Cam timing LS1
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,315
Likes: 17
From: Near Jacksonville Fl.
Cam timing LS1
While working on my install of the new cam and heads I looked at the crank gear for my timing set.
It's a Manley D/R with adjustable timing, when looking at the crank gear it has 0 marked on the keyway and the first tooth to the left shows R2.
Then on the next keyway its marked A2 and the tooth just to the left is marked 0.
So my question is, are our stock cams retarded 2* from the factory?
Has anyone degreed their cam with stock timing gears?
It's a Manley D/R with adjustable timing, when looking at the crank gear it has 0 marked on the keyway and the first tooth to the left shows R2.
Then on the next keyway its marked A2 and the tooth just to the left is marked 0.
So my question is, are our stock cams retarded 2* from the factory?
Has anyone degreed their cam with stock timing gears?
Former Vendor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,584
Likes: 17
From: Lubbock Tx
They don't really work that way. Where the retard and advance teeth are in relation to the numbers on the keyway holes isn't what sets the cam advance or retard, so the 0 isn't retarded 2 degrees even though it could look that way.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 22,025
Likes: 192
From: At the beach in little Rhody
Not sure what you are asking. Sounds like there are three keyways, 2R, 2A and 0. For each keyway, there is a corresponding tooth on the lower gear that is used for alignment with the upper cam gear. This is similar to my Cloyes Hex-adjust.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 16,477
Likes: 26
From: Gone
CI 6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03
I think vettenuts knows the answer to this for sure (I'm going off vague memory), but if I recall, when the crank sprocket dot is at top (12 o clock position ), the crank keyway is actually around the 4 o clock position.
So on a crank gear with multiple keyways, the correct dot will never be the one adjacent to it's corresponding keyway, it will be more across from it.
Also, it's common for the keyways to have different shapes to identify them...
rounded keyway for 0
square keyway for retard
triangular keyway for advance
Each one has it's own corresponding dot or marking for aligning with cam sprocket dot.
It gets even more confusing on crank sprockets with 9 keyways.
So on a crank gear with multiple keyways, the correct dot will never be the one adjacent to it's corresponding keyway, it will be more across from it.
Also, it's common for the keyways to have different shapes to identify them...
rounded keyway for 0
square keyway for retard
triangular keyway for advance
Each one has it's own corresponding dot or marking for aligning with cam sprocket dot.
It gets even more confusing on crank sprockets with 9 keyways.
Last edited by Y2Kvert4me; Feb 3, 2010 at 05:01 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 782
Likes: 45
From: Toronto Ontario
The manley gear set actually uses 9 keyways marked R8-R2, 0, A2-A8, with corresponding markings on 9 teeth. The markings on the teeth don't line up with the keys in the least. They cut the keyways so that when you line the dot up on the cam gear with the appropriately marked tooth, you'll have your desired timing. A degree wheel is mandatory when you're using crazy set-ups like this.
Last edited by Its_Go_Time; Feb 3, 2010 at 08:05 PM. Reason: made a boo boo
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 16,477
Likes: 26
From: Gone
CI 6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03
Well looking at that, it looks like the crank keyway is at more like the 1 or 2 o clock position then (when corresponding timing mark is at 12).
That doesn't look confusing at all. Much better marked than the Cloyes.
That doesn't look confusing at all. Much better marked than the Cloyes.
Former Vendor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,584
Likes: 17
From: Lubbock Tx
They are pretty simple once you have installed one. If you want it 0, use the 0 keyway and then line up the crank gear TOOTH marked 0 with the corresponding cam gear mark. If you want it advanced 2, use the A2 keyway and then line up the A2 crank gear tooth to the corresponding cam gear mark. Use the keyway mark that specifies the timing you want, and then use the tooth marked with the same marking to line up with the cam gear corresponding mark. I do like the markings on the Manley pieces. I REALLY like most everything Manley. They make our custom LS pistons, some awesome billet rods, and even the single beehive springs I am using in my big cam setup that have the same pressures as the popular .650 lift duals (really quiet valvetrain with those singles and properly measured pushrods)
Last edited by SDPC; Feb 3, 2010 at 08:32 PM.
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,315
Likes: 17
From: Near Jacksonville Fl.
The manley gear set actually uses 9 keyways marked R8-R2, 0, A2-A8, with corresponding markings on 9 teeth. The markings on the teeth don't line up with the keys in the least. They cut the keyways so that when you line the dot up on the cam gear with the appropriately marked tooth, you'll have your desired timing. A degree wheel is mandatory when you're using crazy set-ups like this.
I assume this is straight up, and yes I am using a degree wheel!
Just wanted to understand what I was looking at, thanks.
I guess I was asking 2 questions, the second one was if you use a stock timing set is your cam 2* retarded?
