AHHHHHHHHH! Camshaft Confusion

[blueroo]

Hello all,
For the past five and a half years, my dad and I have been restoring a '64 Fairlane with the 170 and 3 speed. I bought a Sealed Power solid lifter camshaft kit for the engine. About 2 nights ago we started to degree the camshaft and came up with an intake cycle of 253 degrees and an exhaust cycle of 235 degrees. I did some checking and all the camshafts I found had either indentical cycles or a longer exhaust cycle. Here are some more of the numbers. I apologize in advance for anything repetitve since I'm new to this. The intake starts to open 28 degrees before TDC on the intake stroke and it closes at 45 degrees after BDC of the intake stroke. The exhaust starts to open 55 degrees after TDC on the power stroke and it closes at exactly TDC of the exhaust stroke.
What we are wondering is where the intake valve should start to open in relation to TDC of the intake stroke. I checked out Sealed Power's website and could not find any listing for a camshaft for the entire Ford small six family.
I'm not sure if these extra numbers will help but I thought I'd post them just in case. It's bored .030" over and the crank is 10 under. I have the 2.77 "crashbox" tranny with a 3.50:1 rear. Factory specs list 6 degrees advance max on the distributor yet it backfires (along with some loud pops) during decel. When running 14 degrees advance however, the backfiring is gone but I have basically no vacuum at idle (about 750-850 RPM) and I get major ignition breakup around 3800RPM.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Anonymous]

I am not an expert on that cam, but it almost looks (to me) like the cam needs to be advanced. Any more info on it? part number? suppplier?

 

[wsa111]

Blueroo, since this a solid lifter cam are the valve events after the correct valve clearance is set?

If that is so, then readings on the intake should be closer to opening @ 17 before tdc & closing at 56 degrees past bdc. this is using the actual events, not at .050.

From the readings you give the camshaft is way to far advanced.

You need to get a cam spec card from sealed power or get in touch with Mike at www.fordsixparts.com & get another camshaft.

Check your timing at the timing chain to see if you are a tooth off.

Good luck William

 

[69.5Mav]

blueroo

Make sure top dead center is realy top dead center. Check with a top dead center checker you screw into number one spark plug hole.

Good Luck
69.5mav

 

[rbohm]

8) i agree with wsa111, it sounds like the cam is way too far advanced, though another posibility is that the degree wheel was not properly 0'ed out.

 

[jswhite]

Maybe I've misread this, but while the intake math works (28+180+45=253), the exhaust side does not. I make it 305 total. 55 degrees atdc is 125 bbdc, 125+180+0=305. 305's a fairly normal duration for a mechanical cam (the 253 sounds light)

I agree, the cam apears to be advanced however without a cam card that's just speculation. If you can't get the specs, you're flirting with danger. Better in the long run to get a cam with known specs.

-- jay

 

[blueroo]

Hey everyone,
Thanks. My math is probably off since I am new to this. As for the cam card, do you think Sealed Power would have one since from what I can see they no longer make that camshaft.
Two more things. The first is when I pulled the spark plugs out they appeared to have the "symptoms" of running rich. They're Bosch Super plugs (part no 7551). I'm running Accel 8mm super stock wires and an Ignitor I kit and flamethrower epoxy coil (ok, so that was a little more than two, I just wanted to group them into one).
Secondly, My dad and I believe we're running a 75 degree separation between the crank and cam yet we don't know which one is leading and which is lagging. The engine will not start with the timing marks lined up and I know it wasn't 180 degrees backwards COUGH COUGH learned that the hard way when the engine tried to swallow the compression tester through the plug hole COUGH COUGH .

 

[80broncoman]

I am puzzled somwhat by the specs. If you can list the cam card specs I think I will be able to help.

 

[addo]

On the far end of the cam from the driven gear, there should be an engraved number. If you are positive about the cam maker, they will be able to identify it from that code, and fax you a can sheet.

Regards, Adam.