Sweet mother of Jesus, there is nothing ever simple about this effing build...
Timing Gear
Drag-Stang may have been right about the timing set being the late version. If you look closely at the photo posted above of the timing chain, the Cam Gear is part number S442, which is the late model gear. The Falcon Six Handbook says I need part number S414 which is the '69 "early" gear that is advanced about 7 degrees cam (3.5 crank) from the later gear. The Falcon Six Handbook also says I should have
crank gear number S415, which I do have as you can see in the photo. So I've got half of the setup right...
I bought the timing set from Classic Inlines. They
specifically say they only sell the "early" timing set because it is more desirable, and if you really must have the later set you must specify it and it will have to be special ordered. However, even without having specified this, it would appear I was sent the late Cam gear anyway. That or the machine shop gave me back my old cam gear, which I will ask them about on Monday.
Degreeing the Cam
Here are the numbers from my first pass at this process, boy is it time-consuming. One thing I noticed is that I consistently measure duration at 0.050" as 218*, whereas the spec card says 214*, but maybe this is not a big deal.
When I got the block back from the shop they told me they had installed the cam "straight up." Here are the numbers I got from their installation on the intake lobe:
Duration at 0.050" Method
Intake 0.050" opening side = 5*
after TDC
Intake 0.050" closing side = 223*
after TDC
Duration at 0.050" = 218*
Centerline Method
114.25* calculated lobe center
Now you can see the Cam card below, the lobe center is supposed to be 112* which by the Centerline method I am off a tad over 2 degrees. Duration is supposed to be 214*, which I am off by 4 degrees (218*).
As for the degrees BTDC that the intake valve is open at 0.050", I get 5*
AfterTDC. The spec card doesn't give opening and closing events at 0.050" lobe lift, only seat-to-seat timing. So that is not very useful for this process, to say the least.
I decided to advance the cam one sprocket (should be roughly 17*) and try again to verify my numbers. Here are the results of the next try, again, intake lobe only:
Duration at 0.050" Method
Intake 0.050" opening side = 12* BTDC
Intake 0.050" closing side = 206*
after TDC
Duration at 0.050" = 218*
Centerline Method
96.75* calculated lobe center
You can see that now my intake valve opens 17* sooner, closes 17* sooner, duration at 0.050" is unchanged at 218* of course, and now calculated lobe center dropped by 17 to ~97*.
When I was out at the garage I only measured the intake valve, and I couldn't figure out whether I was advanced or retarded. I realized after I got home that I need to compare the phasing with my exhaust lobe. So I will do that next...
All of this was with the straight crank key, no offset there. If I end up retarded it is because of my cam gear.
Cam Card:
Positive stop used to determine TDC:
Degree wheel: