Degreeing my FSSP cam & timing set...Hey Mike (anyone)

[Anonymous]

Mike sent me my new cam and a dial indicator and degree wheel set to make it goes in just right this time (and thankfully a how-to video ) . BTW, Mike rocks in case you didn't know (www.fordsixparts.com). I allready have his double roller timing set where the crank shaft gear has many key ways that are numberd (0, +2, +4, etc)

Anyway, Mike suggested I dial it in 4 degrees advanced. I'm not 100% i know exactly what that means. In general I do, but the HOW is my question. I installed the gear set with the crank keyway for 0 matched up with the cam gear dot on absolute TDC as determined by the dial indicator. By following the degreeing method in the video I come out with:

110 degree lobe center (as advertised)
Intake: 114 degrees
Exhaust: 106

Based on the video's info, that means my cam is installed 4 degrees retarded.

Just to confirm (and to make sure I didn't goof up the easy part), the SECOND lifter back from the front of the engine is the INTAKE on #1 right? If I did get that backwards and the FIRST lifter is intake, then I'm balls-on in good shape at 4 degrees advanced.

However, if I'm right, then at 114 degrees I'm at 4 degrees retarded. How do I fix that? The video uses drilling the gearset and installing offset bushings. I don't want to do that! Do I have to OR can the alternate keyways on the crank gear be used to alter this?

I THINK I understand how. If I were to slide the crank gear on at +4 degrees then line up the 0 degree mark to the cam shaft gear dot, that would be +4 degrees right? Since I really need to go a full 8 degrees the other way (4 to advance to 0 and 4 more to get to where Mike suggested), I would need to put the gear on at +8 and line up the 0 and the dot right?

Thanks all!

 

[Anonymous]

Oh yeah, the other post about losing my crank bolt is gone becuase we found it!! LOL! :roll:

 

[Anonymous]

Well, I did an experiment to test my own theory...looks like I was wrong..what a suprise!

I slid the crank gear onto the keyway on the +4, then aligned the two )'s on the gears. When I turned it over by hand, the rod bolts were interfering with the cam. oops.

So, i pulled it back of and tried the same procedure on the +2 keyway. This time, I had clearance so I went with checking the lobe centers and advance/retard. I got the right lobe center reading again, but this time, the readings were:

Intake: 86degrees
Exhaust: 134 degrees

that puts the intake at 24 degrees advanced. Um, no. not right.

Since the 0 keyway puts it at 4 degrees retarded and the +2 keyway puts it at 24 degrees advanced (28 degrees difference), does that mean that every keyway = 28 degrees?

My next test will be to set it back on the 0 keyway and align the 0's ONE tooth on the cam gear off. Sound like a good plan?

 

[Anonymous]

OK. I went through a few iterations of offsetting the cam gear teeth to see what I could get. One tooth in either direction from directly in line with the 0's threw it way out one way or the other (adv or ret).

I went back to lining up the 0's and remeasured everything. This time I got 106 on the intake and 114 on the exhaust. That's 110 deg lobe center and 4 degrees advanced on the intake. Just where I need it.

user error in one of the measurements?

 

[MustangSix]

Might be error. your piston stop, pointer, and degree wheel need to be consistent.

Try the Holley sitefor clarification. Nice pictures.

 

[wsa111]

Bryce, if your degree reading at the #1 intake lobe center is 106 degrees that should put you at 4 degrees advance.

As jack said just make sure you have TDC on the money & then proceed from there.

Different cam manfacturers specify different means of camshaft degreeing in specs.

The first is the intake lobe center, which clay smith recommends. Other grinders specify the .050 degree method.

It does not hurt to check both specs.

You are in the ballpark from what you describe.

Just to be on the safe side double check your settings & also verfiy the crankshaft damper at TDC is really at TDC.

Mine was off 2 degrees. William

 

[Anonymous]

yep, i verified absolute TDC by turning down .050 each way and making sure the wheel degree reading was the same both ways.

I'm using the lobe center method as done in the video. They also go into the .050 method.