[SCHOONER]

Hi Guys

I'm just a newbie at all this great engine rebuilding stuff.
I have a 289 engine and I'm ready to put the valve train together.

QUESTION(S) PLEASE

Do I degree my cam or not
I don't have an aggessive cam its just a little above standard. Got roller rockers and screwed in rocker arm studs. Hydraulic lifters.

Now, I've been reading that in all cases its BEST TO DEGREE OUR CAM whenever possible when rebuilding your engine.
I just want my DAILY DRIVER to have a quaility built engine. Yes, I'll have some more horsepower and that's O.K. too. But its still going to be my daily driver.

I've seen on e-bay a CAM KIT with all the goodies that go with the kit. Degree wheel, pointer, engine stop and a VIDEO TOO

I wll not buy the kit till I hear what you guys got to say about these questions.

And lastly, I wonder what you guys know more about degreeing a cam then a video does. You guys have been buidling engines a long while and are pro's at it. I'm so GREEN BEHIND THE EARS IT ISN'T FUNNY :thumbup: However, I can follow instruction damn good.

O.K. guys till I hear from you all ~ I'm still in your pro hands. :welcome:

GOD BLESS YOU ALL

Schooner

 

[JeffB]

Degreeing cam

Once you get bit by the Hotrod bug you'll stay bit so buy the kit and do it right,down the line you will probably need it again.Also there has been a lot of cam failure as of late due to changes in motor oil,do yourself a favor use Shell Rotella for breakin in it still has the good lubes in it,for more info check out Melling.com Good Luck!

 

[CNC BLOCKS NE]

Cam timing is important are that some times gets over looked as the dots are just aligned as that is just a ball park do it righ the first time and degree it in and when defgreeing it in and you find it off the kit then was worth buying.

Good luck

 

[machine shop tom]

When you degree in a cam you are verifying that all of the parts are machined accurately. It is possible that a cam or timing gear or crank (or a combination of them) is a couple of degees off. If the combination ends up 4, 6, or more degrees off, performance will not be as expected.

Not degreeing a cam is a crapshoot. It's better to check and have to do no correcting than to not check and wonder if you missed something (especially when the thing just doesn't perform as it should).

tom

 

[johnsongrass1]

You could take it another step further and degree all 16 lobes. It's good practice too. You might be surprised what kind of difference you find.

 

[xntrik]

80% of the time you will be close enough with setting the timing with the dots. You have a stock daily driver, not a race car.

If you have a multiple keyway roller timing gear set, I would set it at 2-4* advance. The chain/gears will wear and stretch which will reduce the timing back towards zero.

 

[JeffB]

Degreeing the cam

I was watching the Powerblock on Spike TV today Joe Mondello was a guest,he stated that due to the number of parts being outsourced and foreign made it makes the need for cam degreeing more critical than ever before. :thumbup:

 

[xntrik]

I was watching the Powerblock on Spike TV today Joe Mondello was a guest,he stated that due to the number of parts being outsourced and foreign made it makes the need for cam degreeing more critical than ever before. :thumbup:

Ya, I believe that.

I use American made cams and Cloyes timing sets. Haven't seen any bad keyways on Chinese cranks... yet.

 

[johnsongrass1]

I was watching the Powerblock on Spike TV today Joe Mondello was a guest,he stated that due to the number of parts being outsourced and foreign made it makes the need for cam degreeing more critical than ever before. :thumbup:

He also said the camshaft is the most important hp building item out there.

He's a dork.

how many engine's can he make doing "special appearances" anyway. I bet the guy's running the shop know better.