OK, I know this is not a Vette, or even a Chevy, but this is my first build and it seems like there some experienced engine builders on here. Plus, I'll be building my L46 350 next during my C3's resto, so look at it as practice for that if it helps. And you can see my C3 in one of the videos.

I have done about just about anything you can do mechanically with a car except rebuild an engine. I want to make sure it's right. This is a Mopar 318 polyshpere. I built it with a 349" stroker kit. I have the short block mostly together and it's time to degree the cam. I read several things on the web and viewed some videos, and I gave it a shot. I tried two methods, the intake centerline method and duration at .050 method. My results seem to be good, but I would appreciate it if some of you could check it out and tell me if I've done it correctly.

The reason I'm concerned is that I had to use the 6 degrees retarded crank keyway to get it degreed correctly. The timing set I'm using has keyways for advance and retard in 2, 4, 6 and 8 degree increments. I've read a lot about modern aftermarket cams rarely needing anything but dot-to-dot alignment. This situation is a little different from buying an off the shelf Crane or Comp though.

It's a Schneider cam:
http://schneidercams.com/264Fpolysolid.aspx

and is most likely a regrind. It's all they offer now, but I bought the cam a couple of years ago, so I'm not sure. I also didn't by it directly from them, but from a guy who does a lot of work with 318 polys, including putting these stroker kits together.

I made three videos, one to establish absolute TDC, one showing degreeing with the IC method, and one showing degreeing with the duration @ .050 method. Could you look at them and tell me if I performed these operations correctly?

Verifying TDC:

Intake Centerline Method:

Duration @50 Method:

So did I do it right? Thanks.

 

Are you saying you have to rotate it 226 degrees to get that .050" lift? When it should be 220 degrees? If so you need to use the "straight up" position of your crank shaft sprocket to correct the 6 degrees retarded figure.

 

I do most cam degreeing with the centerline method. What you did looked right to me. I thought the boys at b bodies had you covered pretty good....

 

Actually I've posted it on two sites and got some varying opinions. Sometimes when researching on the web, you have to find a consensus.

 

That's true so be careful who you listen to. lol. Don't over think this, you did it right in the first two videos. Unless the manufacture wants you to do it another way just stick with it. Your on the right track.

 

OK, thanks homestead.

 

I haven't watched videos yet....but are we sure the lifter is "solid". Not sure if this is a hyd cam or not..but a hyd lifter can add a lot of variation with plunger moving around.

Do you know about the lobes? Are they symetrical or assymetrical? If they are assymetrical you need to do it by opening/closing points...tough to do with I/C line method.

But in the end...you do whatever you have to do to get the events correct. Lots of things can be out of whack...the crank, the cam, the gears....all can add up to who knows what...especially on a regrind.

JIM

 

It's a solid lifter engine. I don't know for sure about the lobes. They look symmetrical to the naked eye, but maybe there are differences I can't see. I did use two methods, and they both seemed to confirm that I had it right. But of course if I was performing them wrong, then it wouldn't matter. If you look at the vids you'll see. They are short.

 

I'm still confused. Are you saying you have to bar it over 226 degrees to get the .050" lift when it should be 220 degrees? If so you need to index your cam "straight up" instead of 6 degrees retarded. For almost all applications you want a cam advanced by about 5-6 degrees to produce more low end torque.

 

No, I'm saying I had to retard the cam (via the crank sprocket) 6 degrees to get the IC to 108 degrees, as specified on the cam card. That also put the intake opening @ .050 to 4 degrees BTDC and the intake closing @ .050 at 42 degrees ABDC. The cam card call for 3 and 39, which is close, but not exact.

My main reason for posting was just to make sure that I was performing the degreeing operations correctly.

 

It looks like you have done the process correctly. Just to confirm, the ICL was 114 degrees when installed straight up and you retarded it 6 degrees to get to 108? The cam itself being 6 degrees out sounds like a lot to me. The cams I have degreed have all been within 1 degree. The last cam I did had a 108 LS on a 104 ICL and it degreed in at 103.5. The .050 valve events will always be a little off due to measurement error.

 

That's correct Neil. That's why I wasn't sure I was measuring it right. Just doing searches around the web, there are a lot of people that say the same thing, that they rarely have to install new cams anything but straight up.

But many of them that have installed a lot of cams do say they've run into the odd one that did require adjustment, so maybe I just got "lucky".

 

I had a crower cam for a 455 olds + edelbrock timing chain set that was way off.