60s Refugee
Well-known member
Just a poll to see how many of you took the time to degree your HIPO cam. Comment on how it worked out.
Harry
Harry
Degree camhaft
- Thread starter 60s Refugee
- Start date
Harry, you better believe i degree every camshaft i install.
Clay smith, comp cams, schneider & crane are real close.
I installed an erson cam last year & it was 22 degrees off.
I sent it back to them & got a refund.
Don't trust any grinder & sometimes keyways are a degree off.
Also if a crankshaft was reground it could also be off.
Some grinders incorporate the advance into the grind, some do not.
Another reason to not only degree the camshaft, but also to check the damper for being at TDC where it is marked. Bill
Clay smith, comp cams, schneider & crane are real close.
I installed an erson cam last year & it was 22 degrees off.
I sent it back to them & got a refund.
Don't trust any grinder & sometimes keyways are a degree off.
Also if a crankshaft was reground it could also be off.
Some grinders incorporate the advance into the grind, some do not.
Another reason to not only degree the camshaft, but also to check the damper for being at TDC where it is marked. Bill
60s Refugee
Well-known member
For sure I plan to check the dampner. It's the original. After I find TDC I'll snug on the timing cover to see where the dampner reads. If it's off I'll be calling Dampner Doctors!
Harry
Harry
Eric Rose":1cjmjhx0 said:Would me machinist need my harmonic balancer to degree the cam... I didn't send it with the motor
Is your machinist putting together the motor? If he is not putting it together he shouldnt need it.
I think its worth the trouble so you know what you have. For it to mean anything you have to have the 'cam card'. For you do be able to do anything about it you have to have a fancy timing set that can adjust.
A
Anonymous
Guest
I degreed mine and it should be part of any performance build.
Later,
Doug
Later,
Doug
i degree all the cams i install. In my expirience i have found some to be as much as 8 degrees off which could noticeably affect performance.
kirkallen143
Famous Member
I degreed the stock cam in my motor and it was @ 15* off if I remember correctly. I still set the timing chain/gears at zero.
Kirk
Kirk
60s Refugee
Well-known member
So, if the cam is off, just what is incorrect? The keyway pin hole or the lobes themselves? You know, I've done some machine work myself. I built a live steam model locomotive once. Those parts just HAD to be perfect...so they were. Just how could anyone be so sloppy to get 15* off and still have graduated from machinists school? I also wonder if the key pin hole is off, what's to keep the lobes from being off too? You could have the key dead on and TDC/valves in #1 correct, but still have the lobes for 2-6 off? Cripe, the average high school machine shop tech grad should be able to be more accurate than that! At least in Ohio 
.
The big day is Sunday. A friend is bringing over his degree kit and we're planning to spend the whole day pounding the engine together. He hasn't done one in years cuz he mostly does warranty work at the local Ford dealor. He told me that on the rare occasion he gets to replace a cam he's using FOMOCO parts and they are 100% reliable. Of course, that's just him. He hasn't done a custom job in a long time.
Harry
. The big day is Sunday. A friend is bringing over his degree kit and we're planning to spend the whole day pounding the engine together. He hasn't done one in years cuz he mostly does warranty work at the local Ford dealor. He told me that on the rare occasion he gets to replace a cam he's using FOMOCO parts and they are 100% reliable. Of course, that's just him. He hasn't done a custom job in a long time.
Harry
60s Refugee
Well-known member
Cool! I'll find out tomorrow when I do mine. Mines a Clay Smith too so I'm expecting a good result.
Harry
Harry
60s Refugee
Well-known member
Mugsy, Did you try it with the head on or off?
Harry
Harry
60s Refugee
Well-known member
Good! It's easier with the head off. I'll be putting mine in in about two hours! Crossin' my fingers.
Harry
Harry
60s Refugee
Well-known member
Just got back from the shop.
I was suprised how easy it was to degree the cam (especially since I had an expert helping). The even better result was that the cam is perfect! I'm now another Clay Smith satisfied customer! I also got the timing cover, new seal, new engine mounts, new tranny mount (I had used the old ones over during the restoration), and crank pulley installed.
Tomorrow is the ignition day.
Harry
I was suprised how easy it was to degree the cam (especially since I had an expert helping). The even better result was that the cam is perfect! I'm now another Clay Smith satisfied customer! I also got the timing cover, new seal, new engine mounts, new tranny mount (I had used the old ones over during the restoration), and crank pulley installed.
Tomorrow is the ignition day.
Harry
60s Refugee
Well-known member
That may be, but we didn't even have a degree kit at the Chrysler dealership that I was service manager at (I'm retired now). I had not even heard of the process before starting this project or ever witnessed it being done in the shop. That's in spite of the fact that I cammed up several 289's back in the day. Now, I agree that Chrysler ain't Ford, but I do think that as a general rule of thumb Mopar, FoMoCo, GM and other genuine replacement parts are pretty reliable. Of course, they cost more too. The parts I have had the worst reliability with were rebuilt starters and alternators from the various discount parts houses. Got three bad starters in a row once from a well known outlet.
I'm not a paid professional mechanic, but I will have to give ole' Shawn a thumbs up for helping me out in return for a six pack. He clocks in at the Ford dealership every morning doing a full load of high tech crap that rarely involves hard part failures. When it does, more often than not, it's because someone was being stupid with their new car. If he trusts "genuine" parts then who am I to question his judgement, even though he's half my age
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I don't recall anything much regarding new car warranty cam problems since the '79 Mustang 4 cylinders had the big problem. Both of the 79's we had needed new cams!
Harry
I'm not a paid professional mechanic, but I will have to give ole' Shawn a thumbs up for helping me out in return for a six pack. He clocks in at the Ford dealership every morning doing a full load of high tech crap that rarely involves hard part failures. When it does, more often than not, it's because someone was being stupid with their new car. If he trusts "genuine" parts then who am I to question his judgement, even though he's half my age
. I don't recall anything much regarding new car warranty cam problems since the '79 Mustang 4 cylinders had the big problem. Both of the 79's we had needed new cams!
Harry
