered reading how not all timing sets are accurate so I thought what the heck I might as well see if what I read was true.

1st set was a Summit brand double roller. Installed it dot to dot and checked the timing. It was 2 degrees retarded.

2nd set was a Summit brand billet set. Installed it dot to dot and checked it and it was 4 degrees retarded.

3rd set was a Comp cams double roller. Installed it dot to dot and checked and it was right on.

As you can see just timing sets can make a big diff. The expensive Summit billet set was the most expensive and the farthest off. 4 degrees retarded will cost you allot of low end torque and can make the engine sluggish on take off.

Here's another example why you should degree them. A buddy of mine that ran a speed shop rebuilt a 455 Pontiac for a customer and the 1st cam (Comp) he put in was 12 degrees off. The cam was ground incorrectly. If he would have just put it in the thing would have ran like crap. Comp sent him a new one and with the same timing set it was right on.

You can just install it if your just cruising and it may seem to run fine but if you would have degreed it in it may have ran allot better. It not only affects power but it also can affect idling characteristics and fuel mileage.
 
what are all the tools needed to degreeing a cam?
i know the sockets/wrenches and what not, but the more technical stuff?
i also know it needs the degree wheel, but when i was reading the mopar engines book this morning, it said sumthing about a gauge...
what exactly is the gauge called?
do i only need the wheel and the gauge?
 
Is it possible to rent a dial indicator? I'm going to be degreeing my cam here soon too and I don't want to buy something I'm only going to use once.
 
MOPEkidD-3 said:
Is it possible to rent a dial indicator? I'm going to be degreeing my cam here soon too and I don't want to buy something I'm only going to use once.
Click to expand...

I haven't seen any dial indicators at any tool rental places I've been at. Probably because their too delicate an item to rent out. But why rent one when you can get a cheap one for $25 that'll do the job then you have it for life for use on other projects. Or if you buy the degreeing kit from Summit or Jegs you get the dial indicator.

Here's a link to the Summit kit that I have and it works great and is allot cheaper than the Comp Cams kit. The whole shebang is only $76

http://store.summitracing.com/partd...t=SUM-G1056&N=700+4294925139+115&autoview=sku
 
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