degreeing the cam

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Aug 13, 2010
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Location
Conway, S.C.
My Car
1972 MACH 1
2019 F150
Few important questions.

1. How important is it to degree the new cam?

2. What do I need to do it right?

3. Is just aligning the timing marks on the sprockets enough?

4. Could it cause any damage if not done?

5. Would I lose performance? (car will not see the track)

Alan L

 
I would check piston to valve clearance after that if you use the crane cam method, a friend of mine built a brand x motor and did degree his cam according to crane cams and the spec card fired it up and bent the valves. he didnt check ( guess he should have ) but after replacing valves and putting cam in with just aligning the timing marks on the sprockets he never had a problem

 
Addition info from speed shop tech on degree cams. In my situation, going less agressive from a 541 lift down to 513 lift clearances should be ok. since everything else is the same. I'm leaning to not buying the kit and move on.

Alan L

 
Degreeing the cam is more about lining up the valve timing events to coincide with what the manufacturer built the cam for. Checking for valve to piston clearance should also be done although I dont think you will have to with the cam you have and the flat top pistons.

Degreeing the cam is optional, it will run by just lining up the timing marks and go. Its just something that should be done if you want to make sure you are getting all the power you paid for.

Due to production clearances there is some variables when you just stab the cam in and the valve may be opening or closing a little off.

IF you want I have a degree wheel kit you can use, just cover the shipping for me.

Or you can get one online for about $80 bucks, not necesarry just recomended.

You may also need a timing set with different key ways to adjust if necesary.

 
All manufactured items have tolerances and therefore small deviations from "perfect". Cam, cam locating pin, cam gear crank gear, and key way in the crank snout. If each had .5 degree error, in the same direction, that would be 2.5 degrees "stack up error". That is enough to notice. 4.0 degrees is very noticeable. Of the last 3 cams I've degreed 2 required 2 degrees correction, 1 required none. Degreeing the cam is an optimization process, unless there are major errors some where. The installed centerline of the cam does change piston to valve clearances some what. The .513 lift cam should not be a problem. Although, I do always check piston to valve clearances. It sounds like you are making serious progress and will be on the road again soon. I hope things keep going well for you.

Chuck

 
I had the same question with my comp cam, so I called them and they told me my cam was pre set and did not have to do anything but if I did they would have told me just what to do with there cam. If you got yours from a place like them call them, they made it they know what to do, just have all you info ready to tell them your build specs!!

good luck.

 
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