degreeing small block cam

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WildCat

WildCat

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I stopped by and seen my short block is together. He lined the cam and crank up with the gear set.

This is a street car and probably will take it down the track once if I think it runs like it should.

Now how important is it to actually degree the cam in? or is setting it with the timing marks be good enough?

He said since the gears set was not adjustable he just lined it up. I told him that they have keys to adjust them. If it will make much difference I will ask him to do it and get the adjustable keys to correct if it is off.

Again this is just a street car but want it to run good.
 
If you paid to have it degreed as part of the build, have him do it.

Street car or not, I've seen timing sets off by 10* or more. Nice manufacturing tolerances... NOT! Have it degreed so you know the cam will perform as intended. Be a real bummer if it was installed retarded on a street car.
 
Its should be center lined on the number one intake lobe. The crank key, gear keys, camshaft keys, and chain all have tolerances. If they are all off in the wrong direction you could potentially loose a lot of performance. Its not hard to center line the cam and correct it if need be. I would definitely have it done while its out of the car.
 
It's only important if your goal is to have a good running engine that will burn rubber.

When I degreed my last sb mopar cam in it was retarted 3 degrees straight up. This would have killed bottom end torque.

I used a five degree advance key and this thing burns the tires off.
 
Definately get the keyways and degree it to where the cam manufacturer recomends.

I had a "new" 340 that someone else built and installed the cam "straight up". It ran like crap and wouldn't pull over 5,000 rpm. We took it out and degreed it, it was supposed to be at 104CL. This dumbass had it at 118. It was a wonder the thing even ran at all!! Unbelievable!!

MAKE HIM DO IT RIGHT THE 1ST TIME!
 
ya know ....ive done nothing but complain about the half assed performance on my pretty wild .60 over 318 ....i should ask the guy who put it together for me if he degreed it correctly ...
 
sum cams have have it built in them.my cam has i think 3 degrees ground in it so i can mount it straight up.
 
always degree the cam in regardless of performance level, this leaves out lil gremlins which may appear after your driving the car and you can rule the cam timing out by doing so.
 
Whether a cam is ground +2, +5 or whatever, it's foolish to rely on the "dots" to think you have a cam installed where it should be.

If the timing set is way out of spec, say -10*, seen this and more out of spec, where the cam is ground in relation to advance makes zero difference in the equation.

Degree the cam and have the security that it's installed correctly.
 
I tried 2 different stock replacement timing chain sets in my 408 build, and both retarded the cam, one at 3 degrees, and the second at 4 degrees! I wound up installing the original (which was tighter than either of the replacment ones) and used a timing chain tensioner to keep it taught. It installed straight up, perfect degreeing. Used a comp cam hydraulic roller.

I would say DEFINITELY degree it in. It's easy, and good assurance. I downloaded an printable degree wheel (see below) and printed it, cut it out and glued it to a piece of blue foam, and used a coat hanger for a pointer. I bought a dial indicator and magnetic mount for $28, and degreed away!

DSCF3009.JPG


free_degree_wheel.jpg


DSCF3007.JPG
 
Jimmy,
Thanks for the degree wheel pic! Very handy cause i was getting ready to degree my cam...
 
stopped by today and he already had the timing chain cover on. Told partner I wanted him to check it to make sure it was right

Thanks for all your help

I'm real concerned since the 1st build it ran better than the 2nd, hoping the 3rd time is a charm
 
Argh! Just got the 360 running in my 72 Swinger, but it starts very hard, and I can't get the thing to run/idle quite like it's supposed to. I bought a purple cam and just installed it with the dots. I played with the timing as much as I could, and it made it driveable, but something is definitely very wrong. Does anyone have a good link on the entire process of degreeing a cam? I think it will solve my problems by the sounds of it! Please help I'm desperate!!:help:
 
ramcharger said:
Thrasher,

I'm degreeing my new Lunati cam tonight or tomorrow. I'll post pics and a How To in the tech section Sat or Sun.

If you're in a rush, i'm sure someone can find a link from Comp Cams or Crane.
Click to expand...
No serious rush, I want to have the tools I need this week sometime so I can pull the water pump and timing cover next saturday 8) @ thanks to hilbillyconques for the link 8)
 
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