degreeing a cam think I may have it, need input yall

[dgie]

When I degreed a cam that I had laying around as practice before getting the new comp cam. I got these numbers. I am not sure if I did it right, Maybe someone can spot something that I did wrong. I need to get this stuff down patt.
The first thing is I found top dead center using the dial indicator. “Infomaniac” on your site you used the piston stop method. I do not have one of those gadgets, I will probably make one. On that note it was mentioned that all you have to do is turn the crank one way and take your reading then go the other way until it stops again and then take that reading then divide by 2. I guess then set your degree wheel there. I think it also mentioned that all you have to do is stop it somewhere before top dead center for the piston stop method to work. Does it matter where? If I misquoted anything I may have mixed your post with the many sites that I have been reading to get this stuff down. Yours does seem to be the best though the pictures help a lot.
On to what I did for my reading on top dead center I brought the #1 piston to an estimated TDC then I went one way .050 and took a reading. Then I went .050 the other way and took a reading. I then added them together then divided by 2. I reset the degree wheel to 0 then ended up with 10 degrees one way then 10 degrees the other. I then moved the dial indicator to the lifter. The kit came with a solid lifter so I stuck it in the exhaust lifter port and placed the pushrod that came with the kit in the center of the lifter seeing how it is solid and connected the dial indicator to it keeping everything straight. I then turned the crank one side of the 0 mark and came up with 344 degrees then to the other side of 0 and got 35. I added them together and got 379. I then divided by 2 and got 189. I then moved onto the Intake and did the same for it. I came up with 318 degrees and 17 degrees I added them together and got 335 I then divided by 2 and got 167degrees. I took the 167 and 189 and added them together and divided by 2 and got 178 it is supposed to be 180 degrees from the factory. Does it all sound right that I did, mind you I did all this after I changed the numbers on the degree wheel to read 0 to 360 (with the exception of using the 0 to 10 degrees when finding top dead center.) I believe that is 2 degrees advance if I remember right. The lower the number is advanced and the higher it is retarded. Let me know yall.

[Moneypitt]

Sounds like you're getting the hang of things. I would caution you to turn the crank one way only. If you reverse direction, you risk the backlash of the timing chain throwing your numbers off. As you come up to your .100 or .050 before tdc, note your #, then go over tdc and start back down to the same .050 or .100 (I use .100) and note that #. And of course split it to find 0. This is why I don't use the positive stop method, I don't like to reverse direction, as even gear drives have a little play. Remember to verify the factory timing mark (Ignition) while you are still at absolute TDC when finished with the cam...I can feel your eagerness to learn, ain't it bitchen when something like this falls into place for you!!!!!!!..Moneypitt

[dgie]

Things do not always fall into place, but this one seemed to. I am happy. I heard this before to go only in one direction and do not change and go back because of possible slack in the timing chain. So I will have to keep that in mind when doing it. As far as checking the factory timing mark. I have what looks like timing mark tape on balancer. If it is off do I just peel off that and put new stuff on?

[flat broke]

DGIE,
Glad to hear your still diggin in and trying to learn. I noticed a couple of things in your exlpanation that were probably just lost in the translation, but I wanted to touch on for your own clarity.
First, unless you are verifying the manufacturers grind of the Lobe Center, you will typically do your timing off of the intake lifter.
Second, on finding tdc it sounds like you pretty much have it down. I use a dial indicator as an absolute on TDC instead of a piston stop. Your max lift on the indicator will be TDC. Set your pointer accordingly and then verify by going .050 both directions and checking your degrees.
As stated by the other poster, when using your method, I find its better to take both sides of the measurement going in a clockwise rotation. In other words, take your first reading going clockwise to .050, then go back to zero counterclockwise, past .050 and then come back to .050 clockwise.
Obviously with the numbers you posted, the motor would be significantly retarded. Remember a lower final number then the LC is advanced and a higher number is retarded. On a 108 lobe center cam, 105 would be 3 degrees advanced. Once you get the desired number through using offset cams of the multi splined crank gear, re set your tdc and re run the degree sequence just to be sure.
Good luck,
Chris

[dgie]

I wrote the first post on this string and I knew that there was something wrong but could not remember what it was, I was half asleep and could not figure it out, so I posted it anyways. The problem that I found is that it is suppossed to be 108 degrees and not 180 degrees Flat Broke you mentioned that it is severly retarded. Is it possible to be that far off when my final reading was 178 if so what could cause it? I did this twice and came up with 178 degrees the first time and 179 the second time.

[dgie]

anyone?

[Infomaniac]

When setting the degree wheel to TDC.
When you got both readings and divided by two, did you set the engine to that value before setting the degree wheel to zero?
You are sure you are on the #1 cylinder?
Put the indicator on the edge of the lifter. Do not use a pushrod.

[dgie]

I first brought the engine to what looked like TDC on the #1 piston (first on the right) then turned it to the right until the dial indicator read .050 and then turned the other way until it read .050 then found the center of both, which turned out to add up to 10 degrees on one side and 10 degrees on the other. I made sure to move the degree wheel and rotate it to make 0 my center. I then double checked it and at .050 on both sides I was getting 10 degrees on both sides. So I am pretty sure I was at true TDC.

[dgie]

Is it possible the cam is that screwed up?

[Infomaniac]

It is possible but not probable.
The timing gear on the crank is installed OK?