How to 'dial in' a cam......

**Mad Mark** · 09-05-2013 07:34

Hi Guys

I'm getting the feeling that the cam in my car is still not timed right (or the followers are not suitable for the cam & valve springs), as I have tried to get it to run, but it still won't work under 2000 rpm.

I understand the 50thou point on lift to get a standard, but once I have the degrees of open/close for inlet/exhaust how can I get the alignment right?
I have no data sheet on the cam and no-one seems to be able to tell me what the cam is, even though I have posted on Trifive and here.

Is this possible, or would it be best to buy a new cam and followers? (Mind, this might still be a problem as the valve springs may then not match........ Or am I trying too hard?)

Thanks

**newboldspeed** · 09-05-2013 08:01

Whats the distributer?

**1stpop** · 09-05-2013 08:01

We are just about to dial in the cam on my mopar , this is the way I understand it
From what I understand it to check the crank , cam , timing gears etc as one of the items may have been a Friday afternoon special ( wrong )
Got to find top dead centre on number 1 , we have made a spark plug stop , so can wind it around twice both ways to find top dead centre , then we got a pointer gauge a degree wheel and a dial indicator
To make sure I'm getting the correct lift at the correct time , inlet and exhaust .but this is on the cam card , so without that info , I think its going to be awkward .
But I have had to order new push rods as went to set valve lash and they were already open when rocker shaft was bolted down , so when I put the new cam in my push rods were to long, so made an adjustable rod to check lash, I'm using hydrolic lifters in mine , not solid .
Home much is a new cam kit for your engine maybe including springs if its unknown .?

**Mad Mark** · 10-05-2013 07:19

It's a standard dizzy, but with Pertronix fitted.

That's my problem as I bought the car woth the cam in, but stripped the engine to re-build it. All is back as it came out except the followers. If I can get the degrees, can a guess be made as to where I align it to the crank?

**beach57** · 10-05-2013 07:41

By the time you have bought the degree wheel DTI etc,would be cheaper to buy a cam kit ,then you you know what you have ,and have you tried running engine with a different dizzy.

**LazySteve** · 10-05-2013 07:46

If it's bad at low revs but better higher up it sounds like it's too far advanced (valves opening too early) but probably not by a lot or it wouldn't run at all. You could try moving the cam back a tooth and see if it improves. If you can rig it up to run with the timing cover off (short burst - no cooling etc.) you can maybe do a bit of trial and error 'til it seems right.

**newboldspeed** · 10-05-2013 07:55

You say the engine will not run below 2000rpm.

But the engine runs.

My first job would be to check the pickup in the dissy.
You can have a gap of 40 thou and engine will not run at low revs.
You can hane a gap of 15 thou and the motor will run fine at low revs.

This would be my 1st check.

**robo1** · 10-05-2013 08:05

If you have a degree wheel and a dti why not just measure what you have in terms of lift,duration and lobe separation. For the sake of an hour you will know what you have and with that info a quick cross reference should point at the maker. Just thoughts.

Bob

**beach57** · 10-05-2013 08:14

What about videoing the engine as is and putting it on youtube ,also thinking is this something we all could do when we have a problem ?,

**Plumpcars** · 10-05-2013 08:38

Mark this is crazy. I don't see how you could build an engine without knowing what is in there? Why not just rip out the cam and put a new cam/lifters/springs/timing set in there? These engines are simple and yours is mild so there should be no problems in setting it up?
You had nothing but trouble with this set up before. You are putting together a car with an unknown camshaft... How do you know what the characteristics will be? How do you know that you will be happy with it? Will it be compatible? This cam may be nothing more than a cheap stock regrind. To me you have spent far too long suffering stress with unknown qualities, why not just spend a weekend putting in something that will work in the way that you want it to and be simple to set up?